PhotoShoot Awards represents a collective vision of photography and a desire to offer a means
of showcasing artistic creation. For all the team members, photography should be a portrayal
of beauty and hope which runs counter to the ambient depression and violence current in our
society.
Patrick and Nicolas, old friends, have collaborated in the creation of PhotoShoot Awards; each
bringing their experience and strengths to celebrate photography. The underlying philosophy of
PhotoShoot Awards is one of humanism and international vision.
Our thanks go to Etienne, Sue, Jane, Keiko, Geneviève, Saskia, Louis, Renan, Anaïs, Maria, Lucinda, Julien,
Tomomi and Didier.
Patrick Lesort
Initiated at a very young age to the magic of images and the photo lab, Patrick attended
photography school in Paris. From 1975, Patrick worked as a portrait and interior design
photographer. He branched out later to graphic arts where he was Art Director for numerous
design studios in Paris, Aix-en-Provence (France) and then in Montreal. Editor-in-Chief for a
number of trade magazines, Patrick also became responsible for the contests Grafika (graphic
design) and Lux (professional photography). At the same time, he founded his own company, les Productions Hors cadre, and became involved in the organization of cultural events.
PhotoShoot Awards is a project that has come into fruition and emphasizes Patrick's passion
for artistic photography. For the past 15 years, under his artist name (Roland Cabon), Patrick
continues to create his images, namely artistic nudes, which have appeared in numerous print
publications and exposed in exhibits in Montreal and in France, in particular at the Festival
européen de photo de nu d'Arles, in 2006.
patrick@photoshootawards.com
Nicolas Wasmer
Nicolas Wasmer is a talented web specialist in great demand whether in Quebec, France or Japan. While creating websites for Infopresse, the magazine publisher in Montreal, Nicolas discovered a new passion for photography. The websites for Grafika and Lux, the latter being a competition showcasing the works of professional photographers in Quebec, sparked Nicolas' imagination for a venue that would join both mediums, web and photography. His friendship with Patrick triggers the idea behind PhotoShoot Awards, a series of web-based photography competitions. From this point forward, it was conceivable that their idea would become reality. Nicolas is also President of Abekobe, a company specializing in the translation of Asian languages, where he works with his wife, Keiko, of Japanese origin. In addition, he has recently created the website of l'Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) in Montreal.
nicolas@photoshootawards.com
Étienne Magnier
Originally from Bordeaux, France, Étienne left his brothers behind at their family's vineyard to live his passion for the web in Montreal. An outstanding systems integrator analyst, Étienne has created websites for numerous companies of world renown. He and Nicolas Wasmer have worked together in the past and continue to collaborate in other projects. Building the site for PhotoShoot Awards has allowed Étienne to use his programming skills in creative ways to enhance the visual beauty of each image. His customary 70-hour work weeks have rightfully earned him the title of master artist of the css and html.