Édouard Boubat was born September 13th, 1923 in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris, France. Boubat began taking photographs after World War II in France. Having endured forced labor during the occupation, the lifestyle of photojournalism both provided Boubat the adventure he craved as a young man and afforded him a certain freedom not readily available to all in post-war Europe. From the start of his career, Boubat had the innate ability to capture a moment on film and turn it into a magical image. His travels took him all over the world where he photographed for various journals and for himself.
The essence of Boubat’s spirit is summed up in his own words: “Just as love at first sight erases everything and creates a kind of void, so I must confess that, when I take a picture, I have no desire, no intention, no memory. What I am photographing has taken control of me, it is a leap in the dark. It’s over in a second. This vacancy allows the fleeting instant to break through, the instant in which everything is plunged into one unique light.” (From Edouard Boubat: Pauses, 1983)
Boubat’s work has been exhibited throughout the world including the United States, Europe, and Mexico. He has been awarded several professional awards such as the National Photographic Prize of France and The Hasselblad Foundation Prize, both in 1988. Boubat passed away on June 30th, 1999 at the age of 75.