Francis Apesteguy (24 September 1952 – 30 January 2022) was a French independent reporter-photographer.[1] He was known as a paparazzo, working for Sipa Press, Daniel Angeli [fr], and Gamma.

Francis Apesteguy
Born(1952-09-24)24 September 1952
Died30 January 2022(2022-01-30) (aged 69)
NationalityFrench
OccupationPhotographer

Biography

edit

Apesteguy began his career in photography in fashion and advertising as an assistant to Helmut Newton. He soon became a photojournalist in Northern Ireland and was working for Sipa Press and Daniel Angeli's agency.[2] On 27 September 1972, he got his first scoop, capturing a fire which broke out on a building on the Champs-Élysées and a woman who jumped from the building. France-Soir published the photograph in its next daily edition.[3]

In July 1977, Apesteguy joined the agency Gamma, with which he worked until December 1997.[4] In May 1978, he was sent to Chad to capture photographs of Opération Tacaud. Upon his arrival, he was arrested and his equipment was confiscated. Suspected of being a Libyan spy, he managed to escape.[5] In 1981, he was one of the main characters in the documentary Reporter [fr], directed by Raymond Depardon.[6]

In 2014, Apesteguy was one of seven French paparazzi whose photographs appeared in an exhibition at the Centre Pompidou-Metz.[7] In March 2015, he launched the Manifeste de l’indignation à l’intention des artistes créateurs et du Ministère de la Justice in support of his colleague, Marie-Laure de Decker at Gamma.[8] He lived and worked in Ézy-sur-Eure, where he was employed by Studio Hans Lucas.[9]

Apesteguy died on 30 January 2022, at the age of 69.[10]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Francis Apesteguy". A l’œil (in French).
  2. ^ Setboun, Michel (2012). 40 ans de photojournalisme : Génération Sipa : 27 septembre 1972 : Francis Apesteguy, l'incendie du Drugstore Publicis (in French). Paris: Éditions de La Martinière.
  3. ^ "L'incendie de Publicis". France-Soir (in French). 28 September 1978.
  4. ^ Guerrin, Michel (22 November 1997). "Le photographe Francis Apesteguy quitte Gamma". Le Monde (in French). Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  5. ^ Desvignes, Virginie (23 June 2011). "Je m'évade d'une prison tchadienne. Par Francis Apesteguy". Paris Match (in French). Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  6. ^ Coroller, Catherine (1 September 1997). ""Les paparazzi dans un engrenage". Interview de Francis Apesteguy, ancien "pisteur" de stars". Libération (in French). Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  7. ^ "Francis Apesteguy, le repenti". Les Inrockuptibles (in French). 5 February 2014. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  8. ^ Puech, Michel (28 March 2015). "" Soutenons Marie-Laure de Decker ", l'appel du photographe Apesteguy". Mediapart (in French). Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  9. ^ "Francis Apesteguy". Studio Hans Lucas (in French).
  10. ^ Kouassi, Olivia (1 February 2022). "Hauts-de-Seine. Mort du photographe et ancien paparazzi Francis Apesteguy". Actu.fr (in French). Suresnes. Retrieved 1 February 2022.