Stéphanie & Ferdinand
ph. Jonathan Llense
text by Clara Bouteille
Stéphanie reads, writes, photographs, and walks her cocker spaniel in the forest. Ferdinand is the star of the village of Montmartre, and he poses in front of the camera with manners and delicacy.
Stéphanie...
My name is Stéphanie Delpon. I have a background in literature. I studied in hypokhâgne khâgne and a major business school.
I am an art director and producer for major luxury brands. I am also a photographer. I will be exhibiting my photos for the first time in the heart of Paris in March 2023 for a month and a half.
I have been living in the village of Montmartre for almost 5 years. The space you visited is my atelier, my offices near my home. I like to do pilates with my lifelong teacher Thibaut and boxing with my friend Sofiane. I read a lot, write poems, watch films and walk my dog in the forest. I like taking pictures of strangers in Paris. It feeds my imagination and sharpens my attention. Lately, I have been enjoying painting and drawing because it puts me in a meditative state of mind.
Léon...
A friend of mine had a cocker spaniel, Leon. She hardly had time to look after him, due to her office hours, 8am to 8pm. Her dog was very lonely, a bit depressed, overweight.
Seeing him so sad was a reason for me to take him out every day, as he was living near my office at the time. I took care of him every day for almost a year. I created a very strong bond with this dog, whom I adored, and whose gentleness and intelligence I appreciated. Above all, I discovered the responsibility of having an animal. I said to myself that if one day I adopted a dog, I would like it to have a bond with Léon.
Three years ago I took the plunge. Ferdinand is Leon's half-brother. I made this choice in conscience and with responsibility.
The arrival of Ferdinand...
I went to pick up Ferdinand at 4 months old in a kennel in the north of France. (yes Ferdinand is from France!) I was a bit apprehensive because I am a very solitary person. I like peace and quiet. I have few constraints. So I feared his arrival a little. But we got used to each other very quickly and I never considered his arrival in my life as a constraint or even a radical change. It came very naturally, even though it totally changed my way of life. I was never a morning person. With him, that has totally changed. I love to take him out early, walk him in the fresh air. My mornings are much more gentle, dynamic. I had been living in Montmartre for more than 5 years but I realised that I hardly knew anyone in my neighbourhood, I wasn't very sociable. Ferdinand anchored me in my village. I stop at every street corner to talk to the inhabitants. And Ferdinand has become a bit of a star in the village, he even has an insta account called @Ferdinand_Montmartre.
With delicacy...
We are very close. Ferdinand is a cocker spaniel and he doesn't like to be alone at all. He's a bit clingy; he's always close to me, when I'm working, during my shoots, when I'm writing, when I'm going shopping, or when I'm going to appointments (he loves taking public transport.)
Our relationship is also very fun. I love playing with him. He takes me back to childhood where play is omnipresent. I love to read, write, work, and take a break by playing with my dog. It immediately reconnects me to joy, to the present. I used to do yoga and meditation. Now I have a dog.
I am a photographer. And Ferdinand has been my model since he was a puppy. I love taking pictures of him in Montmartre, in front of the Sacré Cœur etc. The funny thing is that since he was 4 months old, he immediately understood when I was taking a photo. He doesn't move, he waits quietly for me to take my photo, he's a poser. It's quite funny to see. Sometimes he carefully strikes poses. Almost aristocratic. Ferdinand is very delicate.
I think this animal has de-centred me from my person, and prepared me to have a child one day. A dog is a huge responsibility. A vocation, even. It is not a commitment to be taken lightly. I decided to adopt a dog because my lifestyle allows it. I am self-employed/I think it is more complicated to have a dog when you have to work long hours and leave them alone all day. A dog is not a cat. It needs presence, attention.
