Artwork – Exquisite Identities
Exquisite Identities is a growing series of photographic works that capture the creativity, personality and aesthetics of some of the great names in the contemporary burlesque, cabaret, circus and drag scenes. The focus is on people who go to extraordinary lengths in their professional life to develop rich, complex and highly constructed identities. The process opens up a creative space for the performer to express themselves in a location that reflects this unique Exquisite Identity.
Event Photography – Live Performance
Burlesque, cabaret, circus, live music, - live events and festivals around Europe, UK and the US. - Stockholm, New York, Paris, Las Vegas, Helsinki, Berlin, Geneva, Milan, Brussels, Rome, Warsaw, Prague, Copenhagen... Bichard has photographed hundreds of performers from all around the globe.
Commercial Work
Commercial clietns range from International game companies to arts clients, from musicians to fashion editorial. There have been some unusual commissions: a Nosferatu shoot in a 1920s cinema, a Japanese Zombie Tarot reader portrait session, a week long shoot of a fantasy promotional film in a waterpark in Abu Dhabi. With a rich background in art, creative direction and narrative creation, Bichard brings a strong aesthetic direction, an understanding of how to unlock the unusual and a playful eye for detail to every assignment.
Event Photography – Vintage
The Nordic region has a strong and vivid roleplay community that ranges from fantasy to post-apocalypse, from viking to 20th century military. The scenes range from serious, large scale, high value productions to informal hang-outs and parties. The images I have cjhosen, sum up a group of vintage enthusiasts based in and around Stockholm who I have worked with to evoke story fragments and bring the roles to life. The images were taken at several informal events including: Rene's Café, Skåå Air Day, The D-Day Ball and private shoots. All images copyright John Paul Bichard 2012-2016
Event Photography – Roleplay Events
The most fun and challenging assignments are roleplay events: The College of Wizardry, aHarry Potter inspired live action roleplay game (larp) held at the historic Czocha Castle in Poland; Fairweather Manor, a Downton Abbey inspired Laarp in a Polish palace, Convention of Thorns, a vampire power larp in another Polish Palace, Pearl Tribes promotional film at a waterpark in Abu Dhabi. Each time, a new environment, finding the light in the darkness, co-ordinating the action and encapsulating the thrill, excitement and aesthetics of the adventure. Learned magic professors, three years of students, ghosts and house elves happily went about their lessons and everyday castle life before finding themselves under seige from the gathering dark forces. Secret stairways, potions, incredible magical artifacts and some great larp organisers made this a truly memorable event. Created and produced by Liveform and Rolespilslfabrikken.
Artwork – Evacuation 1940
Series of 19 photo artworks - Evacuation 1940 is a photo story by artist John Paul Bichard that reflects on the fate of his family in World War 2 through the fragments and traces that remain. Taking his memories of their story as a starting point, he collaborated with the vintage community in Stockholm to reflect upon the hardships that all refugees must face in being uprooted and relocated in the face of conflict. The sense of betrayal and loss ran deep and left a deep, lifelong scar on a generation... This work is dedicated to the memory of my brave grandparents: Edna and Charles Bichard...