Franco File Friday: Carla Coulson

France was in the cards for me the moment I stepped off the plane in high school. The path to making this life a reality was not without its arduous moments but there was a spark I couldn’t ignore. For others, it’s more of an acquired passion. For Australian photographer Carla Coulson, moving to Paris meant abandoning her first love and longtime home base: Florence. What was meant to be a year stint has turned into nine wildly creative, inspiring years that led her to publish Paris Tango, a tribute to the city.  When she isn’t shooting for international magazines, she’s hard at work on her portrait series of other women who have fallen for Paris. Below, she shares a few of her favorite things and moments in her adopted home. 


Describe what you love about France in three words.  Peeling paint, discretion and love of beauty. How does life in France inform your work?  When I arrived in Paris one of my first jobs was shooting couture gowns at Dior, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Lacroix and Valentino for an Italian fashion magazine. It was an unforgettable introduction to Paris. The French understated aesthetic has woven its way into my work. Every time I push open one…

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