This Montreal-based emerging French photographer’s work explores themes of freedom, identity, and the silent tension between humans and their urban environments. His ongoing series The Freedom Monkey places a small monkey statue at the heart of stark, geometric cityscapes—transforming a simple object into a symbol of resistance, isolation, and quiet rebellion.

His photographic journey began in 2016 with a basic Nikon D3100 and a growing fascination with capturing moments before they disappeared. The camera became a way to process change—especially after moving from Florida to Canada, where the vivid transformation of autumn mirrored his own shift in perspective.

Chasing light, Finding voice

Over the years, his technical skills evolved, along with his gear. Yet it was through conceptual exploration, not equipment, that his artistic voice began to emerge. The Freedom Monkey project crystallized during a period of reflection—when the boundaries between work, identity, and creative freedom blurred. What began as an unusual prop became a character, a metaphor, and ultimately, a mirror.

In parallel, Leo immersed himself in urban exploration, documenting overlooked corners of the city with a small circle of collaborators. These early sessions—raw, unfiltered, intuitive—shaped his approach to storytelling: patient, curious, and always searching for contrast, both in light and meaning.

After a period working in commercial photography—mainly in the culinary field—he stepped away from the industry to reconnect with his original impulse: to see, to document, and to express. That return to the lens marked a quiet but profound shift. The structure of professional work had dulled the instinct that once drove him. Picking up the camera again, with no agenda, became an act of liberation.

The Freedom Monkey: A Quiet Protest

Today, his work continues to blend documentary with conceptual narrative, always grounded in the visual language of the street. The Freedom Monkey is not just a series—it’s an ongoing question:

What does it mean to be free in a world built to contain us?