BIOGRAPHY

Virgile Simon Bertrand is a French photographer whose work investigates the dynamic relationship between people, space, and scale. For more than two decades, this exploration has shaped both his artistic practice and his commercial commissions. Based in Asia since the late 1990s, he has cultivated a distinctive visual language that merges architectural rigor with a sensitivity to human presence.

Bertrand trained in Applied Arts at École Boulle (1988–1991, Paris), studied Graphic Design at École Duperré, and later specialized in Photography at the École Nationale Supérieure de la Photographie in Arles (1993). Early in his career, he assisted Magnum photographer Abbas and collaborated with the Opéra National de Paris, where he began to articulate his visual approach through engagements with performing artists.

After completing his National Service with the Service Photographique des Armées, Bertrand relocated to Asia, establishing a thriving commercial practice alongside ongoing personal projects. His architectural photography has been commissioned by leading international firms such as Zaha Hadid Architects, Yabu Pushelberg, KPF, César Pelli, and Herzog & de Meuron. His images have appeared in publications including Wallpaper, Architectural Record, Interni, Vogue China, ID, Forbes, Qvest, Mark, and Intramuros.

Bertrand’s photographs have been exhibited internationally in cities such as Hong Kong, Paris, Arles, and London, notably at the National Portrait Gallery as part of the 2008 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize. Across his career, he has consistently bridged the realms of fine art and commercial photography, creating a body of work that engages critically and poetically with architecture, identity, and the built environment.