An assortment of images of France by photographer Michel Guido, which can be viewed in the Marilyn Citron O’Rourke Gallery at the Benicia Public Library. (Photo by Nick Sestanovich)

When visitors step into the Marilyn Citron O’Rourke Gallery at the Benicia Public Library, they will be transported to scenes of France as they gaze upon photographs taken by Michel Guido. Beginning today and continuing through August, the photographer’s images of France and California are on display in his exhibition “Tour de France.”

Guido, 69, has been passionate about photography since he received a small Kodak camera at the age of 14 as a gift from his parents. Upon completing his studies, Guido became an air traffic controller in the French Air Force, a position he served in for 30 years. In the mid-‘70s, he bought another camera and continued to pursue photography. Upon retiring in 1999, he decided to spend more time on photography.

“Now I have my camera all the time with me,” he said.

Guido said all his photos are shot manually without using the automatic setting.

“I have a good camera, but I don’t want the machine to do the job for me,” he said. “I’m very careful of my framing.”

This, Guido said, has caused him to be very patient when capturing moving images such as a person on a bicycle. Moreover, he does not use Photoshop or any other image editing tools. The images “are exactly as I take them,” he said.

Guido enjoys the artistry of photography and is particularly influenced by humanist photographers. Many of Guido’s inspirations are French photographers like Eugene Atget, Brassai, Robert Doisneau and Willy Ronis, Hungarians like Robert Capa and Americans like Ansel Adams, Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange. Guido is fond of a quote by French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, “Photography is putting one’s head, one’s eye and one’s heart on the same axis.”

“It is not only a picture but what is behind that interests me,” Guido said.

Guido took several photos throughout France— as well as California— in the last seven years. In fact, Guido had taken so many photos that he initially planned to do a slideshow. However, he had received recommendations to do an exhibit at the Benicia Public Library.

“I never did something like this in my life,” he said.

Guido applied to have his photos on display, and his work was chosen. The walls are adorned with images throughout France— including a shot of the Eiffel Tower at night— and a smattering of photos in California. But that is not all. Guido has additional photos available in a diaporama— aka a slideshow— which he will present at an artist’s reception at 3 p.m. Saturday, July 21.

When Guido first saw his photos on the walls of the library, he felt very moved.

“For me, that was very emotional,” he said. “I did my best, and I’m very proud.”

Guido hopes viewers will appreciate the artistry of the photos.

“I hope for me it will be an opportunity to talk and to share,” he said. “We need this in this world.”

“Tour de France” will be on display through Aug. 9 in the O’Rourke Gallery of the Library, located at 250 East L St. The library’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and noon to 6 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. For more information, go to benicialibary.org/gallery.

Sharing is caring!