“With Polaroid you have to create anything you want in the moment.” For his new photobook, OPACIFIER, US photographer Jason Renaud dedicates his practice to the Polaroid format, documenting experiences, settings and people across the last three years. Collated together, the book acts as a diary-like documentation similar to that of classic 90s photobooks, capturing singular moments in square compositions, all with Renaud’s signature exploration of light and shadow. An oft-collaborator with Ann Demuelemeester creative director Stefano Gallici, Renaud’s work echoes the brand’s noir romance, and many of the images in the book are taken while working on projects with the Parisian fashion house.

With this in mind, a special book launch event and exhibition will be taking place in Milan on 20th September at the Antonioli boutique in collaboration with Ann Demeulemeester and soundtracked by a Nausea Twins DJ set.

Alex James Taylor: What is it about the Polaroid format that attracts you and frames your work?
Jason Renaud: It started as just a fun addition to my work. I shoot primarily digital and film across most of my jobs, but I didn’t really get into Polaroid work until about six years ago, then four years ago was when I started bringing it on every job. I appreciate being able to work within such a restricted medium, I feel like with digital and film photography, the possibilities are nearly endless, which is great, but it also means you can very easily get lazy and fix a lot of it in post-production. Polaroid removes so much of that, you have the shot, which you’ve metered correctly or not, and the scan. Two components only, and you have to nail both of those to get a Polaroid image you really like.

AJT: Using Polaroid, a lot of the images are blurred, or have light distress, how do these ‘imperfections’ speak to your style and ethos?
JR: There’s so much room to play within the format with distress, blurring, focus, once you really start to get into it, and none of it can be done in post-production, it’s almost like filmmaking – you can either use VFX later, or try to do it practically. With Polaroid, you have to create in the moment, on the day.

AJT: The book does away with themes or chapters, paying homage to photobooks of the 90s, what was the concept behind this? How did you want to present the images?
JR: There is a tendency to hyper-explain or over-realise your work on social media, this book is a bit of a departure from that. I wanted it to be stripped down, to be presented as is, with essentially no introduction or artist thesis in the book itself. This is a book made for photographers, artists, friends and admirers of the craft. I wanted the images to be left alone, I included a few varying layouts with Polaroid images I thought made sense together, or presented better as a group, but beyond that, I felt it should remain simple. The book is meant to be viewed as a compendium of my work. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel and experience so many unique photo experiences, and this was the best way I could find a framework to present pieces of all of those shoots.

AJT: And can you tell us about some photobooks close to your heart, perhaps ones from the 90s or not…
JR: Oh, absolutely. The first and most obvious that I paid homage to, is Davide Sorrenti’s Polaroids where he presents the work totally bare without any text or distraction. This is the holy grail of Polaroid photography in my opinion. Beautiful tones, beautiful mood. Second is the Corrine Day’s Diary. Also a very raw book, subjects are captured in a variety of settings and mood. I haven’t seen anything documented quite like this one. Technically published in 2000, but close enough.

AJT: Can you talk to me about the first and last images, I’m always intrigued about the choices behind the bookending photos.
JR: I wanted the first and last image to specifically be frequent dear friends and collaborators of mine. Most of the people closest to me are people I can also create and shoot with – having a continuing relationship with a subject is invaluable. The first image is Esther McGregor, who I’ve worked with for over three years now who has also become a dear friend – we’ve even taken polaroids of her tattooing me. The last image is another close friend and fellow artist, Sophie Thatcher. We’ve worked together closely on visuals for her music projects and beyond, and with more in the works it felt appropriate to leave that as an open-ended conclusion to the book.

AJT: Many of the images are taken backstage at Ann Demeulemeester shows. You have a strong relationship with Stefano Gallici, can you tell us how you met and how his work at the fashion house resonates with your photography?
JR: I love telling this story because it’s such a special one. I was shooting a Maxfields x Ann Demeulemeester collaboration in LA, a very special and rare collaboration that merited a lot of the Ann Demeulemeester team flying out from Italy just to be there. Before the event, we decided to do a small editorial with the pieces and who should be styling it? None other than their menswear designer, Stefano Gallici!

We quickly became friends and have always stayed in touch until one day I woke up to the news of his appointment as creative director. Stefano and I have always shared the same references and ideas, working together is virtually seamless and he gives me so much freedom to create and improvise. I think he’s returning the brand to its raw, punk roots. I’ve always loved that raw, do-it-yourself energy in fashion. We’re just trying to make beautiful things together.

AJT: Do you remember first picking up a camera and being excited about photography?
JR: I remember I got an old Canon Rebel for Christmas one year, and that was the start. I had to learn through trial and error how to shoot. When I moved to LA six years ago, that was when I realised that this isn’t just a hobby, it’s something I’m passionate about and can make a job that I love.

AJT: What made you choose the title OPACIFIER, and the cover image of Bella?
JR: Opacification is the process of chemical transfer onto the polaroids, and opacification failure is what can lead to weird misprints and colouring on a Polaroid image. So it’s playing on the idea of imperfections being built into the process of Polaroid photography – this title felt exceptionally fitting.

I was going back and forth on the cover, there was a long-gestating process before I even did the shoot with Bella. When that shoot happened and I scanned the images, I felt it was the cover almost immediately. It was taken at the end of the shoot, after we had spent a few hours in a rain room and were soaked. It just felt raw and simple enough to be a striking cover image.

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An exhibition and launch event will take place on 20th September at Antonioli in Milan.