I met French photography legend Jacques Henri Lartigue when he was 80 – the secret behind his success still resounds with me today!

In 1974, renowned photographer Thomas Joshua Cooper and Paul Hill interviewed child prodigy Jacques Henri Lartigue, who was then 80 years old. Lartigue, known for his pioneering work in colour photography, had captured the Parisian Belle Époque with a camera provided by his well-to-do family. His unique perspective, focusing on spontaneous snapshots instead of formal portraits, set him apart from his contemporaries and later contributed to the rise of street photography.

Lartigue's interview with Cooper and Hill was brief, as he was recently discovered and relished the attention. He revealed that he had taken thousands of other photographs, which were not made public. Lartigue's dual career as a painter and photographer allowed him to view the world with both artistic eyes and a candid lens, always maintaining a childlike perspective despite the challenges that age brought.