DOSSIER The iris photo: your eye, a work of art?

This is a new phenomenon that risks invading our walls. Now you can take a detailed photograph of your iris and turn it into a work of art. Companies have indeed specialized in iris photographs. Since then, iris photos have seemed unavoidable. Enlargement and photo editing are also part of their skills, the results are sometimes breathtaking. So, ego trip decoration or real idea? Ephemeral fashion or technical prowess intended to settle? We analyze the phenomenon in this new dossier.

The iris photo: an original idea!

It's hard to know where the concept of iris photos comes from. In France, it was a young photographer from Lyon, Hélène Villaire, who imported the concept. She confesses to having discovered it during a trip to Australia, to Melbourne more precisely. Back in Lyon, she realizes that no company has jumped into the deep end and she decides to take advantage of the opportunity.

In Germany, on the other hand, a company,Eyemazy , is already offering to franchise itself. Hélène takes the plunge and sets up her little shop in the Vieux Lyon district. The success is immediate. The principle ? In five minutes, the customer has his eye photographed and leaves with the shot, from a simple photograph to a high quality print. The Iris is digitally retouched to bring out the colors.

The success is such that Hélène sets up a second boutique, this time in Paris, less than a year later! Since then, companies offering this type of service have flourished, now offering true works of art from your eye.

An incredible rendering

In such a short time, the iris photo has already developed strongly. The whole family can take a picture of their iris and display it in their living room. As a bonus, companies like Iris Photo have developed a camera and software capable of boosting the resolution of photographs, offering images of incredible quality and revealing the multitude of details that make up our eyes.
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Now, it is possible to add finishes and effects to further perfect these works. The results are truly sensational and highlight the particularity of each eye. Because that is what is essential to the approach.

Indeed, such success, beyond technical prowess, lies in the ability to afford a painting absolutely unique, since each eye is. And it's also a way to highlight your own particularity.

The success of uniqueness…and ego?

While it was still rare a year ago, and few companies offered it, the concept exploded in 2022. Now, it is relatively easy to find a gallery in order to have your eye photographed there.

Iris Galerie, Iris Photographie, Studio PCB, Atomojo…you can place an order and make an appointment via many websites. Another point to raise, your eye can also be displayed in an art gallery. Indeed, you can authorize your photographs to be presented in galleries.

So, is this phenomenon temporary, is it a decoration trip reinforced by our ego? The question may arise. But after all, what is the difference with the fact of offering family photos in one's personal decoration?

While the originality of the process necessarily makes it successful, the fact of being able to highlight the beauty of one's eye is no more problematic than covering one's body with tattoos or piercings. Above all, it is safe for the eye and does not highlight the complexes that can be difficult to assume. However, the depth and mystery of the iris can say a lot about the personality.

In this context, the iris photo is a real idea and also demonstrates all the capabilities that photography can offer. But ultimately, rather than wondering about the egocentric side of the approach, one can imagine that faced with such success, it risks losing its originality. But after all, this is often what is lacking in decoration, which remains strongly linked to the trend of the moment.

In any case, the iris photo is likely to seduce many of us for a while yet!