Alain Hanel is a French stage photographer whose work is deeply rooted in the living energy of performance.

His photographic journey began in 1967 when, at eighteen, he entered a photography studio by chance and discovered the demanding craft of image-making — from darkroom printing to assisting established photographers during a period of profound visual transformation.

After early years working across creative fields — including art direction, record cover production and radio — Hanel returned to photography in the mid-1990s with the arrival of digital technology.

This renewed chapter led him toward the world that would define his artistic identity: opera and ballet.

Since the early 2000s, he has documented major productions and internationally renowned performers, developing a long-standing relationship with the Opéra de Monte-Carlo and collaborating with leading dance companies around the world, including the Bolshoi Ballet.

In 2016, one of his photographs of étoile dancer Svetlana Zakharova was chosen to illustrate her international tour, marking a significant milestone in his career.

Alongside his work in classical dance, his artistic curiosity has led him toward other forms of stage expression, including an immersion in the powerful universe of flamenco in Spain.

Following an initial encounter in 2013 with the Royal Ballet of Cambodia during the Printemps des Arts in Monte-Carlo, where he served as official photographer, a lasting artistic friendship emerged with H.R.H. Prince Ravivaddhana Monipong Sisowath and H.R.H. Prince Tesso Sisowath, director of the Princess Buppha Devi Dance School.

In January 2025, Prince Tesso Sisowath invited Hanel to Phnom Penh to photograph his final ballet production — a project that has since given rise to a new exhibition of thirty photographs currently in development.

Through decades of encounters and artistic evolution, Alain Hanel has cultivated a singular vision of stage photography — one shaped by patience, intuition and a deep respect for the ephemeral nature of live art.

Alain HANEL

Artistic Approach

Alain Hanel works exclusively within the reality of live performance.

Refusing studio staging, he photographs dancers and musicians in the immediacy of the stage, embracing low light, movement and the unpredictability of the moment.

His approach is guided by a deep respect for performers and for the fragile balance between discipline and emotion that unfolds before an audience. Rather than constructing images, he observes and anticipates — allowing the truth of the performance to reveal itself through gesture, silence and presence.

Selected Recognition

Nikon France — collaboration and recognition for low-light stage photography

Official visual selected for the international tour of étoile dancer Svetlana Zakharova (2016)

Exhibitions

2017: Ballet Royal du Cambodge, Carrefour des Arts - Monaco

2016: Svetlana Zakharova - Amore - Monaco 

2010: La Russie danse sur la Côte d'Azur, Villefranche-Sur-Mer - France

2009: Opéra de Monte-Carlo, Acropolis, Nice - France

2007 - Portraits volés - Palais des Festival, Cannes - France

2007: 06 en scène - Acropolis, Nice; Hip Hop; Conseil Général des Alpes Maritimes - France 

2007: Ballet de Monte-Carlo - Acorpolis, Nice - France

2007: Un seul regard sur une saison - Opéra National du Rhin, Starsbourg & Nice- France

2006: C'est pas Classique - Conseil Général des Alpes Maritimes - France

2005: Opéra et Ballets - Opéra de Nice - France

Press & Features

L’Œil de la Photographie — Feature article by Jean-Jacques Naudet