Palm Springs has one of the world’s largest concentrations of mid-century modern architecture. Young, visionary, and talented architects came to Palm Springs and interpreted modern architecture in a way that best suited this desert environment and a lifestyle centered on leisure and conviviality. Their talents are now celebrated each year during https://modernismweek.com/

In 2024, I exhibited images from my many trips across the United States until 2023, discovering places and architecture that evoke nostalgia and a dreamlike America. At the Borrego Art Institute, I would like to focus on modern desert architecture, of which Palm Springs is the Californian mecca. These images will be from my travels in 2023, 2024, and 2025. This work is part of a ongoing project, as I will be attending Modernism Week in Palm Springs in February 2026.

I edit my images to give them a particular color scheme that evokes nostalgia, carefreeness, and long, hot summer days. Below are some examples of my work.

Desert modernism is an architectural style that emerged in the 1950s. It is characterized by clean lines, minimalist decorations, and straight-lined structures with sharp angles, perfectly integrated into the desert landscape of the city. Houses and villas in this style are easily recognizable thanks to their large bay windows, which blur the line between indoors and outdoors.

In 2024 and 2025, I had the opportunity to visit the home of architect Albert Frey, perched on the heights of Palm Springs. A former student of Le Corbusier, he was one of the latter’s few employees and one of the only ones to have suddenly announced his resignation after a trip to the United States. After passing through New York, it was his discovery of Palm Springs, then still largely undeveloped, that convinced him that he would find in this desert the ideal blank canvas on which to express his art. Albert Frey and Le Corbusier remained on warm terms.

I love these connections between Europe and the United States.

In my opinion, photographing Palm Springs and its modern architecture requires unlearning certain things. Depending on the neighborhood, there’s no point in looking for morning or evening light, as the low sun and palm trees don’t mix well and the shadows cast by the trees are too prominent. The ideal time to photograph these houses is between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. It will inevitably be very hot. It’s useful to drive down the same streets several times, as the Mercedes, Studebaker, or DeLorean may be out at that moment. Finally, when I photograph these neighborhoods, I need a large depth of field: the grass must be sharp, then the facade, the palm trees, and ideally the mountains behind. No more large apertures. Working without a tripod, I physically strive to remain stable, and I absolutely need a stabilized lens.

This partnership will result in a high-quality photographic series intended for exhibition and publication. I will create social media content showcasing Fujifilm GFX equipment to my specialized community in architecture and Palm Springs (@lennycartier), including documentation of the creative process. Equipment and photo credits will be systematically mentioned across all my platforms. The images may be featured in magazine publications and exhibitions, starting with a show in May in Amiens for one month at the Immo Amiens real estate agency, and potentially at the Borrego Springs Art Institute.