An Unconference in Paris: Capturing Elea’s authencity, intimacy, and purpose

Capturing Elea’s authencity, intimacy, and purpose

Photographing the Elea Summit in Paris was unlike any event I’ve documented before. Instead of the usual conference — panels, stages, tightly scheduled sessions — this gathering chose a completely different path. 

From the start, the design was intentional: no formal presentations, no microphones, no networking. Just 55 founders and investors from 14 different countries placed in an environment built for real conversation. My goal wasn’t to capture the speakers on a stage; it was to capture authenticity.

Over three days, I watched people break out of their default conference armor. They sat in circles, explored art and nature, and spoke with a kind of openness I don’t often see in business settings. 

What impressed me most was how quickly relationships formed. It usually takes months of repeated interactions to build trust, but here it was emerging in hours. Elea was designed to test whether intimacy, creativity, and deep thinking could flourish in a small window of time.

Capturing a space that blends art, design, and global entrepreneurship isn’t something I get to do every day. But what made this summit special wasn’t the aesthetics—it was the curation. The mix of people, the environment, the conversations… they all fit together in a way that felt purposeful, down to the smallest detail. The choice of venues, the way the rooms were arranged, the pacing of each experience — even the food and drinks — worked together to reinforce the same narrative. Every aspect of the design was perfectly intentional.