Brigitte Bardot through the lens of Jacques Héripret
Jacques Héripret (1937–2021) was a French photographer who achieved international acclaim for his intimate and spontaneous portraits of celebrities, his war photography and his images of nature. Born in Paris and entirely self‑taught, he built an impressive career from the late 1950s onward as a freelance photographer and press reporter.
A central place in his oeuvre is occupied by his long‑standing and unique collaboration with Brigitte Bardot. Their bond flourished during the filming of Shalako (1968), where Héripret spent several months on set. Thanks to their mutual trust, he was able to portray Bardot in moments of exceptional freedom and natural ease, far removed from staged glamour.
These photographs, published notably in the book BB and liberté (2013), reveal Bardot as both woman and icon and stand among the most authentic photographic testimonies of her life. They affirm Héripret’s rare ability to draw close without ever violating intimacy.
Beyond Bardot, he photographed numerous other icons, including Alain Delon, Johnny Hallyday, Pablo Picasso and John F. Kennedy. Jacques Héripret died in 2023, but his work lives on as a timeless testament to freedom, trust and elegance, with Brigitte Bardot as his most legendary muse.
