We came across the work of Olivier Ciappa out of sheer serendipity, while researching boxing images on the web. Google rapidly told us that the French producer, screenwriter and director had left the island of Tahiti for Paris at age 16, and rapidly started filming the stories he had in mind with an unusually intense and rapidly recognized focus on quality and aesthetics — Ciappa’s known, among other things, for making the very best of the smallest budgets.

But we met his photography first, and it speaks volume about this man’s talent. You could say that the gallery below is filled with grace, but if you’re the more rational type, let’s just say that it holds 19 images that the 30-year-old artist recently snapped in the metro — not always in Paris, obviously — at his boxing club and in the street.

We also found a couple studio shots of French actor Stéphane Rideau, taken only a few days ago [left]. And this portrait of Ciappa himself [right]. Yes, he’s in a relationship. Yes, his boyfriend is insanely cute. Nuff said.

Olivier Ciappa