Born in Paris, Philippe Kohn began his photographic journey through reportage and social documentary work. As a freelance photographer for 11 years, he worked in both press and corporate communication. He later joined the Rapho agency, where he created and led the corporate department for 12 years. In his personal work, he gradually moved away from a journalistic approach, leaving the city behind to explore natural landscapes alone.

During these long solitary walks, he immersed himself in silence and light, seeking to move beyond the real to invite the imaginary. This contemplative approach developed over time: six years of wandering through numerous forests led to the series “Dans le silence des pas” ("In the Silence of Footsteps").

He continues this approach in his other projects. Captivated by a path in Corrèze measuring just 432 steps, he captures the quiet life of this humble and enchanting stretch of land. He also explores the world of a preschool he visits daily with one of his sons, focusing on the children's activities, games, and traces left behind—each a spark for daydream and an invitation to an inner journey.

In 2010, he created the series "Haute Lumière" ("High Light") in the grounds of the Saint-Guénolé Monastery in Brittany. There, a small community of men lives in seclusion yet remains open to the world, where their spiritual verticality meets the sea’s horizon. Kohn absorbed the harmony of the place and sought to capture its essence.

He then developed the series “Terre d’ardoise” ("Slate Land"): a land shaped by centuries of slate mining, leaving vast exposed vertical walls. By digging into the rock, humans revealed a hidden mineral world that seems to stretch like a line from the depths toward the sky.

Other images followed, taken in various rooms of his own home: “Au plus près” ("Up Close") is a tribute to the transformative power of light as it touches everyday life. 

In “L’atelier” ("The Workshop"), materials, tools, and utensils bear the marks of time slowly altering their substance. These objects, once only functional, now possess a presence and beauty that transcend their original use.

In 2013, he received the “Coup de cœur” (Editor’s Pick) from *Réponses Photo* magazine as part of the Ilford Jury Prize.

Philippe Kohn currently lives with his family on the edge of the Fontainebleau forest. 

His work is represented by VOZ'Image.