Karel Balas is a French photographer and art director, born in 1967 in Avignon. He currently lives and works in Paris. After working as an art director in magazine publishing for over fifteen years (including L'Officiel Homme, Jalouse, Le Fooding, MilK Decoration), he co-founded his own publication, MilK, in 2003 with Isis-Colombe Combréas. A self-taught and passionate image-maker, he naturally transitioned to photography in 2006. Balas favors giving his subjects freedom of movement in front of the camera, allowing him to capture unique, spontaneous moments. His photography is characterized by a "sublimated realism." His body of work spans fashion, interiors, portraits, and editorial features, with contributions to MilK, Elle Décor Italia, Living, Sunday Telegraph, The New York Times, and commercial collaborations with brands such as Chloé, Dior, Fendi, Kenzo, Lacoste, Le Bon Marché, and Hermès…