French photographer Frank Loriou has released 'Photorama,' a comprehensive visual document chronicling his twenty-year creative partnership with acclaimed French musician Jean-Louis Murat. The book, published by Éditions le BOULON, features 150 carefully selected photographs from hundreds of images taken during their collaboration, most of which have never been published before. A member of the prestigious Vu agency, Loriou came to photography through his background in music industry graphics, having served as head of the graphic design department for Virgin Records where he created album covers before transitioning behind the camera.

The collaboration began when Jean-Louis Murat, who had long refused to be photographed by others, agreed to work with Loriou. This partnership would prove remarkably fruitful, with Loriou creating approximately ten album covers for the musician through 2020's 'Baby Love.' The photo sessions typically took place in Auvergne, Murat's hometown region in central France, creating what Loriou describes as consistently picturesque experiences filled with the musician's memorable antics and spontaneous moments.

'Photorama' serves a dual purpose beyond simply showcasing intimate portraits of the enigmatic artist. Loriou has deliberately structured the book to provide educational insight into the creative process behind album cover design. For each album featured, he has preserved and presented the complete series of shots taken during sessions, offering readers a rare behind-the-scenes look at how iconic record covers are conceived and executed. The photographs are accompanied by Loriou's reflective text exploring both their professional collaboration and personal friendship.

One of the book's most compelling sections documents the creation of the 2013 album 'Toboggan' during a summer 2012 session. Loriou recounts how he had developed a fondness for visiting Murat's home in Douharesse during warmer months, drawn by the musician's intellectual freedom and bold theories informed by extensive reading. During these evening conversations under a large beech tree, Loriou realized he was witnessing an exceptional mind at work. One particular morning, glimpsing Murat cycling past his window wearing a straw hat and carrying a pitchfork as he moved between gardens, Loriou spontaneously grabbed his camera equipment and created what would become the album's iconic cover image.

The impromptu photo session captured Murat cycling back and forth on a country road with placid, detached composure, creating what Loriou describes as 'the strangest and funniest of westerns.' This gentle, natural, and humor-filled moment embodied exactly how Loriou wanted to present the artist – showcasing his poetry of the moment rather than his reputation as a provocative television interview subject. While Murat's visceral insubordination to conventional media language and his incandescent singularity made him compelling television, it also caused collateral damage that sometimes overshadowed his musical artistry.

Loriou's text reveals Murat's prescient understanding of industry changes, quoting a 2003 interview with Magic magazine where the musician declared his opposition to internet music piracy: 'I am scandalized. Everyone is stealing our songs, Internet users are terrible chicken thieves. We should hang one of them by the balls every day, Place de la Concorde.' This statement proved remarkably clairvoyant at a time when many artists were signing petitions against criminalization of file sharing, essentially undermining their own copyright protections.

The 'Toboggan' session continued with methodical repetition – returning to the same locations, using the same window, leaning against the same wall, repeating the gestures of craftsmen who return to work daily. Loriou exclusively photographed Murat on film, always during July visits, later developing images in cellar darkrooms by single bulb light without flash or assistants. During this particular session, he gained unprecedented access to Murat's private office, described as a 'secret temple' where the artist writes, composes, and finds creative solitude.

The final cover image emerged from these sessions – a painting-like photograph of Murat cycling mid-road, processed with additional grain at the artist's request to obscure rather than reveal his face clearly. The album title 'Toboggan' wasn't known during the shoot, but proved fitting for images taken on a road plunging toward the valley. A haunting parallel emerged when Loriou recounted hitting a badger while driving to the session, photographing the dying animal in his headlights – an image he later included in the album booklet without warning Murat, who had his own intense badger encounter while camping with his family.

'Frank Loriou: Photorama' spans 204 pages and was released by Éditions le BOULON on September 10, 2025. The 'Toboggan' album itself was originally released on March 25, 2013, later appearing in a special blue version. The book represents not only a tribute to an extraordinary artistic partnership but also a masterclass in the intersection of photography and music industry visual design.