Construction Pavilions (Pavillons en Construction)

1940–1945

Forges papers for the Resistance

From 1940 until the end of the war Doisneau used his skills as a draughtsman, letterer and engraver to forge passports and identity papers for the French Resistance.

1945–1979

Portraits of Picasso, Braque, Léger, Cocteau and Giacometti

From the post-war years through the 1970s Doisneau produced children's books, advertising photography and celebrity portraits — Alberto Giacometti, Jean Cocteau, Fernand Léger, Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso. He worked with writers and poets such as Blaise Cendrars and Jacques Prévert, and credited Prévert with giving him the confidence to photograph everyday street scenes.

1946

Returns to Rapho for good

After the war Doisneau returned to freelance work, selling photographs to Life and other international magazines; he briefly joined the Alliance Photo agency but rejoined Rapho in 1946 and stayed with it throughout his working life, despite Henri Cartier-Bresson's invitation to join Magnum Photos.

1947

Daughter born: Francine Deroudille

1947

Birth of his daughter Francine

Doisneau's younger daughter Francine was born. Later he disagreed with her for charging an “indecent” daily fee of £2,000 for his work on a beer advertising campaign — he wanted only the rate of an “artisan photographer”.

1949

A contract with Vogue

In 1949 Doisneau signed a contract with Vogue magazine.