Monaco, April 26th, preparations for the Grand Prix, jet-setters, luxury shop windows, and slot machines. Arriving at Monte-Carlo station early in the morning, I head straight to a Leica Akademie photography workshop. Our mentor? Photojournalist Laurent Le Crabe. No time for window shopping or dreaming about million-dollar cars — just a camera, a curious eye, and a VIP pass to places usually off-limits.

All these photos were taken with a Leica M11 and a 50 mm f2 lense.

Person standing on sidewalk near black Ferrari car with Italian license plate, holding a mobile device, wearing beige pants and black shirt, with sunlight casting shadows.
View looking up from an escalator at a building with a curved glass ceiling and a blue sky with clouds visible through the glass.
View of the ocean with palm trees and a promenade seen through an open window.
A white multi-story building with classic architectural details and black balconies, under a clear blue sky with a construction crane overhead.
A wooden door with glass panels showing a street view with blue awnings, palm trees, lampposts, and multi-story buildings in the background.
Inside a grand, ornately decorated interior with marble columns, detailed woodwork, and a decorative ceiling, illuminated by an ornate chandelier.
A woman taking a photo with her smartphone in a dimly lit, ornately decorated interior with large columns and warm lighting, during a social event or gathering.
Row of illuminated slot machines in a casino, with bright colorful screens and chairs in front of each machine.
Black and white photo of a bar or restaurant counter with several bottles of champagne and a bouquet of flowers, and two people in the background, barely visible.
Close-up of a menu titled 'Le Train Bleu' with sections for antipasti, caviar, pasta and risotto, and seafood, against a blurred background of restaurant interior.
Close-up of a blackjack gaming table with markings for card and chip placements, branded LE CASINO MONTE-CARLO, in black and white.
Sign for Café des Parisiens in Monte Carlo with a decorative shell design above the text.
The facade of Casino Monte Carlo showing a clock and ornate architectural details with two green statues of seated figures with wings.
A chef with heavily tattooed arms is placing dishes on a marble countertop, with two plates of food in front of him, in a professional kitchen setting.
Close-up of a vintage car's red interior, with a black steering wheel, wooden dashboard, and small windshields, parked next to modern Mercedes-Benz vehicles.
A woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat and lace top stands among a crowd outdoors, with Tiffany & Co. storefront in the background.
A richly decorated ceiling with a large biblical or mythological scene, featuring angelic and human figures, surrounded by ornate gold ornaments and carvings.
Two people riding electric scooters on a city street with modern buildings and a mountain in the background.
Close-up of a red Ferrari sports car parked on brick pavement, showing the front wheel and part of the car's body.
Interior of a train carriage with empty orange and gray seats, and a woman sitting in the back area looking at her phone.