In 1964, Naudet met Pierre Houlès during their military service in the film department of the army in the Fort d'Ivry.
[2] Encouraged by the mentorship of Roger Thérond, Director of the Hachette Filipacchi Publishing Company, in 1971 he joined a journal it published, the French magazine Photo and became editor-in-chief, occupying the position for eighteen years (1976 to 1988),[3] was photographic correspondent for Paris Match, Elle, Premiere in New York, and contributed frequently on photography to Le Monde,[4][5] and was then editor-at-large of American Photo[6] for another 18 years, in which editor David Schonauer remarked on Naudet's career and contributions to the field; "Jean-Jacques remains a familiar and influential figure in photography, attending festivals in Madrid, Arles, and Perpignan, snooping through galleries in Manhattan, and having lunch with an array of photographers, curators, and editors in search of good food and better gossip.
He's been doing that for some 30 years, which gives him the knowledge and perspective needed to bring off a difficult feat like listing underrated photographers: He has seen major talents come, and he's seen them go.
"[6]He was a correspondent for the Hachette-Filipacchi group in the United States, and member the jury of the Planches Contact festival from its creation in 2010.
[2] Jules made the only recording of the first airliner striking the World Trade Center on the morning of the attacks of September 11, 2001,[9] later using the footage in the documentary that the pair directed; New York: September 11, which garnered two Emmy Awards in 2002.