diff --git a/app/scodoc/sco_photos.py b/app/scodoc/sco_photos.py
index 4863eaf7e2..6145c718c4 100644
--- a/app/scodoc/sco_photos.py
+++ b/app/scodoc/sco_photos.py
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ def find_new_dir():
     return d + "/"
 
 
-def copy_portal_photo_to_fs(etud):
+def copy_portal_photo_to_fs(etud: dict):
     """Copy the photo from portal (distant website) to local fs.
     Returns rel. path or None if copy failed, with a diagnostic message
     """
@@ -368,26 +368,40 @@ def copy_portal_photo_to_fs(etud):
         sco_etud.format_etud_ident(etud)
     url = photo_portal_url(etud)
     if not url:
-        return None, "%(nomprenom)s: pas de code NIP" % etud
+        return None, f"""{etud['nomprenom']}: pas de code NIP"""
     portal_timeout = sco_preferences.get_preference("portal_timeout")
-    f = None
+    error_message = None
     try:
         log(f"copy_portal_photo_to_fs: getting {url}")
         r = requests.get(url, timeout=portal_timeout)
-    except Exception:
+    except requests.ConnectionError:
+        log("copy_portal_photo_to_fs: ConnectionError.")
+        error_message = "ConnectionError"
+    except requests.Timeout:
+        log("copy_portal_photo_to_fs: Timeout.")
+        error_message = "Timeout"
+    except requests.TooManyRedirects:
+        log("copy_portal_photo_to_fs: TooManyRedirects.")
+        error_message = "TooManyRedirects"
+    except requests.RequestException:
         # log("download failed: exception:\n%s" % traceback.format_exc())
         # log("called from:\n" + "".join(traceback.format_stack()))
-        log("copy_portal_photo_to_fs: error.")
-        return None, "%s: erreur chargement de %s" % (etud["nomprenom"], url)
+        log("copy_portal_photo_to_fs: unknown requests error.")
+    if error_message is not None:
+        return (
+            None,
+            f"""{etud["nomprenom"]}: erreur chargement de {url}\n{error_message}""",
+        )
     if r.status_code != 200:
         log(f"copy_portal_photo_to_fs: download failed {r.status_code }")
-        return None, "%s: erreur chargement de %s" % (etud["nomprenom"], url)
+        return None, f"""{etud["nomprenom"]}: erreur chargement de {url}"""
+
     data = r.content  # image bytes
     try:
-        status, err_msg = store_photo(etud, data, "(inconnue)")
+        status, error_message = store_photo(etud, data, "(inconnue)")
     except Exception:
         status = False
-        err_msg = "Erreur chargement photo du portail"
+        error_message = "Erreur chargement photo du portail"
         log("copy_portal_photo_to_fs: failure (exception in store_photo)!")
     if status:
         log(f"copy_portal_photo_to_fs: copied {url}")
@@ -396,4 +410,4 @@ def copy_portal_photo_to_fs(etud):
             f"{etud['nomprenom']}: photo chargée",
         )
     else:
-        return None, "%s: <b>%s</b>" % (etud["nomprenom"], err_msg)
+        return None, f"{etud['nomprenom']}: <b>{error_message}</b>"
diff --git a/app/scodoc/sco_utils.py b/app/scodoc/sco_utils.py
index c3d189a961..b7304c1e95 100644
--- a/app/scodoc/sco_utils.py
+++ b/app/scodoc/sco_utils.py
@@ -1042,15 +1042,23 @@ def query_portal(req, msg="Portail Apogee", timeout=3):
     returns a string,  "" on error
     """
     log("query_portal: %s" % req)
-
+    error_message = None
     try:
         r = requests.get(req, timeout=timeout)  # seconds / request
-    except:
-        log("query_portal: can't connect to %s" % msg)
+    except requests.ConnectionError:
+        error_message = "ConnectionError"
+    except requests.Timeout:
+        error_message = "Timeout"
+    except requests.TooManyRedirects:
+        error_message = "TooManyRedirects"
+    except requests.RequestException:
+        error_message = "can't connect to {msg}"
+    if error_message is not None:
+        log(f"query_portal: {error_message}")
         return ""
     if r.status_code != 200:
         log(f"query_portal: http error {r.status_code}")
-        return ""  # XXX ou raise exception ?
+        return ""
 
     return r.text