Eternity, 2010
Many people have described Diana’s photography as a mix of Alice in Wonderland and Amélie, for its decadent romanticism and dreamlike atmosphere.
“I want my colours to be a rebellion towards the greyness and alienation of modern life. My aim is to capture the magic in everyday life, giving reality a dreamlike touch.”
Diana’s has been featured in several magazines and exhibited in many occasions in Novara and in Milan. In October 2009 her first solo exhibition “Ophelia’s dream” in her hometown.
Starry starry night, 2009
Photo Interview
CO – Hello Diana. Thank you for sharing your images. Please begin by telling us something about yourself. How do you see yourself as a photographer?…
DD – Hello, and thank you for giving me this opportunity. I’ve always been interested in photography, as I child I used to consider cameras magic boxes, and would spend time taking pictures of animals and trees. At the moment I’m focusing attention on film, I use an old Konica Minolta and my Lomo and Polaroid cameras.
CO – How do you think others see you as a photographer? The people you meet, your friends, your clients…
DD – There have been many people interested in photography recently, probably due to the spreading of digital cameras. I like talking to people and share different opinions and ideas about art, it makes me grow. People have always considered me as the creative one, since I’ve also been keen on drawing, painting and writing songs before, so I really feel at ease when talking about my ideas and projects.
Days / daze, 2010
CO – You have a rather interesting approach, both with the photographs and the projects. There are some projects whose names stand out: Season of the Witch, Ophelia’s Dream, Secret Garden… (what do they mean, where did you find the inspiration for them…)
DD – My self-potraiture is usually introspective so I think it just reflects my inner emotions and thoughts. I read a lot about Inquisition and my favourite writer is Edgar Allan Poe, that’s why my works often describe macabre, gothic and at the same time romantic and delicate atmospheres. The inspiration for the serie “Ophelia’s dream” comes from the Shakespeare’s character, I’ve imagined her dreaming for the last time while drowning.
CO – All the mentioned projects are self portraits. Just how different is self portrait photography from, let’s say, the classic photography, where you photograph a subject other than you. Are there any specific advantages or disadvantages to self portrait photography? Is the subject more open to the photographer’s ideas?
DD – When I first approached photography and wanted to experiment with portaiture, I realized I had a model available all the time: myself! I could follow my inspiration and plan the whole photo session, be daring and confident. These are probably the most important advantages to self portraiture, but working on another subject is by all means more stimulating and interesting.
Bath of bleach, 2010
CO – Please walk us through the “thinking process” in one of your photographs. Pick one and guide us through the steps (the idea, the composition, the challenges…)
DD – I choose one of the strangest picture I’ve taken, called Eccentricity. I had that idea in my head for ages, then I decided to take a picture of it. I used the natural light coming from a large window and a refleting panel as I usually do. The scene is completely black because other colours would have distracted from the subjects, there are just some tiny silver stars which may represent wishes. The pile of books on the left represent the passion the girl has for art but she is curled up and probably afraid of what others may think of her. She woud prefer to hide this passion and appear as “normal” but her very clothes betray her. Not much photo editing on this, I usually keep my works “natural” and just do the bare minimum, except specific projects .
CO – Do you work on a specific project from the beginning till the end? Or you work on several projects at a time?
DD – Working with different techniques allows me to carry on different projects, especially on film: this make me feel free to wander through different ideas.
My World, 2010
CO – Where do you draw your inspiration from? Other photographers, the world around you, your imagination…
DD – I’m often inspired by my dreams and the oniric world: I keep a diary and write down all the dreams I have during the night. That world fascinates me because it represents a metaphor of real life: half dream and half nightmare, half romance and half tragedy.
As for other artists, my biggest inspirations often come from painters, rather than photographers! I do admire the works of the Pre-Raphaelites and Symbolists, the atmosphere these artists could create and the emotions those colours could convey. As for photographers, I really like the works of Man Ray, Lee Miller, Joel-Peter Witkin, Tim Walker, Yelena Yemchuk.
Secret Garden, 2010
CO – What are you aiming for as a photographer? Where do you see yourself now and what are the next steps?
DD – I can’t help turning my inner world into photographs, that’s why whenever people let me know they can share that world, too, I know I’m on the right track. I believe people are forgetting how to dream, since they hardly find time to read poetry or admire nature.
Sound of our consciences, 2009
CO – What’s the message so far in your photographs?
DD – I don’t wish my photos to look out of the world, I’m more interested in suggesting a new kind of femininity. Women are repeatedly associated to sex and/or submission, and I think this represents a serious problem in mass media nowadays, because it reflects on how women see themselves and behave. I want to paint a new reality, in which women are subjects and creators of their own dreams, rather than passive objects.
Thank you Diana and keep up the good work!
Brown, 2009
Diana Debord - photographer
info@debored.it / http://www.debored.it
Sebastian Vaida – Camera Obscura
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Such a great article which Diana’s photography as a mix of Alice in Wonderland and Amélie, for its decadent romanticism and dreamlike atmosphere. In which the inspiration for the series Ophelia’s dream” comes from the Shakespeare’s character, I’ve imagined her dreaming for the last time while drowning. Thanks for sharing this article.