1. What was your first encounter with photography?
My father always loved photography and he would take pictures of my brothers and I when we were just little kids. Dad owned – and still has – a Canon T70 film camera with a 50mm, 135mm and 70-300mm lenses. I remember that I would ask my father to let me sneak a peek through the viewfinder to see what it looked like. Cameras have always fascinated me during my teenage years, I used to make sure to have my old Lomo film camera with me – a gift from dad – every time I had a chance to make a trip. However, it was not until 2004, when I started considering photography as a serious hobby – then as a job – after that, my father was given a digital point-and-shoot digital camera as a present for his birthday. He had never learnt how to use it, therefore the camera became mine. From that moment on, I started to study photography, learning the composition rules, understanding the light and how to capture it the way I wanted. But, the most important thing was, that I could take advantage of my computer skills to achieve the complete freedom in the manipulation field.
2. Would you call yourself a commercial photographer? Or simply, a photographer?
I would rather consider myself as a visual artist and not only as a photographer or a commercial photographer, which sounds limiting to me. Although photography is my main activity, it often inspires me to push my imagination beyond what I capture with the camera. Thus, many times I find myself manipulating and/or painting over my photos, which are like a blank – yet detailed – canvas where I try to create what my imagination tells me. The digital painting and matte painting techniques are fundamental in my workflow, especially in my noncommercial works. I always try to shoot and paint what really pleases me: photography must amuse photographers in order to bring the best out of them.
3. What do you think are the qualities that make a good photographer?
I think that a good photographer is the one who can tell a story with a single simple image, using minimal and effective compositions that speak more than a thousand words. The knowledge of the basics of composition and light are fundamental whether you follow or break their rules. This creates a work- which uses an international visual language, giving the photo the power to convey clear and neat messages and emotions. At the top of that, what really makes the difference in terms of quality is the photographer’s ability to see the reality through the eye of the camera. The photographer’s task is to be able to find the magic and the beauty hidden in the simple things of our everyday life. That is what amazes the beholders: to know that they are part of what they are viewing.
4. What is, in your opinion, a good photograph?
What really makes a photo a good photo is not its following the photography’s rules nor being in focus or digital noise free: it’s all about the feelings and emotions it moves in the heart and mind of the beholder. Unluckily commercial photography does not follow the rules of “artistic” photography and its standards claim a perfectly noise free and evenly lit image with a good commercial value. What is really important to know is, that when a photo does not apply for a commercial selling or does not meet the standards of a certain agency – and gets rejected – it does not mean that the photo is not good. Commercial photography has its own rules that are beyond the scope of judging the artistic value of photos.
5. Is commercial photography more difficult than other types of photography?
I do not consider the term “commercial” as a category, but as an adjective which defines the directions your effort are going to be put in, in order to make your photos sellable and eligible to be selected by commercial agencies. I do believe that today everything can be sold and all the category of photography (landscape, portraiture, food, architecture etc.) can be commercial. Commercial photography is not more difficult than other types of photography, what is really difficult, is constantly trying to find new concepts and original ideas to represent in your shots. My priority, is to strike and capture the audience’s eye in order to consider my works commercially successful.
6. How do you choose your subjects/topics?
I always try to name my feelings and give them a visual identity using my body – when possible – to convey the message. My conceptual works come from my emotions and life experiences, which I feel the need to express through my art. This way, all the fears, doubts, pains and problems I depict weigh less in my heart. The cathartic side that photography has for me, is that spark which inspires me to create new works.
7. How would you describe your photos? How would others describe them?
I would simply describe my photos as the mirror of who I am. My photos reflect all my passion for nature, cooking, drawing, painting, body building, music and foreign cultures. Talking about how people describe my photos, I can say that posting my works on a photographic web community, does help to understand how people react to my creations, and that helps me to improve and fix my techniques and style. I receive many compliments for being quite versatile in my style and for the ability to combine photography with painting.
8. What is your greatest enjoyment in your work?
My greatest enjoyment is when I get to make something special, magical and unique out of a simple and dull situation. My goal is to achieve a certain equilibrium of shapes and spaces in my works plus a right balance between the Concept of the photo and its Aestheticism. However, the climax of my enthusiasm is reached when I get to change the reality with my manipulations, especially when people cannot notice my intervention in the shot.
9. Any future projects that you are working on?
I have several projects which have not been realized yet. I will probably publish a cook book of Italian and American cuisine. It will gather my favorite courses I have been cooking, shooting and collecting in the last two years. Besides that, I would like to illustrate with my matte paintings the Odyssey of Homer and the Divine Comedy of Dante Alighieri. Those are two literary masterpieces, which I have truly loved since my early days at school.
10. What advice would you give a starting photographer? What about a photographer starting in the field of commercial photography?
My best advice for a starting photographer is to study Photography as a school subject, trying not to rely on your aesthetics sense or artistic ego only. It is extremely important to learn how to use retouching softwares and start setting up your own workflow in order to efficiently meet the standards of commercial photography. However always try to achieve your best while shooting, instead of fixing your mistakes afterwards in digital. The equipment does not make the photographer, but it is wise to start saving money soon and invest them only after a good period of practice and training with amateur equipment. Photography is an expansive activity but it can give you great satisfactions in return.
Giuseppe Parisi (www.g2-studio.com)
Sebastian Vaida, Camera Obscura
Im so glad this article made front page of CameraObscura. When I found that my article was used, being passionate about others work I wanted to see who else was presenting thier work. Some of the lighting used in here is brilliant and a breath of fresh air to view. The body and men photos are awesome with clarity and good composition. The hands art’s out on the first picture is briilliant, bravo.