Category: Interview with…

Researched by Roberta Pastore

EMILIO BARILLARO

Going back in time, how did your passion for photography and how you facing in the professional world?

Was born in a very random fashion . During Christmas time of a few years ago I found under the tree an SLR and since then I have spent every day of my life studiyng, experimenting and learning everything about this world. I’m just made like that… if something I’m passionate about I have to learn everything that concerns it. Lately I was slightly slowing down the studio and I was almost exclusively devoted to my projects , when my friend Francesco Costantini (professional tempting devil), forced me to get back to studying opening a new world in front of my eyes: that of analogue photography . A few days ago I made ​​my first print in the darkroom and now I will have to spend the next years learning everything on this topic . Damn him … As for the second part of the question I do not have much to say because I’m not a professional , though I have occasionally done some work on commission, but a person who is simply have a lot of fun.

 How do you manage the use of color and b / w in your photos?

At the beginning of my journey was obviously a 360 degree research; Therefore, I alternated color and  black and white constantly. Slowly and naturally I’ve preferred more black and white; today the color in my mind does not even exist. The world for me become in black and white, and also my images become more “dirty” over time.

What type of machine you use to shoot?

In digital I’m shooting with a FujiFilm X100S and in analog with an Olympus Mju II. Two small, quiet, and with excellent quality cameras that I always carry with me.

When you take, you have an image in mind?

Projects the finished image before the implementation or your pictures are the result of a reflection in post-production?

If I had to plan my shots I would not be a photographer. I would not have fun at all because I would miss what I think makes the photograph fascinating and intriguing: the unexpected. I only snap candid shots. What I’m trying to do in the last period of time, is thiking not only on single shots but on projects (though perhaps, as shots are not planned, it would be more correct to call them “series”), in which I give myself a theme and then try to find situations / moments that they can feel good inside this theme. When I feel inside me that that project is finished, I do a rigorous selection and try to put the shots in a sequence.

What determines the success or failure of a photo?

For the approach that I use the success is determined by the meeting of three factors: eye, readiness and opportunity. But this is not always sufficient, because a picture has to be also a good composition and above all a content that conveys something to the beholder. Whatever it may be, from the most positive to the most negative.

 What training did you follow? Who inspired you?

I am a self-taught but I have attended some workshops, among which the most important for me was the one held by Joel Meyerowitz at Cortona On The Move Festival  last year. My main inspiration is Trent Parke, my absolute favorite photographer. Obviously there is not only him but many other great masters such as Lee Friedlander, Anders Petersen, Mark Cohen, Robert Frank …

Researched by Raffaele Montepaone

CLAUDIO MENNA

When did you start a passion for the photography?
In 2007 i was still a student of Architecture when I started to see the reality in a different way : lights , shadows , people ,souls , and a lot of stories around me. For this reasons I think that photography is the better way for me to see the world.

What was your first camera?
My first camera was an analogic old Practica of 1988 (a camera of my father).I choosed starting in analogic , so you can’t see the shoots you’re making, and you have to focus the scene and the frame mostly than in the digital way.
 What is photography to you? And what should not be instead?
In my opinion, photography is the clearest way to tell a story describing the world around us without any words or other influences, but only with mere pictures.
Photography shouldn’t be a self_praise of who makes the shoot.

Which masters of photography inspires you?
I think all of us need a master. My first master was Ferdinando Scianna, photoreporter, journalist and member of Magnum Ph.
I’ve greatly admired his first work: “Feste religiose in Sicilia”, and these pictures inspired me to start a reportage about “Devotion and religious adoration” here in Naples.What is the photo that struck you the most of a great photographer of the story?
The photo that I admire was shooted by Ferdinando Scianna, and is this :

What is your favorite technique ?
I think that technique is not the only essential thing to make a photo.
Photography needs surely of technique but of heart and soul too.
I like shooting with slow time, for the chances you have to create dynamism and movement in your scene.

 Why do street photography?
I like the streets. If you learn to make photos in the street you can see a lot of different kind of lights and shadows. You can see different kind of people, you can enrich yourself with the stories you’re writing (with the light and shadows).

What is your best shot and what does it represent for you?
I don’t have my own best shoot. I think my best shoot will came , but not now. I want to wait it , here in my city, here in my streets.
What is your relationship with the street and the people who are in your shots?
Shooting in the street is the best way to know different kind of people, I like it so much. I like to walk , speaking with the people around me . I love listening their stories. After a new reportage I feel richer.

Researched by Roberta Pastore

GABI BEN AVRAHAM

 When did you start a passion for the photography?

It all started long ago but I did not know it was “it”. During the1980’s  I photographed using film cameras. Even then I used towonder in the streets of Tel Aviv in search of the extraordinary andthe surreal. I then stopped and have not touched a camera for 20years until I received a digital camera  as a gift for my birthday frommy wife 4 years ago. The rest is history.

What was your first camera?

I started with Nikon D-90 and Sigma 10-20 mm lens, then I switchedto Nikon D-800 with a 24 mm prime lens. Now I am using Fuji xt1. Ibelieve that SF needs wide lens and I work only with prime lens.

 What is photography to you?

And what should not be instead? Photography for me is my way of looking at the world around me,whereby I can express my feelings and show the world from mypoint of view .

Which masters of photography inspires you ?

The most inspiring photographers for me are: Henri Cartier-Bresson, Alex Webb,  Felix Lupa,  Steve McCurry.

What is your the best shot and what does it represent for you ?

Knowing what will happen 5 minutes later. It is an adventure. I have my favorite places and I never come with the same photos. It is always different: the people, the light and shadows, the atmosphere.This is the fun part. The hard part is when I come home and try tomake a selection of the best photos. I try to make minimal editing in the post-processing stage . I can not point my finger at one specific shot. I attach a color seriesfrom my last visit to Cuba.

What is your relationship with the street and the people who are in your shots?

The street is not a studio. Sometimes I stand and wait for things toconverge – a cyclist, a dancer, a child – moving along. They are not aware that they are moving towards a certain object, but I am. Viathe camera lens I am constantly looking around me, searching forthat ‘decisive’ moment that will never return, unless I catch it. Whenpushing the button, I try to make some sense, restore order to thechaotic scheme of things in the composition. The components’speak’ with each other in a special dialogue, either by color, shape,or light. Capturing the elusive, special moment after which thingswill never be the same and making it eternal – that is my goal.Forgotten, transparent people in urban surroundings are beinggranted their moment of grace. The shadows, fragile outlines, reflections within daily lives that are not noticed in the busy and thick urban landscape and sometimes are even crushed by  it – these are precious to me.

website

http://www.gabibest.com/

Researched by Amos Farnitano

GEORGIE JERZYNA PAUWELS

My name is Georgie Jerzyna Pauwels, I was born in Poznan/Poland. For more than 30 years, I live outside of Poland, most of the time in Germany and USA. I am a computer scientist, and I live and work in Wuppertal in Germany. My workplace is big data center for health insurances.

When did you start a passion for the photography?

I take pictures for a long time, as teenger I discovered photography for me. I love to travel and I travel a lot. I like the action on the streets, moods, hectic and lonelinessandI am trying to show it in my pictures.

– What was your first camera?

My first Camera was a Praktica, but then to do proper photography, I used aCanon AE-1. With this camera I shoot sometimes even today.

What is photography to you? And what should not be instead?

Photography is an expression, show the world through their own eyes, each image is a piece of the photographer, what moves her/him, what she/he likes or what she/he hates. Especially in the non-commercial photography, without a contracting authority, you can show how you feel.

Which masters of photography inspires you?

The female masters like Vivian Maier, Diane Arbus, Helen Levitt and Dorothea Lange. Unfortunately, often underestimated, not appreciated enough, but fortunately now discovered and valued. Powerful images, lots of draft and explanatory power and wonderful technique, these makes this women unique in the world of photography.

What is the photo that struck you the most of a great photographer of the story?

A photo which are moving me for decades is Napalm Girl by Nick út. Wars are crap and totally unnecessary.

What is your favorite technique?

In street photography is authenticity, not posed or arragierte pictures and not overdone editing important for me. Which techniques and what camera you use does not play a significant role

Why do street photography?

Street is an El Dorado for motives, it is easy, the photographer is independent and spontaneously in the creative process and you need only acamera, good eyes and feets, and patience.

What is your best shot and what does it represent for you?

LOL, I’m still working on it.

What is your relationship with the street and the people who are in your shots?

I see a person take a picture, I say „thank you“ or I go on, sometimes I am asked why I took a picture, I answer politely, show the image if desired. Often people want to have this picture, so I get themail address and I send them picture of course.

You take photos into the streets, how react the subjects of your shots? Are nervous, they are complicit or indifferent??

People react very differently, some are pissed, some are surprised, some ofthem are happy, just pure live and that makes the streets photography so exciting.

A cura di Amos Farnitano

GEORGIE JERZYNA PAUWELS

Il mio nome è Georgie Jerzyna Pauwels, sono nata a Poznan / Polonia. Per più di 30 anni, vivo al di fuori della Polonia, il più delle volte in Germania e Stati Uniti. Io sono una esperta informatica, evivo e lavoro a Wuppertal in Germania. Il mio posto di lavoro è in un grande centro dati per assicurazioni sanitarie.

Quando hai iniziato una passione per la fotografia?

Scatto foto da molto tempo, da adolescente ho scoperto la passione per la fotografia.

Amo viaggiare e viaggio molto. Mi piace l’azione per le strade, gli stati d’animo, la frenesia e la solitudine che cerco di mostrare nelle mie immagini.

Qual è stata la tua prima macchina fotografica?

La mia prima macchina fotografica era un Praktica, ma poi per fare adeguata fotografia, ho usato una Canon AE-1. Con questa fotocamera scatto qualche volta ancora oggi.

Che cosa è per te la fotografia? E ciò che non dovrebbe essere invece?

La fotografia è espressione, mostrare il mondo attraverso i propri occhi, ogni immagine è un pezzo del fotografo, ciò che smuove lui / lei, quello che piace a lei / lui o quello che lei / lui odia. Soprattutto nella fotografia non commerciale, senza obblighi contrattuali, è possibile mostrare come ci si sente.

A quali maestri della fotografia ti ispiri?

Ai maestri femminili come Vivian Maier, Diane Arbus, Helen Levitt e Dorothea Lange. Purtroppo, spesso sottovalutate, non apprezzate abbastanza, ma per fortuna ora scoperte e valorizzate. Immagini potenti, un sacco di progetti, di potere esplicativo e tecnica meravigliosa, questi rende queste donne uniche nel mondo della fotografia.

Qual è la foto che ha colpito maggiormente di un grande fotografo della storia?

Una foto che mi stanno colpito per decenni è Napalm Girl di Nick út. Le guerre sono una schifezza e totalmente inutili.

Qual è la tua tecnica preferita?

In street photography è l’autenticità, non posato o immagini non costruite, non eccessiva post è importante per me. Quali tecniche e che macchine fotografiche si utilizzano non giocano un ruolo significativo

Perché fare street photography?

La street è un El Dorado per vari motivi, è facile, il fotografo è indipendente e spontaneo nel processo creativo e si ha bisogno solo di una macchina fotografica, occhi buoni e piedi, e pazienza.

Qual è il tuo scatto migliore e cosa rappresenta per te?

LOL, ci sto ancora lavorando su questo.

Qual è il tuo rapporto con la strada e le persone che sono nei tuoi scatti?

Vedo una persona e scatto una foto, le dico “grazie” e vado avanti, qualche volta mi viene chiesto perché ho scattato una foto, io rispondo educatamente, mostro l’immagine, se lo desiderano. Spesso le persone vogliono avere questa immagine, così mi faccio dare il loro indirizzo mail e invio a loro l‘immagine, ovviamente.

Tu fai foto in strada, come reagiscono i soggetti dei tuoi scatti? Sono nervosi, sono complici o indifferenti?

Le persone reagiscono in modo molto diverso, alcuni si arrabbiano, alcuni sono sorpresi, alcuni di loro sono felici, è il bello della naturalezza e che rende la fotografia di strada così eccitante.

Researched by Roberta Pastore

STEFANO CORSO

Professional photographer. He’s born in Rome in 1968 and he lives between Berlin and Rome. Founder in 2010 of the Scuola di Fotografia 42mm Arti Fotografiche(School of Photography 42mm Photographic Arts).

He’s been invited speaker for different italian shows, as street photographer: Photoshow (Milan and Rome), Fotografica 2012 (Milan) and at the “Festival della Fotografia di Pesaro” in 2013.

His photo Red Rain is on a worldwide distribution as artistic poster by the Image Conscious (http://www.imageconscious.com/) – California (US)

He’s the curator of the blog “Fermo Immagine” on the italian news television (RAI) website (http://fermoimmagine.blog.rainews.it)

His website: http://www.stefanocorso.com

Going back in time how was your passion for photography born and how did you start in the professional world of photography?

I think I have always had a camera in my hand, the first film cameras I had I am still using them nowadays after many years and I am still actively collecting them. I have always aimed my approach to photography to capture moments that surprise me, the technique took a secondary importance and it got better over time on its own. I have always considered technique important only, as I think it should, if it is at the service of the result. I did arrive to professional photography in unaware way, I started receiving assignments from people that had seen my pictures over the internet, so much that I started considering the hypothesis of leaving my old job to take on photography full time.

Considering your works, which ones marked your entrance in the world of real photography?

I would not describe them as “jobs” as personal way to look at reality. I was born as a Street Photographer and the street has always been my photographic gym. Of this genre of photography, I always liked the possibility to alter the perception of reality, extracting from it, unique sensations and emotions, showing stories that appear to be different and surreal, without building something new but simply giving  a new reading interpreting by simply changing the point of view. Two people that do not know each other or two anonymous objects, put together can tell a story that does not exist in reality. With this type of photo, I was first published on magazines and books. I still can remember the emotion for the first photo purchased in Germany to be a cover of a book.

How do you manage colour and B&W?

I do not prefer B&W to colour, I have found out that each single photo has the final treatment already inside since the shooting phase: I have discovered that I am using B&W for the photos that I consider “without time” and the colour for the more “contemporary” ones.

Which kind of camera do you use?

Several, my working camera is a Canon 5D Mark III. However, since I am collecting cameras of different ages, I do use for fun the film cameras, in the 35 mm as well as the medium format; the latest purchase is an old wood camera from the early 900, without shutter, for which I had a friend build a new holder to use the 4×5 films on sale today. I develop and print the film personally. Obviously, with this camera I do not do any street photography. I must add that, strangely, I love to take photos with Instagram, especially when I am travelling.

What determines if a photo is “good one” or not?

I think that a photo “accomplish” something if it has its own content and if such content is understood and seen by the photographer and then the rest of the world can share and understand it . I have discovered that my attention is drawn by photos that hint to a story, to something that started before the photo was shot or that will continue after it, such photos will hasten memories, feelings and emotions. A photo can achieve something when the vision of the photographer manages to be communicated, felt and experienced by the viewer. We have a great power such as photographers; we can stop reality, and while interpreting it therefore change its understanding. We can crop it into a rectangle, excluding parts of it that have a life beyond the event as it unfolds.

When you are shooting, do you have an image in your mind? Do you build the final photo before shooting it or are your images also a result of a post-production phase?

 When I shoot, I feel something that can be experienced or known, simply because it has already been lived in the past. With photography, I try to take it out and make it visible, first to myself; I think most photographers shoot for themselves and to understand their own original way of perceiving the world. The post-production is just one more step that can be used to interpret this feeling, but as I said before most of the time is already inherent in the idea of the photo.

What training did you follow? Who inspired you?

My inspirations have been and still are many, I believe that the contaminations between photographers enrich and stimulate creativity and originality; like many little challenges that you take to constantly improve yourself. In addition to numerous classics of the past, from Doisneau to Erwitt, I owe much to two people. The first is the photographer Peter Turnley, a photojournalist for numerous international publications and when young an assistant for Doisneau, met by chance in New York, which unconsciously started myself with my idea of photography. The other, a friend photographer, Hughes Leglise-Bataille, which unfortunately died a few years ago, by who I was inspired and with who I compared and “played” photographically for years over Internet. His series “A stroll in Paris” continues to be one of the foundations of my way to see photography.

A cura di Roberta Pastore

STEFANO CORSO

Fotografo professionista. E’ nato a Roma nel 1968 e vive tra Berlino e Roma. Fondatore nel 2010 della Scuola di Fotografia 42 millimetri Arti Fotografiche.

E’ stato il relatore di diversi spettacoli italiani, come fotografo di strada: Photoshow (Milano e Roma), Fotografica 2012 (Milano) e al “Festival della di Fotografia di Pesaro” nel 2013.

La sua foto Red Rain è su una distribuzione a livello mondiale come poster artistico dell’immagine Conscious (http://www.imageconscious.com/) – California (USA)

E’ il curatore del blog “Fermo Immagine” della RAI radio televisione  italiana  al sito web (http://fermoimmagine.blog.rainews.it)

Il suo sito: http://www.stefanocorso.com

Tornando indietro nel tempo, come è nata la tua passione per la fotografia e in che modo ti sei affacciato nel mondo professionale?

Credo di avere sempre avuto una macchina fotografica in mano, le prime macchine in pellicola che ho avuto le utilizzo ancora oggi a distanza di anni, e continuo a collezionarne di nuove. Il mio approccio alla fotografia è stato sempre rivolto a raccogliere momenti e a lasciarmi sorprendere da questi, la tecnica ha avuto e un rilievo secondario e nel tempo si è rafforzata naturalmente. L’ho sempre pero’ considerata, come credo debba essere, solo ed unicamente a servizio del risultato. Sono approdato alla fotografia professionale in maniera inizialmente inconsapevole, ho cominciato a ricevere incarichi da persone che vedevano le mie foto su internet, tanto da farmi cominciare a considerare l’ipotesi di lasciare il mio vecchio lavoro per dedicarmi a tempo pieno alla fotografia.

Per quanto riguarda i tuoi lavori, quali sono quelli che hanno segnato il tuo ingresso vero e proprio nel mondo della fotografia? 

Non parlerei di veri e propri lavori, ma di un modo probabilmente personale  di vedere la realtà. Nasco come fotografo di strada e la strada è sempre stata la mia palestra fotografica. Di questo genere di fotografia mi è sempre piaciuto reinterpretare la percezione della realtà, estraendo da questa sensazioni ed emozioni personali e  mostrando storie differenti e surreali, non costruendolo ma reintepretandole semplicemente cambiando il punto di vista.  Due persone inconsapevoli che non si conoscono o due oggetti anonimi, messi insieme posso raccontare una storia che non esiste nella realtà. Con questo tipo di foto ho cominciato a comparire su riviste o pubblicazioni. Mi ricordo ancora oggi l’emozione  tanti anni fa della prima foto acquistata  in Germania per una copertina di un libro.

Come gestisci l’uso del colore e del b/n nelle tue foto?

Non ho solitamente particolari predilezioni per il bianco e nero o il colore, trovo invece che ogni singola foto abbia già in fase di scatto il trattamento insito. Mi accorgo che spesso uso il bianco e nero per le foto che considero “senza tempo” e il colore per le foto più “contemporanee”.

Che tipo di macchine usi per scattare ?

Numerose, la mia macchina macchina di “lavoro” è una Canon 5D Mark III. Ma collezionando macchine di epoche passate scatto per mio  divertimento in pellicola con macchine a 35mm, medio formato e l’ultimo acquisto una vecchia macchina in legno di inizio ‘900 senza otturatore a cui ho fatto costruire da un amico un nuovo portalastre per poter utilizzare le pellicole 4×5  in vendita oggi. Pellicole che poi stampo e sviluppo personalmente. Ovviamente con questa macchina non faccio foto di strada. Aggiungo che paradossalmente mi piace molto scattare con telefono tramite instagram, specie durante i miei frequenti viaggi.

Cosa determina la riuscita o meno di una foto?

In linea generale penso che una foto “riesca” quando ha un contenuto e questo contenuto colto ed interpretato dall’autore sia possibile condividerlo e farlo comprendere all’esterno. Mi accorgo come spesso la mia attenzione venga attratta da foto in cui l’immagine è solo l’innesco di una storia, che inizia prima della foto stessa o continua dopo di questa, in cui vengono sollecitati ricordi, sensazioni od emozioni. Una foto riesce quando la visione del fotografo riesce ad essere comunicata, sentita e vissuta da chi guarda. Abbiamo un grosso potere come fotografi, possiamo fermare la realtà, interpretarla ed interpretandola cambiarla nella sua lettura, possiamo ritagliarla escludendone parti in un rettangolo che prende vita al di là dell’evento nel suo svolgimento.

Quando scatti, hai un’immagine in mente? Progetti la fotografia finita prima della realizzazione o le tue immagini sono il risultato di una riflessione in fase di post-produzione?

Quando scatto ho una sensazione, che può essere vissuta o semplicemente conosciuta perché vissuta in passato. Con la fotografia cerco di tirarla fuori e renderla visibile prima di tutto a me, ognuno credo che in gran parte fotografi sé stesso e il proprio modo originale di percepire il mondo. La post-produzione è solo un di più che serve ad interpretare questa sensazione, ma come dicevo prima il più delle volte è già insita nell’idea della foto stessa.

Che percorso formativo hai seguito? A chi ti sei ispirato?

I modelli sono stati e sono tuttora numerosi, credo che le contaminazioni tra fotografi arricchiscano e stimolino la creatività e l’originalità, come tante piccole sfide che ti portano costantemente a migliorarti. Oltre a numerosi classici del passato, da Doisneau a Erwitt, devo molto a due persone. La prima il fotografo Peter Turnley, fotoreporter per numerose testate internazionali e assistente da giovane di Doisneau, incontrato per caso a New York, che mi ha inconsapevolmente avviato ad una mia idea di fotografia. L’altro, un amico fotografo, Hughes Leglise-Bataille, che purtroppo è venuto tragicamente a mancare qualche anno, da cui mi sono ispirato, confrontando e “giocato” fotograficamente per anni via internet. La sua serie “A stroll in Paris” continua ad essere una dei fondamenti del mio modo di vedere la fotografia.