ABOUT
— The decay photographer —
- ARTIST STATEMENT -
My passion springs from landscape and architectural photography.
Ambient photography has always attracted me like a magnet, on the contrary of figurative and reportage photography. I often tell, jokingly and provocatively, to whom asks me why I don’t deal with these genres that it’s too easy to infuse an emotion by means of subjects already able to communicate emotions through their gestures and looks…The real challenge is to make the emotions bloom from something lifeless!”
My instinct leads me to the discover of abandoned places, from past times, barely accessible and hidden from most people.
Explorations in complete solitude. Like a climber on inaccessible peaks, when you are alone your emotions are amplified and you feel as an anachronistic ghosts in a place where no one should be, an intruder who has entered to upset the ancient rest of a sleeping palace.
Palaces that, in my fantasy, are as if they were narcissistic entities destined for oblivion in search of someone able to convey their lost glories for the last time.
I felt that something was missing anyway, the secret ingredient to distinguish myself from other explorers and photographers.
The secret ingredient was Caravaggio, “the first photographer”.
The great Italian artist used marginalized subjects of society, such as old beggars and prostitutes, and then glorified them in transpositions of saints and madonnas. And even his still lifes showed fruits in the advanced ripening phase, with atmospheres of autumn decay.
But it is his technique that has become legendary, with his way of mastering light with high contrasts of light and shadows.
But it is his technique that has become legendary, with his way of mastering light with high contrasts of light and shadows.
My subjects, decrepit like those of Caravaggio, are inspired by him coming to assume almost the quality of a painting, transforming something decadent and inanimate into a work where dominant shadows and lights arouse discordant emotions in the viewer, caused by an ancient beauty wrapped up in darkness.
La mia passione fotografica nasce dalla fotografia di paesaggio e architettura.
La fotografia d’ambiente ha sempre avuto grande magnetismo su di me, al contrario del figurativo o della fotografia di reportage. Dico spesso a chi mi chiede perchè non tratti questi generi, in maniera scherzosa e provocatoria, che è ” troppo facile trasmettere un emozione con soggetti già capaci di rivelare un’emozione con i propri gesti ed espressioni…la verà difficoltà è in un qualcosa di inanimato!”
Il mio istinto mi porta ad altro, verso esplorazioni di luoghi abbandonati appartenenti ad epoche passate, difficilmente accessibili e nascosti ai più.
Esplorazioni in completa solitudine. Come uno scalatore su cime impervie, quando si è da soli le emozioni vengono amplificate e ci si sente dei fantasmi anacronistici in un posto dove non dovrebbe stare nessuno, un intruso entrato a scombussolare l’antico riposo di un palazzo dormiente.
Palazzi che, nella mia fantasia, è come se fossero delle narcisistiche entità destinate all’oblio in cerca di qualcuno in grado di trasmettere per un’ultima volta i loro fasti perduti.
Così riunisco in un’unica ricetta le componenti comuni nel mio modo di fotografare: avventura, architettura, tecnica ed estetica…soprattutto estetica.
Altri fotografi autoriali illustri di interni si preoccupano esclusivamente del soggetto rappresentato e della sua concettualità visiva, ma perchè non curare anche la luce in modo da avere un prodotto che includa anche una componente estetica che possa risultare piacevole per l’acquirente che lo mette in mostra?
Mancava ancora l’ingrediente segreto per distinguermi dagli altri esploratori e fotografi.
L’ingrediente era Caravaggio, il primo “fotografo”.
Il grande artista italiano utilizzava soggetti emarginati della società, come vecchi mendicanti e prostitute, per poi glorificarli in trasposizioni di santi e madonne. Ed anche le sue nature morte mostravano frutti in fase di maturazione avanzata, con atmosfere di decadenza autunnale.
Ma è la sua tecnica che è diventata leggendaria, col suo modo di padroneggiare la luce con alti contrasti di luce ed ombre.
I miei soggetti, decrepiti come quelli di Caravaggio, si ispirano a lui arrivando ad assumere quasi la qualità di un dipinto, trasformando qualcosa di decadente ed inanimato in un’opera dove le ombre dominanti e le luci suscitano nello spettatore emozioni discordanti, suscitate da un’antica bellezza avvolta nelle tenebre.
My passion springs from landscape and architectural photography.
Ambient photography has always attracted me like a magnet, on the contrary of figurative and reportage photography. I often tell, jokingly and provocatively, to whom asks me why I don’t deal with these genres that it’s too easy to infuse an emotion by means of subjects already able to communicate emotions through their gestures and looks…The real challenge is to make the emotions bloom from something lifeless!”
My instinct leads me to the discover of abandoned places, from past times, barely accessible and hidden from most people.
Explorations in complete solitude. Like a climber on inaccessible peaks, when you are alone your emotions are amplified and you feel as an anachronistic ghosts in a place where no one should be, an intruder who has entered to upset the ancient rest of a sleeping palace.
Palaces that, in my fantasy, are as if they were narcissistic entities destined for oblivion in search of someone able to convey their lost glories for the last time.
I felt that something was missing anyway, the secret ingredient to distinguish myself from other explorers and photographers.
The secret ingredient was Caravaggio, “the first photographer”.
The great Italian artist used marginalized subjects of society, such as old beggars and prostitutes, and then glorified them in transpositions of saints and madonnas. And even his still lifes showed fruits in the advanced ripening phase, with atmospheres of autumn decay.
But it is his technique that has become legendary, with his way of mastering light with high contrasts of light and shadows.
But it is his technique that has become legendary, with his way of mastering light with high contrasts of light and shadows.
My subjects, decrepit like those of Caravaggio, are inspired by him coming to assume almost the quality of a painting, transforming something decadent and inanimate into a work where dominant shadows and lights arouse discordant emotions in the viewer, caused by an ancient beauty wrapped up in darkness.
- BIOGRAPHY -
Christian Basetti, born in 1979, lives in Milan. Animated by the ever-growing desire for adventure, he transforms great solo trips around the world into an indissoluble combination with landscape photography.
Since he’s fond of architectural photography, even in this case he admires the iconicity of the great works of the ancient and modern world; in his passion he feels the challenge to make the great works talk through his shots, as if they were silent, narcissistic creatures, waiting for someone to express their greatness.
With a personal style always aimed at aesthetics, he never limits himself exclusively to the documentary aspect, but wants to represent the ancient pride of places destined to be erased by time, inspired by the style of Caravaggio in the representation of the environments.
The “Forgotten Artchitectures” project came to life.
Christian Basetti, classe 1979, vive a Milano. Animato dal desiderio sempre crescente per l’avventura, trasforma grandi viaggi in solitaria attorno al mondo in un binomio indissolubile con la fotografia di paesaggio.
Appassionato inoltre di fotografia d’architettura, anche in questo caso ammira l’iconocità delle grandi opere sia del mondo antico che moderno; nella sua passione sente la sfida di far parlare con gli scatti le grandi opere costruite, come se fossero delle creature narcisistiche silenziose in attesa di qualcuno che esprima la loro grandezza.
Nel 2015 , la passione per l’avventura e la fotografia d’ambienti confluisce nella fotografia di antichi luoghi decadenti, cercando di dare voce a queste strutture cariche di malinconico fascino.
Un mondo segreto e silenzioso che esiste sia nel presente che nel passato, in una dimensione sospesa fuori dal tempo.
La ricerca dei luoghi é parte integrante della sfida e della storia che sta dietro allo scatto finale, oltre al rischio legale di non essere scoperti in proprietà altrui spesso sorvegliate o comunque non pubblicamente accessibili.
Con uno stile personale rivolto sempre all’estetica non si limita mai esclusivamente all’aspetto documentaristico, ma vuole rappresentare l’antico orgoglio di luoghi destinati a essere cancellati dal tempo, ispirandosi allo stile del Caravaggio nella rappresentazione degli ambienti.
Il progetto “Forgotten Artchitectures” prese vita.
Christian Basetti, born in 1979, lives in Milan. Animated by the ever-growing desire for adventure, he transforms great solo trips around the world into an indissoluble combination with landscape photography.
Since he’s fond of architectural photography, even in this case he admires the iconicity of the great works of the ancient and modern world; in his passion he feels the challenge to make the great works talk through his shots, as if they were silent, narcissistic creatures, waiting for someone to express their greatness.
With a personal style always aimed at aesthetics, he never limits himself exclusively to the documentary aspect, but wants to represent the ancient pride of places destined to be erased by time, inspired by the style of Caravaggio in the representation of the environments.
The “Forgotten Artchitectures” project came to life.
- UN ARTISTA...AVVENTURIERO-
UN ARTISTA... AVVENTURIERO
- AN ARTIST...ADVENTURER-
AN ARTIST... ADVENTURER
My passion for visual art has been with me for a long time, it’s not a last-minute passion.
In the ’80s in elementary school I drew anything; during the ’90s my adolescence was influenced by Italian hip hop and I became a street artist creator of urban murals; In the 2000s, I attended a comics illustration evening school thinking of that as a job.
But that wasn’t my path.
My way led me to start working in my father’s car body shop, a job far from my ropes but with a salary.
The secure salary for a young guy is tempting and for this reason for a few years I have anesthetized my artistic vein dedicating my energies only to that work.
In the ’80s in elementary school I drew anything; during the ’90s my adolescence was influenced by Italian hip hop and I became a street artist creator of urban murals; In the 2000s, I attended a comics illustration evening school thinking of that as a job.
But that wasn’t my path.
My way led me to start working in my father’s car body shop, a job far from my ropes but with a salary.
The secure salary for a young guy is tempting and for this reason for a few years I have anesthetized my artistic vein dedicating my energies only to that work.
My creativity felt caged, even more broken by the knowledge that the time of our life is limited.
In 2006 I became aware of the art of airbrushing, a rather niche art. Working in a body shop I realized that I could be lucky working already in an environment related to the use of paints. I practiced after the working day at night in the bodywork, in the winter periods all wrapped up in my dresses because of the night frost (the night was not turned on the heating in the workshop). Already at that time I realized my attitude to challenge environments to achieve what I believed in; something that will represent the norm for my artistic career as a photographer.
I became very good, to the point that I made drawings that looked like photographs. I felt ready to be covered in work as were the tattoo artists.
In 2006 I became aware of the art of airbrushing, a rather niche art. Working in a body shop I realized that I could be lucky working already in an environment related to the use of paints. I practiced after the working day at night in the bodywork, in the winter periods all wrapped up in my dresses because of the night frost (the night was not turned on the heating in the workshop). Already at that time I realized my attitude to challenge environments to achieve what I believed in; something that will represent the norm for my artistic career as a photographer.
I became very good, to the point that I made drawings that looked like photographs. I felt ready to be covered in work as were the tattoo artists.
But I had been, in time, disillusioned.
I worked on odd jobs of little importance, there was not much demand, and those few that there were obviously pulling on the price.
I quit after years.
I returned to working life as before, to the dream-killing routine, the dream of waking up in the morning and doing a job I like, a dream all too common to many artists.
I happened to take a solo sightseeing trip to the U.S. in August 2014.
In order not to get bored during my trip I decided to buy an entry level digital camera to document the holiday.
I quit after years.
I returned to working life as before, to the dream-killing routine, the dream of waking up in the morning and doing a job I like, a dream all too common to many artists.
I happened to take a solo sightseeing trip to the U.S. in August 2014.
In order not to get bored during my trip I decided to buy an entry level digital camera to document the holiday.
Premise: I had never used a camera in my life, I knew absolutely nothing.
The holiday proved illuminating in several respects. Mainly from the spiritual one, I had opened a new world on the concept of travel.It was clear my attitude to be a landscape painter, environments naturally attracted me unlike people.
I came back from this wonderful experience with the artistic spark again lit and alive more than ever.
Inside I knew that the creative vein was going hand in hand with the adventure push. In order to take pictures in particular places I pushed myself into difficulties that did not represent anything in relation to the final result that I hoped to obtain. I risked dying of dehydration in the middle of an American desert lost in nowhere; or of frost sleeping in a cave at zero degrees at 2400 m in the Dolomites, only with clothes and no sleeping bag or tent; I have entered forbidden areas like in skyscraper yards in Dubai. All these stories could be the subject of a book that maybe a day I’ll write.
I came back from this wonderful experience with the artistic spark again lit and alive more than ever.
Inside I knew that the creative vein was going hand in hand with the adventure push. In order to take pictures in particular places I pushed myself into difficulties that did not represent anything in relation to the final result that I hoped to obtain. I risked dying of dehydration in the middle of an American desert lost in nowhere; or of frost sleeping in a cave at zero degrees at 2400 m in the Dolomites, only with clothes and no sleeping bag or tent; I have entered forbidden areas like in skyscraper yards in Dubai. All these stories could be the subject of a book that maybe a day I’ll write.
The problem is that I could satisfy my travels and my creative vein only in correspondence to the periods of vacation in which I have more time.
But in 2016, a guy in my photo club showed me some photographs of abandoned places. It was one of those things that turns on something dormant within you, an idea and a temptation that begin to come true.
He explained to me all the dynamics of research and access, of the various difficulties from many points of view. The thing fascinated me: it was something niche, exclusive and adventurous, with that hint of danger. And a few hours drive on weekends I could reach such places.
In the years to come I collected a considerable amount of photographic work.
But in 2016, a guy in my photo club showed me some photographs of abandoned places. It was one of those things that turns on something dormant within you, an idea and a temptation that begin to come true.
He explained to me all the dynamics of research and access, of the various difficulties from many points of view. The thing fascinated me: it was something niche, exclusive and adventurous, with that hint of danger. And a few hours drive on weekends I could reach such places.
In the years to come I collected a considerable amount of photographic work.
And I still found myself thinking to myself…why not earn or even live with my art? The old desire to leave the workshop came back into my thoughts…
But the difficulties were not lacking.
Every abandoned place could represent a risk even if there is not an equal situation for all, even easy places happen where the only difficulty lies in their discovery. The abandoned places are however kept difficult to access for a matter of security (because of the danger of collapse) or to preserve them from thieves or vandals.
But the difficulties were not lacking.
Every abandoned place could represent a risk even if there is not an equal situation for all, even easy places happen where the only difficulty lies in their discovery. The abandoned places are however kept difficult to access for a matter of security (because of the danger of collapse) or to preserve them from thieves or vandals.
The classic physical difficulties: moulds, unreported holes, protruding nails and sudden collapses in the worst cases. And many brambles. Thorny thorns everywhere like last bastions in defense of the place. And pigeon droppings everywhere, sometimes real rugs.
Social dangers instead especially in old factories or public places where abandoned could live or practice shady activities.
Few are willing to wait with me for the evolution of light in the various rooms of a building, overcome by boredom. Often they are fast photographers like Japanese tourists, just happy to capture an experience.
But my determination in the challenge of having an extraordinary shot wins over the rest, as it overcomes the fear that you might have in certain environmental situations, atmosphere gloomy horror movies.
Social dangers instead especially in old factories or public places where abandoned could live or practice shady activities.
Few are willing to wait with me for the evolution of light in the various rooms of a building, overcome by boredom. Often they are fast photographers like Japanese tourists, just happy to capture an experience.
But my determination in the challenge of having an extraordinary shot wins over the rest, as it overcomes the fear that you might have in certain environmental situations, atmosphere gloomy horror movies.
The greatest satisfaction up to this point is represented by the mass of awards obtained in prestigious international photo competitions, obtained from the first attempts. Results I never expected to get among tens of thousands of talented photographers from all over the world.
La passione che ho nei confronti dell’arte visiva mi accompagna da una vita, non è una passione dell’ultimo minuto.
Negli anni 80 alle scuole elementari disegnavo qualsiasi cosa; durante gli anni 90 la mia adolescenza era influenzata dall’hip hop italiano e diventai un artista di strada creatore di murales urbani; negli anni 2000 frequentavo una scuola serale di illustrazione per fumetto pensando a quello come lavoro.
Ma non era quella la mia strada.
La mia strada mi ha portato ad iniziare a lavorare nell’officina di carrozzeria per auto di mio padre, un lavoro lontanissimo dalle mie corde ma con uno stipendio.
Lo stipendio sicuro per un giovane è allettante e per questo per qualche anno ho anestetizzato la mia vena artistica dedicando le mie energie solo a quel lavoro.
La mia creatività si sentiva ingabbiata, ancor di più affranta dalla consapevolezza che il tempo della nostra vita è limitato.
Nel 2006 venni a conoscenza dell’arte legata all’aerografia, un’arte piuttosto di nicchia. Lavorando in una carrozzeria capii che potevo essere fortunato lavorando già in un ambiente legato all’uso delle vernici. Mi esercitavo dopo la giornata lavorativa di notte in carrozzeria, nei periodi invernali tutto imbacuccato per via del gelo notturno (la notte non veniva acceso il riscaldamento nell’officina). Già in quel periodo mi resi conto della mia attitudine a sfidare ambienti per raggiungere quello in cui credevo; cosa che poi rappresenterà la norma per la mia carriera artistica di fotografo.
Diventai molto bravo, al punto che realizzavo disegni che sembravano fotografie. Mi sentivo pronto per essere ricoperto di lavoro come lo erano i tatuatori.
Ma venni, nel tempo, disilluso.
Racimolavo lavoretti saltuari di poco conto, non c’era gran richiesta, e quei pochi che c ‘erano ovviamente tiravano sul prezzo.
Mollai tutto dopo anni.
Tornai alla vita da operaio come prima, alla routine ammazzasogni, il sogno di svegliarmi al mattino e fare un lavoro che mi piace, un sogno fin troppo comune a molti artisti.
Mi capitò di fare un viaggio turistico in solitaria negli Stati Uniti in Agosto 2014. Quei viaggi lunghissimi, on the road con l’auto, all’avventura.
Per non correre il rischio di annoiarmi durante il mio viaggio decisi di acquistare una fotocamera digitale entry level per documentare la vacanza.
La vacanza si dimostrò illuminante sotto parecchi punti di vista. Principalmente da quello spirituale, mi si era aperto un nuovo mondo sulla concezione di viaggio.Era chiara la mia attitudine ad essere un paesaggista, gli ambienti mi attiravano naturalmente al contrario delle persone.
Tornai da questa splendida esperienza con la scintilla artistica nuovamente accesa e viva più che mai.
Dentro di me sapevo che la spinta creativa andava a braccetto con la spinta per l’avventura. Pur di scattare foto in luoghi particolari mi spingevo in difficoltà che non rappresentavano nulla in rapporto al risultato finale che speravo di ottenere. Ho rischiato di morire per disidratazione in mezzo ad un deserto americano sperduto nel nulla; oppure di gelo dormendo in una caverna a zero gradi a 2400 m sulle Dolomiti, solo con vestiti e senza sacco a pelo o tenda; sono entrato in zone proibite come dentro cantieri di grattacieli a Dubai. Tutte queste storie potrebbero essere oggetto di un libro che forse un giorno scriverò.
Il problema è che potevo soddisfare i miei viaggi e la mia vena creativa solo in corrispondenza ai periodi di vacanza in cui ho più tempo.
Ma nel 2016 un ragazzo all’interno del mio circolo fotografico mi fece vedere alcune fotografie riguardanti alcuni posti abbandonati. Fu una di quelle cose che ti accende qualcosa sopito dentro di te, un’idea ed una tentazione che iniziano a diventare realtà.
Mi spiegò tutte le dinamiche di ricerca e di accesso, delle varie difficoltà sotto molti punti di vista. La cosa mi affascinava: era qualcosa di nicchia, esclusivo ed avventuroso, con quel pizzico di pericolo. Ed a poche ore di auto nei week end potevo raggiungere tali luoghi.
Negli anni a venire raccolsi una mole di lavori fotografici considerevole.
E mi ritrovai ancora a pensare fra me…perchè non guadagnare o addirittura vivere con la mia arte? Il vecchio desiderio di mollare l’officina si riaffacciava nei miei pensieri…
Ma le difficoltà non mancavano.
Ogni posto abbandonato poteva rappresentare un rischio anche se non esiste una situazione uguale per tutti, capitano anche posti facili dove l’unica difficoltà sta nella loro scoperta. I luoghi abbandonati sono comunque mantenuti difficilmente accessibili per una questione di sicurezza (per via del pericolo di crolli) o per preservarli da ladri o vandali.
Le classiche difficoltà fisiche: muffe, buche non segnalate, chiodi sporgenti e crolli improvvisi nei casi più malmessi. E tanti rovi. Rovi rampicanti acuminati ovunque come ultimi baluardi in difesa del luogo. Ed escrementi di piccione ovunque, a volte dei veri e propri tappeti.
Pochi son disposti ad attendere con me l’evolversi della luce nelle varie stanze di un palazzo, vinti dalla noia. Spesso son dei fotografi velocisti come turisti giapponesi, contenti solo di immortalare un’esperienza.
Ma la mia determinazione nella sfida di avere uno scatto straordinario vince sul resto, come vince sulla paura che si potrebbe avere in determinate situazioni ambientali, atmosfere tetre da film horror.
La più grande soddisfazione fino a questo punto è rappresentata dalla mole di riconoscimenti ottenuta in prestigiosi concorsi fotografici internazionali, ottenuti fin dai primi tentativi. Risultati che mai mi sarei aspettato di ottenere fra decine di migliaia di fotografi bravissimi partecipanti da tutto il mondo
.
My passion for visual art has been with me for a long time, it’s not a last-minute passion.
In the ’80s in elementary school I drew anything; during the ’90s my adolescence was influenced by Italian hip hop and I became a street artist creator of urban murals; In the 2000s, I attended a comics illustration evening school thinking of that as a job.
But that wasn’t my path.
My way led me to start working in my father’s car body shop, a job far from my ropes but with a salary.
The secure salary for a young guy is tempting and for this reason for a few years I have anesthetized my artistic vein dedicating my energies only to that work.
In the ’80s in elementary school I drew anything; during the ’90s my adolescence was influenced by Italian hip hop and I became a street artist creator of urban murals; In the 2000s, I attended a comics illustration evening school thinking of that as a job.
But that wasn’t my path.
My way led me to start working in my father’s car body shop, a job far from my ropes but with a salary.
The secure salary for a young guy is tempting and for this reason for a few years I have anesthetized my artistic vein dedicating my energies only to that work.
My creativity felt caged, even more broken by the knowledge that the time of our life is limited.
In 2006 I became aware of the art of airbrushing, a rather niche art. Working in a body shop I realized that I could be lucky working already in an environment related to the use of paints. I practiced after the working day at night in the bodywork, in the winter periods all wrapped up in my dresses because of the night frost (the night was not turned on the heating in the workshop). Already at that time I realized my attitude to challenge environments to achieve what I believed in; something that will represent the norm for my artistic career as a photographer.
I became very good, to the point that I made drawings that looked like photographs. I felt ready to be covered in work as were the tattoo artists.
In 2006 I became aware of the art of airbrushing, a rather niche art. Working in a body shop I realized that I could be lucky working already in an environment related to the use of paints. I practiced after the working day at night in the bodywork, in the winter periods all wrapped up in my dresses because of the night frost (the night was not turned on the heating in the workshop). Already at that time I realized my attitude to challenge environments to achieve what I believed in; something that will represent the norm for my artistic career as a photographer.
I became very good, to the point that I made drawings that looked like photographs. I felt ready to be covered in work as were the tattoo artists.
But I had been, in time, disillusioned.
I worked on odd jobs of little importance, there was not much demand, and those few that there were obviously pulling on the price.
I quit after years.
I returned to working life as before, to the dream-killing routine, the dream of waking up in the morning and doing a job I like, a dream all too common to many artists.
I happened to take a solo sightseeing trip to the U.S. in August 2014.
In order not to get bored during my trip I decided to buy an entry level digital camera to document the holiday.
I quit after years.
I returned to working life as before, to the dream-killing routine, the dream of waking up in the morning and doing a job I like, a dream all too common to many artists.
I happened to take a solo sightseeing trip to the U.S. in August 2014.
In order not to get bored during my trip I decided to buy an entry level digital camera to document the holiday.
Premise: I had never used a camera in my life, I knew absolutely nothing.
The holiday proved illuminating in several respects. Mainly from the spiritual one, I had opened a new world on the concept of travel.It was clear my attitude to be a landscape painter, environments naturally attracted me unlike people.
I came back from this wonderful experience with the artistic spark again lit and alive more than ever.
Inside I knew that the creative vein was going hand in hand with the adventure push. In order to take pictures in particular places I pushed myself into difficulties that did not represent anything in relation to the final result that I hoped to obtain. I risked dying of dehydration in the middle of an American desert lost in nowhere; or of frost sleeping in a cave at zero degrees at 2400 m in the Dolomites, only with clothes and no sleeping bag or tent; I have entered forbidden areas like in skyscraper yards in Dubai. All these stories could be the subject of a book that maybe a day I’ll write.
I came back from this wonderful experience with the artistic spark again lit and alive more than ever.
Inside I knew that the creative vein was going hand in hand with the adventure push. In order to take pictures in particular places I pushed myself into difficulties that did not represent anything in relation to the final result that I hoped to obtain. I risked dying of dehydration in the middle of an American desert lost in nowhere; or of frost sleeping in a cave at zero degrees at 2400 m in the Dolomites, only with clothes and no sleeping bag or tent; I have entered forbidden areas like in skyscraper yards in Dubai. All these stories could be the subject of a book that maybe a day I’ll write.
The problem is that I could satisfy my travels and my creative vein only in correspondence to the periods of vacation in which I have more time.
But in 2016, a guy in my photo club showed me some photographs of abandoned places. It was one of those things that turns on something dormant within you, an idea and a temptation that begin to come true.
He explained to me all the dynamics of research and access, of the various difficulties from many points of view. The thing fascinated me: it was something niche, exclusive and adventurous, with that hint of danger. And a few hours drive on weekends I could reach such places.
In the years to come I collected a considerable amount of photographic work.
But in 2016, a guy in my photo club showed me some photographs of abandoned places. It was one of those things that turns on something dormant within you, an idea and a temptation that begin to come true.
He explained to me all the dynamics of research and access, of the various difficulties from many points of view. The thing fascinated me: it was something niche, exclusive and adventurous, with that hint of danger. And a few hours drive on weekends I could reach such places.
In the years to come I collected a considerable amount of photographic work.
And I still found myself thinking to myself…why not earn or even live with my art? The old desire to leave the workshop came back into my thoughts…
But the difficulties were not lacking.
Every abandoned place could represent a risk even if there is not an equal situation for all, even easy places happen where the only difficulty lies in their discovery. The abandoned places are however kept difficult to access for a matter of security (because of the danger of collapse) or to preserve them from thieves or vandals.
But the difficulties were not lacking.
Every abandoned place could represent a risk even if there is not an equal situation for all, even easy places happen where the only difficulty lies in their discovery. The abandoned places are however kept difficult to access for a matter of security (because of the danger of collapse) or to preserve them from thieves or vandals.
The classic physical difficulties: moulds, unreported holes, protruding nails and sudden collapses in the worst cases. And many brambles. Thorny thorns everywhere like last bastions in defense of the place. And pigeon droppings everywhere, sometimes real rugs.
Social dangers instead especially in old factories or public places where abandoned could live or practice shady activities.
Few are willing to wait with me for the evolution of light in the various rooms of a building, overcome by boredom. Often they are fast photographers like Japanese tourists, just happy to capture an experience.
But my determination in the challenge of having an extraordinary shot wins over the rest, as it overcomes the fear that you might have in certain environmental situations, atmosphere gloomy horror movies.
Social dangers instead especially in old factories or public places where abandoned could live or practice shady activities.
Few are willing to wait with me for the evolution of light in the various rooms of a building, overcome by boredom. Often they are fast photographers like Japanese tourists, just happy to capture an experience.
But my determination in the challenge of having an extraordinary shot wins over the rest, as it overcomes the fear that you might have in certain environmental situations, atmosphere gloomy horror movies.
The greatest satisfaction up to this point is represented by the mass of awards obtained in prestigious international photo competitions, obtained from the first attempts. Results I never expected to get among tens of thousands of talented photographers from all over the world.
- IL FOTOGRAFO...D'AMBIENTI -
– IL FOTOGRAFO…D’AMBIENTI –
Come accennato nella biografia, la mia passione fotografica è nata con la fotografia di paesaggio. Ho realizzato numerosi progetti fine art anche relativi ai miei viaggi. Soprattutto con l’editing, la fotografia di paesaggio ha rappresentato uno stimolo ad affinare la mia tecnica e capire l’importanza della luce ambientale per saperla imbrigliare e valorizzare al meglio nei miei scatti.
Sotto alcuni lavori visitabili su
As mentioned in the biography, my photographic passion was born with landscape photography. I have made many fine art projects also related to my travels. Especially with the editing, landscape photography has been a stimulus to refine my technique and understand the importance of environmental light to know how to harness and enhance it in my shots.
Below some works you can visit on
As mentioned in the biography, my photographic passion was born with landscape photography. I have made many fine art projects also related to my travels. Especially with the editing, landscape photography has been a stimulus to refine my technique and understand the importance of environmental light to know how to harness and enhance it in my shots.
Below some works you can visit on
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