Interview: Photographer Antonio Cristini (Italy)

Can you tell us a little about you?

I was born in 1974, son of merchants, in a city where art and history are everywhere... Rome. Usually the rhythm of life doesn't lead us to appreciate what can remind us about PHOTOGRAPHY... Curiosity, passion, love.

How and when did you get into photography? Well, I can't say that as a child I really had the passion for photography but I always had the curiosity for the camera. This magic medium managed to fix what was incredible to my eyes and very quickly everything turned into a passion. My father also contributed to build up my passion... I still can remember how he was taking all the classical family pictures when I was a child. With a rectangular box equipped with that cube on the top, rotating just for four shots (a rotation for each one) and then already replaced with a new one, ready for other four shots. That's how I discover the flash!! I will never be able to quantify how many camera films I burned just to understand how everything supposed to works. Then this curiosity became passion with deeper reflections. Through the years I realised that the passion for the camera was very strong for me because this instrument is the only one able to catch what excites me. Today I'm grateful to have made this analogical journey, full of physical and economic commitments and with anxiety (a good one of course) waiting for the shots becoming reality through the development and printing. In the past we were taking pictures more careful surrounded by particular energy and emotions compared to now where we have a different attention because we have a lot of technology in our hands (smartphone, ipad...) and the post productions are more intense. For this reason I always say "still think analogical while taking pictures in a digital mood". Anyway, this passion is growing everyday because in each pictures you can find a special message and that's how my love for photography began.

What does photography mean to you?

Photography for me is an indelible document written by the light that represents and will represent us over time. We can communicate what would vanish just with words.

Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers.

I would say a research for communication, maintaining the attention for details, representing the scene with its reality without making alterations during the post productions.

Where do you get inspiration from? It depends... each picture has its own soul, different inspiration and different emotion.

Do you think in advance what you want in the picture?

It's important to imagine the pictures already in your mind but in a lot of situations I like to go out and looking for new inspirations.

Studio, on location or both?

Both, although I prefer the locations with natural lights.

Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?

I believe that professionalism is not related to an economic return... Something is done for work and something is done for the love for photography.

What has been your most memorable session and why?

This is a difficult question... I feel the photography deep inside, each set give different emotions to me but I remember a particular set with pleasure. I was working with a girl and on her self-esteem... Extremely delicate work because if you don't go on the right way, the risk is to get the opposite result! When I saw the satisfaction on her eyes I was really satisfied too.

Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens?

Honestly I think they both are great brands, personally I use Nikon. The favourite lens are the fixed ones, with an high quality. For my kind of photography, I hardly go below 50 mm.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own business?

The photograpy business is not easy, we must try to make the difference and always improve ourselves.

What do you think of our new magazine?

First of all thank you so much for this opportunity! I think it's a great magazine paying attention even for the small details. I could say much much more about it but... The most important advice that I feel to give, especially to who doesn't know this magazine yet, is to discover it!!! "QUALITY" is the right thing to say about this great new magazine.

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