Interview: Photographer Clément Calloud aka SanDellaLuna (France)

Can you tell us a little about you?

Creative from a young age, I started by doing graduate studies in design, and a specialization in luxury and packaging design, after a university exchange in Finland where I was able to discover the photo studio and the pack shoot I finished with a master's degree in design, I worked in an agency in Paris, Hamburg, Dubai and finally Geneva, where I have also been an interior designer in all for more than 10 years.I have found the time to also do photography professionally for 3-4 years

How and when did you get into photography?

I started photography thanks to a friend-model (@m kwayave), she was chasing one of those usual photographers who never did any retouching on the photos, handling Adobes software quite well I decided to start retouching and improve the photos of his photographer (with his agreement). So I decided to buy a used Canon 7D with a 50mm 1.4 lens, and we started taking pictures, that was 3-4 years ago.

What does photography mean to you?

To discover, to be ecstatic, to have fun, aesthetic research of forms of natural movement, of exaggerating pose, I like to capture fleeting expressions and freeze them with my photo.

Please briefly describe your photography style for our readers.

Creative freedom, the 100% subjective side of the image allows me to explore without any real constraints, unlike design where functionality goes hand in hand with aesthetics, a photo triggers an emotion and it is rarely identical between two people, however even if the photo is creative I do not see myself as an artist but rather as a fashion photographer, my photographic passion being on models and lifestyle.

Where do you get inspiration from?

Other photographers, my environment, cinema, films, clips, just about anything that inspires, that generates emotion

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

Not systematically, the place and time yes for the light, the style is defined but the stylist keeps a high degree of interpretation, as does the MUA, however I also do fast shoots or I am alone with the model my device and my reflector.

Studio, on location or both?

Outdoor, great sun, end of the day, now also cloudy weather! My settings almost look like the ones I use in the studio. Today I also have two battery-powered elinchrome flashes that I can take to all my outdoor shoots!

What has been your most memorable session and why?

It’s funny but my most memorable session was one of the few studio session I did for a young fashion designer, I was testing and experiment totally new way to use light as I see from a great documentary about one italian fashion photographer and I tried a technique he was explaining about flash and colors. and great day 4 modeles, but the thing that is memorable is that with these photos we did, her school and teacher was so impressed that they push her into fashion show where she present all her collection. Another one after an outdoor session I was send raw selection to the model so she can choose into my selection the picture she really want (i like to give choice to my model), at the same moment she was in casting for defille in new york, people from the casting see the raw pict and ask for one full res Raw, that I send quiclky, and she signed with them thanks for that pict !!!

Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens?

Canon (5D mark 4) and for the moment 24-70 USM2 2.8f

Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?

I am paid professional, but I am also 100% professional designer, because one day is only 24hours I manage to get my free time into photography so 8hour designer 3HR photographer per day, 100% photographer during the weekend!!!

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

their own business?

Don’t hesitate to do personal work, just experiment and shoot often (tried to do TFP for practising) also never think you are not enough, if someone comes to you is because they like your style, if they are only looking for cheap price never work with them. Refuse to work for free when it’s for brand, and when people will get money from your photos, sometime big names or big brand tried to push you in this way don’t accept, TFP is only with models that are happy to do it. You should never paid to be in magazine, normally magazine need your photos to exist not your money,

What do you think of our new magazine?

Like the way you did it, the time you take to give a free magazine gives me the will to take time and share photos with you ! :)

Facebook, website, instagram: @sandellaluna , www.sandellaluna.com