When did your love affair with photography begin?
Unlike many others who were born with a passion for photography, my interest was late and has been developing over the years together with the ever-growing desire to travel. If I had to determine a specific date when the "love affaire" began, I'd say it was in 1997 during my first trip to Tanzania. Africa has been like Cupid for me and photography.
How does photography influence your life?
Photography influenced and influences my everyday life because it changed and keeps on changing the perception of what surrounds me. Sometimes it's weird because it makes me thinking of the world as a huge stage built by the best set designer ever, with billions of academy awarded actors.
How does the people/scenery you capture influence you as a photographer?
That's the most important part of photography. I always try to blend in the scenery and feeling involved with what's going on trying to catch moments without being noticed. Until I don't feel myself confident with people and environment I don't shoot.
Emotions are said to be an important aspect of photography. How crucial is this element for you as a photographer?
I've always thought that photography means capturing a unique moment in time. Thinking that those moments will never be repeated the same way, makes me fix the emotion I'm feeling in the exact time I click, hoping to deliver the same kind of emotions to the people that look at my pictures. This is the reason why I take photographs.
What tools of the trade do you use most often?
This will make most of the readers laugh: an olympus e-520 with a 14-42 and a 40-150 lens. Lightroom and some photoshop for the post production work.
I could never go around with those rocket launcher size cameras without being noticed.
You have a series that covers the beauty of India. What was your experience like in shooting this magnificent place?
You won't find any single word that could be suitable to define India. India is magic, raw, merciless and mystic. It was really an amazing experience, because of the colors, noises, smells and people that follow you every moment of the day. Talking about emotions, it's a place where you really have to control them not to be overwhelmed. On the contrary and this is the funny thing I was really confident in shooting because as I was taking photographs to people, many of them were taking pictures of me and my wife with their mobile phones, and I still have to understand why.
What message do you (often) want to bring out in your photographs?
Nothing more than what I shoot, trying to let people see how beautiful the world is and that you can find the beauty in the eyes of an old man who lives in the street as much as in a lonely road in the middle of nowhere. You just have to learn how to see it.
Any projects that you're working on right now?
I'm working together with another photographer to a long term project that is quite far from the reportage style. But I can't say more at the moment.
I'm trying to move to New York City and I'm obviously planning my next trip.
Any advice for our readers?
It's important to have a good photographic culture. Studying the great masters of photography, try to emulate them and then find your personal style. It's only the first step, but perhaps the most important one.
This interview features photographer extraordinaire Emanuele Nardoni. His images features the amazing places and the people of his travels; each one captivating and inspiring the audience. Read on and see how this talented photographer has captured different pieces of the world through his lens. Enjoy!
