On the future of photography and the dimension of the photographer-author
My ideas, kept in my notebook and now proposed in this text
From my work ME, MYSELF AND I where I explored myself, looking me in depth
Il fotografo ha un suo linguaggio e una propria narrativa.
Questa è la differenza con chi fa semplicemente foto.
I firmly believe that the future of photography doesn't lie in the bland, cookie-cutter genres but in the bold, unapologetic realm of authorial photography. It's about being an author, expressing a unique point of view, and capturing moments with raw authenticity. Forget the staged, soulless scenes. Photography should be about real human connection and emotional depth. If you're not diving deep into the lives and contexts of your subjects, you're missing the point entirely.
Being a photographer isn't about knowing the latest camera specs or f-stops; it's about immersing yourself in literature, music, cinema, and culture. These elements shape your vision and push your creativity beyond conventional boundaries. Knowing how to use a camera is just a technicality; it's what you bring from your understanding of the world that makes your work stand out.
Take portrait photography, for example. Here, the subject knows they are being photographed, yet authenticity is still paramount. It's about creating a space where genuine emotions and expressions can surface, even under the gaze of the camera. Engage with your subjects, understand their stories, and let those stories shape the images you capture. It's not about making them look perfect; it's about making them look real.
The key to making a lasting impact in photography is to embrace your voice, your vision. Don’t just settle for fitting into a genre. Break the mold. Challenge norms. Create images that are powerful because they come from a place of personal truth and insight. This is the future of photography—authorial, defiant, and deeply resonant.
We need to stop obsessing over technical perfection. It's not the gear that makes a great photograph; it's the mind and soul behind the camera. We live in an age where anyone can buy the best equipment, but very few can create an image that stops you in your tracks. Why? Because the magic isn't in the megapixels; it's in the moments. It's in the stories that only you can tell.
And let's talk about the pervasive fear of failure. Too many photographers play it safe, sticking to what’s tried and true, afraid to take risks and make mistakes. But failure is essential. It’s where the learning happens, where you discover what you're truly capable of. Embrace the messy, the imperfect, the unexpected. That’s where the magic lives.
Moreover, in a world oversaturated with images, the only way to stand out is to offer something genuinely different. Don’t just mimic the styles you see trending on social media. Develop your own voice. Be bold enough to be misunderstood. Remember, the most iconic photographs in history were often controversial, provocative, even shocking. They didn’t conform; they disrupted.
Photographers should also be thinkers and storytellers. Your camera is just a tool—use it to explore the world and your place in it. Study philosophy, engage with art, question everything. Your images should provoke thought, stir emotions, and ignite conversations. They should be more than just pictures; they should be experiences.
Finally, never underestimate the power of intuition. Trust your gut. In the end, photography is a deeply personal art form. It's about your perspective, your feelings, your unique way of seeing the world. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Embrace your quirks, your obsessions, your passions. That’s what will make your work unforgettable.
As Italo Calvino once wrote, photography can become an obsession, something that consumes you and drives you almost to madness. He spoke about the need to photograph not only the child blowing out birthday candles but also the same child when they are crying. This is a profound example of how photography should not just capture happy moments. Otherwise, we would have a sugar-coated version of the world and existence. The true essence of photography lies in its ability to portray the full spectrum of human experience, to show life in all its raw, unfiltered reality.
The 6 points of Settimio Benedusi can help us
Photography is a language, with its grammatical and syntactical rules, and like all languages, it serves to communicate.
Photography does not reproduce reality. Never! It’s not a matter of photo editing, film/digital, or post-production: photography is never a faithful mirror of reality. The fact that it reproduces only a partial portion of reality reveals the arbitrary and subjective choice of the photographer.
If it is true, as it is true, that photography does not reproduce reality, it is equally true that it reproduces the reality of the one who produces it. It doesn’t tell the truth about the world, but inevitably tells the truth about the person who uses it.
The quality of a photograph is not in its beauty. This is the concept that is usually the most difficult to explain: I’ll try. If photography is a language, we can draw a parallel with the language we’ve always used, the Italian language: do you think the quality of a text in Italian is given by the quality of the text itself or by the meaning that text communicates? You will agree with me on the second hypothesis, right? A sentence can have a wonderful syntactic and grammatical construction but mean nothing: the same thing happens in photography.
Not always (indeed, almost never!) does a photograph of a beautiful thing become a beautiful photograph; it will be a photograph of a beautiful thing, not a beautiful photograph. And these are two very different things!
When photographing, one never steals any moment: this is one of the most difficult prejudices to dismantle. Photography is realized with thought, with planning, with reasoning; not by stealing anything from anyone.
Conclusions
As a portrait and street documentary photographer, I deeply resonate with the notion that photography is a powerful language, rich with its own grammatical and syntactical rules, serving as a medium for profound communication. It’s essential to recognize that photography doesn’t replicate reality; it interprets it through the unique perspective of the photographer. Each shot is a selective, subjective fragment, revealing more about the photographer’s vision than the objective world.
Understanding that photography reflects the reality of the creator, rather than the reality of the world, is crucial in my work. My portraits and street photos are not mere representations; they are narratives that unveil my own truths, experiences, and perceptions. This approach allows me to connect deeply with my subjects and the environments I capture, providing an authentic portrayal of my artistic vision.
Moreover, the value of a photograph lies not in its superficial beauty but in the meaning and story it conveys. Just as a beautifully written sentence can be meaningless, a technically perfect photograph can be empty if it lacks depth and significance. My goal is always to capture images that speak to the viewer, evoking emotions and thoughts that go beyond mere aesthetics.
It’s also important to distinguish between photographing a beautiful subject and creating a beautiful photograph. The true challenge and artistry lie in imbuing the image with context, emotion, and a narrative that transcends the subject itself.
Finally, I firmly believe that photography is an intentional and thoughtful process. It’s not about stealing moments but about capturing and preserving them with purpose and mindfulness. Every shot I take is a deliberate act of storytelling, crafted with careful consideration and genuine intent.
In essence, my journey as a photographer is guided by these principles, shaping my work and defining my approach to capturing the world through my lens.
