Vito Paladini from Venice, Italy has been shooting magnificent cityscape and landscapes for quite some time. Being a photographer in Italy itself is a privilege but it is equally difficult for a photo artist to create different images of places which have been extensively shot by thousands. Vito has such an skill that his photos look strait like a painting from Victorian era. He is an excellent photographer with a keen eye for detail. Even while shooting mundane things he never disappoints his viewers. He brings out the best in everything he points his old camera to. He seems to capture intense essence of photography that many amateur artists strive to capture. His relationship with light is unique and you can feel the natural flow which create true paintings of light and natural beauty. We wish he ventures into other genres of photography as well. Let us find out more about him and his photography:

Hello Vito, tell us more about you:

Hello everyone my name is Vito Paladini. I was born in 1974 in Taranto which is a seaside town in Southern Italy. I was trained in arts as a child my mother who was an art teacher. She taught me to learn various techniques of fine arts, but at the same time she discouraged me to pursue artistic studies because she thought that it wasn’t easy to make a living. I followed the advice of my mother, and got a degree. I am presently working as an accountant in the Italian Navy.

Thanks to my work as a sailor, I am always around the sea and on the shores, which has been resurrected in me a passion for art and subsequently for photography.

So, when did you actually start taking photos?

I started taking pictures with the disposable camera in 1997 and later in 2000 I bought my compact Sony DSC T33 which, had limited features but it gave me a lot of satisfaction as well as facility to keep my memory alive. Gradually, the interest increased, and I it became necessary to upgrade with changing technology. Then I bought a camera which had some professional features, and that is my current Nikon D90. It ‘s true that a better camera can make a lot difference, but it should be kept in mind that a good vision and better lenses also count a lot.

Now people see my photos and make good compliments. They tell me that I shoot like a pro but I know myself well and reiterate with modesty that I am an amateur photographer.

I believe that it takes time and commitment to get satisfaction in photography. It is also important to note that armed with a camera you must take the pictures that you would normally not desire to take, and then only you see the rewards coming your way. It is essential for a photographer to be able to wait for the right time and moment.

Your cityscape are wonderful. How do you take such magnificent images?

I am shooting from portraits to landscapes. I shoot macro as well as reflections, street photography, architecture. I am looking for shots that may arouses emotions. I search for a glimpse or a particular angle or an original point of view, but most of the time it is the image that captures me, and not vice versa. The reasons that lead me to continue taking pictures arise from the joy and satisfaction that every time I try after capturing that moment, a moment that I’m sure will be able to drive an emotion in the viewer.

I am yet to have any major achievement in photography. I have sold some photos here and there, but it has not been any profitable. As I said earlier, I currently have a Nikon D90 with the versatile 16-85mm F.3.5-5.6 G ED, but on occasions I also use a 60mm F2.8 G ED for macro shot, a 80-200mm F2.8 D ED, a 50mm F1.4 G for portrait or a 20mm F2.8 D for architecture and landscape. It all depends on the what I am shooting. On my 27 inch iMac I usually run Photoshop to calibrate the colors, adjust brightness and contrast, or to adjust the perspective of the photo. Initially I lost so many hours with Photoshop, but over time I learned so many fixes in post production which saved a lot of time. I also came to know my faults and began to avoid harmful setting with patience during shooting. If you take care of your composition and exposure, you do not have to apply too many touches, because you have already captured an almost perfect image.

Tell us about your experiences of shooting in Venice:

I have been living here since 1999, and as you can already aware of, it is a city that it is am awesome place for photography throughout the year. Venice is harmonious and at the same time nostalgic - joyous and tiring at the same time, in other words, you either love or hate. There is no middle ground.

For me shooting in Venice is like love at first sight. I confess, however, that creating an original image of Venice is always a daunting task for me. Thanks to this I began to consider other kinds of photography like landscape or architecture and among them, in particular I prefer the photo of the reflections. To photograph the reflections is an experience that I recommend to those who have not enough practice. It trains your eye to look beyond the simple object. Other than that I have think there is not any extraordinary place for taking pictures. Everything depends on the location, scenery, points of view, and most importantly the light.

Tell us about shooting reflections:

When I stop to take a picture of reflections, I feel myself to be a graphic composer as well as curating the composition and use of light. I contextualize the subject/object in the reflection and then the photo as a whole. For me it’s a photography in a photography. This way, the photography has definitely changed my view of the world which I was simply ‘looking at’ before handling a camera.

Some of your photos do look like paintings. Your comments:

I am inspired more with great painters than any photographer. I’m a great admirer of the iconic painters of the 1800s and early 1900s especially Van Gogh, Manet, Boccioni, Kandinsky, Dalì and Picasso… are the artists from whom I have always found great inspiration in painting as well as in photography. Observing their art work closely can make you learn the techniques of good composition, color balance, and proper use of light .

Give some tips to our readers:

About taking pictures of people, I would suggest that one must approach the subject with enthusiasm and discretion. Take permission if possible and explain that the portrait you just took is a sincere attempt at capturing a mood or moment. Showing the photo in your LCD panel will sure delight the stranger.

When you take a photo, try to imagine how the picture will look like when complete. Strive for the right composition, placing the subject/object in the prominent part of the frame . Take note of color contrasts and casts, look for availability of bokeh, and pay most attention to the quality of light - its source and intensity. Waiting for the right moment to shoot is always rewarding. Take several shots, that’s the goodness of being digital. It is always frustrating when you reach home and find that you spoiled several shots because you were in a hurry or had bad settings in your camera.

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Note: All images appearing in this post are the exclusive property of Vito Paladini and protected under the International Copyright laws.