Francesco Vezzola (b.1982) is an Italian landscape and lifestyle/fashion photographer. I found his works featured on a couple of websites and decided to ask him about his photography. He’s fond of speaking… sort of chatterbox and I wish I could have a video hangout with him but better next time. Shooting exclusively analog, his photography has fresh visual appeal, and quite sensuous when he shoots lovely ladies. This feature is an assortment of all kinds of his impressive works. More from the man below:
I was born and raised on the sides of the Lake Garda in north Italy, a very inspiring place regarding nature and connection with interesting people. My father was always an amateur photographer and step by step he taught how to use his reflex Pentax KX camera that I’m still using for most of my shootings! As I was born in the early 80s so while I was teenager I could experience the beginning and the growth of the digital photography. I tried all kinds of compact cameras, SLRs and so on. When I finished my studies (agronomy!), I went to a professional school of digital photography where I sharpened my skills and knowledge. Now I’m shooting almost exclusively in analog, a choice that was inspired by my new location : Vienna, the Austrian capital where I’ve been living and working for last 5 years.
Difficult to say what photography means to me, it’s a way to portrait what the emotions that the subject gave to me, and the evolution of my works is hopefully in the direction to be more communicative and inspiring to people.
I enjoy both for different expects but as I wrote in the previous answer, both subjects are transmitting something meaningful to me so I’d like to transmit some emotion to others. I like to speak a lot, but rarely do I reveal with words the deep inner of myself, and I try to do that with my photos. When I shoot landscapes I try to capture the epic or dreamy atmosphere of them, in people I love to see the emotions in their eyes and the sensuality of the body.
I always enjoy to watch works of other photographers, famous or not, to get inspiration. I try to understand how to reach a certain result but at the end I’m very instinctive it’s the moment and the subject that make me have a certain method or technique. Most of the time I feel when something good is coming. The exciting part is that shooting in analog I have time to elaborate and think about the shots sometimes even few days before I will actually see the results.
Now I’m front of a junction between fine art and portraits/model photography, I would like to keep going one with both but lately my energy are more focused on a brand new project: Terifuote. It’s a collection of analog photos of models (professional and non) not necessary sexy every time but surely trying to have it always sensual and full of emotion. People tell me that I have my style, but honestly I can’t recognize it clearly, I try always to improve and to explore new things. I surely like to keep the things bold and clear, central subject and clean image.
Currently I’m working with 3 cameras:
- Olympus Mju II - my favorite point and shoot so far, I’m always keeping it in my pocket ready to catch something interesting.
- Pentax KX - my father’s camera, I love it and I am super confident with it. Purely mechanical, the sound of its mirrors means a lot to me! Lately I bought on eBay a cheap 135mm f/2.8 and I am actually surprised by the results that I’m having with it.
- Mamiya 645J - medium format, since the first roll I was so happy to see finally the photos as I wanted. For it I have the standard 80mm and I bought a 150mm here in Vienna in a vintage camera store.
Yes, there is one (see above). It’s one of my first rolls in Medium format, was taken during a travel with friends in Lanzarote. While I was shooting it I was hoping but I was sure that something great was coming. Hopefully this idea can be shared also by others!
I didn’t study art so my feelings are coming from my gut when I get disappointed by too conceptual works without any explanation, not even a hint. Getting more specifically into photography I love when I see some work behind or something very inspired as a beautiful portrait. I feel sometimes a bit sadden to see that the results of big efforts are small picture on Instagram, but hey, we are in the 2015 and I’m also an active user of it.
During my digital era I was used to have a blog of street style that after a few years it got relatively popular and I got mentions, interviews and features in magazines all over the world. It became blog of the week on Vogue Italia and it brought me here to Vienna as “artist in residence” at the Museums Quartier. Now I’m submitting my works on internet and it looks that some of my latest stuff is getting appreciated. About the last question I wouldn’t like to reveal futures project, but yes I’m thinking about it.
More than plan I’d like to make promises: to finally update my website, to go ahead with “Terifuote” and to have my presence on magazines more consistent. For 2016 I have also planned a important solo exhibition in Italy but I have still to define and decide what to do.
“Beauty will save the world” - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Books: “Les Miserables” Victor Hugo, “The Kreutzer Sonata” Lev Tolstoy, “The Count of Monte Cristo” Alexander Dumas, “The Picture of Dorian Gray” Oscar Wilde… I love classics!
Music: A bit of everything but now I’m pressing repeat with Tame Impala, The Magic Flute of Mozart and Kreutzer Sonata of Beethoven (oh I mentioned it above also!)
Go out, take photos, be critical of yourself but also recognize what is good in your work. Don’t be afraid to show what you are doing and take the chance to share opinions and thoughts with other photographers. Be inspired by someone already famous but always try to be yourself.
Nishant