Tell us something about yourself
Hi! My name is Gabriele, I'm 35 and I live in Italy, Milan area, close to Malpensa airport. I work in computer graphics business (3d, visual fx… that sort of things), an old hobby that became my full-time job some years ago. I am amazed by beauty in general, I love nature, volleyball, food and wine.

How and when did you get into photography?
I was introduced to photography by some friends: it was their hobby, and listening to their conversations and looking at their photos, I started to be quite attracted and curious about that world. I soon joined their talks, asking questions, and later thinking myself to give it a try: a wish that became reality in mid 2008 with my first reflex, as my family’s gift for graduation.

What does photography mean to you?
Photography is a way to freely express myself in an artistic manner. It’s something I do at personal level, and that's the main reason I'm keeping it as an hobby, so I can plan my own projects, develop them with my style, and dedicate the required time to each photo, without any deadline with which to compromise.

Please describe your photography style for our readers.
In a word, I’d say it’s a “dirty” style: I’m not looking for perfectly sharp and technically correct images; I’m more interested in the artistic side of photography. In general, I like natural light, depth of field and blur, grain, and colors graded to my needs.

Where do you get inspiration from?
Beauty. I am a slave of Beauty.

Think you in advance what you want in the picture?
Yes I do. I always plan as much as possible, especially when I already know both model and location. I usually write down a “story” (or simply a title) for the shooting, adding few words that briefly describe the mood, a list of sets and outfits, and even notes about framing and model’s acting. There’s still room for improvisations and moment-inspired ideas, but detailed planning is a very good start for all my projects.

Studio, on location or both?
On location only. I used studios in the past, but I don’t have good feelings with them. Locations help me to tell stories: even if just in background, they give details and realism to the shot, hardly reproducible in studio. Also, I love natural light, how it fills (or not) the environment: indeed, real
locations and natural light are for me additional characters that support the leading actor of the shooting, the model.

 

Would you consider yourself a hobbyist or a paid professional?
I am definitely a hobbyist: I am the only client of myself.

What has been your most memorable session and why?
Except rare cases, I loved every single shooting so far. However, I think I can currently pick one as a milestone for my future: it was in early June, my first session outside Italy (I was visiting Warsaw as a tourist, but planned some shootings with local models) and it worked perfectly, a great experience that I’m going to repeat (hopefully) very soon.

What has been the biggest source of inspiration in your work?
In those years, I selected a list of photographers that are able to inspire me in different ways, such as Jan Scholz (Micmojo), David Bellemere, Peter Coulson, Luca De Nardo, Miss Aniela, Marta Bevacqua, Alessio Albi, and some others: their work, their style, their emotions, I always find something new to learn. A special mention goes to Marc Lagrange, a Belgian photographer recently passed away: his photography was amazing, and his heritage is a fantastic source of inspiration to me.

Nikon or Canon? Favorite lens?
I have a Canon, simply because Canon was the first camera I was gifted. I'm not a fan of any particular brand: cameras (and lenses) are just tools, everyone should pick the one needed for their needs. I recently moved to fullframe, and I'm in the process of renewing my lenses with good prime ones: 50mm and 85mm on top, with at least f/2.8 aperture.

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to start their own business?
I have no business myself in photography, so I can hardly pretend to give good tips to others. It's a very good initiative that helps people involved into photography to be exposed, and that's quite admirable in the modern world, where everyone can show their abilities but at the same time can be hardly seen by the public. So, keep up the good work Modellenland Magazine, and thanks so much for this interview. Cheers!

My website: www.geba.it/ph - My Facebook page: www.facebook.com/gebazzz