Interviste
How did you happen to come into the photographic profession and what was the inspiration?
I’m a Geologist and I used to take pictures during the works of this matter...later I became a photographer.
What is the best and the worst thing about you profession.
To be free...looking at the life by a different side.
Over a period of time in the profession, what is it that fascinates you about the art. In your brand of photography what is the most important quality that is required to be successful?
To see beyond the things than another man simply would do or thinking about yourself to be really a great photographer and consequently working toward the same.
In high fashion photography there is an over emphasis to highlight a portion of the models physiology such legs, butts and torso. Is this a deliberate attempt to keep up with the latest trends?
I think many photographers are used to over expose some portions of the body of the model, maybe the fact is that they want to drive the observer on the other parts as the shirt etc...
Models often need to bare their emotions for the camera. In this context whether it is easier to get physically naked than emotionally naked. Comment?
Physically naked is like a reproduction...but it’s not easy to do well. Emotionally naked is another thing, it is something of a feeling between the photographer and the model, but it is something which can happen very rarely for a professional.
Then where do you draw a line between revealing and concealing in your art?
To be a commercial photographer means to meet with the client’s needs, when I work without commitment, I let my mind free to decide if the picture will be real or surreal.
Considering the huge volume of commercial workthat you are doing, if ever you had to single out any particular campain from the level of difficulty that it was conceptualized, which would it be and why?
I will be glad to work on very important calendar to give high quality.
With digital photography finding acceptance almongst top-notch photographers, does that mean it is the end of film photography?
I think digital photography is better than film but we do well to remember that taking a picture is only the first step: we must correct and optimize the file ( (colours, contrast, etc...).The film will rest for who doesn’t love the computer and for all the people, which doesn’t want problems.
Considering the fact that since you are involved with various facets of photography, according to you which branch of photography offers you the greatest creative satisfaction (fashion, still life, panorama, etc...)?
Advertising, mostly when the clients says: this products doesn’t sell. And to please work on something conceptual and create an image.
Who would be your ideal cover girl if ever you had to make a choice and why?
Undoubtedly: Nicole Kidman.
Where to you see your career as photographer in the near future?
Here in Italy, So telling I don’t miss.
Whether you have any regrets in your career?
Looking back I certainly feel No regrets at all.
Interview with Ciro Antinozzi by Carol Tipping (Manchester-UK photo journalist)
How did you start selling your work? Was that work made, using a computer?
I started in 1979 as a geologist (I have a degree in this subject) in fact I took many pictures when I was looking around for my research. I began to use the Macintosh in 1990 and then my work was enriched by it. But in early '80 I made many pictures using the double exposures and the "sandwich" technique duplicating the slides...the results were good but not comparable to the computer composite files we can get today. In 1984 I started to sell my photographic work and I can say that's all right because my pictures are around in many countries where I sold them (U.S.,Germany,New Zealand and ...Italy). In the last time I got some assignments from Germany by really big industries as Gottwald-Demag.
You have made a very successful life with your photography - Is the work always for a client, or do you make pictures for your own pleasure?
Working in Salerno (a not too large city) has made me free to realize some pictures for pleasure when my work is not very stressing.I was lucky when these kind of images have been bought for advertising because it is what happen to me before or later.
Do you have a favourite category of photography? (Do you prefer Fashion, or Still Life - or maybe you prefer your Computer Effects pictures? )
My favourite photography is all that hits my imagination as pure emotion, this may be happen as a technical fact or a creative work. I prefer composite computer photo, the effect must be produced by the unusual composition (unreal, dreamlike), really I don't like the computer generated landscapes we can see on computer magazines.In brief the ideal picture may be a balanced cocktail of images.
How did you make your first contact with a company such as Saatchi and Saatchi?
More of the contacts with companies as Saatchi & Saatchi, Leo Burnett and others are made by agents, graphic studios, photo agencies, art directors etc...because I spend my time to realize the works and other people coordinates the contacts.
(I always think that the words "Art" and "Style" - go hand in hand with the word "Italian".) Looking at your Digital Effects work , the pictures are very stylish - clean and sharp. The same comment about the Fashion photographs - the models - and the images - very classy! Interesting - I can see the "Italian" natural talent for design and purity. The images seem to be about design and purity? (Qualities that have been lost in the search for "expression". You have made me think - )
Thank you for your thinking about the Italian style, but I think that the style may be everywhere and you know some relevant artistic things have happened far from Italy (see you at the fenomenous as the Beatles or Andy Warhol). However Italian classics (Leonardo, Michelangelo, Giotto, Vivaldi, Verdi ...) are a must to do better because the players are us now. A rule I fixed in my working is trying to keep the class and quality to a high standard, this becomes a problem when you are only creative. A sample in what I said we can find in the fact that my pictures are all about hundred Mb. because the time spent to work on an image is much and many times I saw very creative works burned by the low quality.
I spoke about the Italian style of purity and simplicity - although I agree that style is everywhere - ie Warhol, the Beatles - I think that the artwork and design of Italy does have a special tradition of - OK - Classicism - the clean line - even in this time now.
Ok, the Italian style today. I can say it is just what you need to see.Not too much, not less.
From where do you get your inspiration? You talk about the "dreamlike" qualities in your images - you must have a brilliant imagination.
The word "dreamlike": I read it the first time on evaluation about me by Profotos.com
http://www.profotos.com/pros/profiles/index.cfm?member=189
and I say dreamlike just as my inspiration, yes I try to transpose my dream visions in a picture... something not easy for me: in fact I need some weeks to clear the fog and the average time I spend to make a picture is two days.I shoot the photographs I need, and using Adobe Photoshop I put them together (remember the Photoshop advert: if you can dream it you can make it). The technical is to do all with the same or similar light, same white balance. Working on a picture which probably may be enlarged for an advertisement (because firstly I don't know what may be the destination) I try to have a file more clear and sharp. That's the reason to work on a large file of hundred megabites or more.This fact allows you to utilize powerful computer machines or you will be lost yourself in the time. (As hardware I prefer the Macintosh). As cameras I have a lot of cameras but I don't care for one specific camera, I care about the picture only. In the last times I'm employing two digital cameras and I think that it's the right way to do better.
Ciro - thanks for that. You are a very interesting and very talented artist - and it is a pleasure to talk with you
Carol, I think you're bringing me too much high, I can think to be sophisticated sometimes, but I'm a simple man who used to pass the Sunday with his daughter and wife or looking at the football. Along the time spent working I'm a little bit foxy with the technicism, but not a genius. However thank you for your compliments -
Can you tell me - which digital camera do you use? (I have the Canon G2 which I like very much)
Firstly I use the Nikon D1x digital camera (reflex as the Nikon F5) and the ultimate Nikon Coolpix 5000 which is my "emergency camera" or the "block notes". I like the Canon G2 I used in a little job two mounths ago because a friend gave me it for some days.
Have you been inspired by any particular artist/photographer?
The photographers I like are: Ryszard Horowitz (I think He did better in the past what I do well today) Cheyco Leidmann (for his strange interpretation of the fashion photography and the colour saturation) Richard Avedon (for the perfection). I'm continuing my photographic story because they exists.
I would like to finish, by asking you about your plans for the future - as you are so successful as a photographer/artist the whole world belongs to you. Do you have dreams that you would like to realise.
For the future I don't think anything, I live the present, day after day, hoping to do something of really good before or later. I'm glad to be as I am,but if you want to know about a dream ...yes I would be like Kevin Costner! Escuse me for this joke. My professional dream is goin' on better for this way.
I'm glad you are not Kevin Costner - but Ciro Antinozzi - Fotografo - extraordinaire!
Interview with Ciro Antinozzi by Mathew Thottungal of Asian Photography Magazine
