one shot interview with Francesca Chiacchio

What made you push the shutter button to capture this image?

I was attracted by the background, the people looking down from an upper level reminded me of a castle battlement, and the contrast between them and the sky really suited me. The couple in the center of the image was perfect but what balanced the picture was the little girl arriving from the right.

 Is this image part of a wider project, if so what is the projects focus?

This image is part of a series that I shot last summer during a festival taking place each year on the Italian Adriatic coast, in which people from all over the world gather to dress and dance like the 40’s and the 50’s in America.

 Why is this image special to you?

I think this is the best picture I shot until now, that’s why I choose it and why I am so attached to it. I like the atmosphere, I like the colors but I particularly like the fact that

 the unexpected (the girl coming into the frame) made the picture balanced. I like when something you cannot predict, an unexpected factor, makes the picture even better than

 what you planned. Most of the times, especially in street photography, you don’t know how the picture you shot is going to look like until you look at it on your computer. This is what I like about street photography, the unexpected part of it.

 Is there any photography books that inspired you to capture this image?

I can’t tell if there is a particular photography book or author that inspired me, but as one of my mentors once told me, some of my pics are very cinematographic. I have been thinking about that lately and I realized that it’s not a case, since I grew up watching movies. Especially in my 20s and 30s I used to go to the movie theatre two or three times a week, I was a film lover (unfortunately I’ve lost that habit in the years).

What camera are you currently using?

 I use a Fujifilm XT20 with an 18 mm lens, which I use most of the times, I also have a 35 mm.

Please tell us about yourself

 I started shooting and developing photos while studying architecture in Naples, Italy. After graduating, I attended a photography class and participated to two collective exhibitions. From 1999 to 2007 I lived in NYC working as an architect. Back in Naples, in 2015 I approached Street Photography and in 2017 I bought my first professional digital camera and started to attend several workshops (Vineet Vohra, Nikos Economopoulos, Francesco Cito, Salvatore Matarazzo). Since 2019 I have been participating in various Street Photography group exhibitions (Street Sans Frontieres, Streetfoto San Francisco, Trieste Photo Days, Brussels Street Photography Festival) and my work has been published both online and in print. I am part of the "Women in Street" community and I am a member of the international street photography collective "Through The Lands", which aims to connect 15 photographers from all over the world to show their unique P.O.V. of the countries they visit.

 Links to your social media and website

https://www.instagram.com/francescawho/

 https://www.facebook.com/francesca.kiakkio

https://www.francescachiacchio.com

 https://throughthelands.com

One shot interview With TBow
 

What made you push the shutter button to capture this image? 

I was wandering the streets of Miami In December of 2017.  I found some excellent light, an interesting background and a flow of people.  I made a few images of different people but this woman was my favorite of the day. 

I had approached her and quickly explained what I was doing. I took about 6 frames.  It happened in 20 seconds.  She was in a hurry to get home after work. She got on the train and was gone.    

Is this image part of a larger project, If so what is the project focus?  

When I reviewed the images that night I fell in love with that red fence!  Just like fishing, I went back to that good spot the next day.  I created a “Red Fence Series” from that but honestly, once I grouped 8 good red fence images together I kinda lost interest.  The red was kind of overwhelming.  I ended up posting several images individually.  

Why is this image special to you?  

I fell in love with this image.  It highlights my ongoing fascination with the complexity of the human condition.  Im focused on the people I meet and the lives they live.  Oh, and btw.. I think the woman in this image has a odd Mona Lisa thing going on with her expression. 

Are there any photography books that inspired you to capture this image?  

I am inspired by the image books and works of Dianne Arbus, Philip-Lorca diCorcia, Mary Ellen Mark and Richard Avedon’s, In The American West.  My ongoing love and commitment to photography is continuously renewed by David Bayles and Ted Orland’s book, Art and Fear - Observations of the perils and rewards of art making.  A must read for any photographer.  

What camera are you currently using?  

I’m currently using a Leica Q2 for my street work. I also have other cameras that I use from time to time.  

Please tell us about yourself.  

I worked as a commercial photographer and a television producer when I was young.  Nowadays I continue making images with the people I meet, telling their stories and learning about the lives they live.  My portrait work takes place on the streets and in the studio.  

One shot interview with Daniel cook
 

What made you push the shutter button to capture this image?

The contrast of the subject in a serene moment against the cityscape. A lone man reading a newspaper on a bench, under a tree, on a beautiful day, surrounded by high-rise buildings in, what should be, the busy streets of London. I call this image 'Le Monde' after the name of the newspaper he is reading.

Is this image part of a wider project,if so what is the project focus?

I have no projects and that does depress me a little, does that make my photography shallow? In general though, I like to create images that tell a story. Aesthetics are important to me, it would have to be something that I'd consider hanging on the wall.

Why is this image special to you?

I'm very self-conscious about taking photos in the street, most of my street photos are shot from the hip, this photo was not like that. I felt so strongly about wanting to photograph this scene that I forced myself to do so, even taking several images from a few angles, all while worrying what the subject would think if he noticed me.

I picked this image, not because it was my best or even favourite street image but because of the sense of achievement that came with the capture of it.

Is there any photography books that inspired you to capture this image?

I'm terrible for buying books that I never read, so I've learnt not to buy them. Perhaps I will gain some inspiration or at least motivation from watching these free documentaries on photography and photojournalism.

https://gallagher-photo.com/2020/03/24/10-free-documentaries-on-photography-photojournalism-to-watch-during-lockdown/

What camera are you currently using?

I took the featured image on the Leica Q2, the Q series has been a longtime favourite of mine for street photography. I sold the Leica Q2 recently with a plan to purchase the Leica M10 Monochrom and perhaps the 28mm 1.4 Summilux lens. Unfortunately, as a wedding and school event photographer, the pandemic has left me without income. I will need to wait until I can return to work before committing to the purchase. 

I use a pair of Sony A9 cameras for work and a Hasselblad X1D II for my personal work (that's dog photos and portraits currently)

Please us about yourself

Over the last few years, I have made a career change from web development to professional event photography. I photograph a lot of local live music and enjoy street photography.

Inspired by the likes of Annie Leibovitz, I'd like to develop my portraiture skills and perhaps create bodies of work that have depth and meaning.

Links to website

https://www.instagram.com/dancookphoto/

https://www.facebook.com/dancookphoto