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Interview with Andrea Calandra

– Please introduce yourself

My name is Andrea Calandra, I was born in Rome, Italy in 1985, and I have taken photos of the world since 2000. I love to observe things of the world through the camera and this vision is always with me. My path never crossed any institute or school of photography. Instead I studied natural sciences at university. In the last years my attention has been focused on the human condition. Actually all my projects converge and concern human society.

– How did you get interested in photography?

My interest in photography was born spontaneously. There hasn’t been a precise moment, it’s always been something I felt. Probably when my father gave me my first used camera at the age of 15, I began to understand the potential of the medium.

– Do you have an artistic/photographic background? 

I’m just a very curious person. I devour a large amount of books and films; the stories fascinate me. Music for me is fundamental and I listen all genres.

– Which artist/photographer inspired your art?

I think a lot of things have contributed to my education. If I have to think of a photographer, and in particular of a single image, it is surely William Albert Allard, and his “BASQUE GIRLS RUNNING HOME” which completely represents what photography means to me. It is a photo that I never tire of looking at, I find it so full of sensations that it amazes me every time. I have an autographed print of it near my desk. Even music, so effective to generate emotions, I think plays a role in my way of seeing things. I love R.E.M. and the atmosphere of “happy melancholy ” created in their songs. Thinking about cinema, the film that gave me most and that I keep watching, is Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner”. There are so many levels of reading in that film that I never tire of watching it and it excites me every time. To finish with a book is “Confessions of Zeno” by Italo Svevo, a book that for me was an epiphany in my conscience as a human being.

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– How much preparation do you put into taking a photograph?

I try to study the subject as much as possible. The web is a very important source of knowledge. When I’m on the field, however, I shoot quite freely. If during the preparation I did the right things, then in some way, this passes to the photographs.

– Could you please tell us something about your technique and creating process?

I use small apertures on Olympus Micro 4/3 system. This allows me to use the background which is very important to me. I am a color photographer, but I don’t like when the color becomes too intrusive, so I always tend to reduce it in the post-processing phase. I really love to print my shots and always prefer rough papers. In particular, the Canson PMK Rag is the one I use mostly.

– What do you do in your life besides photography? 

I’m a full time photographer. Mostly work with commercial assignments and also teach photography. In 2018 I founded “Immaginificio” a space hosting courses, meetings and events related to the world of photography. As for my hobbies, I have been practicing martial arts for more than twelve years. It is a discipline that has helped me a lot mentally, in work and in the good life in general.

– What future plans do you have? What projects would you like to accomplish?

I have in mind an ambitious project on music, linked to people. A journey that touches various continents. It’s a big project and to make it happen I am collaborating with DooG Reporter, an agency I’ve been part of since 2019, founded by the talented photojournalist Gabriele Orlini.

Website: https://www.andreacalandra.com/


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