Masters of Photography Vol. 13 – Australians is now available and we are already on to the next one. This time, Fashion Industry Broadcast goes global. From Seoul to Berlin, “Masters of Photography Vol. 52 – Next Gen” is a carefully-curated selection of emerging artists who we think might be the next big thing. This art book will feature an amazing selection of their work, as well as thought-provoking interviews.
Every week, we will introduce you to one of these new talents. Today, we take you to the City of Light, Paris, to meet photographer Marta Bevacqua.
How would you describe your style?
Dreamy, soft, storytelling and atmospheric.
How and when did you decide to become a professional photographer?
Well, I didn’t really make that decision; it happened by chance. I started taking photographs during high school. Once I graduated, I just gave it a try and my passion became my job. I don’t think I could consider any other career today.
Where do you find inspiration?
Everywhere: in nature, the world in general, in books, music and movies. But also in little things and little details that I notice everywhere I go. I believe inspiration is just where you can see it. I’m also inspired by other artists’ works, of course.
Who are your favourite photographers of all time and why are they so special to you?
Tim Walker and Paolo Roversi, because their atmospheres and stories are exactly what I would like to gain one day. It’s just so special and I get very emotional every time I see one of their photographs.
This art book features photographers from the entire world and each of them has a very specific identity. How do you think your geographic location affects your work?
I am Italian, but I live in Paris. I think this city has brought me a lot: not only opportunity wise, but also its energy. I feel constantly inspired! When I go out for walk, for instance, I can literally breathe Paris’ atmosphere. So I think I’ve been affected by Paris especially for the atmosphere I try to have in my photos.
If you could move to any city in the world, where would you like to live and work as a photographer?
I would love to live in the United States for a while. I’m just too curious about it – especially for the big differences between each state, the environment and the landscapes.
What are you five dream locations to shoot?
An abandoned castle, the Savannah -with real animals-, the North Pole, underwater in the ocean, and a Buddhist temple with flowering sakura trees in Japan.
How would you describe the photography industry in your country? What are the chances for a young artist to ‘make it’ and become global?
I think there are many opportunities in France, especially in Paris. It’s difficult because there is a lot of concurrence, but if you really want to do it and you do something different and special, there are many chances for young and unknown artists. They give you the opportunity to try, and that is priceless.
As a young photographer, you have been part of a big switch in the industry. Indeed, photography today is much more democratised than a few decades ago. Everyone can have access to retouching programs, publishing sites and good cameras. What are your thoughts on the evolution of the industry and the impact it has on your work?
I think that nowadays “everyone is a photographer”. The quality has suddenly lowered a lot, but at the same time it is higher. You can easily find very good photographers, who work for cheap rates too. But if you really look into it, so many don’t actually have good-quality work.
Professionally, it is a big problem, because people don’t consider photography as a real career. I’ll tell you a story: one evening I was in Paris and met some new people. They asked me what I was doing in life. I said I was a photographer,” and they answered, “Ah, cool! And what do you do for work?”
Well. This perfectly sums up the situation.
A lot of young photographers got discovered thanks to their Tumblr or Instagram account. What is your relationship with social media platforms?
I am a bit fed up with being active on all the social media platforms, but I understand that it is crucial today. I have many pages, and clients – even big clients – found me on them. So it’s just important for the job itself; it’s a part of it.
Post manipulation has long been debated, especially in commercial and fashion photography. How much do you retouch your images and what is your opinion on the whole body image debate?
I don’t retouch too much. I just work on colours, contrast and saturation. I obviously work on the models’ skin, but I always try to keep it as natural as possible.
When there’s a lot of post manipulation, I just call it “digital art”. It’s not photography anymore, but it remains art of course.
I just try to keep my photos more natural and I think it’s become a part of my style.