A CONVERSATION WITH CRISTINA

A CONVERSATION WITH CRISTINA


Cristina is an old acquaintance of mine, I can say I saw her grow up. I always remember her as very shy, and that I would really describe as a rough diamond that over time has shown off the colors of her personality and her art. Despite her great modesty, I would like to remind her not to underestimate her artistic eye and creativity; surely, Cristina has excellent potential in her hands! Here is how she describes herself in her words:


How did you take your first steps towards photography?

I've always been attracted to photography. Since I was a little girl, especially since I had the first cell phones with cameras in my hands, I always studied the characteristics of the latter, and I liked taking pictures of any kind. Then, from my mom, I received my first compact camera, an Olympus, and then a bridge. At 18, I made my first major purchase, a Canon Powershot, and have since started creating prettier, more thoughtful shots. 


What were the first obstacles you encountered as a novice photographer?

The first obstacles I encountered came when I took my first steps in the field of portraits. I organized several shootings with girls and boys and the first difficulty was approaching them, and being able to make them understand what I wanted to get out of them by asking for a certain expression, or a certain pose. When I look at a person I already imagine the snapshot in my mind, and it was difficult to convey it to whoever was in front of me. 


What were the first subjects you captured with your camera?

With my Olympus I mainly photographed flowers, bees and nature in general. Later I began to delve into portraits. 


On the other hand, which are the subjects that you are passionate about and excited about the most?

The people I love, I am passionate about immortalizing their portraits. My nephew Ethan, whom I have photographed since birth, my mother and my pets immediately come to mind. These are the subjects that touch me most closely.


Do you have a photographer you admire and inspire you?

Honestly, no one in particular. I like to look at works by various photographers, among the many I admire very much those recruited by National Geographic (they are crazy talented!), but there is not one that I am particularly inspired by. 


What means of communication do you use to reach the public?

I mainly use Instagram. I had tried Facebook, but Instagram reflects my taste more, even if I'm not curating the page as I would like and should. 

 

On which magazines or websites would you like to see your work exhibited?

Thinking about portraits, I would love to be published in Vogue among the fashion magazines. As for wildlife photography, despite having few animal shots in my portfolio, National Geographic (although I see it as a distant expectation).


Have you ever participated in photography exhibitions? Do you think this is a path worth pursuing?

I have never participated in exhibitions, but only tried to submit some of my works online. It would be a great satisfaction just to be able to enter a small room with all my photographs on the walls, and hear the opinions of other people as they view them. Who knows, maybe one day!


What are the shots you are most proud of?

Surely the shots of my nephew, which is wonderful to capture in those moments so natural without him posing; those are beautiful shots! I also add to the list the portraits of my loved ones, and all the shots used by the models with whom I worked to propose themselves to different castings; these last ones are, of course, a great personal satisfaction.


What are your future ambitions?  

My dream would be to make this passion a profession. I realize, however, that maybe I don't try hard enough, that the idea scares me a little or that I don't know how to approach it in the most correct way. My ambition is, therefore, to dedicate as much time as possible to photography, even if sometimes the overlapping of other commitments does not allow me at the moment. 



Here's some last words from Cristina before ending this conversation:

As a photographer, I always hope to be able to communicate something through my photographs: from portraits to nature photos, I hope they are spontaneous and that they communicate something beautiful and profound. I want my photos to convey emotions and not be flat. I wish I had a built-in camera in my eyes! There is always a lot of beauty to be immortalized around: landscapes, lights, colors, my little dog ... I really photograph everything! 

I would like to Thank Cristina for her time and sharing her experience with all of us, and I would also like to remind you that you can find more of Cristina's beautiful artwork on her Instagram page!

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