Margherita, a very Milanese Lady ©Carmen Colombo

Musee Magazine: Can you tell us a bit about how you discovered photography and what your path has been?

At the very beginning, photography was, for me, just a medium [which] I used to record things and memories, like most...people. In [my late] teenage years, I had a kind of need [for] creative expression. So, after [receiving] my high school diploma, I decided to attend a Visual Arts Course. Since then, at the beginning, by studying and then practicing, photography has become part of my everyday life.

MM: How did your time at Luz Agency and the Istituto Europeo di Design impact your work?

Education has been truly important to me. These schools gave me a lot of inspiration and introduced to me to the work of the great photographers. I think we should never [stop] learning, even while working. So I try to learn as much as I can from books, going to shows (sadly not in this particular period), reading, [and] surfing the Internet.

MM: What is most important to you when creating an image?

For me [it] is important to “feel” the image: I need to be sure of what I am doing while capturing an image. I also want to be honest with myself, with the subject portrayed, and also with the future viewers.

A German girl in Favignana ©Carmen Colombo

MM: Your photos often seem to capture a sense of normalcy in daily life. From your still lifes to your portraits, there is always authenticity and curiosity portrayed. What is it about that style of image making that draws you in?

I like to tell [about] the simplicity of my everyday life. I think there are a lot of extraordinary [aspects] hidden in the ordinary. Usually we don’t even notice it, because we are always [in] a rush. Photography for me is a way to slow down and extrapolate these little pieces of beauty from the constant flux of the everyday life flow.

MM: How would you describe yourself as an artist?

First of all, I think being an artist is always a work in progress. I think the world around us is always changing and we change with it. I think I am… patient. I am curious and I try to make efforts to push my limits and I try to always achieve something new. I don’t like laziness, in general.

MM: Who/What are your biggest sources of inspiration?

Other Human beings. I like listening to them, their stories, their point of view, [and} their projects. The exchange we can have from one to another is a big form of inspiration. Another form of inspiration is… light; when I see an object or a face hit, by chance, by a kind of light, for me [there] is a need to take that picture and collect that moment.

MM: What is your favorite method of taking photos, ie camera, style, locations, etc?

My favorite way to shoot is with natural light, film photography, and normal people. I like film because [it lets] me slow down when taking pictures: I need to be more present in the moment and be sure of what I want to tell with my subject. With digital cameras I often have a feeling I could take hundreds of versions of the same picture and, at the end, I am not sure about a single one of them. The best pictures often are born from life’s randomness, I think you should not overthink… the perfect situation. You have to just pay attention.

MM: What advice do you have for an artist hoping to pursue photography as a career?

Nowadays photography is involved in every aspect of our life. It is a medium used to communicate different things... in lot of different ways.I think one has to explore as much as he or she can, from the inner self [to] the outside.Then try to have your own vision and try to tell something. The formal aspect of photography is important, but I think [it] is more important to [communicate] something.