Fotógrafo Serena Faraldo

—En primer lugar, ¿quién puede llamar el mejor fotógrafo en Nápoles, Italia? :)

—There are a lot of amazing photographers in Naples. Some of them I'm lucky enough to call them friend and colleagues.
But I will not make any name; someone could get offended if it's not mentioned in my "Fave List" ehehe ;)

—¿Es usted fotogénico(a)?

—I look exactly like I am :)

—¿Cómo empezó a trabajar en la industria de fotografía?

—I started because I needed a job to pay my university fees and books meanwhile I was studing photography at the fine art academy.
I thought to find a job that could both allow me to make some money and make some experience. Back then I was all about reportage and documentary photography. So when I found a job as assistant and graphic in a wedding studio I discovered a new world; I immediately fall in love with wedding photography. All started from there...

—¿En su opinión, cuáles son los elementos más importantes de una buena fotografía?

—If it tells a story than it's a good photo for me.
If it makes it in the most honest way possible, than it's a great photo.
If it makes me want to look it again and again than it's amazing.
If it makes all of that and also makes me want to grab my camera and take photos.. that it's the perfection!

—¿Le gusta viajar?

—Yes I do. I wish I could do more for me. And I wish I could more and more also for weddings.

—¿Qué le gusta más de su profesión?

—A lot of stuff! But if I have to choose just a couple I'll say that I love that my photos will remain to tell the stories of the people that are in the photos, after me and after them. Stories that, otherwise, would be forgotten.
And I love the fact that the camera takes me to places that are unusual for me, makes me meet a lot of amazing people, makes me experience the joy of so many days of happiness.

—¿Qué le gusta menos de su profesión?

—Yes, of course. This job it's not all sunshine and rainbows.
If I have to choose I'll say that I hate when someone do not respect this as a profession. When people think that to take a picture you just have to do "click" and nothing else.
I also hate when someone thinks I'm not the main photographer but my assistant's assistant just because I'm a girl and he's a guy. (happens sometimes. the society where I live is sometimes sexist)

—¿Cuál será el futuro de la fotografía?

—I don't know... maybe one day we will be able to take professional photos with just blinking our eyes..

—¿Qué tiene de especial el género fotográfico en que trabaja?

—I think that it is more "versatile" and complete.
It can have as much value for the single client as well as for the society.
It's a memory for someone.
It's also a journey in the era in which it is taken, it tells the habits and traditions of a people.
It's a cultural lesson; it tells you the cultural differences of a ritual in different places in the world.
It can be art. It can be a documentary. It can be a source of great emotions. It's a kind of photography that fits perfect in a private album as well as in a museum or a book.

—¿Cómo gestiona las críticas?

—If the criticism it's productive and not destructive than it's totally fine for me. It's a good way to improve.

—¿Existe alguna tendencia en la fotografía?

—Yes, as has always has been.

—¿Qué criterios debería tener en cuenta una persona a la hora de elegir a un fotógrafo?

—Good quality Photography (photography that they really like).
Empathy.
Professionalism.

—¿Qué no está permitido de ningún modo cuando realiza una fotografía?

—Surely the intrusiveness or rudeness.
Beside that ... I do not think that there are specific rules and that these changes from time to time.
I think that if you respect the people you are photographing and they respects you, if you have established a good dialogue with them ... then nothing can go wrong.

—¿Qué detalles que normalmente no tenemos en cuenta puede un fotógrafo captar?

—The narrative vision of everything that happens. And tons of (sometimes hidden) details.

—¿Qué influye en el valor de una fotografía? ¿Cuáles son sus elementos?

—Look at answer at question number 4 :)

—¿A quién le gustaría fotografiar?

—I'd love to take more pictures of my family. But I don't have the chance to see all of them often. (so I'd like to spend more time with them.)

—¿Qué le preocupa y por qué?

—On a personal level I'm scared about losing people I love. Or to get hurt so much to change from who I am.On a global level I'm very worried that we are destroying our planet. We are destroying animal species, ecosistems that exists from centuries just for consumism. Also about terrorism. That is something that really frightens me.
And last about all this social media that I think it's totally out from our control right now. I feel like this is controlling our lives, like in black mirror.

—¿Cuál ha sido el momento más impactante de su vida?

—I'm grateful of every day spent on this earth.
Also I hope that "The best is yet to come" as someone says

—Si fuera un personaje de animación, literario o cinematográfico, ¿quién le gustaría ser y por qué?

—Funny because people always says that I am like a living cartoon :) So I guess I should answer to that question ...myself :-D ehehBut well...I could happily live in the lord of rings's middle earth, go to Hogwarts school every day (and I'll be a griffyndor, no doubt), make my holiday in the "fantasia" Disney's movie, traveling one place to another with the howl castle (or also with house attached to houndreds of balloons like in the "up" pixar movie). And I would like to manage all the hokuto moves and techniques.

—¿Quién le inspira en su vida y por qué?

—Women astronauts and Oriana Fallaci (the first Italian war journalist reporter, also my favorite writer)

—¿Cómo definiría el éxito? ¿Cómo lo mide?

—Success is when you are satisfied with what you do and you are proud of yourself. When you would continue to do it happily for the rest of your life.

—¿Qué prefiere, gustar o sentirse respetado?

—Respected. No doubt on that.

—¿Cuál es el mayor error que ha cometido en su trabajo?

—At the beginning of my career the biggest mistake I did a couple of times was trust too much some clients and to deliver to them photos without before ask for the payment. I was young and naive back than.

—Cuando va de viaje, ¿qué lleva consigo y por qué?

—A picture of my dog... just in case of home sickness :)

—¿Se arrepiente de alguno de los gadgets que ha comprado? ¿Por qué?

—I regret having bought a shoddy "underwater" cover for my phone once. (bye bye phone you'll be never forgotten).
Also I regret every single pair of heeled shoes I bought, because I bought them knowing that they are the most uncomfortable and less practical thing that humanity could ever invent and that I would wore just a couple of times in my life.

—¿Cómo se forma para tomar las mejores imágenes?

—I always invest in my training.
Also I spend hours Looking at other photograopher's photos. Especially the ones that I consider better than me.I also improve myself Watching movies or tv series. Reading books. Going to art exhibitions. Drawing. Learning everyday something new (not necessarily related to the photography). Listening to music. Observe life around me.
All of that, in my opinion, makes me a better photographer. A photographer it's not only what he studied or where he worked. It's every single experience that he lived.

—¿A quién pertenece el trabajo que le ha influenciado más como fotógrafo?

—A lot of photographer but also movie directors, painters and artists in general.
As I just said; if you want to be a good photographer you don't ha to stick only at photography. You have to improve you 360 degrees vision.

—¿Qué desea decir con sus fotografías?

—I strongly believe that the "key message" it's of who look at the picture. I don't want to suggest anything at all. I just want to tell stories.

—¿Qué le motiva a continuar tomando imágenes?

—Because I love doing this. If I don't do that I feel like my life like missing something too important.

—¿Cree que sus padres deberían haber sido más o menos estrictos?

—I've grown up without my father and my mom was distant...so I wish my parents was a little bit more present.

—¿Si pudiera volver atrás en el tiempo, qué haría de forma diferente?

—I would have done more sport when I was teenager and less couch :-D
And also I would tried to be a less insecure teenager back than.

—¿Qué piensa de la vida en otros planetas?

—Yes! (no doubt at all)

—¿Qué hace en su tiempo libre?

—Drawing. Listening music. Cuddling my dog. Movies. Hanging out with friends. Sometimes make trips or escursions. Play D&D. reading a book

—¿Cuándo está complemente satisfecho de su trabajo?

—I'll say NEVER. I always want more from myself!

—¿Cree en los roles tradicionales de hombres y mujeres?

—no.

—¿Hace amigos con facilidad?

—It depends from the other person. If I feel en empathy, than yes. If I don't.. I kinda build a wall around me.

—¿Dónde le gustaría vivir?

—I'd like to live somewhere where it's always spring all the year, people are nice and friendly, there is nature and and there is at least one good pizzeria.

—¿Le gustan los perros o los gatos?

—Dogs <3

—Lo mejor de su vida es:

—The Light.

—Lo más molesto de su vida es:

—Waking up early :-D (especially in winter time)

—¿Qué le gustaría cambiar del mundo?

—I wish people were sometimes more empathetic. I think that if everyone puts themselves in the shoes of others, 90% of the problems of humanity will disappear in a second.

—¿Podría ofrecer algunos consejos a los fotógrafos que empiezan?

—Don't give up. It's a long path but eventually you will succeed.
(and never forget to have breakfast before on a wedding day!)

—Si los extraterrestres llegaran a la Tierra y fuera la primera persona que encontraran, ¿qué les diría?

—Finally you came to pick me and bring me back home! I was waiting for a lifetime :-D

—Si le llamaran como fotógrafo de una película, ¿a qué género pertenecería?

—One like "Big fish" or "Amelie" but also "inception" or "interstellar"

—Mañana voy a hacer...

—Since it's almost 2 a.m now and Tomorrow it's Sunday...I think I'll have a nice sleep, until late!