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Paola Stefanizzi – Women Universe

02 - 03 - 2023

Professional photographer, specialized in fashion photography, her art undresses the female body and portrays it for its purity.

Paola, tell us about your development as a photographer.

I started in my teen years, while studying at the Istituto d’Arte. After school I used to work as an assistant in a photography studio, trying to “steal” the secrets of the craft. I then attended IED (European Design Institute) in Rome, and for a while I caressed the idea of becoming a professional reporter, but then I realized it was not for me. At the same time I kept working as an assistant in different studios, thus matching my academic learning with actual practice, and I then ended up in Bologna where I have now been managing fashion catalogues for several years. I remember that during my education I loved developing films and printing in black and white, and I spent hours in the dark room experimenting. To me, what happened in there always looked like magic: the photographic film captured what was in the world and it gave it back on paper.

And how was it to pass to digital photography? 

Obviously everything is very different. For work, I use a lot of post-production programs, that allow one to achieve in a very short time what used to take days of work before. Without considering that before we had very few shots at our disposal, whereas today they are unlimited. Coming from an analogic school, I try to shoot as little as possible, because it is difficult for me to choose amongst many versions of the same image. And for the shots I take for me, for my creativity I do not do post-production hardly at all. Usually, the only modification is to change the picture to black and white

So, tell us about your art.

During the years I have experimented many themes, but nowadays I am focused on the representation of the female body. Images of women, often in black and white, with accentuated contrasts and many shadows. The face is not always visible, because what interests me is the relationship between the body and the environment. Furthermore I like to work with movement and textiles to create compositions. 

I often exhibit my photos in exhibitions connected to particular days or themes, like International Women’s Day or the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, sometimes collaborating with public authorities. 

Who are the women you portray?

Sometimes I photograph models, but more often I picture people close to me. I also take pictures of myself because it is easier and more immediate. Obviously the emotional commitment is different, because as the subject portrayed I feel emotions I would like to convey to the viewer; I like to think that the emotions I feel may reach those who see the photo. But what is important to me is the story of the female figure, something that goes beyond the person.

Discover Paola Stefanizzi’s artworks!

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