Short profile

Francesco Fantini studied photography at the Academy of Fine Arts in Bologna. He lives and works in London since 2014. His photographs are published in various magazines and he was awarded the Sony World Photography Award in 2022. In the interview he tells how he works, which camera he mainly uses and which photographers inspire him.

Portrait of Francesco Fantini.

5 QUESTIONS TO FRANCESCO FANTINI

Can you tell us a little bit about how you became a photographer? And tell us something about your pictures.

In 2006 I moved to London and by chance, I played the part of a photographer without an arm for an independent short film by director Luis Pla, my friend and colleague at a part-time job. This was my first approach to photography, purely by chance as a fictional character. Back in Italy in 2007, I decided to enrol in a basic photography course in my home town. The teacher was Silvia Camporesi, now a well-renowned international photographer. The love for photography started by accident and was consolidated thanks to Silvia, and I'm eternally grateful to her for this joy and curse.

Four young men in green working clothes working behind a fresh fish counter.

Photo: Francesco Fantini

Please share something about your images. What is your special interest? How do you choose the colors, composition, themes etc.?

I like walking aimlessly and looking for something to happen, a sort of flaneurism. The photos I produce are the result of this randomness of events, a choice of a street instead of another etc. I don't have a recurring theme other than immortalizing life in its moments of daily beauty, I like walking and discovering suburbs and non-chaotic areas. In my photos I use only natural light, no flash or artificial light, the colours are dictated by the tones of the films used, mostly Kodak Portra 400 or Kodak Gold 200.

composition of four street photography motifs each framed in a black artbox.

Photo: Francesco Fantini

Where does this interest come from?

I come from a small Italian village where every corner is familiar. After moving to the big city I felt the need to feel less foreign in a foreign land, trying to walk around the city making it as familiar as possible, and photography help me in this process.

composition of three street photos with pink accents, person with pink wig and places in London.

Photo: Francesco Fantini

How do you get inspired? And what inspires you the most? Films, books, or magazines? Or what surrounds you?

The inspirations come mainly from the photographic works of authors I admire the most, Luigi Ghirri, William Eggleston, Joel Meyerowitz, Harry Gruyaert, Tom Wood, Chris Killip, and Paul Graham. These are always in my mind while in search of something to happen in front of my lenses. Another source of inspiration is Nick Cave’s music, unbeknownst to him is one of my most faithful walking companions.

composition of two pictures with pink plastic umbrella in front of blue cloudy sky and pink wig on the ground.

Photo: Francesco Fantini

What are your plans for the rest of the day?

Try to watch “Hard to be a God” by Aleksei German.

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