Marco Donazzan
In conversation with

Marco Donazzan

Milan, Italy

Hi Marco, please introduce yourself.

I’m Marco and I was born in Vicenza, a small city in northern Italy and I have been living and working in Milan for about 5 years. I took my first photographs in 2006 with an analogue camera that my father gave me, a Nikon f90x that I still use today. It was love at first shot. Holding and observing the negatives was something unique, an emotion that I will never forget and that I still feel when I go to collect the negatives. I am a self-taught photographer although I have taken some courses and assisted for short periods to several photographers.

What does analog photography mean to you? What excites / fascinates you about it?

Slow rhythm, almost like meditation. Everything is suspended. I’m fascinated by the fact that I have something tangible in my hands that may have traveled thousands of kilometres. I love the adrenaline of not knowing how and if those images will come out. I enjoy the moment of shooting to the fullest. Maybe the camera broke down during the set (it happened to me twice, for this shot almost always with two bodies, to prevent accidents). With digital everything seems obvious, simple, fast, the charm and sense of risk is lost.

In your opinion, what are the advantages and disadvantages of analogue photography?

Surely the fact that every shot, every frame is thought out. You don’t take dozens and dozens of photographs to figure out how to setup the lights, find the right shot. Every time during a shot, I hold my breath for 5-6 seconds as well. The feeling that you can have with the person/s portrayed is much stronger. Everyone has to give their all to create the best photo. When I look at my negatives or prints I remember exactly my mood and where I was when I took the click. The only negative aspect I find is that nowadays the price of rolls of film and the cost of the cameras has skyrocketed even more than some digital ones.

Do you concentrate on a certain topic in your work? ​

Take portraits and fashion images. I love getting to know the person in front of me. I spend a lot of time speaking before a session. Many other times, during my travels, I get lost in photographing landscapes or curious details.

Are there (analogue) photographers who have influenced your aesthetic and approach?

Yes, absolutely. I love the works of Bryan Adams, Richard Avedon, Jacques Henri Lartigue and Theo Gosselin.

Do you have certain cameras and films that you prefer to work with?

I really have a lot of cameras to choose from, but the camera I could never pass up is the Pentax 6×7. Sometimes too heavy to wear it all day, but the image quality is something unique. I always combine this camera with a roll of Kodak Portra 400. The film with colors and flexibility that no other film has ever given me.

Speaking of films: What does your workflow look like? ​

For development I rely on two developers in Milan: Film Color and Yes We Scan, where I also scan almost all my negatives. Magical places created by fantastic people. As for the post-production process, I take care of it, I try to limit the retouch, I keep the images as natural as possible.

What advice would you have for other photographers who are reading this interview?

Try to shoot every day as much as possible, or in any case to observe what surrounds you. Another advice is to always have a few extra rolls with you.

If you publish your work on Instagram: curse or blessing?

Blessing because thanks to that I am able to show my work, to sell the photographs and to get jobs. In addition to this, you get to know many other photographers and works that can be inspiring. Curse only for the fact that would be a race to see who gets the most likes.

Which 3 photo books can you recommend / should you definitely own?

Jacques Henri Lartigue (“The invention of Happiness”), Richard Avedon (“Portraits”) and Theo Gosselin (“Roll”).

Thank you so much for your time!

Favorites

Kamera/s

Pentax 6×7, Fujifilm GW690II, Nikon f90x, Olympus MJU II

Film/e

Kodak Portra 400

Farbe & s/w

Color

Selected works

© Marco Donazzan
© Marco Donazzan
© Marco Donazzan
© Marco Donazzan
© Marco Donazzan