Giampaolo Sgura
A fashion photographer with his own vision of women as a balance between sensuality, femininity, and glamour. Today The Fashiongton Post is happy to interview Giampaolo and help our readers to get a little bit closer to the fashion world by seeing it through his eyes.
The Fashiongton Post: Giampaolo, what led to your photographer career?
Giampaolo Sgura: My passion for the fashion, I have been always attracted by fashion images since I was a child. Gorgeous supermodels, black and white photography, Herb Ritts, Bruce Weber, Avedon, Versace catalogues were always in my thinking. I remember I was at school with L’Uomo Vogue, Per Lui and Per Lei magazines while my friends were playing football in the courtyard. I think to be a fashion photographer you have to love fashion otherwise it doesn’t make sense.
F.P.: What has influenced your style?
G.S.: I know what I like and what I don’t… I like to create classic beauty, I do like real beauty and sexy women and men… I do like elegance but I also like sport and other countries’ styles and costumes, so each time I develop different concepts to express my fashion point of view…Fashion always needs a fresh vision, we need to tell stories with clothes designed every season by designers… So we are like directors coordinating a big team of people… We need to surprise our readers and fashion lovers. If you stay stuck with one style in two months people are tired of you.
F.P.: How has your approach in taking photographs evolved over the past years, comparing with when you started?
G.S.: With the digital camera everything changed… We got lots of improvements and faster way of working and understanding mistakes… It’s such a change, I would never go back to films, NEVER!
F.P.: Where do you find to be the most visually inspiring place?
G.S.: The quietness and comfort of my Milan “STUDIO 54” photo studio, but I do love to travel on location.
F.P.: Do you have a signature drink?
G.S.: Hendricks Gin with tonic water and four slices of cucumber.
F.P.: Daily necessity?
G.S.: One hour of a gym workout with my personal trainer.
F.P.: Who are your fashion icons?
G.S.: Diana Vreeland, Madonna, Richard Avedon.
F.P.: What was your first job?
G.S.: Was in a Luna park by Idroscalo, in Milano, it was a small editorial for Italian Glamour and we photographed a couple of models pretending they were enjoying the park, but I do remember that was not a cool shoot at all!
F.P.: Currently reading?
G.S.: ”Grace Coddington Memories”
F.P.: Favorite place to search for inspiration?
G.S.: My Library, I collect and archive lots of old magazines, vintage editions of VOGUE and Harper’s Bazaar and many photo books.
F.P.: Do you always travel with a camera or only when it’s needed for a next assignment?
G.S.: My travel camera is my iPhone, I never carry a camera for my personal trip or holiday and I just take it in my hands when there is a Fashion idea to photograph.
F.P.: Your favorite clothes to wear on a daily basis and while traveling, and why?
G.S.: Jeans, t-shirt, sweatshirt with hood and baseball cap, it’s an easy daywear and very comfortable to work with this look… but I can consider myself a fashion victim, love to buy cool pieces of the season, but if they naturally fit in my personal style… I love 80’s Sportswear.
F.P.: What was the most interesting shooting with many grand-scale scenery that you ever had a chance to shoot?
G.S.: So far it has been a big production I just did in Brasil for Vogue Japan and Vogue Brasil. Amazing real natural scenarios!
F.P.: Do you usually take your own team of stylists, make-up artists or assistants for a photoshoot.. or just let the client or magazine choose those by themselves?
G.S.: I always take my own team, it’s very important to create images with people that I trust and at the same time understand my vision, and I do like people that always bring new creativity on set.
F.P.: What was the most comical or awkward situation while shooting?
G.S.: While working I always have fun and we keep laughing all day… Fashion is a very creative job and it needs positive energy, smile, freshness and professionalism. I do not have a precise episode, I consider myself lucky because I arrive in the studio with a smile on my face and I go out with a bigger one every time.
F.P.: What dreams did you have when just began your career and how they changed now?
G.S.: David Agbodji, Tyson, Sean Thomson (again), Tae Jahn Taylor, Rob Evans, and a few new comers.
F.P.: What do you think means success in the career of the designer?
G.S.: Freedom of expression and accomplishing any of many goals one has set out to achieve with one most important point being successfully connecting to your dream client.
F.P.: How do you promote your brand and products?
G.S.: Through social media, it’s a major way in which we communicate today. I also connect with people when I’m out and about — it’s very hard to pass a person whom has captured the height of my senses without speaking to them, so I introduce my brand when I see my client. I’ve also been stopped because people see me and know of my work.
- Official site of Giampaolo Sgura: www.giampaolosgura.com