Interview with Nude photographer Roberto Manetta

How and when did you become interested in photography?

My photographic journey started during some of the best years of my life (1980), along with my completely manual Yashica.

In 1999, with the introduction to digital cameras, I decided to dedicate myself, in more depth, to the study of fine art photography, inserting some artistic nude projects, which with time married with a deeper personal study in search of images conceptualized

My work often leads me to take quite ‘regular’ photographs, however, I always strive to keep my photo-sets from becoming flat: even as I snap a reportage of a theatre show I try to insert my own imprinting in each one of my shots, but I’m often aware that deep-down clients don’t really like transgressive photography, so often the shots I like the most remain on my hard disk. This is another reason why over the years nude photography has become sort of a release of expression for my creativity and it represents my desire to give something more personal and original to the world. If a model contacts me to do a nude shoot which is little bit different from the norm, this gives me the chance to communicate on a much deeper and incisive level, with the freedom to choose the location, concept and freely use my imagination

Is there any artist/photographer who inspired your art?

I own a discreet collection of books, by a mixture of famous and non-famous authors but usually famous in their country of origin. I attentively observe each photo, looking to learn something and not ‘snap’ like the photographer that I’m studying, I try to imagine how I would take the same photo. I admire new concepts, ideas from other photographers, but I don’t want to copy or repeat the same concept. For the very same reason, I try to observe with moderation, to emit future conditioning on my own projects

Why do you work in black and white rather than color?

I’ve always thought that B/W is so effective in the fine art nude world because each image can make you dream…..and let imagine…colors are distracting and take away the magic.

How much preparation do you put into taking a photograph/series of photographs?

My passion comes from nature, adventure stories, fantasy films that have contributed phenomenally to my project ideas and the major part of my photographs.

I am always very attentive, in all of my movements, in everything surrounding me. I often dream about adventures, fairy tales, and mythological women.

I look around at the objects surrounding me, with attention, searching for a link between a nude body more than a face. Geometric lines and original compositions are always at the center of my attention when I launch upon a new project.

Then, once I’ve decided in my mind I search for the right model, striving to bring them to express my idea in the best way possible.

Where is your photography going? What projects would you like to accomplish?

In the last few year, I have been trying to propose original projects that can give a better idea of who I am and which are my sensations, a photographer more for myself than for others. I like to propose my ideas, my way of being and even in commercial works, and see how this way can offer me interesting and satisfying inspirations.

Towards the end of 2016, I plan to organize my next exhibition of artistic nudes in an important space in Rome, along with the publication of other high-quality editorial books. My idea is to also collaborate with another international photographer. With conceptual projections of a photograph rather than just technicalities.

Website: www.robertomanetta.com