My name is Davide Manzini, I’m 23 years old and I live in Italy, in the heart of Emilia Romagna. I often felt bored in the place where I grew up and I always tried to escape the routine that surrounded me and discover completely new places. At the age of 17, my father lent me his camera to go to Ortisei (Trentino). The thing that struck me most and what I liked above all, was that I could capture these memories and I would always have them to look back at, bringing the moments to life again. Seeing those green grasslands of Ortisei, with huge mountains behind, photographing them from various angles and making them always different, pushed me to continue photographing. I began to cultivate a passion that bounded me, still today, with photography and landscapes. After the trip, I began to experiment by photographing flowers, insects, sunsets and clouds… basically anything.
It is the only effective medium for me to escape with body and mind from anything else that’s going on. I think that sometimes it is necessary to detach from the chaos, and that it is important to stop in front of a mountain or maritime landscape to look at the trees, the sky, the sea… the beauty that life offers us. When I photograph, everything stops. I let myself be carried away by emotions, inspiration, and I only think of the message I want to convey. Photography, like any other form of art, is a powerful means of communication. My goal is to capture moments of life and make the beauty that surrounds us shine through my shots.
When I travel, it is important for me to go on an adventure, to find the best light for that particular place and to be with people who make me feel good. Photographing helped me discover this and allowed me to grow on an artistic level, but above all as a human. Photography made me understand that every detail is precious… I think we should all look around more, observe what surrounds us with more grateful eyes and appreciate more what our beautiful planet offers us. I feel like I owe a lot to photography, as without it I maybe would never have discovered this all.
Even in the post production of a shot, I always try to use colors that show my state of mind and soul at that precise moment when I took the photo. When I photograph I always look for a fairly neutral climate, even if the best conditions in my opinion would be with the sky completely covered by clouds in order to have a much softer light on the whole landscape. It also greatly influences the message I want to convey, which depends on my mood at that moment and what I want to communicate to the people who look at the photo.
I get better in photographing every day as I continue to learn, and the more I grow personally along the road, the better I can convey what I want to communicate. I truly believe that personal growth makes you become better at your profession, not referring to photography. Obtaining skills is useful, but if it doesn’t come together with personal growth, it isn’t optimal, like if it’s not a true part of yourself. I’m happy that I got this, and I truly hope each person reading this will get there some day as well, even though it may take time.
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Originally from Ottawa, Canada, Chris first honed his craft as a concert photographer in Toronto before his love for travel led him to explore over 30 countries. Now based in Miami, he focuses on capturing the essence of places through intentional composition, immersive color, and a deep connection to his surroundings, creating images that transport viewers into the moment.
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