Latest article I shot for @televisionacad featuring iconic director James Burrows. He directed among the best American TV shows in the past few decades such as: Cheers, Friends, Will & Grace, Taxi, The Big Bang Theory, Frasier etc.
After almost ten years we are back in the desert with Gareth Emery and his team and a new cover photo shoot for his beautiful new record "Analog". I was so excited to hear back from him and listen to his new work.
“Analog” Album Cover - Gareth Emery
“Analog” Album Cover - Gareth Emery
We looked for the right location to set a story that represented the meaning of the record and the atmosphere we wanted. One of my wishes was to use a truly special location. "Four aces movie Ranch" in Palmdale CA in the Mojave desert.
The place is simply beautiful and together with Gareth and his team we created some images that represent the "mood" of the record.
A creative day spent in one of the most suggestive areas of California. It seems so far and abandoned but in reality just over an hour from Los Angeles.
Kyle Wiens is the CEO and co-founder of iFixit.com. Forbes Magazine, Japanese edition, hired me to photograph him for the magazine cover and to capture the story behind his company. iFixit is a California e-commerce corporation that sells repair parts and publishes free online repair guides for consumer electronics. I drove together with the magazine writer Makiko Lizuka and my assistant along the HWY101 to the company’s headquarters in San Luis Obispo CA and we discovered a company where vibe, energy and passion are the secret of its success. Kyle is brilliant, creative and such a nice guy. Thank you all for the fun day.
Read Article: https://forbesjapan.com/articles/detail/48321
Kyle Wiens CEO of iFixit.com for Forbes Magazine Japan
As a Los Angeles photographer, I’ve been asked to participate to RedFin’s blog and share my thoughts about my favorite place to shoot in the city of Angels. I picked the place where colors and the great vibe are at their best: Plaza Olvera in Downtown Los Angeles. Check it out.
Before the shop opening - Plaza Olvera
Plaza Olvera on Sunday
Savannah Braden for Nature
My collaboration with Nature Magazine continues with an article about Savannah Braden from Apeel in Goleta California. I photographed Savannah at her company in Goleta CA.
For the full article please follow the link: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-02619-y
Porto Rotondo Yacht Club. Sardinia - Italy
Solaris Cup 2021
With the beginning of summer, sometimes opportunities arise that lead you to cross the ocean and land in a smaller sea but with centuries of maritime history such as the Mediterranean.
The 2021 edition of the Solaris Cup in the small but prestigious Porto Rotondo Yacht Club was the scene of a beautiful event for a week: the Solaris Days.
My job as a lifestyle photographer was to capture the highlights and behind the scenes of the event and the daily activity of each crews preparing for the regatta.
The end was a big party and every crew went home with wonderful memories of this Solaris Cup.
On board a beautiful motor yacht (Solaris Power 48ft Lobster) I followed all the phases of the Solaris Cup, creating in the end the promo video for the 2021 edition plus an archive of photographs.
It was an unforgettable experience. Thanks to Solaris Yachts and Solaris Power for the opportunity.
See you next year !!!
2021 Solaris Cup in Porto Rotondo - Sardinia, Italy
Solaris boat crew
It has been an intense pre-production journey and a great team work with one of the top advertising agencies, Edenspiekermann_. The result is the new campaign for http://nacero.co shot in three different locations: the Mojave Desert with a fun group of talented models and a magnificent vintage Ford Bronco, Idyllwild in the Palm Spring Mountains with snow and the city of Altadena CA.
Thank you all the people who participated to this lifestyle photo shoot. Rose Cefalu, Linda Jessie Zirkus.. Paul Woods, Gerome Vizmanos and all the agency team.
Ford Bronco is the perfect car for Nacero lifestyle photo shoot in the Mojave Desert.
Lifestyle for Nacero, alternative fuel company in the Mojave Desert.
Idyllwild Family Lifestyle Shoot for Nacero
It was a difficult and demanding year from all points of view. The pandemic has certainly almost canceled the photography jobs but we must go ahead and try to tell some interesting stories anyways, as much as we can. During my period spent in Italy, from July to November, Nature Magazine commissioned me to photograph a unique reality at the Trieste Research Area. Only a few tens of kilometers from my home town, in which I was temporarily. At the International Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (www.icgeb.org), researcher Federica Benvenuti and her team released her interview for publication in the “Where I work” editorial column of Nature .
In this story, Federica shares her passion for immunology and talks about her research on dendritic cells – which she calls sentinel cells because of their early role in the immune response.
With all the precautions of the moment, and with the minimum necessary equipment, we were able in a short time to take the photos that the magazine had asked us to take.
Photo Editor: Amelia Hennighausen
During this pandemic I learned how important it is to keep everything and everyone safe. I was hired by Nature Magazine to shoot quantum engineer Clarice Aiello in Westwood CA. She is a laboratory leader of quantum biology at the UCLA University. I photographed her at her zen studio she created in her own house. A portrait is an intimate photograph but it’s important to create a sort of connection with the person I’m going to take the picture of. With Clarice this connection happened immediately since we both knew how safety was the priority during the shoot.
Most recently I had the pleasure of working with and capturing John Martinis - the man responsible for developing the world’s first quantum computer for Google.
However, let’s first take a step back…
As a photographer I regularly shoot portraits with influential people with the most amazing stories, this time was no different… visiting the Google Quantum Lab in Goleta, California and capturing a portrait of Martinis himself also featured within Nature’s latest article – definitely worth a read (if not to see my image!).
John Martinis / Google Labs / Quantum Computer Supremacy for Nature Magazine.
If you didn’t already know, Nature is a world-leading multi-disciplinary scientific journal, ranked the most cited journal of science in 2012. With various scientific articles, topics and reports published weekly, Nature is one of the most prestigious scientific education based sites out there.
Quantum Supremacy Super Computer
So, as you can imagine if visiting the Quantum lab in California wasn’t enough, working with Martinis was a great honour, and certainly something to add to the portfolio, not to mention a story for generations to come.
Hang on a second… who is John Martinis? Whether you know the name or not, you’ve more than likely heard of the project he’s been working on. Martinis and his team under his supervision are responsible for the development of the world’s first quantum computer for Google, supposedly capable of carrying out calculations much faster than any other computer currently on the market.
“Doing this experiment was the culmination of my career” – Martinis
First attending a lecture as a graduate in the 1980s, little did Martinis know this was set to change his entire path in life. With the work of famous physicist Richard Feynman and his idea of using quantum particle characteristics to develop a ‘so-called’ supercomputer that would allow for tasks which would undoubtedly be impossible on orthodox machines, further inspiring Martinis to someday accomplish this.
On this new and inevitable journey with a fresh dose of inspiration flowing through his veins, Martinis achieved what he called ‘the cumulation of his career’, with Martinis and his team taking a giant leap towards Feynman's original idea set out in lecture hall more than three decades on with a successful design of the quantum computer able to carry out a calculation in a fraction of the time compared to anything else out there.
If you’re interested in reading more on John Martinis, be sure to read the article On Nature’s website by clicking here.
Working as a photographer allows me the opportunity to capture truly amazing moments, just like those discussed in this article, and now more important than ever given the creation of my blog helps me tell my story.
A beautiful day in Napa Valley with Simonit&Sirch (https://simonitesirch.com) The warm sunset light caresses the precious vineyards of one of the most beautiful American wine countries. Marco Simonit and Massimo Giudici, in the picture, represent the managing team of the company, a group of 20 technicians engaged in training the new generation of winegrower. Since 2003, they are committed to rediscover pruning as craftsmanship. Pioneers of modern cutting technique to pruners, which avoids the serious consequences of pruning cuts, and works against the deterioration of the vineyards. Love photographing them !
Napa Valley Simonit & Sirch
Marco Simonit
Marco Simonit and Massimo Giudici, Master Vine Pruners in Napa Valley
After a cold and rainy winter, spring shows some signs of hope. Loving Los Angeles, every opportunity is perfect to capture some special moments where the light peaks among the clouds and creates an unreal atmosphere.
Here are some photos from the Griffith Park Observatory hiking trail.
Hiking Trail near the Griffith Observatory
Griffith Park with Downtown Los Angeles view
Griffith Observatory surrounded by skinny palm trees
For those people who want to witness the wildflower experience in California and the famous “Superbloom” and be sure you won't be surrounded by hundred of people taking selfies, just pick the "wrong" day and go when it's pouring rain, windy and cold ! You would love it !
I spent an afternoon by driving in traffic from Los Angeles to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve in Lancaster. It was a solo trip where I met only two brave photographers hiking.
I almost got suck on the road with no gas and I barely made it. It was really worth it.
Along the Highway 138 towards Lancaster
The contrast of colors of the flowers with the dramatic dark sky
A rare image of the California desert: green, multicolor flowers and snow in the mountain. A lucky winter, somehow
California Poppy in Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
Sun is trying to come out with .. no luck
On my way to Antelope Valley Poppy Preserve
