Interview With Andrea Francolini From Australia

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Andrea Francolini

Andrea Francolini is a talented photographer in Australia. Seeing his bewitching photographs will not make you believe that he is actually a self-taught photographer!


Interview With Andrea Francolini From Australia


Interview with the 2021 MUSE Photography Awards Winner - Andrea Francolini

1Can you introduce yourself and talk about how you got into photography?

Hi, my name is Andrea Francolini and I am from Sydney, Australia.

I bought my first camera after saving up for a scooter. My parents said they did not want me to buy one but I thought that if I could save up they could not say no. Well....they said no so with the money I had I bought my first camera, a Canon EOS 1000 with a 24-80mm lens (film)

2Where did you study photography?

I never studied photography, I just tried things and read a lot of magazines - before the internet existed.

3Do you remember your first shot? What was it?

My first paid shoot was for a sailing regatta. I then shot boats for the following 23 years. The day of the shoot i had to leave home at 4am and I was very excited. So excited that I forgot all my film at home. Luckily I was still in my street when I realized it.

4What equipment do you use?

It depends what i do as i still shoot film for some clients who want their portraits.

Canon R5, 24-105mm + 50mm f/1.2, Polaroid 110A camera with a 4x5 back on it, and Mamiya 7

5What do you hope to achieve?

I am working towards the fact that my commercial work can pay for my personal work which I would then show in galleries and sell prints.

6What compliment inspired/touched you the most?

I dont know how to answer that. I think the best compliment is when a client comes back for a second or third shoot. I once went to someone's house for dinner and saw a picture of mine hanging on the wall. I remember someone ordering that print but did not know that it was for a gift to someone.

7What inspires your unique storytelling?

The connect with my subjects is the most important thing and I spend a lot of time creating this link. Then shooting is the last thing that happens

8What THREE (3) words describe your photography style?

Precise, Connection, Emotion

9Congratulations! As the winner of the MUSE Photography Awards, what does it mean for you and your team to receive this distinction?

Any award is always a good thing. It is a confirmation of what I am doing from my pears. You don't always need to have someone confirm what you are doing but it is nice. It is a way of creating a dialogue and you never know who sees these images. It can opens doors I would have never had the chance to open

10Can you explain a bit about the winning work you entered into the 2021 MUSE Photography Awards, and why you chose to enter this project?

Sydney has recently been put into a second lockdown due to covid. At this stage we have already done 7 weeks and there are at least another 4 ahead of us. All children have been homeschooling so while helping my daughter i had to find something to do for myself. I normally shoot portraits or sporting events and this is not possible now so i needed to find something to keep busy while at home. My photography always had a journalistic approach and style. Doing something abstract is very different to what I normally do. I did a lot of trials before understanding what i think looked nice. Above all it was something that made me curious and kept me motivated

11How has winning an award developed your career?

I dont know, time will tell !!!

12Name 1-3 photographers who have inspired you.

Sebastiao Salgado, Trent Park, and Richard Avedon.

13What was the best piece of advice you were given starting out, by a mentor or your role model?

Nothing changes if nothing changes.

So, if you are doing something and you are not getting results then you have to do things differently. That is very hard. You have to think outside the box

14 What advice would you give someone who would like to become a photographer today?

Never give it even when you think it is too hard.

15What is your key to success? Any parting words of wisdom?

Passion and be curious. Without those two ingredients you will not achieve anything in any field.

16 How do you stay in that space of being receptive to new information and knowledge?

I guess one has to be curious. I like seeing a lot of photography. Even if it is something i dont like. I look at it and try to understand why I don't like it.

17Which THREE (3) peers, within the photography industry, would you nominate to be a judge in the next MUSE Photography Awards? (You may include yourself within, and please include the email addresses)

Andrea Francolini andrea@afrancolini.com

18Anything else you would like to add to the interview?

Thank you so much to the Muse Photography Awards, you are truly incredible and I'm truly honored to be a part of it!!



Winning Entries

After Quarantine | 2021

Interview With Andrea Francolini From Australia

Australia has hard Covid rules and one of them is being locked up in quarantine in a hotel for 14 days after returning from overseas.
(read more at MUSE Photography Awards)


Andrea Francolini


Andrea Francolini is a talented photographer in Australia. Seeing his bewitching photographs will not make you believe that he is actually a self-taught photographer!

Muse.World