Member Spotlight: Michele Cozzolino
The first spark for Michele’s love affair with photography was a casual job assisting a wedding photographer. Today, he’s a professional food and product photographer working with a wide range of clients across Italy and beyond.
“I love Karl’s obsessive approach to lighting,” he says. “It mirrors my own.”
From curiosity to commitment
Michele grew up in Naples, in the south of Italy, and still lives there today. “Some cities you can describe with a single colour, but all the colours in the world aren’t enough to describe Naples!” he says.
At the age of 20, Michele completed his military service. Soon afterwards, he found work assisting a wedding photographer. His task was simply to hold the speedlight, but it was enough to make him curious about photography. Over time, this curiosity turned into a passion.
© Michele Cozzolino
“Little by little, as the days and months passed, photography consumed me,” he says.
The first photography book Michele bought was a biography of Robert Capa. “That kind of photography fascinated me even though I never practised it.”
As he became more interested in still life photography, he sought out inspiration from several masters of the genre, from Irving Penn, Oliviero Toscani and Maurizio Galimberti up to Martin Wonnacott, Francesco Tonelli, Barry Makariou, Jonathan Knowles, and Peter Schafrick.
Inspired by these artists, Michele knew he wanted to be a professional still life photographer.
© Michele Cozzolino
The craftsman and his tools
He began working with a 4x5-inch film camera, and stuck with it well into the 2010s. Eventually, though, he heeded the call of technological progress and invested in a medium-format digital camera.
Today, he works happily with a Fujifilm GFX 50S, sometimes using it in conjunction with a Cambo ACTUS-GFX. For “less demanding” shots, he reaches for his Fujifilm XT3.
Michele’s studio, which he has been using now for around twenty years, is in Portici, near Naples. It provides the perfect environment in which to do his work.
© Michele Cozzolino
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© Michele Cozzolino
That work usually involves taking high-quality food, beverage and product photos for some of Italy’s most well-known brands.
These include Capatoast, Liu Jo, Pastificio Liguori, La Torrente, Caffè Intenso, Bioitalia, and more.
Michele’s favourite shoot so far was for LambWeston, who commissioned him to produce some mouthwatering shots of their French fries.
© Michele Cozzolino
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© Michele Cozzolino
Continuous creative growth
Given his successful career and impressive roster of clients, Michele’s ongoing membership of Visual Education may come as a surprise to some. But it makes perfect sense in light of his determination to keep improving his skills.
“I’ve been a member of Visual Education for five years now, but I followed Karl for many years before that,” he says. “I love Karl’s obsessive approach to lighting – it mirrors my own.”
© Michele Cozzolino
© Michele Cozzolino
ONLINE PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS
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Michele also knows that watching how Karl solves problems in Visual Education classes is a great way to make sure he is working as effectively as possible.
“Comparing my work to Karl’s helps me to grow as an artist,” he says.
Continuing his creative growth is Michele’s main goal for the future, along with working with more high-profile clients.
As long as Michele and other visual artists like him want to keep improving, Visual Education will be here to deliver the training and inspiration they need to achieve their creative and professional goals.
Check out Michele’s work at michelecozzolinofotografo.it or on Instagram.
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Comments
I would really like to know how he first found his clients. I find it the most difficult part in all of that.