LomoAmigo: Selfies and Daily Life in Anna Di Prospero's Pictures

Anna Di Prospero is a girl who made photography as a profession through her incredible talent. Travel, scholarships, and awards let her understand that she could not hold anything back. A photographer of daily life, Anna had big fun with her new La Sardina DIY and its Dress.

Hello Anna! It is a real pleasure to have you here with us! Tell us something about you!

Hi! I'm a professional photographer and I'm 26 years old. I live in Sermoneta, a small medieval village, near Latina. My house is like a playground on which I have fun realizing most of my work. In addition to photography, I really love traveling and spending time with my friends. Often I have to travel for work and in my free time, I like playing table football, drawing, and studying philosophy.

When did your passion for photography start? When did you figure out that this would have been your job?

My passion for photography started when I was in high school, when I took part in a competition for some guys in my city. I won this competition and attended a course in analog photography. After that, I took a break from photography to devote myself to painting. When I was 19 I graduated from high school and started taking pictures almost daily and, since then, I never stopped.

When I was 21, I presented my first solo exhibition at the gallery Gallerati in Rome and then I won a scholarship to the three-year course in photography at the European Institute of Design. The year after, I took part in Reflexions Masterclass, a seminar about contemporary photography edited by Giorgia Fiorio and Gabriel Bauret: since then I started thinking about photography as my job.

I was aware that what was about to begin would have been a long and difficult path, but I knew I could not stay behind.
One of the hardest challenges for me has been persuading my parents about it: for a really long time, they have disagreed. Only in the last 2 years, they gave up, when I won the award “Discovery Of The Year” at the Lucie Awards that took place in New York.

Which kind of relationship do you have with Analog Photography?

I always have in my purse my beloved Minolta AF-Tele Super; this camera has been given to my mother from my grandmother the day I was born. I use it to take pics of my daily life: my friends or everything that catches my attention and could become a starting point for my work. I do often make tests or notes in analogue, even using instant pics like Fuji Fp-100.

Can you tell us how you create your selfies? How you get inspired?

I get inspired by my daily life and by the little things that take part in it. For sure every selfie is a reflection on myself but not only that. Starting from myself, I try to reach different issues, especially everything that concerns my life closely.

In your biography I see that you have been awarded as « Discovery of the year » at Lucie Awards 2011 and you also won the People Photographer of the Year (no prosection) – International Photography Awards. It must have been an incredible feeling. Would you tell us something about?

This has been an incredible night! After winning the People Photographer of the Year, I was nominated for the Discovery of the Year at the Lucie Awards. I went to New York with my parents to take part in the ceremony that took place in the Lincoln Center Theater. I did not know the names of the winners, that's why I felt really nervous. The show was like Oscar night, guests in gala dresses, projections of nominations, career awards, so many golden envelopes with the entire names of the winners and many statuettes ready to get assigned.

When the moment to announce the Discovery of the Year came, I felt less tense and I said to myself: no matter the result, I have to relax and enjoy the moment. Then, Theresa Raffetto and Tony Gale went on the stage, with the precious golden envelope, the video started and at the end, Theresa Raffetto said: “and the winner is…Anna Di Prospero”. I stayed still, my mother, right next to me, started laughing and clapping her hands and my father, on the opposite side of the room, stood and began to exult. After a few seconds, I stood up to go to the stage: I was shaking and I walked very slowly because the shoes on my feet were killing me!
On stage, they gave me the statuette and I said something which I do not remember. It was just like living a dream with open eyes.

Would you tell us about your dreams?

I just want to keep giving my life to photography and being able to survive with this job.

We gave you an amazing La Sardina DIY with its Dress. How did it feel to dress it?

It was really easy and fun, mounting the dress is very intuitive. Once done, I felt very proud of myself! The Birds of Paradise is the perfect Dress for me because I love the tropical feel.

Did you have fun shooting with this camera?

A lot! I experienced multiple exposures and it was really fun shooting with color flash.

Show us something, We can't wait!

Of course! (:

Do you have any advice for our Lomographers?

To be strongly determined! The determination to photograph and experiment every day, even when you'd like to do something else. The determination to keep going even when things go wrong and you'd like to give up. A force that often comes from the honesty and humility to always wanting to learn and grow every day.

We really want to thank Anna for this interview and we invite you all to follow her on her page Facebook and on her official website! If you want to get to know her even better, check out her interview, made for il Corriere!

written by biondapiccola on 2013-10-16 #people #diy #analogue-photography #photographer #selfportrait #italia #lomoamigo #lomography-italia #autoritratti #la-sardina-diy #la-sardina-dress #anna-di-prospero