|
Although Cauz now lives in Italy, where he was born and reared, his early training was in the United States. Upon graduating from the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, he began assisting full time in Los Angeles and San Diego. After moving to New York, he spent half his time assisting and half his time knocking on the doors of art directors and photo editors. Eventually he started shooting for some magazines, mostly doing portraits and fashion. A year or so later, in 2000, Cauz returned to Italy, where he maintains his international contacts. And his personal style, which is direct, although filtered and manipulated. Colorful, even when monochromatic. Dirty, but clear. It keeps clients like Carnet, Time Inc., De Agostini/Rizzoli Periodici, Hasselbald Inc., Electrolux Zanussi Spa, and Sony Classical, NY, coming back for more. Cauz spoke to altpick.com via phone from his home in Italy.
I'm working on a personal project with a journalist I met while working at Carnet. It's a series of DJs who work in Italy and throughout Europe. Was it your idea or did she approach you? I found out she was writing articles about music and DJs. I've always been fascinated with this subject. I had been looking for a good partner who could introduce me to this field as I am not really familiar with it. She was very happy to do it. Why DJs? I've always wanted to shoot a series of people belonging to the same profession. I'm inspired by the night life and the people it attracts. The DJs in their working environment is not so appealing to me. I want to do them as portraits, a study of the subject as a person. What type of equipment do you use? I normally use medium format a Hassleblad or Fuji. My Hassleblad is a 6 X 6 format and the Fuji is a 6 X 8. As far as lighting I normally use Pro Photo. Do you carry a camera with you all the time? Normally I do not. I do try and keep an older version like a 35mm reflex camera in the car just in case I find something very cool. I am not a photojournalist or someone who carries a camera all the time. I try to build the picture in my head. I think about something and then I go and shoot it. I generally don't try to freeze things in the moment. But just in case I try to keep it in my car. What are some of the things that have influenced your career? Well, surely the fact that I moved a lot has influenced me. First I lived in Italy where I was born and raised, then California, then New York City, and finally back to Italy with a foot in New York. I guess technically it's been a bad thing because every time I moved I had to begin my contacts from scratch, and that always slows down the taking off of anyone's career.
And then there is the more typical influences of family, friends, teachers, and other the work of other photographers. Having worked extensively in both the United States and Italy are there different sensibilities when it comes to the work?It's different because Americans and Italians are different people with different cultures. From a technical standpoint, no, except that it's easier to get additional equipment for a shoot in New York City than parts of Italy. Whose work do you admire? That is an easy and short answer: David LaChapelle. Why? It is like when you fall in love with a person. You don't know why but you know you like her a lot. I have the same approach for every other thing that is sentimental. It involves your soul. It's impossible to say why but it's the style, the vibrant colors, it's something that involves my feelings so I can't explain why it is very attractive to me. His images evoke that in me. - Contributed by Mary-Beth Holland >> See more work from Marco Cauz >> See other member spotlights on the member spotlight index >> Find out more on how to become an altpick.com member |
