by Yvette Depaepe 
Published the 8th of February 2021

 
Gianluca Morello has a strong and personalized photographic vision based on geometry,  colours and light.  He doesn't simply photographs what he sees, he wants to fascinate the viewer by showing reality in his minimal abstracts.  In many of his pictures, Gianluca creates situations the eye is not used too and makes the invisible becoming visible.  Look by yourself, wander through his photographs and learn more about the artist behind his work.

'Winter closures'

Briefly tell us about yourself, your hobbies and other jobs.
My name is Gianluca Morello, I am 50 years old and I live in a lovely small town along the North coast of Tuscany.  I am a freelance structural engineer and one of my greatest passions is photography. 

I started with photography when a friend of mine lent me an old  Rolleiflex and took me on the Carrara’s marble quarries on a day off between two exams. He taught me the first rudiments of technique and composition and it was love at first sight instantly.  From that very moment, I have never stopped photographing any more.  My first camera was a Nikon FM3.  I certainly still have it somewhere but buried under a meter of dust.  I used it till  I switched to a digital camera, about 10 years ago. 

How has your history and life experiences affected your photography?
Which are your most important experiences that has influenced your art?
I have read many books about mastering Photography but for many years, I photographed everything, just like a child discovering the world and feeling interest in everything.
In the beginning, my pictures did not have a real identity and the results were technically good, but compositions and stories behind them were confusing.

By chance,  I met an old friend who shared the same passion for photography.  He told me that he was chairman of a photo club and invited me to join the club meetings.
From that day on, my life as a photographer changed. My images were constructively criticized and I learned a lot about the vision of other photographers.  It inspired me, gave gave me ideas and led me to find my own style in photography.

What first attracted you to photography?
While travelling for pleasure or for my work, I had the opportunity to visit buildings and neighbourhoods in the most important European cities in Europe.  I realized that my eye was lingering more and more for geometry and it made me searching for  - as I like to call them – for hidden beauties.

With this definition in mind, I intended to characterize everything which is not immediately perceptible but representing something to talk about and visualize in my eyes, such as shapes, colours and light.  I wanted to achieve good images by combining these three factors.

'shapes'

Can you describe your overall photographic vision, Gianluca ?
Now my research is focusing mainly on the use of colour and geometry.

'e-modern'

 
The choice of subjects, be they rural, industrial or urban,is always secondary to my two protagonists: colour and geometry.

'Moroccan roof' 

Through these two "levels", my photographs not only represent reality, but I try to create an abstraction made of strong colours, almost exaggerated, and sharp marked lines.

'stairway to heaven'

I believe that the geometric vocation of forms captured in good light, the spatial organization combined with a severe discipline of visual composition which eliminates to elect, on the contrary, what is considered essential, makes the abstract veiling that runs through every photograph, capable to transport the reader into a possible realism.

'Shapes mark VII'

 
In my opinion, the photo should not document reality, but interpret it. We all have reality around us, but whoever takes the picture decides what he or she wants to express.

Reality is a bit like a block of marble. You can make an ashtray or Michelangelo's Pietà. We do not photograph what we see, but – in a certain way - what we are.
When I take a picture,  it's a part of myself and my thoughts that I capture. 

'Composition of coloured walls'

 
Creativity then is supported by using colours. 
As Paul Klee quotes: "Colour is the place where the universe and the mind meet".

 
Last but not least, in my current vision of photography, post-production plays a fundamental role.

'illusion'

 
The computer gives us the pictorial license to add.
We must stop perceiving technology and  innovation in art, as a blasphemy.

'composition of blue and white cloud MKII'

 
Just think of photographers like the German Andreas Gursky, whose photographs are made entirely on the computer and sold for millions of euros, or the American David LaChapelle.  I think the future will be like this.

 

What is your most important advice to a beginner in Architecture and Abstract Photography and how do you get started?
My personal suggestion for beginners  in Abstract and Architecture photography would be to use a telephoto lens which makes the images two-dimensional.

'composition of gray, orange and blue'

When using a telephoto lens, since it has these long-distance focal lengths, the perspective no longer exists and everything becomes two-dimensional, allowing you to make a selection of all this matter that revolves around it.

The raw material revolves around us, it is dispersed in space without meaning if you do not point it out. The telephoto lens allows you to identify and what you want to do with your work.  It creates a situation that the eye is not used to see and makes the invisible becoming visible.

'composition of surfaces and cloud'

Is there anything else you wish to add  and what do you think about 1X as a home base for your work?
I came across 1x through the stories of some members of the photo club.
I remember the first times I attended the meetings, I listened to my colleagues who spoke about the very high quality of the photos published on 1x and the difficulty to have a photo published. This was exciting and intriguing to me, but for some time, I just limited my self to listen to the experiences of others, till one day, I decided to sign up and started posting my work. 

My first publication came only after about a year but is was a huge satisfaction to me.

'Composition of shimmering Blue, Red, Black, Yellow and Gray'

 
Now, compatibly with my work commitments, I browse the site daily because I love to see, to comment and to curate the new posted photos, as well as uploading mine too.

Looking at the galleries of the members is a continuous source of inspiration and a stimulant to find ideas and to come closer in my search of my own photographic vision and style.

'composition of beige, gray and blue'

'Winter afternoon'

'Building reflected'

'Modern entrance'

'Three windows'