Roberto Marchegiani: Photographer of the week

by Head Editor Yvette Depaepe
Published the 15th of November 2021

Roberto Marchegiani's portfolio is amazing and diversified. He is a skilled landscape photographer as well as a nature photographer. He doesn't like additive or manipulative post-production and strives to express faithfully his emotions, amazement and to show aesthetic-al beauty. Obviously, he takes care of all the details, the shadows, the lights, the cleanliness, the colours without altering the original image.

Let us explore his body of work through this interview today.

'Winter bucolic landscape'

Dear Roberto, please briefly tell us about yourself, your hobbies and other jobs.
I am 58 years old and my profession is lawyer. My m main hobby is photography which has involved me a lot in the recent years. I also like music, classical and baroque.
Of course I also love to travel, a passion that I share with my family.
Lately, however, photography prevails due to the short time available and I give exclusively priority to photographic trips. Luckily my son shares this passion too, and he is also very talented in my opinion.

How has your history and life experiences affected your photography?
I have always had a passion for photography. At 15, I got my first camera.
I developed black and white photos and rarely colour slides using cibachrome.

Which are your most important experiences that has influenced your art?
There was no specific experience. With the advent of digital in 2012, I returned to photography, which has remained a "dormant" passion for many years. I read (or rather, looked at) books on photography and I immediately fell in love with nature photography.

What first attracted you to photography?
The aesthetic aspect, the pure aesthetics.

'Misty Bayou'

'Louisiana Swamp'

Can you describe your overall photographic vision, Roberto?
In my opinion, photography must cause emotion and amazement and must also be aesthetically beautiful and never rhetoric or propaganda. It must never tell a false reality.

Why are you so drawn by landscape photography and Nature Photography?
I believe in my passion for travel and for always seeing new, different and aesthetically beautiful things.
My first trip was also enlightening in this respect: Iceland, which is truly wonderful for nature photographers.
I then I "discovered" two nature photographers of incredible talent, in my opinion. They both were published in 2012 in the best photographic book still existing: 'Iceland in all its splendor' by Erlend Haarberg & Orsolya Haarberg. It was a huge source of inspiration for me.

What is more important to you, the mood,/story behind your images or the technical perfection?
Without a doubt the mood/story. The technical aspect is only a pre-requisite which has to be functional to the photo and make it work.

'Agonaut and the Lady'

'Mars Attack'

'Sea Life'

What generally is your relationship to your subject matter beyond being an observer?
Taking almost exclusively nature and wildlife photography I have no relationship with the subjects, I try to hide my presence

Do you prepare carefully the locations where you are intending to photograph?
Unfortunately no, I know it would be better to do but in the end, the lack of time leads me to be less accurate. Obviously, however, I look at the weather forecast.

What gear do you use (camera, lenses, bag)?
I have a mixed system Nikon and Sony. My son only uses Sony and for that reason, I was "forced" to expand the kit also to Sony to remain with backup camera bodies anyway. And also because Nikon did not had lenses I wanted at that moment. To me the 16-35 f 2.8 and the 100-400 gm are fundamental.
I currently have a Sony A1 with zoom 100-400GM, 400 f.2.8GM 16-35GM and 200-600G, a Nikon z7II and a D850 and many Nikon lenses. The ones I use the most are the 24-70s and the 70-200 f. 2.8 FL, the 600 mm F4 FL.

What software do you use to process your images?
ACR + Photoshop, Topaz Sharpen and Topaz Denoise, TK luminosity Mask 8.

Can you tell us something more about your work flow?
I don't like additive or manipulative post-production at all (like adding elements). I try to make sure that the photo represents the image fairly faithfully. Obviously I try to take care of all the details, the shadows, the lights, the cleanliness of the image and colours, always with focus on the aesthetic aspect without altering the photo.

'Fogbow'

Untitled

What is your most important advice to a beginner in landscape and nature photography and how do you get started?
First of all, read the photography books starting with the "sacred monsters" like Steve Mc curry, Salgado and others. Then read those of the masters of this genre, modern or digital natives like Ansel Adams or Galen Rowell. My favourites are Vincent Munier, Paul Nicklen, Orsolya Haardberg, Sandra Bartocha, Theo Boosbom, Stefano Untertiner, Federico Veronesi.

Then participate to photographic workshops with good photographers whose work you appreciate. Try to get in touch with their philosophy and try to develop your own style without copying them.
It doesn't make sense and it is useless to think "I want to take that photo there too".
You have to think "I want to do it better"!
And of course, stay away from figurines (those who collect animal stickers and leave out everything else).

'Macaco rhesus'

'Panda'

'Gelada Baboons'

Who are your favourite photographers and more importantly, how has your appreciation of their work affected how you approach your own photography?
In addition to those I mentioned above, there are other contemporaries who are also my friends, such as Marco Gaiotti and Fortunato Gatto, two very talented photographers with their own style, in my opinion.

Is there any specific photo taken by another photographer that has inspired you a lot and why?

Yes, “the flow” from Theo Bosboom
https://tr-tr.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=2206669446131520&set=g.887053998798488

This is one of my absolute favourite photos.
You found everything in it, the unique situation to the eruption, the interaction caused by men and represented as a blue lava (made up of hundreds of tourists with their central lamps lit walking back and forth along the ridge of the volcano). All perfectly well composed.

Are there any specific directions that you would like to take your photography in the future or any specific goals that you wish to achieve?
I would like to publish one or more books together with my son Riccardo and also make some limited edition numbered fine art prints of our best photos. It is a long-term project.

Describe your favourite photograph taken by you and why it is special to you?
My all favourite photo was taken in Nakuru National Park, Kenya. I titled it Jurassic Park. Kenya. Just before sunset, my friends and I noticed a group of giraffes walking in front of the forest. With my 600mm lens, I had a magnificent and striking glimpse into the forest. Therefore, instead of photographing the giraffes, I kept the framing still hoping the giraffes would pass by at that point.
In the end, my stubbornness was rewarded because one giraffe passed right at the best spot and the scene reminded me of a Jurassic landscape, with a herbivorous dinosaur in the same position as the giraffe.

This photo gave me a lot of satisfaction, it was awarded in some important international nature photography competitions as overall winner (Npoty – Nature photographer of the year), category winner and highly honoured.
https://naturephotographeroftheyear.com/previous-editions/npoty-2020-results/

Is there anything else you wish to add and what do you think about 1X as a home base for your work?
I have always appreciated 1x since 2012, it has never been just a more or less "social" photographic platform but above all a true virtual gallery where only excellent quality photos and some real masterpieces have access.
It also works well as an agency and provides excellent exposure, and that is perfect.

See also my instagram profile with my son: @joyoflight_

'Arctic Terns'