I first discovered photographer Arianna Tettamanzi when I interviewed Elisa Marshall of Maman last month. The photographs of Elisa, Maman and the delicious food that you can enjoy at the New York based eatery were absolutely stunning and I knew that I wanted to learn more about the photographer who had taken them.
In this interview, Arianna (or Ari) shares about when she first became interested in photography, her greatest source of inspiration and an inside look into what the vibe is like on a photoshoot.
When did your interest in photography begin?
I always loved photography! I worked as a graphic designer for advertising agencies for many years, and I had the opportunity to work with many talented photographers during that time. When I had my first child, I decided to take some time off and freelance for awhile. That’s when I bought my first DSLR camera and started considering photography as my new full time career.
Did you take photography classes or are you self taught?
I am self taught. As soon as I realized that I wanted to move my career from graphic design to photography, I bought a new camera, signed up for a few online courses and attended many workshops! The most productive way to learn though, was practicing non-stop and collaborating with talented people and organizations that I respected and loved.
First camera? Current camera?
I started with a very basic DSLR, but I quickly moved to my current camera, a Canon 5D Mark III, and I’m still very happy with it! Over the years, I’ve been upgrading my lenses, but my camera body has stayed the same.
What is your greatest source of inspiration?
I feel very lucky that I had the chance to live in two of my favorite cities in the world, Barcelona (my hometown) and New York City. Barcelona is known for its art, architecture and delightful cuisine, which are some of the aspects I like to photograph the most. After my years of college in Barcelona, I moved to New York and I immediately felt in love with the city! When you live in NYC, there is never a dull moment. It’s such a diverse and exciting place that inspiration comes literally from everywhere. Every day you spend in the big city is a new chance to meet talented people, try a new restaurant or visit a new exhibit at a museum. It’s really a magical place.
Preferred editing software?
I do most of my editing in Lightroom, but I like using Photoshop for more extensive retouching. All those years of working as a graphic designer come in very handy when it’s time to edit my photos!
You shoot everything from Lifestyle & Editorial to Kids/Family & Travel. Out of these categories which do you either enjoy the most or find the most rewarding?
I started with family photography, and I still enjoy doing it! I especially love it when families have little ones because I love being silly with kids. It’s the only way to really get them to show their real smiles and personalities! These sessions tend to be during the months of Spring and Fall, so I knew that I had to find other ways to keep my photography business active. I love to travel and cook, so I started documenting my getaways and homemade bakings, positioning it in social media and my website. Soon enough, I had brands approaching to work or collaborate with them, and that’s what I really enjoy doing nowadays.
As a foodie, I love seeing beautiful lifestyle & food pictures. Tell me about what a typical lifestyle/food photoshoot entails. (Also, just curious. Do you get to sample the dishes at the end of the shoot?)
There is a lot of planning and pre production that goes on before a photoshoot. Every client is different, but generally speaking the process starts with a meeting or a conference call to go over the briefing and come up with a timetable. In some cases, the project will be large enough that it requires hiring a photo assistant and a prop & food stylist. If that’s the case, I also meet with them in person, and we organize and buy all the props and ingredients needed for the shoot. I don’t own a photo studio so I need to make sure I find the right one for the project. Because I like to be over-prepared, the day of the shoot is pretty straightforward and things move along as planned. After the photoshoot comes the editing, which is a long process and takes a few days. Normally, the food sits on the set for a long time, everybody touches it, and it ends up being thrown away unfortunately. I hate wasting food, so sometimes if I’m shooting from home and I’m the only one involved, I make sure to save whatever I’m shooting for my kids, and they are very happy when they get back from school!
How much time goes into styling and planning out a shot, and do you work with a stylist for (example food/lifestyle shots) or style the shot yourself?
For projects with a tight budget, I don’t have the luxury to hire any assistants, and that’s when I have to improvise and style everything myself. At first, this was a big challenge as styling is a lot harder than it looks, but like with most things, reading, observing and practicing makes “perfect”. When the job allows it, I work with both a food stylist and a prop stylist and I love it! I can focus doing my part, and I love working with a team. The process starts days before the shoot. Some stylists own props, but most of the times they need to be bought and/or rented. New York City has some of the most amazing prop rental spaces, rooms with aisles and aisles of beautiful eye candy props. You can pretty much rent anything you need! I love getting involved during this process, and most of the time I’ll meet the stylist at the prop center so we can do the shopping together.
What’s the energy like on one of your photoshoots?
I offer a lifestyle approach to photography. My family portrait sessions are relaxed and fun. My goal is to capture genuine emotion, and my style is candid, photojournalistic and natural. While some of the portraits will be posed, I also try to capture the natural moments in between. I find it best to let kids be kids and will spend time interacting and playing with them to draw this out. Great family photos don’t necessarily mean everyone’s looking at the camera and smiling simultaneously. In fact, my favorite images are the ones that capture family interaction, sweet gestures, and emotions of all shapes and sizes; all of which have nothing to do with saying “cheese”.
I always admire how the photographers for fashion & lifestyle bloggers are able to capture their clients in the midst of a busy city like New York. For photoshoots out and about in the city, what is the best time of day for a photoshoot?
I like to use natural light. My favorite time to shoot outdoors is within 2 hours of sunrise and sunset, since I’m always after the best light and these are the times that nature provides it. The light and colors are very soft and gentle at that time of the day.
I recently had the opportunity to share your work in an interview with Elisa Marshall of Maman. What do you enjoy the most about working with Elisa?
Elisa is the most talented and hard-working woman that I know. We share a very similar sense of style which allows me to shoot freely, which is so exciting and refreshing! Being in a room with Elisa and her team never feels like work. I take joy out of our projects every single time!
Maman has a strong, consistent and beautiful branding throughout. They built these farmhouse style cafes that feel very chic and homey, and they offer the most delicious meals. On top of that, Maman is a very active space where you can sign up for lots of fun workshops! In my opinion, the Maman team has nailed every detail of a successful business.
In May of last year you shot an absolutely gorgeous baby shower at the Gramercy Park Hotel… What is the largest scale event that you’ve ever shot?
All my events tend to be smaller in size, and I purposefully like to keep it that way. The Gramercy Park Baby Shower was one of my favorites! The event was held at the rooftop terrace of the hotel, and even though it happened to be pouring rain that day, the space has a retractable rooftop that kept us dry. We ended up in a glass room filled with natural light and thick clouds that worked as perfect light diffusers, an ideal situation for a photographer! I think that that’s in part why we ended up with such beautiful photos, not to mention that every single detail was styled beautifully. It was one of those experiences where everything seemed to flow perfectly, and everyone had a great time!
Any words of advice for someone who wants to pursue a career in photography?
There’s lots to take in as a new photographer. Do not get carried away with the equipment and technicality of photography. It can be a bit intimidating at first. Understand the basics of how the exposure works. Photography rules are essential because they provide a foundation for more advanced photography tips and tricks later on. Once you understand the basics, shoot in manual mode and practice, practice, practice! Make lots of mistakes, then learn from them. The more mistakes you make, the faster you’ll learn and improve your photography skills. Oh! and stop comparing yourself with everybody else. You’re making art, stay true to yourself.
Photo by: Mireia Rodriguez
Keep up with Arianna through the following links:
Website: ariannatettamanzi.com
Instagram: @aritettamanzi
Facebook: @ariannatettamanziphotography
All photos in this post were provided by Arianna Tettamanzi
Leave a Reply