MICHAEL CHINNICI
When and how did you start photography?
When I was a teenager, I began photography using a fixed lens Argus C3 rangefinder film camera, and I also built my own darkroom. My dad’s photography was a hobby, so I had access to various Nikon cameras while growing up.
What style of images were you looking at when you started?
I began by photographing friends, landscape, and lifestyle. I was so young I don’t think I knew what I wanted. My first goal was to expose an image correctly and be more technically correct than creative.
What are your main influences?
I remember receiving a three-volume set of books by Ansel Adams on shooting, developing, and printing images, and I still have them. Although I never set out to become a black and white landscape photographer, Ansel was my first influence. Afterward, I gravitated toward documentary, fashion, and more avant-garde street and studio. Nat Geo, Avedon, Maplethorpe, Newton, we’re all early influences.
What attracted you to travel photography?
I love to travel and experience diversity. When I began immersing myself in authentic experiences, I had a strong desire to capture culture, lifestyle, and beauty.
You have a photojournalistic approach for your different reports. Can you explain us your way of working?
I photograph what I see. How I capture an image is what differentiates it. I’m always looking for scenes that evoke emotion and tell a story. Finding beautiful light is always a bonus. A carefully composed yet artistic (or dramatic) image has both the documentary effect and the creativity needed to make it a powerful photograph.
Has this approach changed your vision of the world, and what does photography represent in your life ?
Yes, it certainly has changed my vision of the world. We live in a beautiful world with diverse cultures, and that’s what makes it so interesting. Capturing an environmental portrait tells a story worth a thousand words. It could be a barbershop in the Lower East Side of New York or a tribal hut in the Thar desert in western India, just a few kilometers from the Pakistani border.photography is merely a tool to capture people, cultures, lifestyles, and history. I enjoy documenting them before they vanish or transition into something different.
You seem extremely attracted to documentary photography. Is there a particular reason?
Usually, when I photograph a scene, there’s a story behind it. Or it leads to a story. Often, these stories are rich in content. Relationships form. Or the experience reveals a deeper underlying issue. I don’t get this when photographing a waterfall, nature, wildlife, motorsports, or fashion. They lack the authenticity, spontaneity, and energy I get when documenting people’s lives. Don’t get me wrong, I love and respect other forms of photography. I just don’t get as excited.
Cuba is a dreamland for photographers. How do you approach the people there?
Yes, I often say that “a photographer in Cuba is like a kid in a candy store.” Cuba is unique because of its “lost in time” characteristics. Old cars, decaying buildings, and vintage everything. But it’s the soul of Cuba and the Cuban people who make it so unique. I fell in love with Cuba and the Cuban people. You can’t help but admire and respect their approach to life.
I don’t approach the Cuban people any differently than, say the people of Morocco, who are much more challenging to photograph. They have a jaded opinion of photographers. In Cuba, the people let themselves be. They are so natural. So comfortable with me. But it’s not just the people; it’s the connection that I create between myself and my subject(s). I have this connection no matter where I go and photograph.
How do you choose your destinations, and how do you prepare your shots?
I choose destinations based on research, recommendations, and stories. Discovering hidden gems are what explorers do best. You never know what treasures you are going to find. Most of my photography is unplanned, spontaneous, and serendipitous. Of course, photographing a ballerina in an old mansion is planned. I carry minimal equipment for these types of shots and use flash or extra light only when needed.
Intention and vision are two important elements. Do you have a clear idea of the images you want, or do you rely on improvisation and luck?
Sometimes I have a vision and then set out to fulfill the vision. In commercial photography, I follow an art director or creative director’s layout to deliver shots that the client has already approved. But in travel documentary photography, you are designing the shots on the fly as environments and individuals present themselves. It’s usually great intuition, research, and being in the right place at the right time. But I wouldn’t classify that as luck.
What was your best photographic experience?
My best photographic experience is when I, as a photographer, bring joy and laughter to a scene. It’s happened to me countless times throughout my travels, and not just in Cuba. Through my photography, we break down barriers, communicate hope, create new friendships, and find ways to stay connected.
What equipment do you use?
Currently, I shoot with Fujifilm Digital X-series cameras. 85% of my Vanishing Cuba book was shot using XT-1, XT-2, and XT-3 bodies and a host of primes and a few zooms. Before Fujifilm, I shot with Nikon film and DSLR cameras, going as far back as the 1970s. I like to shoot wide. And I prefer natural light.
How and with what software do you process your images?
Adobe Lightroom Classic, and NIK Silverefex, Topaz De-noise, and a few more. Nothing super fancy. Pretty straightforward.
Social networks are nowadays the main promotion tool for photographers and artists in general. Do you have a particular strategy to use them at best
?The platforms and user habits are constantly changing. I test different techniques and stay current with trending social media.
Do you have any projects in preparation that you would like to tell us about (books, exhibitions, workshops)?
My newly published Vanishing Cuba photo book will likely occupy my time for the next year or two. There are exhibitions throughout 2022, Cuba photography workshops related to the book planned for 2022 and 2023, and a few exciting pop-up opportunities scheduled throughout the year. The book is available in three editions, including a “Silver Edition,” “Deluxe Edition,” limited to 500 signed and numbered copies, and a collector “Reserve Edition,” limited to just 300 signed and numbered copies, housed in a stunning clamshell jewel box including three signed and numbered prints of your choice. My next book will be a Vanishing India book, which I’ll begin work on in 2022. Finally, do you have any advice for a beginner photographers.