Lori Cicchini • Part One
Portraitist / Artist / Beauty
Lori is clearly a master of her craft, creating work that captivates, intrigues and delights wiht a subtle but potent thread of darkness. She has become an inspration to many I am sure you will love her work as I have for some time.
Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
When did you decide to become a photographer?
I decided I wanted to learn more about photography after a 9 week trip traveling overseas, I had purchased my first digital DSLR and was completely engaged with the environment. I wanted to capture the feeling of each place I visited rather than the postcard image you would expect to see.
Upon my return to Australia I probed around for a while not quite sure about my urge to pick up the camera, I was in full time employment in a completely unrelated industry, confused yet intrigued. It wasn’t until I decided to enroll into a course that I became addicted and ended up quitting my full time job while I was still in my second year of study in a Bachelor of Photography.
What was your photography education?
I completed a Bachelor of Photography in 2013 at the Canberra Institute of Technology.
Did you come up thru the ranks doing lots of assisting or just start out on your own?
I started out on my own, I worked really hard at learning my craft, I photographed every day and absorbed information like a crazy sponge, I still do, I love learning as much as I can.
What do you consider yourself, pro, working, amateur ?
I consider my self a working pro. This is my full time profession, I live and breathe it.
What is it you are passionate about shooting?
I enjoy shooting anything that allows me to be creative and allows me to explore and interrupt my subject or brief. My work falls in the areas of portraiture which includes private commissions, as well as commercial work in the hair and beauty industry and well as in the fashion industry.
I want to create images that reflect something about me but still allows room for it to be interpreted however the viewer wants to interpret it.
Why that? and not babies or pets or landscapes?
I do photograph other genres, it’s just not what I am known for.
Do you fell like you have a particular style and if so what is it?
I do have a style I guess, I am often told I do. I would like to think my style is somewhat ethereal and peaceful although sometimes it can be quite dark and disturbing, I guess it depends on the mood Im in, I like to experiment with techniques so I assume my style is still evolving.
What do you think sets your work apart from others in your genre?
I’m not sure what it is, I don’t pay too much attention to the work of others in my genre, I am in my own little world just exploring myself so I guess it’s my personal interpretion of how I photograph that might be the difference.
Do you remember your first few shoots and the fear, nerves, and trepidation of working with models? How was that ? and what did you do to get past it?
Yes I remember it like it was yesterday, I had thrown myself in the deep end by deciding I wanted to try my hand at fashion photography, up until this point I had only photographed myself and landscapes.
It was the fear of letting everyone else down that I had to overcome, and to believe in my abilities that was the biggest hurdle.
When your shooting do you like working with a team and everyone collaborating or are you clearly the captain and its your look, idea etc?
I generally have a direction in my mind in which the team is influenced by, I create the mood boards and bring together the team. At that point I am open to ideas from the creatives I am working with. I want the best possible outcome for everyone.
What do you consider your greatest strength in photography?
My greatest strength is bringing together a vision. This includes the in camera capture and the post production side of things. Which is where I believe I become the most creative.
What is your creative process? how does an idea grow and mature into your final image?
My creative process varies from an idea which I create to sometimes just allowing the mood to evolve either on set or in post. Music and film are some of my greatest influences.
Are you an “in camera person” or a “post production person” ?
I like to get it right in camera. That way I have a clean image to start with. I don’t want to be fixing mistakes whether they be photographic mistakes or styling mistakes, It needs to be all perfect before I take it to Photoshop. Photoshop for me is just another step in creating my work, its the finishing of the product.
Wine, beer, spirits or other?
Generally spirits.
Generally do you create for you? for a client? for a commercial purpose?
I create for clients commercially however I always try and make time for my own personal work too, it keeps me evolving without boundaries.
How do you feel when a client chooses an image or images and loves them wants to show them off worldwide?
I will only deliver to the client what I love, so there’s no chance of there being anything that is out there that I’m not proud of.
What was your single worst mistake you have made in your photographer journey?
Not saying NO enough when it was warranted.
Describe your work in 10 words or less
Personal interpretation of life, love and death.
Make sure to catch the second half of this interview and more stunning images.
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