[clackers]

"I introduce myself, my name is Toni Pierdomè and I am one of the few photographers to use Pentax, while everyone else uses Canon or Nikon, perhaps for this reason they call me: "the Pentax photographer". I was born in Civitanova Marche, a beautiful seaside town in central Italy. Now I live in the province of Ancona, but always near the sea, which for me is a vital element. I am a portraitist who loves to make artistic portraits with vintage lenses, I have always been fascinated by faces for what the eyes and expressions can convey. I love art in all its forms and I think photography is one of the best expressions of human creativity. I use both analog and digital cameras, but even with the latter I prefer to use the old lenses of the analog era. I love the things of the past and also for photography I much prefer vintage lenses, rich in character, instead of modern ones, which vice versa are all the same in yield .. The old Takumar optics by Asahi Pentax are definitely my favorites and I think they are real jewels of the past. Finally I think I love Pentax also for this reason, you can use lenses from fifty years ago on a pentax camera of the latest generation with embarrassing simplicity and stratospheric results. Good light."

Been enjoying some of his pics at:

https://pentaxphotogallery.com/artist-gallery/?artist_id=20163020

[RGlasel]

Thanks for providing the link, I always find it interesting how very good photographers manage to give their images a special "glow" that simply can't be replicated by following the same "recipe." Pierdomè's photos all look like they were taken with vintage lenses, even if the subjects and camera are anything but vintage.

[clackers]

Thanks for providing the link, I always find it interesting how very good photographers manage to give their images a special "glow" that simply can't be replicated by following the same "recipe." Pierdomè's photos all look like they were taken with vintage lenses, even if the subjects and camera are anything but vintage.

Yeah, it all goes to show, doesn't it, that when hiring a photographer, it's pointless to ask what brands they use, simply look at their portfolios. The individuality will come through!

You can see his vintage style was chosen by Deiji creative director Mark Schwartz in the video at the bottom of this page:

https://deiji.com/newsletter/

It suits a high-end fashion, classic vibe.

Edit: New website is https://deijidesign.com but not sure if that video is still on it. Thanks for the update, Toni!

[swanlefitte]

I want my photos like my lawn. All 2" Kentucky Blue Grass with lines exactly the length of my lawn mower. All debris removed and after that color and contrast restored.

All my photos look alike. No insects. No birds. No squirrels. Nothing but geometric uniformity. See this photo of (rgb) 0, 200, 0. Isn't that great?

[clackers]

I want my photos like my lawn. All 2" Kentucky Blue Grass with lines exactly the length of my lawn mower. All debris removed and after that color and contrast restored.

All my photos look alike. No insects. No birds. No squirrels. Nothing but geometric uniformity. See this photo of (rgb) 0, 200, 0. Isn't that great?

The customer is always right!

Pierdome ultimately had to shoot according to the Art Director's tastes, not his. And a wedding photographer probably has to please the bride's mother to get paid. The food photographer the cafe owner, etc, etc.

That's shooting for a living. Several pros I know have even lost the urge to shoot for themselves at weekends, because commercial shooting can erode the soul.

[repaap]

A mornign treat to look through these photos

[Rondec]

The customer is always right!

Pierdome ultimately had to shoot according to the Art Director's tastes, not his. And a wedding photographer probably has to please the bride's mother to get paid. The food photographer the cafe owner, etc, etc.

That's shooting for a living. Several pros I know have even lost the urge to shoot for themselves at weekends, because commercial shooting can erode the soul.

With wedding photography it is a little different. I think it is generally understood that you have a particular style of photography and if a couple contacts you to shoot their wedding, you will shoot it in your style. The couple will have input as to what shots are important to capture -- particular family groupings or scenes that are really important to them -- but if your style doesn't click with them then they would be wise to choose a different photographer.

It was an interesting link though and certainly says that Pentax gear is capable when used by a skilled photographer.

[MossyRocks]

Several pros I know have even lost the urge to shoot for themselves at weekends, because commercial shooting can erode the soul.

Sounds like a lot of artists. Working on commission, contract, or any other work for hire seems to grind them into the dust. Some manage through and can do their own thing but a lot can't. One of my wife's cousins is a professional painter and it has been interesting watching how his style has changed since graduating MCAD. He really wanted to be a modern impressionist painter but a lot of people really want the paint every leaf picture and when he started out he did a lot of commissions where that was expected. Eventually he did make enough of a name for himself where he was trading on his own style but it was changed from that very early idea of being a modern impressionist. Now he owns a gallery and still paints but paints what he wants and makes reasonably good money and he is back to painting to how he wants to paint.

It was an interesting link though and certainly says that Pentax gear is capable when used by a skilled photographer.

I've run across a few shooters who worship at the alter of gear many who are pros and in an awful lot of cases I am not impressed. I'm not a great photographer but in some areas I am fairly good but then I don't claim to be a pro and I do know where my abilities are lacking but there are an awful lot of pro photographers who call themselves pros who don't have any real skill. . I have long held that the vast majority of what it takes to create a great photo is the photographer and not the gear. The real exception is when one gets out to the extreme ends of photography where one really starts hitting the hard limits imposed by physics where gear really starts to make a big difference. This is what I try to stress with scouts when doing photography merit badge and there is always one who insists that a better camera makes a better picture and then I trade with them letting them use my K-3, K-3ii, or next time K-3iii and I will use whatever camera they have, likely an old Canon PowerShot G2. I have them pick a subject and let them use any lens I have with me and shoot the subject, then I shoot the same subject with the Canon PowerShot and I let the other scouts decide what is the best picture. This leads into a good discussion about better gear may result in better image quality (quantitative measures) but not better picture quality (qualitative measures). This isn't to say that I don't like nice gear but sometimes one does wonder if it is all needed for the shot and other times it is clear it is needed.

[swanlefitte]

The customer is always right!

Pierdome ultimately had to shoot according to the Art Director's tastes, not his. And a wedding photographer probably has to please the bride's mother to get paid. The food photographer the cafe owner, etc, etc.

That's shooting for a living. Several pros I know have even lost the urge to shoot for themselves at weekends, because commercial shooting can erode the soul.

Thanks for the counterpoint. I think the shots linked in the OP are really good actually if somewhat sterile. My dad always said never make your hobby a profession or you will begin to hate what you love.

[clackers]

but if your style doesn't click with them then they would be wise to choose a different photographer.

Yeah, if only all customers did that, Rondec. There have been nightmarish stories of dissatisfied customers - if your wife's been spared those, great!

A photographer should probably take the initiative and turn down the jobs that they sniff may be trouble ... but they have to pay bills like the rest of us.

[clackers]

Sounds like a lot of artists. Working on commission, contract, or any other work for hire seems to grind them into the dust. Some manage through and can do their own thing but a lot can't. One of my wife's cousins is a professional painter and it has been interesting watching how his style has changed since graduating MCAD. He really wanted to be a modern impressionist painter but a lot of people really want the paint every leaf picture and when he started out he did a lot of commissions where that was expected. Eventually he did make enough of a name for himself where he was trading on his own style but it was changed from that very early idea of being a modern impressionist. Now he owns a gallery and still paints but paints what he wants and makes reasonably good money and he is back to painting to how he wants to paint.

That's a good outcome. I knew a painter whose Monday to Friday job was doing the drawings for real estate ads. Once photography replaced all that in the agencies, she pivoted to commissioned works for corporates - paintings in the lobby, that sort of thing. Without the time pressure and grind of quantity versus quality, her personal painting (heavily abstracted landscapes) featured big in her life again.

[toonik]

Ciao I'm Toni Pierdomè. Thanks for sharing. I wanted to point out that the Deiji company has replaced the old site with this new one: https://deijidesign.com
so the link should be updated.

Regarding the final result of the shooting in question, I could have done better, on the other hand I have my limits: I need time to observe the environment and the scene as a whole, I need calm to get in tune with the model, and above all I need to imagine the photo and see it already printed in my mind... and to do this, haste doesn't help. In this case the priority was to be able to photograph the model with all the samples of shoes, bags and belts in a limited amount of time, trying not to be repetitive. Among other things, we were guests in the villa of a dear friend and I didn't want to take advantage of her hospitality too much. In any case, I managed to satisfy the needs of the creative director Mark Schwartz, thanks to the skill of the model Rashida Aboufaris and the precious collaboration of my assistants, however I realize that my fingerprint is missing in those photos. In this collaboration with Deiji there was a moment in which I only had to take the cover photo, and in that case I was also able to play a bit to take some shots according to my vision. I liked the result. Here is one of these photos: T??? P??????è on Instagram: "Denise for DEIJIDESIGN Camera: PENTAX K-1 Lens: PENTAX SMC 30/2.8 Location: Versace House in Ancona Cari amici, vi presento l'anteprima di uno shooting fatto alla splendida Denise Recchi in quella che è stata la prim

[Sholom]

Thanks Toni. It is interesting to hear about the life and work of a Pro. Nice work.

[toonik]

Thanks Toni. It is interesting to hear about the life and work of a Pro. Nice work.

Thank you so much... it's an honor and a pleasure for me.

---------- Post added 12-05-22 at 02:31 PM ----------

Yeah, it all goes to show, doesn't it, that when hiring a photographer, it's pointless to ask what brands they use, simply look at their portfolios. The individuality will come through!

You can see his vintage style was chosen by Deiji creative director Mark Schwartz in the video at the bottom of this page:

Sign Up for DEIJIDESIGN Newsletter and Show - DEIJIDESIGN.COM

It suits a high-end fashion, classic vibe.

Edit: New website is DEIJIDESIGN Home - DEIJIDESIGN.COM but not sure if that video is still on it. Thanks for the update, Toni!

I think you are right, in the new site they have removed many videos... however I think the video you were referring to is this:

Youtu.be

Youtu.be