#time to go back in time and trade in my ''useless liberal arts degree'' (film) for an even more ''useless liberal arts degree'' (journalism)

[lesbiancolumbo]

maybe i just need to do for the midwest what jonathan gold did for los angeles

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João Canziani

Photographer/Director New York City, New York Los Angeles, California joaocanziani.com

SPECIAL GUEST SERIES

João Canziani is a New York City-based photographer and director specializing in advertising, editorial portraits and travel, and personal work. His photographs have been featured in such publications as Afar, Bloomberg Markets, Travel & Leisure, Monocle, New York, Fast Company, Outside, Esquire, Real Simple and Wired, among others. João’s client list spans the likes of Apple, Nike, Delta Airlines, American Express, Microsoft, Verizon, and Lyft. He earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, Canada, and a BFA in photography at the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. The recipient of numerous awards, João has been recognized by American Photography and PDN Photo Annual. When he’s not working, you can find him bouncing his nine-month-old daughter, Paloma, on his lap, or running around Prospect Park when he’s “had enough with retouching or taking care of business.” João lives in Brooklyn with his wife Jordan, daughter, and “little pipsqueak of a dog” called Reggie. 

FAVORITES

Book: I’ve been reading Werner Herzog’s The Conquest of the Useless over the past few months, and I love it, but it’s been difficult to finish. I blame Paloma and the stop-and-go nature of my job. But also, I’d rather talk about favorite movies than favorite books. And if there’s one movie I’ve loved over the past year, it’s Call Me by Your Name. So if you’re reading this, and you haven’t already done so, go see that movie.

Destination: For shooting, most likely India. The light is incredible due to the smoke, I suspect. But that would be nothing without the rich, complicated, and chaotic culture there. There are a thousand stories happening at once on the street, and the moment you click the camera, you get sucked into wanting to dig at it more. Also, drop me anywhere in Italy.

Motto: It sounds so cheesy and somewhat banal, but for me it is, “You only live once.” I strive to live by it, and bug dear friends from time to time that they should too.

Prized possession: My iPhone. I really don’t know what I would do without it. Everything in my professional life goes through it. But I guess I would be liberated if I’d lost it.

THE QUERY 

Where were you born?

Lima, Perú.

What were some of the passions and pastimes of your earlier years?

I liked to draw when I was a kid - elaborate drawings of machines and vehicles and things, inspired by the gadgets of James Bond and Star Wars and such. I was set, I thought, to be an industrial designer or architect.

What is your first memory of photography as an experience?

I don’t think I can remember the first memory, but I do remember, after we moved from Perú to Canada, bugging my dad to no end when I repeatedly asked him to stop the car so that I could take a picture of the landscape when we took our weekend family road trips.

How did you begin to realize your intrigue with the art and science of photography?

I started shooting the last couple years of high school, and I took a photography class with a very nice teacher. Then at home, I took what I learned and I built myself a little black-and-white darkroom in the basement bathroom. I used to lock myself in there for hours. The pictures weren’t very good, but I loved being in there.

Why does this form of artistic expression suit you?

As I mentioned, I thought I’d be an industrial designer or architect. I also loved graphic design. But somewhere along the line, I decided that I didn’t want to be stuck in an office or studio all day. Photography offered me the chance to know the world, and then it taught me that I could enjoy the aspects of photography such as color and composition.

When and how did you get your start in the profession?

I moved to the U.S. from Canada in my late twenties so that I could study photography at the Art Center in Pasadena, California. I finished the full eight terms of school without a break inbetween, but unfortunately I graduated right before September 11, 2001. I was actually in New York for the first time when it happened. Long story short, this event halted my plans and career for a bit, as everything got disrupted. As you could imagine, starting a photography career right after that was quite tough, if not impossible. So for the next couple of years I assisted other photographers instead and got a little lazy and unmotivated. But slowly I got up, built a more relevant portfolio of personal work I had, and starting knocking on magazines’ doors. It took a while, but a magazine called The Fader called me back, and I started shooting small but really rewarding assignments of upcoming actors and music bands.

Is there a project/period along the way that has presented an important learning curve?

Yes, right after I moved to NYC, in 2009. I had another awakening, as if the world of photography became my oyster, and I started pushing myself to produce work that I was really happy with. I left this feeling of complacency behind.

Where have your travels taken you on assignment work?

Very fortunate to say that to quite a lot of places around the world. I’m currently in South Africa for the first time. First time in Africa, in fact. And after this I fly to Barcelona for another assignment. There’s still a huge chunk of Asia I don’t know either.

Is there a most memorable shoot, and why?

Yeah, I think this series of shoots I did for Apple toward the end of 2013. I worked alongside a director that inadvertently planted the seed in me to pursue more motion projects. If I’m allowed to name-drop one person, then let it be him (people that know me are likely really tired of me mentioning him, but I have to here, one last time): Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki, cinematographer extraordinaire of films such as The Revenant, Children of Men, and Birdman. Apart from that, these shoots were so special because they took me to India and China for the first time. I fell in love with India.

Do you have a favorite photographic image in your portfolio?

Oh man, it’s tough to pick just one. But if I have to, I suppose this blurred image of the moon and the forest in Patagonia that I shot in June of last year when I profiled chef Francis Mallmann for Esquire magazine.

What is the greatest challenge in capturing a very personal portrait?

Trying to break through the inhibitions and/or complexities of a person, particularly when that person has rarely been photographed (a “real” person, the somewhat ridiculous term people like to call those that don’t get shot for a living).

How would you describe your creative process? 

Hmmm, that’s a good question. Striving for balance in life I guess: feeling confident and good about oneself. For me, this means going running (or swimming in summer), enjoying good food and a good bottle of wine on occasion, spending quality time with my family, and most importantly shooting often, whether personally or for clients. I find this balance is the only way that I can feel creative enough to be able to try to discover new ways of seeing, for myself.

What three tools of the trade can’t you live without?

A camera, computer, and credit card.

How has your aesthetic/style evolved over the years?

I used to strive to shoot in a more formalistic way, as I shot a lot of 4x5 and medium format film. I used to think of complete and very neat (in the orderly meaning of the term) compositions and right angles. But I started breaking that down and trying to be a bit less derivative and boring. I began to get excited with infusing more color into my work, and striving to be a bit more intense and visceral.

Is there a photographer living today that you admire most?

Yes, indeed. Maybe these two if you’re asking me this question at this very minute: Christopher Anderson and Erik Madigan Heck.

What has been a pivotal period or moment in your life?

It used to be the first couple of years in New York, but now most definitely the birth of my daughter in the spring of last year. I know the repercussions of this event are still developing and growing in front of me, meaning that I know that over the years she will keep on inspiring me, but today is just the beginning.

Do you have a favorite artistic resource or inspiration that you turn to?

Oh boy, the first thing that comes to mind is Instagram. Take it or leave it, but I get inspired a lot there, particularly when I’m unable to go to a museum or a gallery because we’re at home with our daughter. But actually, other than that, I love watching movies and well-written TV shows. And, other photographers’ work I find through Instagram or online (it used to be Tumblr). Music. Music! But a bit of everywhere really.

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?

Maybe an implicit advice I tell myself: Some things are just not meant to be. Give it a good fight, but know when to move on.

Is there a book or film that has changed you? 

Not sure if there’s something that has “changed” me like that, completely. But so many films or books have changed me gradually, over the years, nourishing and developing the way I see the world creatively.

Who in your life would you like to thank, and for what?

My wife for giving me the most precious gift.

What are you working on right now?

Currently editing this assignment I just finished in South Africa, and getting ready to embark on another in Spain.

What drives you these days?

The need to create, the need to discover, the need to love.