In conversation with GAIA BONANOMI
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Gaia Bonanomi
Among the protagonists of the Framing Light project – which involved five contemporary Italian photographers in interpreting the values of WEB EYEWEAR – is Gaia Bonanomi, a young fashion photographer who prefers working with film. She shares insights into her work and vision.
Is it possible to effectively communicate a product without ever showing it, by interpreting the brand’s values instead, as you were asked to do for the WEB EYEWEAR – Framing Light project?
«Personally, I find this approach extremely interesting, bold, and definitely innovative. Focusing on atmospheres, emotions, and the imagery surrounding a product – without actually showing it – means telling a stronger story, one that makes the product itself much more intriguing and desirable. In this case, since we were talking about sunglasses, it was inevitable to dive into themes of travel, discovery, and immersion in nature».
What inspired you in expressing concepts like transparency, taste, and quiet luxury?
«For gusto, I focused on the values of “Italian gusto” – made of simple, everyday things that, perhaps precisely for that reason, are extremely poetic and possess their own elegance. I tried to highlight ordinary household objects and, through a play of mirrors, reflections, and transparencies, I gave these objects a new story, a new dimension. The same goes for the concepts of transparency and quiet luxury, which I translated by playing extensively with light, reflections, and shadows. For quiet luxury in particular, warm light allowed me to capture images that look as if they were seen through a pair of sunglasses».
Which shot was the most challenging among all of them?
«Definitely those linked to the concept of quiet luxury, which I chose to evoke with the figure of a woman dancing in nature, silhouetted against the light: the sun was setting, and time was running out. Since I work with film, I can’t shoot 40 photos per second – I’m “forced” to capture the moment. So those images – especially the ones taken in the final 20 minutes – carry within them the desire to “freeze” the right light in time».
