BIOGRAFIA | Antonio Biagiotti

Biography

I was born in 1971 in Porretta Terme in the province of Bologna.

Since 2012 I have been happily married to Sara, my first supporter, but also a severe critic, who with her objective evaluations is a great impetus for me in growing and improving myself.

Since I was a child, photography has been my great passion, already at the age of thirteen I bought my first real camera, a PENTAX K1000, with which I entered a wonderful world, made up of shutter speeds, frames and apertures. Over the years this passion has continued to evolve to become a profession.

For many years, I have been making my photographs using a Large Format 4 × 5 or Medium Format 67 system, composed of different camera bodies and a large group of lenses, which allow me to creatively interpret the most varied shooting conditions.

My commitment in practicing and spreading Analog Photography has led me to hold courses, meetings and workshops.

Black and White Film Photography

Like all kids of my generation, I approached photography using color film, but the more I became passionate about this art form, the more I was seduced by the magical world of black and white photography. I found a particular fascination in the photographs made with this practice, and I was attracted to the high creative level that this technique allows before, during the exposure of the film and later, in the development and printing phase. So it was that I began to set up my darkroom, a real beating heart for all photographers who still use this technique.
Today digital images have almost completely supplanted traditional film photography, no bad thing, the world moves on, and in many ways digital is a fantastic technology. Personally I have nothing against digital photography, but I hate the excessive use of image processing programs, capable of completely altering and distorting photography, so much so that I no longer know if it is real or a figment of imagination. Today unfortunately, when I look at a photograph that captures me, after a first moment of enthusiasm, I instinctively withdraw doubtfully and think, "the wonderful image I am looking at is real or someone has made fun of me using some sophisticated processing software. image?".
On the other hand, I would like to let you know that my images are real photographs, not corrected or modified on the computer. The light impressed the film I exhibited for a moment, simply.

Sabilization and assembly

Before being mounted, the prints destined for sale or display are subjected to a scrupulous and rigorous "stabilization" process (which allows the photographic print to be preserved over time).
In my dark room I check in a strict and disciplined manner all the chemical process and the subsequent very important washing of the prints. First of all, all the water I use in the dark room passes through special filters capable of purifying it and retaining even the smallest impurities, I only use "fresh" and top quality chemicals. Obviously the whole procedure is standardized for maximum precision, from the dilution of the chemical compounds, to the temperature of the solutions, to the respective immersion times in them. To ensure the maximum duration of the photographic prints, I subject them to a double fixing treatment and a short but very important color change with selenium (thanks to a chemical reaction it has a strong stabilizing power).
This is followed by a fundamental and deep washing with a "hypo clearing" in a special washing machine designed specifically for cleaning photographic prints. Thanks to its peculiarities and only after the use of a large amount of running water, previously filtered and kept at a constant temperature of about 20 °, it is able to remove all chemical agents, mainly fixing residues, which otherwise over time they would inexorably lead to the deterioration of the print. Whoever buys a photograph of me can be sure that it will remain perfectly unchanged for many years, probably centuries.
I also personally carry out the assembly phases of the prints on the support cartons, and the creation of the dedicated passepartout. Both media have high conservation characteristics and are classified:
"Museum Quality".
They are 100% natural cartons that meet the most stringent conservation tests
to preserve the prints for years to come. The photo is assembled through the use of a thermo press. A special thermal glue in sheets is inserted between the print and the supporting cardboard, the three surfaces are placed in the thermo press for a predetermined time, the heat activates the glue which, by means of the pressure it is subjected to, welds the print indissolubly. to the backing carton. This type of editing gives the photograph an unparalleled flatness and temporal stability.
On the back of the supporting cardboard I apply my stamp, which contains all the information necessary for the cataloging of the photograph, where I indicate: traditional print with silver salts, title of the photograph, date of creation of the negative, date of creation of the print, number sequential printing and signature.