Alberto Tandoi describes what photography means to him with a famous quote by Diane Arbus.
Diane Arbus is intimate and twilight.
Alberto Tandoi searches for the essence of the human soul with casual depth.
Alberto Tandoi is the second of the photographers we have selected for our column dedicated to young artists.
Italian, lover of culture in all its forms, former graffiti artist: currently Alberto lives in London where he collaborates with some of the most famous magazines in the world (L’Officiel, Cosmopolitan, Fantastics, etc.).
His reportage approach makes his style very interesting.
He is an outsider in fashion system.
400 Km, the project he presents at Vanity Teen, is a visual journal, chronicling encounters scattered throughout London.
That’s what he told us.
Hi Alberto! According to you, what’s photography?
Hi VTeen! :-)
I love Diane Arbus‘s quote: “A picture is a secret about a secret, the more it tells you, the less you know.”
I believe this perfectly describes what photography is. It is a faulty narrative tool, describing without ever fully revealing. For me, photography also serves as a green pass to places and people that would otherwise be out of reach.
How could you describe your style?
I don’t think I have a specific style; I approach each project differently. However, what I strive to maintain consistently is a straightforward, clean approach, and honesty in my work.
Do you have your own reference photographers ?
I really admire the work of many photographers, and the list would be too long. However, if I had to pick three, they would be Jeff Wall, William Eggleston, and Diane Arbus.
What’s your background?
When I was a teenager, I was a graffiti artist and really loved the culture in all its forms, and I started documenting my experiences with a camera. During university, I studied Design. It was during my Erasmus exchange in Germany that I truly discovered my passion for photography through a course in reportage photography at the faculty.
I immersed myself in the medium and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We had assignments to develop projects over 2-3 weeks and present them to the class.
I dedicated all my time to taking pictures, developing films, and printing in the darkroom. After finishing university, I pursued further studies in photography in Milan. Then I sold my Vespa and moved to London, where I continued to work commercially as a photographer while constantly exploring personal projects.
Let’s talk about the series you’re presenting on Vanity Teen Digital, 400 Km. It’s actually a book made up of impromptu images that you took all over the streets of London, the city where you live and work at the moment.
Tell us all about.
400 Kilometers is a visual journal, chronicling encounters scattered throughout London. Taking portraits on the street, especially with a clunky camera like my Mamiya RB67, which requires a tripod and time to set up, allowed me to truly ‘look’ at the people who sparked my visual interest. In doing so, perhaps unconsciously,create my ideal London, or at least the one I am attracted to.
Do you have any favorite shot from the series?
I love all of them, but it was great to randomly bump into Philip Sallon on the street. He looked amazing and kindly allowed me to photograph him. It was such a pleasure to capture such an icon. :-)
“Photography is more than a medium for factual communication of ideas. It is a creative art”, Ansel Adams said one day. Is photography a form of contemporary art? How can you contextualize it in 2024?
Photography isn’t inherently an art form by itself; rather, it serves as a language that can be utilized in various ways,with art being one of its applications.
As a communication device, photography is flawed—it works poorly by itself and always needs contextualization. Probably even in some cases unintentionally, its uses are closer to the state of being art than to being a document of reality.
A letter to your future self.
Hi Alberto,
I hope you are well.
I hope you’ve been having fun and still love the process as much as you used to.
Appreciate the journey, stay curious, inspired, and open.
Enjoy the ride! :-)
With love,
A.T.
