Artworks photography workshop: an experience with the Flexicam X - By Arch. Marcello Fara

We met Dr. Arch. Marcello Fara after the conclusion of the Workshop with his students from the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence to have his report on this experience:

"The course on Photography of the work of art, held at the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence, was structured to have a theoretical-practical approach. The aim was to give the students a dual training, theoretical and technical-operational, to have a basis on which to begin to understand, concretely, the areas and methodologies with which one intervenes, professionally, in the photographic theme covered in the course itself.

The choice of the equipment to be used was an important aspect, because it characterizes a high profile professional figure, since, above all, through the choice and knowledge of the tools with which one operates today, the expected results are achieved, whether they are artistic-creative or those in which a more rigorous approach is required, such as architecture and sculpture shooting, and of the other arts, in which, for the correct reading of the work, it is necessary to master the technical, historical and artistic knowledge, which will be translated into images."

The decision to use the Flexicam X view camera in combination with the Fuji GFX camera body guarantees professional results and the possibility of introducing perspective corrections manually. In addition to controlling the perspectives, the possibility of narrowing or amplifying the sharpness area on the image plane is a fundamental option.

"I had the opportunity to experience this with the students of this workshop, who were approaching this type of photography and with these tools for the first time; for this workshop I used a lens designed and created by Silvestri srl, the Apo Silvetar f. 5.6/35mm. It proved to be of very high quality in terms of sharpness and resolution, three-dimensional plasticity and colour rendering.

" The reduced use of automatisms and the possibility of intervening in a discretionary manner makes the student a participant and protagonist in the construction of the photographic image and the immediate availability of the image on screen, makes its subsequent processing easy.

The photographs were taken during the workshop, therefore they are the result of the first experiences but are nevertheless indicative of a path to follow."

Our cordial greetings go to these students, and encouragement for future experiences in this disciplinary field. Sincere thanks also go to the director of the Academy of Fine Arts of Florence, prof. arch. Claudio Rocca, who wanted and supported this workshop aware of the importance of being able to come into contact with the skills transferred by highly trained professionals.

Arch. Marcello Fara