WHO IS MONICA FABIANI?
Thank you for taking a moment to read about me.
I’m Monica, an Italian who has wandered far and wide and lived abroad for many years. I’m an adventurer with a
restless soul.
Photography has been my passion for a very long time. I’ve been travelling around the world since I was a child
and from an early age I absorbed three languages so that I could get closer to the cultures I encountered. I studied
everything I came across with an intense curiosity and a deep thirst for knowledge. It was my desire to preserve
and celebrate my wonderful experiences and memories over the years that compelled me to buy my first compact
film camera. It was a natural, spontaneous response without any thought for the techniques behind the art.
I’ve always hated user manuals, they bore me. I have no interest in technical instructions, I like to follow my
instincts. And that’s how I started photography, following my free spirit and natural inclinations of the moment.
I have always been more interested in the detail rather than the big picture. I have invested in equipment over the
years, moving from film to digital to keep up with the times. Everything I’ve learned and continue to learn about
photography is completely self-taught and based on my experiences in the field. The only technical course I have
ever taken was when I worked in a darkroom for a year, printing my own creations in black and white. I would
spend a whole weekend getting just one photo right; I treasure this as a formative experience and wonderful
memory. As a self-taught photographer, I have realised that the key to good photography is the very light that
surrounds us. Learn to master light and you have the whole world in your hands, whatever camera you use. I
love taking photos in natural light. I don’t use flash and I try to work in harmony with ambient light as much as
possible.
Passion and curiosity do the rest. Ten years on and my wealth of experience and the consistent support of friends
and associates have brought me to a very professional level of photography. The world of photography is a
difficult domain; only a few can make a living from this luxurious, marvellous art. But I have worked
passionately over the last two years, tirelessly forging my identity. I started by taking online courses and
comparing my work with that of other professional photographers – the only way my work can improve is
through criticism.
A recent meeting in Spain with Alain Laboile, a photographer who encapsulates my entire vision of the world,
was a huge inspiration and changed my entire outlook in the space of just a few weeks.
I love nature, the great outdoors, but recently I have turned to portraits, which I consider a major challenge. Here
again I use natural light and the subjects are never posed. It’s an extension of how I see people around me
because this is how I am, spontaneous and feisty, with all my ups and downs.
I like to capture expressions that open a window to a person’s soul. I love being able to tell stories through my
camera.
Working on themes is a great incentive for me. I like nothing better than identifying a project and highlighting all
its many facets.
I’m on a long journey, but I’m not in a hurry. I have so many projects, so many ideas.
I feel my creativity is boundless. I live my life and I try to photograph the reality around me as much as I can.
What does the future hold for me? Who knows, anything is possible.
I live, I breathe, I take photos.