Interview with Freen | GBPW Episode 92

Talk to the director and producer of a production company. I’d focus on the producer because most of the time, directors don’t have the time to reply to messages. Express your interest in working with them. You can offer to be on set and take pictures for them. Usually, they don’t say no.

Francesca Perticarini

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This week’s guest is the imaginative Francesca Perticarini, also known as Freen, an Italian photographer based in Los Angeles. Francesca specialises in fine art and commercial photography. She has photographed famous rappers, taken fantasy-themed self-portraits, and created outstanding photographs using her editing skills.

We talk about:

• The inspiration behind Francesca’s fine art photography
• How she documented her move from Italy to the United States
• Tips for photographers who want to elevate their editing skills

& much more!

Francesca shares a lot of practical tips in this interview. I hope that her story inspires you to be a lifelong learner in photography!

Here is a preview of our conversation with Francesca Perticarini.

Q: What does fine art photography mean to you?

Francesca Perticarini: Fine art photography allows me to reinvent myself by creating a new reality that is completely up to me. There are no rules in what I do, and I get to create what’s on my mind. I’ve done many genres of photography: weddings, engagements, real estate, and more. There’s nothing that compares to how personal and fulfilling fine art can be.

I’ve documented my journey of coming to the United States through this genre of photography. If you look at my Flickr account, you’ll see the things that I created in my hometown in Italy and the cities where I lived in the United States. From the cold in Minnesota to an abandoned warehouse in Italy, I was able to create concepts along the way. Hopefully, you can feel every moment that I’ve lived.

Q: How long did it take you to build a strong commercial portfolio?

Francesca Perticarini: I started a separate business called 360 Studios less than a year ago. I focus on content creation for brands. I’ve built my portfolio by just buying products of brands that I would like to shoot for in the future.

I was pretty surprised because I’ve had some shoots with new clients since I started. I’ve been practicing since last year. There are a lot of new techniques that I taught myself, especially when it comes to lighting different types of products. If you’re already familiar with photography, I don’t think it’s a hard transition to make.

I’ve had the pleasure to be on set with some amazing production companies and artists. I’ve been on set for music videos for Roddy Ricch and other musicians.

Q: You moved to the US when you were a teenager, so you had to start over. How did you build your own community of photographers in a new place?

Francesca Perticarini: I would just offer to take pictures to whoever expressed interest. At that time, I was just taking pictures of friends. I would tell them how to pose, which was really hard for them. I started doing some theatre pictures when I was in Minnesota because the school was much smaller, so everyone knew me. Basically, I took photos for friends and anyone who wanted senior pictures.

It was much easier when I was in Minnesota. I also lived in Chicago when I first moved to the United States. It was such a big school. It was so hard to connect with other people. Since I had to go from one class to another, I didn’t have time to bond with anybody. My English was was terrible. It definitely took some time to be able to take pictures of people again.

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