Interview with Magali Agnello on Photography Trends

Website:
https://www.behance.net/magaliagnello

Country: Argentina

Photography Genres: Conceptual, Creative, Fine Art and Portrait

Fave Camera Brand: Canon

Socials:
Instagram

What’s in your camera bag?

• Canon 6D
• Canon 450D
• Canon 50mm 1.8
• Canon 24-105mm
• Canon 70-300mm

Are there any specific equipment or gear innovations that you believe will have a significant impact on the industry in 2024?

I haven’t been able to use one yet, but I think that mirrorless cameras will continue to get better and have the greatest impact.

Where do you get the latest news on new gear? Where do you usually buy new gear?

Usually, I don’t follow too much about new gear because, in my country access to photography equipment is really expensive. All my equipment is second-hand.

How is photography making the world a better place in 2024?

I think that one of the most important attributes of photography is how it is an excuse for people to be more observant of their reality. Photography invites people to stop and look at what they have in front of them, and to me, that makes the world a better place. When someone stops and actually sees, many things can happen from that moment, things that can change the world or at least that person’s world.

What emerging photography trends do you foresee gaining popularity in 2024?

I think that IA-related things will emerge more, especially when used to edit images.

If you could pick a photography mentor in 2024, who would you pick? Why?

Joel Robison – because he’s been my inspiration since I started; how he talks about mental health and shows that in his photography is truly amazing, and his creativity never ceases to amaze me.

The unavoidable question: How do you see the use of artificial intelligence or machine learning impacting photography in 2024?

I think it is a complicated topic because a lot of ethical problems will emerge from that; it’s advancing faster than we are able to process it. To me, if it is well used, it can be a useful tool to save time in repetitive boring tasks (like editing, particularly). But the part of images created completely by IA that seems like real photographs has the potential to cause a lot of trouble, troubles that maybe we are not imagining yet.

What is your favorite photography-related book or resource that will continue to have a significant impact on your career in 2024? Why?

“The Elements of Photography: Understanding and Creating Sophisticated Images of Angela Faris Belt”. That book is one I keep returning to after many years because it gave me a way of approaching artistic photography that I continuously teach my students.

What is your go-to method for overcoming creative block and finding inspiration in 2024?

Changing perspective radically. I found out that when I’m blocked, taking a picture from a different perspective than I usually do or actually leaving my comfort zone does a wonderful job of giving inspiration back to me. We don’t have to be afraid of taking photographs that are not our usual type or genre.

If you could give one piece of advice to a beginner in photography, what would it be?

Doing a project of taking one picture per day for a determined amount of time (30 days, 60 days, 365 days). It’s something I know that can be exhausting, but it’s really an amazing way to learn a lot because it forces you to practice, gain discipline, and develop creativity and technique.

And never give up, even in those days when nothing makes sense. In those days, return to what photography made you feel when you first started.

What is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness as a photographer in 2024?

My biggest strength is that I’m confident about my art now. I had received recognitions that helped me see that what I do is actually good and even helped people. For a week, I thought I didn’t have the same energy as before to make some kind of images like self-portraits, but I would like to have it again.

Return to what photography made you feel when you first started.

Magali Agnello

What is the most important factor to consider when choosing a photography niche or specialization in 2024?

Maybe it is a cliché saying this, but my answer is that you have to really like it. People who do things they don’t like won’t get too far because their work will lack passion. And liking it actually drives you to learn more and get better and better, and that is what eventually would make people know you in your field.

Is there anything else you would like to add or any final thoughts you would like to share about your artistic journey, inspirations, or the impact you hope to make through your photography?

An artist who paints dragons and is known worldwide once said to me: “Never stop doing what you are passionate about because eventually it blossoms.” That phrase kept me going when I was so frustrated that I wanted to leave photography completely. But I didn’t, and last year, I was able to gift him my first published book, one of the flowers of my work. That was a really special moment for me. If something is your passion, it doesn’t matter how many people like it or how well-known you are. Recognition will eventually come. The important thing is to keep enjoying the journey, remember what photography makes you feel, and explore all the things you wish to share with the world.

You think we missed an important question? Feel free to both formulate and answer that question here! Any final thoughts? Feel free to add them below.

“What do you think is the biggest impact your work had?”

It really surprised me that some pictures I did that weren’t that good actually made a difference to some people or inspired them somehow. That and all the work I do about photography and writing dedicated to mental health. That one person saying to me, “I took your picture to my psychologist’s appointment because it truly shows what I’m feeling”, is one of the best things someone can say to me. I love to know that I had that kind of impact.