Think Before You Shoot: Remo Fiorenza on Storytelling, Film and Fashion
A visual project centered on geometric purity, material performance, and formal rigor, bathed in the stark light of early afternoon. The editorial explores the aesthetic synergy between the crisp white court lines, the textural density of the brown clay, and the architectural nature of the garments. Technical apparel, mesh textures, and ultra-lightweight membranes form a wardrobe that is minimalist yet powerful. Under overhead lighting that eliminates subtle gradations and slices through the space with sharp, graphic shadows, the female body becomes an integral part of the set, celebrating a femininity that is proud, athletic, and supremely sophisticated.
OUT OF BOUNDS is one of the twenty editorials in MALVIE MAIN ISSUE 72, the 190-page, perfect-bound November 2026 main issue of MALVIE Magazine.
Order MALVIE MAIN ISSUE 72 in print:
Remo Fiorenza: the interview
After those first workshops in 2016, you realized fashion photography was the only genre that truly interested you. What does fashion photography give you that no other kind of image can?
For me, fashion photography has never been merely about clothes; it is about storytelling and synergy. Compared to other genres, it offers me total creative freedom: I can invent a world from scratch, create a character, and tell a story within a single frame. While other types of photography document reality, fashion allows you to rewrite, idealize, or subvert it.
The true magic, what made me fall in love with this world, lies in the fact that you are never alone behind the lens. There is the work of the designer, the stylist, and the makeup artists, alongside the model's interpretation.
Fashion photography offers me the unique opportunity to direct a collective of talents; that perfect alignment of diverse visions coming together to create a powerful, iconic final image delivers an adrenaline rush that I don't think any other photographic genre can provide.
If you had to describe the kind of photographer you are to someone who has never seen your work, what would you tell them about the way you see and the way you work on set?
I would describe myself as a photographer who values order yet thrives on the energy of the set, combining technical rigor with a deep, ongoing cultural inquiry. I firmly believe that mastering the photographic medium is merely the starting point; a hunger for knowledge is what truly makes the difference. That is why I go beyond studying the great masters of the past and contemporary icons, dedicating significant time to research through industry publications.
I love immersing myself in the study of past, present, and future trends, decoding the visions of various designers to understand their evolution. This analytical, inquisitive approach allows me to be more than just an executor of tasks; I become an informed interpreter capable of engaging in a visual dialogue with the brand’s identity. On set, I always aim to bring an elegant, conceptual vision, planning every detail meticulously while maintaining strong team harmony, yet I remain open to spontaneous inspiration to capture true magic.
You shoot on full frame digital, but also choose analog medium format cameras for editorials. What does film bring to an image, and how does it change the way you work with a model?
Choosing analog medium format for an editorial means embracing a more analytical and reflective approach that aligns with my vision. This demands rigorous discipline on set: the pace slows, the model senses the significance of every single pose, and the shoot transforms into a choreographed performance where technical precision meets intense expressive focus.I love analog photography because it imposes a mental and creative discipline that risks being lost in today’s era of instant digital imagery.
Shooting on film means slowing down and forcing oneself to think deeply before every single click. With a limited number of frames available, every decision regarding light, composition, and the rapport with the model must be deliberate and exacting; it represents the ultimate expression of fine photographic technique.
Moreover, film possesses a texture, grain, and color rendition with an intrinsic soul, one rooted in the history of fashion photography and its masters. For me, this is not a nostalgic return to the past but a tool for anticipating the future; it is a bold editorial choice that imbues images with a tangible quality, a poetic imperfection, and a visual truth that digital formats struggle to replicate.
Your path includes masterclasses in lighting, editorial work, fashion storytelling and commercial photography. Which lesson from those years still guides you every time you pick up the camera?
The greatest lesson I carry with me from those years of masterclasses and commercial shoots is that technique must be entirely at the service of the story, never the other way around. An in-depth study of lighting isn't about creating an "academically perfect" shot; it’s about gaining the precision to translate a cultural concept or an emotion into light. If I had to sum it all up in a single golden rule that guides me with every click, I would say: "Think before you shoot." Constantly moving between the rigor of commercial work and editorial storytelling has taught me that high-level fashion photography requires deep intentionality.
Every choice, from the angle of a light to the decision to shoot on film, must be grounded in cultural research and precise analysis. At the same time, this journey has taught me the value of mindful flexibility: I plan every detail on set, yet I remain ready to handle the unexpected. This solid foundation prevents me from being a mere executor of tasks and allows me to act as a conscious director, capable of harmonizing visual balance, expressive truth, and brand identity.
For two years you have been the official photographer for a fashion designer, and you also love catalogs and lookbooks. How do you balance showing a garment clearly with telling a story around it?
Working consistently with Sara for the past two years has allowed me to develop a deep understanding of her vision. When shooting a lookbook or catalog, I strike the ideal balance through rigorous planning: I am not merely executing a task, but acting as a conscious interpreter. Clarity demands pinpoint precision in lighting the fabrics and selecting poses, ensuring the garment's material qualities are clearly defined and the brand's identity is honored.
Storytelling, on the other hand, emerges through nuances, the choice of location, the color palette, a subtle movement, or the model's gaze. I never isolate the garment from the world it belongs to; instead, I use composition and my own cultural research to ensure every shot speaks the designer's language. I firmly believe that an excellent lookbook must both inform the buyer and move the viewer; with a solid command of the medium, I can create a dialogue between the geometric precision of commercial photography and the collection's conceptual atmosphere.
Venafro is a town rich in history, and your work in privacy compliance keeps you close to the fashion world. Looking ahead, what plans and dreams do you have for your photography in the years to come?
I find an invisible yet powerful thread connecting my work in privacy compliance with my photography: at their core, both are concerned with respect, boundaries, and identity. Privacy safeguards the essence of individuals, and on set, I strive to do the same, protecting and highlighting the soul of my subjects. At the same time, living in Venafro, a city where history and the layers of time are palpable in every corner, from the Historic Center to the majestic Pandone Castle and the magnificent, vital archaeological museum, constantly teaches me patience and the pursuit of enduring beauty.
Looking to the future, my projects follow a dual path. On one hand, I want to remain a key point of reference for Sara with whom I collaborate, evolving alongside each new collection.
On the other, my greatest aspiration is to create global campaigns and covers for the most prestigious fashion houses and international publications. I want to solidify my role not merely as a photographer, but as a true creative partner for brands; I envision my visual culture and sensitivity to trends serving as tools to redefine their imagery, creating pictures that transcend the fleeting nature of screens to endure and become part of fashion photography history.
Among my immediate plans is an ambitious editorial project, shot entirely on analog film, that will create a dialogue between the archival tailoring of the great masters of the past and the avant-garde visions of emerging designers.
OUT OF BOUNDS credits
Photographer: Remo Fiorenza @remo.fiorenza
Model: Anna Galasso @_galassoanna_
Comments