Photographer Showcase: Amanda Bellucco

Amanda Bellucco Today we are starting a new series of blog posts where we will showcase the work of various photographers. Hopefully these posts will serve as inspiration, and they can also help you to get connected with others in the industry. Today we are featuring Amanda Bellucco, a very talented photographer from New York. In addition to photography, Amanda also writes for B&H as well as other online publications. We’ll start with a few interview questions to get to know more about Amanda, and a showcase of her work follows.

Connect with Amanda:
Portfolio | Twitter | Facebook

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

I’m a photographer, writer, and artist from Upstate New York. My photography has a heavy focus on food and product, as well as various types of creative and traditional portraiture. When I’m not on a job, I’m painting, wood-crafting, or brainstorming a personal photo project. Anything to be creative! I’m very fortunate to have a lot of fun doing what I do, both in work and in play.

At what point did you know that you wanted a career in photography?

My sophomore year in college. I was an art student figuring out which direction to focus my attention, and photography just happened. I put my all into it and never looked back. I actually tackled film first, and focused on learning that for almost a year before graduating to digital. Starting out with analog was a huge benefit in my opinion, and I still use (and collect) film cameras. I’m glad to see its resurgence in popularity amongst younger photographers.

Of the different types of photography that you do, is there anything that stands out as being your favorite?

From a business aspect, I especially love food. Cooking is a very important part of my culture, and a huge creative outlet for me. So styling it and shooting it feels very natural. I also really like working with people, especially kids. They make me laugh, and it gives me an excuse to act like a big kid myself when I’m on a shoot. Creatively, I love anything with history. Old buildings, houses, cemeteries…and the more decrepit their state, the better. There’s just such a calm, eerie beauty about it that always fascinates me. It’s become one of my mission statements as an artist to give life back to things that have been forgotten.

Do you have a dream location or session that you would love to shoot?

More than I can probably recollect. Off the top of my head, any of the Scandinavian countries. I would love to spend time there just getting lost with my camera. Opposite end of the spectrum, I could fall in love shooting the scenery in Bora Bora.

Who or what are the biggest influences on your work?

I take inspiration from so many different avenues, not all of them photography. It depends on the subject matter and my mood, to a degree. When I think of compositions I love, I think of Magritte. When I shoot architectural elements (for my own enjoyment), I think of de Chirico. If I want dramatic lighting in a portrait, Man Ray is in the forefront of my mind. It comes in from everywhere. I also make an effort to stay current with contemporary artists, and because I do a lot of product photography, advertising. Trends come and go, and it’s helpful to be one step ahead of the client.