Alberto Seveso

Alberto Seveso is an Italian born photographer whose work first appeared in the 1990s.  He currently works as a freelance photographer in Bristol, England for various agencies.  His client list includes Bacardi, ESPN magazine, Adobe and Nikon to name a few.

Initially he had a passion for graphic arts, in particular skate decks and cover art on CDs.  He merged this interest, along with the idea of how to create artwork using the computer.  He has been so successful in this endeavor, that he now produces artwork for musicians like Ice Cube and Carlos Santana.  His work appears in sport magazines like Riders, Playboy, Runner World Magazine and Popular Science.

Seveso photographs people.  However, the photograph is a small part of the overall process, it is what he does with his graphic design skill, post processing, that transforms his images into art.  His celebrity portraits include the surfer, Kelly Slater, Bill Andrews, molecular scientist and motorcycle racer, Jorge Lorenzo.  

Seveso’s images create a jigsaw puzzle of the person’s life.  The mechanics of what makes up this person and their public image.  Some are how the person operates and relate to what the public sees. 

Kelly Slater is a surfing legend.  His portrait features swirling artistically represented wave, which flow over the contours of his pectorals and biceps, in shades of the ocean.  The graphic overlays extend to the background and his trademark triple fin surfboard in his hand

Photographed by Alberto Seveso

Bill Andrews is a scientist who has researched molecular ageing.  Seveso uses some graphic overlay on Andrew’s forehead, however it is the background sketches of clocks and calibration instruments that tell the story of the scientist’s research. 

Photographed by Alberto Seveso

This image of Jorge Lorenzo has an engine superimposed on his chest, with flesh colored tubes of Lorenzo feeding into the engine mount, fueling his drive. The background is given equal attention with black and white sketches of engine parts informing us that this is in Lorenzo’s background.  Each art piece is contextualized to each individual client, the campaign and the subject.

Photographed by Alberto Seveso

Seveso’s images represent the public person and what that image is for a client.  He is not telling the story behind the person or their feelings.  Some may say this is a shallow representation, however, in terms of getting a message across about a celebrity and what makes them a public figure, he economical and precise.

There is no doubt that the images produced by Seveso capture the viewer’s attention.  However, the graphic detailing on the subject’s body, face, background and props hold the attention of anyone who looks at them.  Not only because he has photographed a celebrity but because the intricacy the swirls, flowers and images created in the overlay requires careful examination.

Seveso’s photo manipulation is dependent on the use of multiple layers.  The photographic image is enhance by the graphic art, and it is this visual imagery which changes a simple portrait to art.  One criticism is that his work depends so heavily on the graphic components that it is not longer photographic but graphic art

The images are visually pleasing with careful attention to colour selection.  He is able to maximize the use of his colour palate by choosing backgrounds, which compliment each design.  For example, using a dark monochromatic background colour scheme he makes the colours he does use seem more vibrant.  In these images, there is more complicated layering on the subject.  Images appearing on a light background are complimented with colourful splashing and more drawings and a greater emphasis on details outside the subject.

His work is used by small, medium and big businesses to promote their product.  It is advertising and to this end the images achieve that.  The persona, the product and the message being communicated to the public is not meant to convey the deepest darkest secrets of the subject, but the information available about the subject and what makes them a popular commodity.

To see more please visit http://burdu976.com

Posted by Alex