Pictures Through Pinholes: Alessandra Capodacqua

 Ciao My Readers, 
          As priorly mentioned,   I have a new angle and with it a new understanding of the contemporary especially in photography and mixed media.

On February 10th 2011, I attended a lecture given by photographer; curator and teacher. Alessandra Capodacqua. Capodacqua became interested in photography during her mid-teens. Thereby, she was gifted a camera upon her eighteenth birthday to celebrate her favorite hobby. In the 1970's , photography was mainly a hobby and was not viewed as a satifisying career choice. Thus, Capodacqua majored in English but held onto her dream of one day becoming an accomplished photographer. Upon graduation, Capodacqua moved to Florence to actualize her dream. At the time, She was merely a commercial photographer. Yet ,in 1992 she suffered an eye affliction, which transformed her entire body of work. In response to her ailment, Capadacqua began to make and use pin hole cameras because they were easier on her eyes since they did not contain a lens or viewfinder.  these works set on 35 mm film were by far Capodacqua's most successful body of work.

 Capodacqua uses a myriad of photographic techniques such as black and white, color aperture, movement and lighting. She also displays varying subject matter with her self-portraits, landscapes, still lives, impressions and emersions. Her incredibly innovative style of showing her film with sprocket-holes adds to the architectural and atmospheric elements within her landscape photography.  Her ability to stretch the boundaries of photography without compromising her image via Photoshop is commendable. She creates new methods of picture making merely through movement behind and in front of the camera.


I am highly fascinated with the paranormal and the Macabre; thereby Capodacqua’s theme of being and non-being captivates me. She utilizes movement and color to play with memory and illusion. Her portraits embody the true example of creating something out of nothing as displayed with her innovative techniques and self made cameras.

I have a great appreciation for Capodacqua as a pinhole photographer and teacher. Pinhole cameras may be the easiest cameras to construct. Yet, the art of pin - hole photography is very time-consuming and in Capodacqua’s case requires much attention since she refuses to discard any film.  Capodacqua's work is truly a spectacle, to learn more about this resilient artists visit her website at http://www.alessandracapodacqua.com/

a preso, 

<3 Belladonna