Photographer: Dominic Bugatto
City, Country: Toronto, Canada
Website or Portfolio Site: http://dominicbugattophotography.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dbugatto/
What is your name? Dominic Bugatto
When did you begin listening to The Candid Frame? Roughly 4 yrs ago
How long have you been shooting and what inspired your interest in photography? I studied photography in university and later incorporated it into my process as an Illustrator. Having children further has compelled me to document my life and the places I've lived to a greater degree. I was also motivated by the unreliable nature of memory.
Do you have a preferred genre or specialty of photography? Why? Not particularly, I shoot whatever, and wherever I am. The majority of the images tend to fall into the street/documentary genre. It’s more or less a reflection of my day to day.
What subject matter, themes, ideas do you like to explore or inspire your photography? I like the idea discovering the beauty in the banal, the every-day. It’s very relatable for most who tend to ignore these aspects of life.
What creative or professional goals do you have for your photography? To get better and make pictures that engage people and if I’m lucky, provide them with a different way of seeing their surroundings that enlightens them and makes them see their environment in a different light.
Do you have an interesting story or anecdote for one of the images you have submitted in your portfolio? Image #2 features fragments of both my kids, their cut off forms work perfectly in the frame. The irony is that when I’m out with them on the streets I’m usually telling them to get out of my frame. Sometimes the subject matter is right under your nose.
Do you have any personal projects that you have or are working on that we would find of interest? For the last 6+ yrs, I’ve been documenting the demise of pay phones and have assembled a large collection of ‘portraits’ of them from my travels. The Government of Canada recently acquired several prints from this series for the Library and Archives of Canada.
What is your favorite piece of equipment, software or accessory that makes a difference in your photography? Why? I switched to a mirrorless Fujifilm camera 3 yrs ago and it’s changed the way I shoot. The intuitive controls, fixed focal length and smaller size allow the camera to almost disappear. The less I have to think about my gear the better, for me, it’s just the ideal tool to make pictures with.
What tip or suggestion has best helped your development as a photographer? Why? Never become complacent about your Art or the process, always aspire to get better . I bring the same attitude to my illustration, I maintain that I will always be a student of my craft.
Which episode of The Candid Frame photography podcast would you recommend to others? Why? Candid Frame Ep#19 with Joel Meyerowitz, It’s an old one I know, I always like to hear what he has to say about photography, it’s always intelligent and thought-provoking.
What photographer or artist would you recommend for our listeners to discover and explore? (Please include a website link) I’ll try and steer away from the obvious. One of my favorite Canadian photographers is Greg Girard, a lot of his work over the yrs has been done in Asia but one of my most treasured books of his is ‘Under Vancouver 1972 -1982’. Check out his work, it’s worth it.
Dana Stirling is a fine art photographer and the Co-Founder & Editor In-Chief of Float Photo Magazine since 2014. Originally from Jerusalem Israel, Dana is now based in Queens New York. She received her MFA from The School Of Visual Arts in Photography, Video, and Related Media in 2016 and her BA from Hadassah College Jerusalem in Photographic Communications in 2013. Her latest book is Why Am I Sad.