By Mugume Canarie
Whenever you talk about Fashion Photography here in Uganda, Giulio Molfese’s name regularly surfaces. The Award winning photographer has done photography for 25 years now. He talked to BIGEYE.UG about his career, passion for photography and his personal life.
1. Who is Guilio Molfese?
I am a 42 year old photographer, born in Italy. Am the C.E.O of Foto4Fashion company. I started photography at the age of 16.
2. Where did all the passion for photography develop from?
Photography is a way of expressing oneself, so I couldn’t find any other way of expressing my self-other than Photography. It all started way back in Italy where I was working for a National Magazine covering social issues like immigrants, conflicts and tribe disputes. Unlike the current digital situation, back in the days there were no digital cameras and all I used was camera that operates on a film. Printing out an image was so expensive, but that didn’t stop me from continuing with the love for photography.
3. For how long have you been in Uganda and how did you end up living here?
I came to Uganda 10years ago, where I had come to cover conflicts in South Sudan and Congo and then I realized Uganda was a very beautiful country in nature with hospitable people. So after, me and friends decided to establish a safaris company thus ended up living here.
4. What pushed you to specialise in Fashion Photography?
I found a lot of energy and talent here in Uganda, beautiful models, determined designers and this encouraged me to establish a company – foto4fashion – that was 3 years ago.
5. What are some of the projects you have worked on and what challenges have you faced?
I have worked on Miss Uganda project, Miss EastAfrica Project, Sylvia Awori, Hellen Lukoma, AirporTaxi, commercial adverts and many more. I have realized there is still inadequate market here in Uganda. Working with unprofessional clients too has been a challenge. Weak photography copyright has been an obstacle, I think the country needs to upgrade, expand, update and improve on copyright of photography because at the end of the day, one who has invested in money, time and resources needs to be credited.
6. Besides work, what do you do in your free time?
Well, am a home person. But once in a while I hang out with friends.
7. Tell us about some of the achievements in your career?
I have been able to sell musicians internationally via photography. I have won 2 awards so far. That is Best Fashion Photographer at the Abryanz men’s Explosion awards and still I won The Best Photographer in the African Fashion Walk Awards, I have got opportunities to work with professional Designers and models on international standards. Besides, photography has been my job for all these years.
8. Are you married, single or engaged?
Am in a relationship with a beautiful Ugandan lady and we are getting married pretty soon and that’s when we plan to have kids.
9. What are the three things you can’t live without?
I cannot live without art, because even without a camera am always taking pictures in my mind. I cannot live without photography itself and then my family.
10.Where do you see yourself in the next 10 years?
I would love so much to establish a photography school here to develop the young talent and teach them about the visual, techniques, composition of art in photography because at the end of the day it will be my pleasure seeing more professionalism plus these young designers and models being credited and recognized international wise. And of course more of family life in these coming years is what I expect.
11. Any advice to the young talent that looks upto you?
Well, all I can say is try to learn more and more. Endeavour to experiment and acquire more knowledge on whatever you are doing. It’s the experience you have that gives you the final quality of the image. The more the experience, the better the results.
“[katogoaward]”
