About
Francesco Mussida is an award-winning Italian fine art photographer with a deep knowledge of silver gelatin printing.
His work focuses mainly on the plant world, choosing a totally analog approach, using exclusively vintage cameras and following the methods of manual processing of film development and limited edition printing.
His works on plants reflect deep attention to the way nature expresses its language through forms, movements and propagations.
For these works, like In-Difesa and Native series, he chose the form of the portrait as a method of all-encompassing observation towards light, subject and air.
Each portrait is made in the field with the precise intention of respecting environmental influences. No plants were cut down for my shots, and never will be.
He chose a totally analog approach, using exclusively vintage cameras and following the methods of manual processing of film development and printing.
The mission behind this choice is to preserve a natural space between observer and observed subject, avoiding any kind of digital interpretation and always keeping involved natural variables such as light, time and emotions.
Since 2016 he has been teaching film development and analog printing techniques and runs a blog entirely dedicated to analog culture www.stampaanalogica.it
Pinus Pinea from “Native” series received an honorable mention at Monochrome Photography Awards 2022.
"In-Difesa" has made it to the final round of Jury voting and is awarded the title "Official Selection" in the International Photography Awards 2022.
The print "Fear," from the "In Difesa" series, received an honorable mention at the ND Award 2022.
The "In Difesa" series was awarded with two honorable mentions in the international Re-Focus photography Award 2022 for the categories "Film/Analog" and "Nature"
The story behind the logo
This graphic mark comes from a shot I took for the Native series.
It is the bud of a pine tree and I chose it as a symbol because it condenses concepts that are central to my vision of analog photography: Authenticity and spontaneity are qualities that invite me to ask myself what I am feeling while I am photographing and while I am creating the print.
Wind and happenstance brought that little seed to rest in one spot, and from that exact spot it begins its journey in search of light.
It adapts to what it has around it, becomes part of it, and develops the project within itself. Is this not what a photographer does?
Approach
Each shot has been taken using old vintage cameras, consequently films have been developed manually following traditional methods.
The final result of this 100% analog process are delicate (and long-lasting) handmade gelatin silver prints created in the darkroom using wonderful fiber paper.
Each work come in a limited edition of original handmade gelatin silver prints, signed, numbered and accompanied by its own certificate of authenticity.
Each edition will be specially printed and placed in an acid free museum passepartout when the order is placed, effectively making each print unique.