Also known as Permanent Lighting, Daniele has been travelling the world for many years, shooting surf and everything that surrounds it. From California to Indonesia, from France to Italy, Daniele is always around the corner with a bunch of analog cameras to capture everything that happens in front of his lens.
We asked Daniele a few questions about photography and surfing amongst other things.
Permanent Lighting shot by Xavier Cierra
SE : How did you get into photography, what’s your first memory with a camera ?
PL : Photography, well that goes back in time, my dad always loved photography for his work and passion, dad was a lot into macro photography of nature, insects, plants pathologies etc... he was the first person to give me his Canon F1 when I was 13/14 years old . Film was expensive back then and now even more. Also always growing up, my uncle was a DP (director of photography) in movies in LA for 25 years, that s another reason that brought me to california back in 1996... but that s another story.
SE : Why film and dark room at the period of digital and A.I. ?
PL : Why film ? Many reasons,
- the beauty of making art thru a medium that was invented like that
- because digital is different
- because you can physically touch your photos, work with them and not only have a file to look and manipulate on a computer screen.
- because every film is different and beautiful in its own peculiar way
- because it is the only way, not easy and not inexpensive, where you can always challenge yourself, everything is more complicated.
-because it makes me jump back in time like the real master lensmen used to work a while back.
I can go on forever, the list is long...
Joel Tudor - The Bu, 120mm
SE: How do you see surfing these days ? Who inspires you to go in the water and shoot ?
PL : Oh well surfing these days is quite complicated to define, on a style point of view, honestly since 1990 when I started it s never been this good, on every category from shortboards to mid lengths to longboards the level and display of talents is absolutely out of control. On a industry point of view the situation changes and it s becoming a little too hectic, brands production are chasing and endless race to fill the shops that it s not leading to anything constructive I guess, from a surfing spirit side to a pollution and mass production of stuff that in most cases will never be sold. Surf industry should be the first to think about the environment.
Riding waves before the 90's was the real deal.
The industry was still growing and everything was more for an elite group of people.
Stay pure.
Everyone inspires me to be honest, personality and style is key, everytime I go in the water and shoot, I do it because I want to do it. Film put yourself in a different set of mind.
I shoot surfers and people that I find interesting, I will look at those negatives for long time and cost money and lots of time.
Picking the right surfer or person is very important.
When I shoot for others, I like everyone, always.
SE : If you could have dinner with 2 people (dead or alive) who would it be and why ?
PL : Oh shit that’s a good question, easily I could add a zero and make 20 instead of two. Well dinner with Donald Takayama for many reasons but the most important one is because we lost tracks with him for many years and one day when I was driving to LA from SD my friend Joey Scott asked me to stop by DT's factory to get a couple boards for him that he was waiting for me and I didn't, after two months he passed away. I always met him briefly and never got the chance to hang and listen to his stories.
Second person Ron Church along with Leroy Grannis masters of surf photography, not enough interviews left of them.
Alex Knost - Cruise control, 35mm
SE : What’s always in your van ?
PL : Always in my van... uhmmm
-opinel knife
-swim fins
-extra pair of sandals
-towel
-steer block baseball bat
-couple boxes where I store a lot more stuff
SE : Favorite camera ?
PL : I just finally bought an M6 Leica and I am as satisfied as a photographer can be for reportage/ lifestyle fotos, portraits Pentax 6x7 the II is better, for water and sport I use Canon.
My dad likes Nikon.
SE : Favorite wave ?
PL : I don't have a favorite wave to be honest. Been surfing for too long to remember them all. I have some waves I like to ride more often and I travel to go surf them. My dog was named Swami for 15 years maybe that’s it, here's the answer.
Ryan Burch - The Eagle II, 35mm
SE : Favorite surfer to shoot with ?
PL : This is complicated cause the professionals I’ve been shooting during these years are all super talented and some are really good friends.
Can't name only one.
SE : Favorite meal ?
PL : Pasta, any type.
SE : Favorite song when in dark room ?
PL : I rent a darkroom in a friend s studio which do not allow any music cause other people work in the same location.
Even when I used to print in mine before I started living in it, I never really listened to music, to be honest, I get in a sort of pressure zone and the only thing I think is print and not miss anything.
SE : Favorite surfboard length ?
PL : 8.0 / 9.6 / 7.0
Joel Tudor - Solar Take-off, 35mm
We have, until the end of October, Daniele's exhibition, Subliminal Tide, on the walls of the store (you can have a look at the entire show online via our gallery).