About Adamo Morgese, Italian wedding photographer

A photographer’s son

Photography has been part of my life since childhood, because my father was a photographer. You can probably guess who my very first model was: my mother. She laughed a lot watching me play the paparazzo every time I pointed a camera at her.

At six years old I started working in the darkroom – and, if you allow me the pun, that is where I was first enlightened about the magic of photography. For a young boy it was something extraordinary.

From the darkroom to Milan

Growing up, I compared my pictures with the ones in magazines and advertisements. Mine were nowhere near as good, and every time I asked myself the same question: how did they do that? That frustration became my goal – to learn to match those photographs, and then do better.

My pictures improved as I kept experimenting, but eventually I knew I needed proper professional training. I studied photography for three demanding years at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan and specialised in advertising and still-life photography. When I finished, I went straight into professional work. That was the real beginning.

Why I photograph weddings

Today I work as a wedding photographer across Italy – above all on the Sorrento Peninsula and the Amalfi Coast, in Puglia, in Tuscany and in Rome, but also in Venice and on Lake Como. I put all my energy into creating original work for every couple, and I treat each wedding with the same enthusiasm and commitment.

I still learn something new every day, and I hope that never stops. One of the things I value most is that many couples stay in touch with me long after their wedding. That means a great deal to me.

How I photograph a wedding

My style is reportage – wedding photojournalism. I stay unobtrusive, a fly on the wall, and capture the day as it happens: the unexpected, unposed moments that make your wedding yours. You will hardly notice me working.

At the same time I make sure nothing important is missed. I combine the documentary approach with precise, planned photographs: the family groups on your list, the details, and portraits of the two of you. Some portraits are gently directed, others are simply observed. When the setting allows, we step away for a short portrait session in an outstanding location near your venue.

I shoot everything in colour. Later, in post-production, I create black-and-white versions wherever an image calls for it or you ask for it.

Experience you can rely on

For many years I have photographed between thirty and forty weddings a year, and my archive now spans more than two decades of weddings. [TODO Adamo: confirm current number of weddings per year and years in the profession] Experience matters most when something unexpected happens – and on a wedding day something always does.

• I photograph your wedding personally
• Two backup cameras, multiple lenses and fully charged spare batteries at every wedding
• Full insurance cover
• If I have not worked at your venue before, I research it and visit it beforehand to assess the light and the backdrops
• An optional second photographer for larger weddings, for a modest extra fee

Albums and prints

A wedding deserves to be held in your hands, not only seen on a screen. I offer wedding albums in four sizes, made from the finest materials, with a choice of four binding colours and a protective case. I personally oversee the quality control of every album.