Get To Know: Kevin Pineda

INTERVIEW WITH KEVIN PINEDA

Kevin Pineda apart from being a professional chef, and having an Architecture background, he really knows how to capture stunning dramatic images with his camera. Kevin’s photographs caught our attention immediately. 

 Tell us about yourself, how did you first pick up a camera?

I am Kevin Pineda, grew up in London and now living at the moment in Italy. I have different professional backgrounds, I am a professional chef working previously for top restaurants in London and Milan, Four seasons Hotel and also worked with Gordon Ramsay restaurants, I have been studying Architecture and design at the same time years ago during this work, which brings me into when I started to pick up my camera.

I was first interested in taking photos of architecture, due to my educational background I have been doing a lot of projects regarding architecture and recently working in fashion about 1 and half years ago. I started working with model friends when I arrived in Italy just to help out with their book and everything started from there.

 Was it something you always wanted to do?

Photography is one of the things I wanted to be doing yes. But architecture and design is one of my real passions. For now I am concentrating in fashion and experiencing new things and meeting great people, and of course practicing my skills in photography and working on different projects.

 How would you describe your work?

Most of my work is mostly black and white shots and all natural lighting and playing with the models. I look at the models as subjects (like in architecture as structures) and then playing with the light and make sure the angle and perspective is good for the shots. I always do incorporate architecture in my shoots for the spaces, angles of building and the different perspective of the models in relation with the spaces.

 Most of your work is in black & white (we love it!), why black and white photography?

I have been keen in appreciated black and whites, as there is more drama in the photos and mystery as well. The photos seem to have more impact in black and white. I want to concentrate on this and study the subjects with light a lot.

 Inside or outside photography?

I used to do a lot of inside photography when I had my studio here in Rome, which I have recently closed. But for me preferably working outside with natural light is much better.

 What do you do to prepare for a shoot?

I do read and look at a lot of photos also online and in magazines and get inspirations on the shots depending on the location and space of the shoot. I make sure the models are also okay with agencies to come for the shoot and make sure my team in Rome with make-up artist Muna Jibril and hair stylist Jillcombs Centore are all involved, in the decision process. 

I have been working with my producer Christopher Maul in London helping me producing my shoots and ideas and making sure we all agree on the stories we make for the shoots, also working closely together with Marin Finerty an American videographer and graphic designer and Alan Capelli Goetz an Italian-Belgian actor as my director for most of my shoots. 

Plus making sure the stylist has the right clothes for the shoot. On top of this thinking ahead for where the shots will be exposed and submitted into different magazines. I have been working with this team ever since I started properly working in fashion, but of course sometimes the team would change depends on the shoot. I believe working with a trusted team is important in the process of success in any projects done. In all of these felt like a director and lead the team for every shoot that I do.

 Where does your inspiration come from?

I do get inspired in creating great images from my team that I closely work with as we share ideas and inspirations from our different fields of work, and also some few photographer friends in the business. I love the works of Hedi Slimane. He captures the shots in black and white in a very dramatic and very natural way. I wanted to be like him someday.

 What’s the weirdest thing you ever got inspiration from?

Not really sure if its really weird, but I do sometimes like strange things. I do go to a lot of art exhibitions and museums as I used to own an art gallery in Rome some months ago. I do get other inspirations from different contemporary artists like Damien Hirst, Anselm Keifer, Tracy Emin to name a few.

 We noticed that you are mainly working with male models, is there a reason for that?

There is not a lot of male model photographers around and I thought would be good to concentrate on this, as its also easier to work with them than with female models. I do take shots of female models in exception to projects as well and also if I like their look.

 Who is one of your favourite local models to work with?

Locally? It is hard to pin point as all the models I work with are always from outside Italy. I do work with some great model friends that come visit me in Rome like Pascal de Wolff from Holland and Andreas Betran Holm from Copenhagen, Adam Kaszewski from Poland. I have been shooting them a lot when we meet and do editorials also in Rome or Milan.

 What photographers from the past or present have influenced you the most?

I have been inspired at the beginning with some few photographer friends that also work with male models like Ian Cole in London, Philip Hegger in Berlin, I came across their works and liked how they capture the images and portraits of the models, without being too vulgar or too much and many others. As there are a lot of photographers out there trying to shoot but not really make a difference. It’s easy to call yourself a photographer just because you have a camera. But it depends if you have the right eye for it or not.

 Where can our readers look more of your work?

I am on the social media like Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Tumblr, also in Male Model Scene (Zarko Davinic) and Carbon Copy magazine (Ian Cole) and Rough Magazine Italia (Nichelle Cole) as I do collaborate with them a lot with my works.

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