Fierce Grace by Nicola Majocchi Award Winning Photograph

Nicola Majocchi was born in Bormio, a town in the Italian Alps and spent his teenage years as a professional downhill ski racer. His career in photography began after 15 broken bones and three knee surgeries brought his racing days to an end. After graduating from Brooks Institute in California, Majocchi headed to New York City, where a fateful interview with Irving Penn landed him a position as 1st assistant for the next five invaluable years. Majocchi’s Fine Art photography and print work stems from the early collaboration with Mr. Penn, one of the finest photographers and platinum printers of the 21st century. Majocchi followed the steps of his Master Penn thru the years, experimenting in the darkroom with different papers, calcium carbonates, sodium sulfites, selenium tones and polaroid transfers among other techniques. Majocchi’s successful and natural transition into the digital world is unparalleled due to his knowledge from the past. Today, Majocchi prints his work on many archival printing surfaces available on the market, from a variety of cotton papers mounted onto aluminum to metallic papers and plexiglass. He also specializes in printing on museum-quality canvas and applies a unique varnish brush-stroke, adding a particular style and texture. His dynamic photography has attracted an international roster of clients such as NIKE, Levis, Versace, New York City Ballet, Harper’s Bazaar, German Vogue, L’Uomo Vogue to Elle, Glamour and Cosmopolitan. Majocchi’s irrepressible, energetic style has struck just the right note and today Majocchi is an internationally acclaimed award-winning photographer. He divides his time between his native Italy, New York City and Los Angeles. Artist Statement Movement - just like true beauty, can be found everywhere, as long we keep our mind open to discover it and our eyes focused and ready to immortalize it with perfect timing. The outcome is not a “lucky” moment captured, rather a magical moment when our preparation meets the right opportunity. My signature photographic style is a Postmodern mix of elegant urban edginess, dynamic contacts and a timeless Romanticism that rises out of my Italian background. I’ve always looked at life with humor, drama and sensuality, all of it spiked with an element of risk and I hope my photography reflects as much. Majocchi Very early in my career, the great Irving Penn told me that “A picture is taken with your heart, not your camera”.