As a former Art Producer, I have always been drawn to personal projects because they are the sole vision of the photographer and not an extension of an art director, photo editor, or graphic designer. This new column, “The Art of the Personal Project” will feature the personal projects of photographers using the Yodelist marketing database. You can read their blog at http://yodelist.wordpress.com. Projects are discovered online and submissions are not accepted.

Today’s featured photographer is: Nadia Pandolfo

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How long have you been shooting?
I have been shooting for twenty years

Are you self-taught or photography school taught?
A mixture of self-taught and photography classes at USC.

With this particular project, what was your inspiration to shoot it?
I love to travel and document what I see. I try to remain open to dialogue with the place I am experiencing. I have been fascinated with the Galapagos Islands for as long as I can remember because it’s where Charles Darwin became inspired to write his evolutionary theory. So in 2015 I traveled to Ecuador. I became a certified PADI diver in preparation so I could also experience the underwater life there.

How many years have you been shooting this project before you decided to present it?
One year

How long do you spend on a personal project before deciding if it is working?
It varies. Some personal projects are quickly completed and are more spontaneous and more experimental, while others involve a slow meticulous process of planning that may involve several years. But in this case, it was a matter of months.

Since shooting for your portfolio is different from personal work, how do you feel when the work is different?
Usually with personal work, I can be more creative and more experimental, since I am shooting for myself, not for a specific client, or audience. If the project works, and it finds an audience, great, but even if it doesn’t, I am still satisfied because it was something I needed to articulate, which emanated from a very deep place within me. Sometimes it takes time for certain projects to be appreciated by an audience. Sometimes certain projects just never come off the ground. But no matter what, it is never wasted time, because it is always a learning lesson. Personal projects often begin with a question, and the project is an attempt to find an answer to that question. So it is always a means to finding a deeper understanding. Usually my personal projects are precursors to more polished or orchestrated projects, which I might do at a later date. So they become part of a repertoire of subject matter to be further source of inquiry.

Have you ever posted your personal work on social media venues such as Reddit, Tumblr, Instagram or Facebook?
I use Facebook quite a lot. But I have recently begun posting on Instagram and Twitter as more regularly.

If so, has the work ever gone viral and possibly with great press?
I don’t know if I can say that any of the work has gone viral. But I know I have cultivated fans who appreciate my personal photography. Many people write and comment how much they enjoy the work. I have also had some of these projects published in journals and magazines and have been approached to donate some of these images to auction for charity.

Have you printed your personal projects for your marketing to reach potential clients?
So far, I have not printed my personal projects for marketing to potential clients. But it is something I would plan to do in the future.

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Nadia Pandolfo began shooting professionally in 2001. Her work has been featured in several magazines both in the United States and abroad, and prints of her work have been auctioned for various art benefits supporting charity. She has shot ad campaigns for Hale Bob, Elvis Shoes/ Ed Hardy, Kain Label, Voda Swim, Urban Behavior, Costa Blanca, Macy’s among others. She was featured as a photographer and judge on America’s Top Model. She is best known for her cinematic style, using combinations of sculpted and natural/ ambient light. Her photos always tell stories whether it is a documentary project or an orchestrated shoot. She has also has completed several photo essays based on Hollywood classic recreations including: Rear Window, North by Northwest, The Birds, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, and The Getaway. She studied at University of Southern California. Some of her other personal projects have included: Guatemala, Iceland and Cuba.


APE contributor Suzanne Sease currently works as a consultant for photographers and illustrators around the world. She has been involved in the photography and illustration industry since the mid 80s, after establishing the art buying department at The Martin Agency then working for Kaplan-Thaler, Capital One, Best Buy and numerous smaller agencies and companies. She has a new Twitter feed with helpful marketing information believing that marketing should be driven by a brand and not specialty. Follow her on twitter at SuzanneSease.

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1 Comment

  1. Having worked with Nadia All I can say is that she is AMAZING her work seems to just be better and better,


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