Francesco Pierini: exploring to be a child again

You are a photographer and a filmer, what does it mean for you to do this job?
For me, being a photographer and filmmaker means being in situations where I can challenge myself. It means being in front of a sunset, a sunrise, under a starry night and maybe in environments that are not easy to photograph. To me the studio doesn’t say anything, it’s nature that speaks to me.

Why did you decide to photograph nature and the outdoors in general?
I decided to photograph nature because I believe there is no other element that can give me certain emotions, the same ones we feel when we are children. We find ourselves in situations that make us feel like kids again, where we are carefree and want to explore the world.

What kind of photography inspires you?
Without a doubt the type of photography that inspires me the most is being able to insert the human element in a natural context. For me, the landscape, in the style in which I began to take photos, means so much. The idea of having a tiny figure within a large context emphasizes nature, creating an interaction that, if done well, can give back truly unique emotions. 

What does it mean and how does it feel to be in contact with nature?
Being in contact with nature gives me unique emotions, as I said before it means awakening the childlike soul that is in me. Being able to photograph these feelings gives me the potential to express my vision of nature. Being in contact with nature is definitely a way to escape from everyday life, whether it’s the park behind the house or in the mountains. It is a primordial element within our being and I am sure that sooner or later if we take it away from ourselves something will not work anymore. For me, creating this first contact with the natural element is undoubtedly of fundamental importance.

What is your favorite outdoor sport and why?
My favorite outdoor sport is definitely ski mountaineering because it allows me to feel incredible sensations. It can create that state of “flow”, of suspension, and I get emotions from the snow that are difficult to experience in other sports.

We had many opportunities to travel and discover new places because of the pandemic. What has it taught you?
It’s true, the pandemic allowed us to explore new places not so much in terms of remoteness but in terms of discovery. Places that were in front of our eyes every day, we passed them on our way to work or to the supermarket but we never gave them the right importance. With the lockdown I was able to discover the mountains back home that as a photographer I had always excluded, because I thought “imagine if a great shot will come out right in front of my front door!”. Then I tried it and realized that it’s how we approach what we observe that changes the perspective. I found an opportunity to tell the story of what defines me, my background.

The most incredible place you’ve photographed?
Eighty Miles beach, an 80 mile long beach in New Zealand. It’s an enchanted place, where the ocean waves that often exceed 3 meters crash into the rock, there’s this debris of logs carried by the sea that makes you feel like you’re in another world. It’s like being on the moon!

What does the word outdoor mean to you?
Whether it’s trail, ski mountaineering, hiking, climbing: any sport in the mountains for me is life and experience.

What’s your biggest dream?
My dream is to cycle coast-to-coast across Iceland, because I think it’s one of those experiences in life that can really change you and teach you something good. One of those experiences where, in moments of difficulty, you find yourself remembering what you have faced and you are certain that you will be able to take on much greater challenges.

Tell us about your most incredible trip.
Without a doubt my most incredible trip was in New Zealand. It was winter, I was self-sufficient and I crossed both islands, from the southernmost point – Slope Point – to the northernmost point. It was a truly heartwarming trip and I decided to do it to challenge myself both mentally and physically. It really marked me, making me the person I am now; I faced my greatest fears, I felt alone and lost many times. But inside myself I managed to find the path I wanted to take and it was there, during the last day on the bike, that I promised myself that photography would become my job. 

What will you be doing tomorrow, meaning in the coming months and years?
What I hope most is to meet people who can allow me to have new experiences. For me, finding these people and creating a synergy with them means life. Being outside in a tent with friends, going to photograph a friend on the wall, going on a ski tour with them… I expect to realize new experiences and above all connect with many people who have the same mindset as me.