Biography & Exhibitions — Luca Marziale Photography

Luca Marziale works in abstract micro-landscapes, focusing in on natural elements and organisms found in extreme environments.

Luca Marziale is an Italian-Canadian photographer whose work explores abstract micro-landscapes found in extreme natural environments. Working with a medium-format Hasselblad film camera, he focuses on colours, textures and formations that are often overlooked, transforming small details of the natural world into images that sit between landscape and abstraction.

Born in Lugano, Switzerland, Marziale holds a BFA from the School of Visual Arts in New York City. His work has been exhibited internationally, including at SCOPE in Basel and Miami, The Other Art Fair in London, CONTEXT in New York City and MIA Photo Fair in Milan. His work is held in the permanent collections of National Geographic and PKB Private Bank and has been featured by the United Nations, New Scientist and displayed in Times Square, New York. He is represented by Artstar in New York City and Artistics in Paris.

The process

Film
Every image begins on Fujifilm Provia, a 120 medium format colour slide film. It is increasingly scarce and has to be sourced well in advance.

Capture
Each roll holds only twelve exposures, so every frame is composed with care and patience before the shutter is released.

Develop
The exposed rolls are sent away for E6 processing, the chemical process that brings the slides to life. Only a handful of labs worldwide still offer it.

Scan
Each slide is scanned at high resolution on a Hasselblad Imacon, creating a digital file that keeps every detail of the original film.

Print
The final works are C-type prints: the image is exposed onto light-sensitive photographic paper and developed through a traditional chemical process.

Philosophy
A slower, more demanding way of working, one that rewards patience and stays true to the traditions of photography.