We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Simona Berger a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Simona thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you tell us about a time that your work has been misunderstood? Why do you think it happened and did any interesting insights emerge from the experience?

Well, I am a Fine Art and Conceptual Portrait photographer. Among other things, I shoot nudes. Misunderstanding and mischaracterizations are a norm for me, especially once people realize I have a 9-year-old daughter. I have had so many “Come to Jesus” messages, it’s not even funny! What I think people forget is that I was born and raised in Italy. I lived 36 years surrounded by art, and many immensely great pieces of art have nude bodies as subjects. The statue of David is only one example. Ancient Greek and Roman heroes and athletes were often portrayed nude, either in paintings or as statues. So, to me, a nude body doesn’t constitute something shocking or shameful. There is no difference between shooting a nude body or one with clothes on, because the way I look at that body is exactly the same. During a photo session, I am more concerned about the lighting, posing, checking my camera settings, how the props look, camera angles, overall look of the photo, etc etc. All this while making sure the model is comfortable. A body part is the very last thing on my mind!

If I have to tell a specific story, it would be something that happened a couple of days ago. It was brought to my attention that somebody was using my name as a character reference while trying to recruit models for a -more than- nude photoshoot. I did not even know the guy! I immediately wrote a post on social media, advising against trusting somebody’s words alone.

What I learned from this incident? That I need to be more present for my models, reminding them to be very careful about trusting the wrong people. Sometimes, even the wrong angle could completely change the mood of a photo, making a pose look way worse than it is. I am sure not many of us would like our photos to look pornographic while we agreed to everything but! A good deterrent would be a contract, signed by both parties, in which is specified what to expect and what is allowed. And remember: if somebody asks you to shoot something that makes you feel uncomfortable, you have the right to say no!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I was born and raised in Terracina, Italy, a small town one hour south of Rome. I met my husband when he was stationed in Italy with the US Navy. We got married and I moved to the USA in 2009. It was my husband that bought me my first DSLR camera and pushed me to learn more about photography. It started as a hobby; something to do while he was working and I was home alone. But then, one class became two, I studied Science of Photography at the Art Institute, Digital Photography at Columbus State, Portrait Photography at the New York Institute of Photography, etc. When my husband retired from the Navy, we moved back to his hometown, and I decided to open a studio to share my passion with models and clients in Saint Peters, MO.

I am a Fine Art and Conceptual Photographer. I don’t just take photos, I create photographs. I have a business, but I see it more an artistic career than a commercial venture. I don’t photograph subjects; I capture the way they make me feel. My work is not for everyone: it’s exclusive to the person I am shooting. Everyone gets their own concept, and my editing style changes every time. I get excited brainstorming with my models and clients because I love to see what we can come up with. Sometimes, a piece of fabric, a thrift store find, or a headdress inspires me. There are no set rules which makes my brand unique.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

This question could not be more perfect for me, because my husband is an engineer and he struggles to understand my need of working to give an outlet to what is in my mind and create something great instead of doing it to make money. I love my husband to pieces, but he just doesn’t get it, and it’s not his fault. A non-creative person’s mind works differently than the one all creatives have. There is no enlightenment to be given, it just is. The only suggestion I give is: find a person that supports you even when they don’t understand you. My husband encourages me all the time and accepts me for what I am even though, every once and again, he comes up with a business plan! LOL

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Easy: open their minds! Long time ago I read a phrase that sounds something like “Minds are like parachutes: they work only when they are open.” Closed minds keep us in the shadow of social awareness and bring us to dress, act, and think like a member of the herd. We have chosen to adapt, to be accepted, and to survive, because the opposite would mean conflicts with friends, families, etc. There is nothing wrong with that, but in this way, we have deprived ourselves of our power and forgotten our identity. To really be free, we need to have the courage to leave the herd. An open mind is freedom and power. That’s why I say that people need to open their minds; not only to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem, but for themselves first! I am convinced that, if people would take back their own power, they would discover what they really like and dislike; there would be more creativity and less stress. Society would also need respect, understanding, acceptance, tolerance, etc etc. but, without open minds, these will keep being utopistic concepts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.simonabergerphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simonabergerphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/simonabergerphotography
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwJuqtvOUiexEuG-iHwidBA

Image Credits
Gabrielle Berger, Sarina Del Ray, Kim Jay, Natalia Cantwell, Paris N’Cholle