Monelle Chiti - Beautiful Things Are Born With Time, Sometimes They Are Unexpected (Italian Content Creator & Photographer)

Monelle Chiti studied Photography in Florence, later moving to Milan where she began working as a music photographer for the biggest Italian rock groups and various specialized magazines.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

Hello everybody! I'm Monelle Chiti and even if I have a french name I'm Italian. My parents called me like this because in the '80s they often used to go to France and a friend of mine had my name, so they decided to call me like her. I was born near Florence, but I moved to Milan when I was 23.

I take pictures from when a was a child, I've done a Photography School in Florence and then I started to work as a music photographer and I choose Milan because there were many concerts and events.

I photograph people on stage from when I was 21 and after many years that I shoot only people I had a need to change a bit; so I started to do still life works for fashion brands, beauty, and food and then, considering that I love writing and shooting, it started my job as an influencer.

I still also photograph concerts but right now it's not possible, so I continue as an influencer that it's a job that I love.

2. How and when did you realize your passion for photography?

I have loved photography since I was a child, my dad had many cameras in our house and I grew up taking pictures with analog cameras. However, I only realized that it could be my job when I combined my passion for music with my passion for photography.

3. What are some tips you would like to share with amateur photographers?

To start photographing for passion and not because it has to become a job. Beautiful things are born with time, sometimes they are unexpected.

4. What are the important skills one should have to be a successful photographer?

As I said, doing it with passion can be a great place to start. At concerts, I often see colleagues who take pictures of bands and then leave without even watching the show.

I can't understand how the passion for that band can show through in a photo. I have always experienced taking pictures under the stage in a much more personal way.

Usually, when I like something or someone I photograph it even better. So as advice I would say this: photograph what you like and always try to have the best cameras to do it.

5. What are various opportunities available for aspiring photographers?

I don't know because honestly, I'm not an aspirant anymore. But there are good courses and schools to learn, I have done them and I also taught photography a few years ago to several students. For the rest, the important thing is to gain a lot of experience, that's the most important thing of all.

6. What shows/movies would be like to recommend?

I'm a huge fan of movies and TV series, if I'm not at a concert I'm definitely at the cinema or in front of Netflix. There are so many great TV series, but my favorites are Dark, Peaky Blinders, and Stranger Things.

As far as movies are concerned, I think all Nolan's movies are wonderful and even if I don't like the splatter genre very much, I think Tarantino's movies are incredible too. Sooner or later I would love to work for a TV series as a DOP.

7. Which music bands do you follow and what do you like about them?

I listen to all kinds of music, but my favorite is always rock music since a was a teenager. My heart groups are King Gizzard and Lizzard Wizard, Foo Fighters, Tame Impala, Arcade Fire, The Strokes, and Oasis.

I also love Verdena, Marlene Kuntz, Sakee Sed, and The Zen Circus, they are famous Italian rock bands that I've to know and support for many years and which I'm very attached to.

In these last few months, I've been listening to a lot of Giant Rooks, I love their music and, in my opinion, their last record is one of the most beautiful records of 2020. I hope to photograph them sooner or later and that the concerts will be again a wonderful place to meet friends and have fun.

Instagram Handle - @monellechiti