Meet the Member: David Filipponi, Photographer

We spoke to photographer, David Filipponi, who has over a decade of experience shooting all types of corporate and private events in the US and throughout Europe, from the French Riviera, Amalfi Coast, to London, Vienna, and the Scottish Highlands, working alongside some of the best people in the industry.

We discovered David's pride in being a storyteller of each unique event he photographs and his belief in the true impact of an image, making us think and react, communicating instant feelings, or simply documenting the poetry of life and collective memory.

Read the full interview below and click here to see some of David's recent event photography work: https://davidfilipponi.pixieset.com/df_events/

FACC: Can you tell me a bit about how you became a photographer? How do you come from being an economics student in France to working alongside some of the best people in the photography industry? 

DF: I bought my first camera, an analogue Nikon FE 2, during my student years, while studying in Nice (France) for a Masters in Economics, and it was then I guess, I started to have a growing interest in the creative disciplines, particularly music and photography. Back then, I had never thought about becoming a professional photographer, but the seed had been planted, and photography remained a hobby at that time. Cannes, in the South of France, was a wonderful part of the world to grow up, but after graduating I decided to move to London, and experience living in the big city to perfect my English.

I started a career in Management, in the hospitality industry, when a new opportunity came: "le hazard des rencontres."  Whilst receiving an award for" Manager of the Year", the photographer documenting the event, gave me his business card, and later offered me a position to manage his growing photography Agency. It was a great opportunity, for me to learn photography in depth from professionals, and 2 years later I had acquired enough skills and knowledge to become one of the main shooters, in the agency.   

FACC: How big a role did photography play in your life before you made a commitment to the industry while living in London?

DF: I developed my skills in London, shooting high profile events, and traveled extensively in Europe, working alongside some of the most talented people in the industry. Photographers, such as Sebastião Salgado, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Ray K. Metzker, William Eggleston,  just to name a few, have greatly influenced and inspired my work.

FACC: How would you describe your approach to photography?

DF: My creative vision and approach to photography merge fine art and documentary, resulting in narrative imagery, focusing on real subjects and stories guided by mood and emotion. 

I have always felt very privileged to name photography as my profession, not only for the creative aspect, but it is also very rewarding on a personal level, I feel enriched by meeting new people each time, with different stories and backgrounds, and I really enjoy traveling to different locations, discovering new places, getting to know the City from different perspectives.

FACC: How does living in New York City influence your work? Why did you choose the Big Apple as your current home base?

DF: The decision to come to NY, was initiated by a job opportunity for my wife, a talented shoe designer, who was offered a position at Alexander Wang, here in New York. We originally thought we would come for a couple of years, but 10 years later… we are here to stay!

NY is a dream for a photographer, the aesthetic of the city, the diversity of its people and the energy you feel and get from the city is quite unique to anywhere else I have lived. New York can be very challenging at times, and be seen as a highly competitive arena. That being said, its also a very dynamic and inspiring city, which has had a very positive impact on my photography.

FACC: If you are able to share, what personal project are you working on at the moment?

DF: My aim is to capture the essence of each event I photograph, I want to tell the story with originality, meaning, and impact, capturing the energy and the passion of the people I photograph in the most authentic and truthful way.

FACC: How has being a member of the FACC influenced your career?

DF: I am a fairly new member of the FACC, but it’s been a great experience so far and a very positive and enjoyable networking opportunity.

I have been an ex-pat for the last 25 years… and have really enjoyed reconnecting again with the French community, coming from such a wide spectrum of activities, and lots of talents and skills to share.

Strangely I never thought before to find work opportunities, within the French community here in NY, but I guess it just happened organically, and I’ve started to work for organizations, such as the FASNY (French American school), LP4Y organization, Richard Attias & Associates, the Cultural Services of the French Embassy, and hoping many more to come!

I am looking forward to meeting other members of the FACC, in the events to come, and hope to build new relations and partnership in the year to come.

Interested in connecting with David? Log into the FACC Member Directory to send him a message.