About
Who is Chiara?
Chiara was born in Bologna, on 6th of January 1994. She graduated from the linguistic high school and she has a Bachelor's degree in computer science at the Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna (Italy). From an early age she became passionate about photography and she shoots with analogue cameras already at the age of 3. At 16, she bought her first DSLR and, since then, she never stops using it.
Her story
At 18, her grandfather gave her an old folding Kodak from the 1930s and, since then, she began experimenting with vintage cameras, even a century old one. At the age of 21 she created her first photographic studio and began to be passionate about the portrait genre. At the age of 24, she held her first photographic exhibition “Pentaprism – A chromatic journey in the psychology of colors” at the “Pianoro Museum of Arts and Crafts”.
Technique
Her photographic technique is based on intense, bright and brilliant colors, with strong and homogeneous blacks, almost without shades. She loves colors madly and does everything to bring them out and put them at the center of attention. She likes also Black and White photos, with sharp contrast, pure whites and deep blacks. Usually she tries to shoot desertic landscapes, avoiding capturing people in the scene.
Her opinion
For her, photography is not a faithful representation of reality but a totally free and unconditional expression of our own emotions. It’s a parallel world, a magical place in which to take refuge, finding tranquility from the everyday routine. It’s a tool for making every moment eternal, giving life to new worlds and new stories. For her, photography is life and great passion, a love story in constant growth and evolution.
Vintage cameras
She collects vintage cameras, recovering them from relatives, friends and flea markets, in particular she loves Polaroids and instant photography. She claims that the beauty of Polaroids is their unpredictability, the mystery behind a shot, the thrill of seeing the image coming out of the camera and immediately hide it in the dark of your pocket, waiting for its self-developing process. 15 minutes are needed to see what has come out and 45 to be sure of the final result.
Why she loves Polaroid
The Polaroid stops time, freezes the moment, you can get good results as much as you can get disastrous ones. Numerous factors come into play when the magic happens: the light available, the temperature, the camera itself and many others. Below 13°C the film chemistry will give greenish, faded and colorless tones, while above 28°C it will give warmer, reddish and saturated photos. You never know how a shot will turn out, it’s totally unpredictable, but that shot is unique and it will last forever.
Awards
Article on "Savenidice" blog
Article written by the journalist Giancarlo Fabbri about Chiara Pavanati and her "Pentaprisma - Viaggio cromatico nella psicologia dei colori" 2018 exhibition at the “Pianoro Museum of Arts and Crafts”.
Article on "Sali d'Argento" magazine
Article written by "Fotoclub Pontevecchio" of Bologna about Chiara Pavanati and her conference about her style and passion for photography.
Interview on "L'Idea" magazine
Article written by the journalist Gianluigi Pagani about Chiara Pavanati and her passion for photography and her habit of shooting landscape in her hometown.
Winner of "Rastignano dal mio punto di vista" Photo Contest
Article written by "Fotoclub Pontevecchio" of Bologna about Chiara Pavanati, winner of the first edition of "Rastignano dal mio punto di vista" Photo Contest.
"Spiritus Intus Alit" Seminary Photo Cover
"Università di Udine" philosophical seminary flyer designed with a Chiara Pavanati's photography.
Winner of "Zooplus Pet Star Wanted" Photo Contest
Photography by Chiara Pavanati winner of 2021 Calendar Photo Contest of Zooplus.
Article on "L'Idea" magazine
Article about Chiara Pavanati and her "PianoroGrafia - Paesaggi incantati del nostro territorio" 2024 exhibition at the “Pianoro Museum of Arts and Crafts”.
"Pubblica Assistenza di Pianoro" 2025 Calendar
Voluntary collaboration with "Pubblica Assistenza di Pianoro" for the creation of the 2025 Calendar, featuring 12 creative photographs by Chiara Pavanati depicting the Pianoro area, selected from her personal exhibition "PianoroGrafia - Paesaggi incantati del nostro territorio"