Capturing a Moment: The Culture Division Meets Photographer Ciro Pipoli

If you’ve seen the beauty of Naples without ever having visited – or even if you have – the chances are that the images of Neapolitan photographer Ciro Pipoli are partly responsible. With a following of over 150,000 on Instagram, his unique approach to capturing his surroundings has become synonymous with the city’s fast-paced and complex landscape. 

Naples is a city of a million different moments. In Ciro’s photographs, those moments are isolated, distilled from the chaos of the city into profound and deeply human interactions. 

As you might imagine, those moments have become increasingly more profound in the past year. The city has become awash with the blue of SSC Napoli, adding an extra layer of depth to Ciro’s work.

We caught up with Ciro to ask him about the madness of Napoli Fever, the challenges of working in an environment like Naples, and his secret to the art of capturing those moments.

Naples feels like the centre of the world right now. Talk to us about 'Napoli Fever' and how the club has transformed the city. 

CP: It has been 33 years since Napoli last won the Italian championship, and finally this year seems to be the right time to become champions again. 

One thing that distinguishes Napoli is the sense of belonging that the fans have. In this city you cheer for your team and your colours because Neapolitans, myself included, see the possibility of taking some kind of ‘revenge.’ My city is always at the centre of the racism it receives from all over Italy, which has an impact on this title that goes beyond football.

These days, walking around the city is a beautiful thing. You see how Naples has been preparing for the celebration for a great victory: you see flags everywhere, the blue colour dominates the streets of the city and for a long time people could do nothing but wait for the final moment to celebrate.

How did you get into photography? Was it something you’ve always been interested in?

CP: When I was a kid, my biggest passion was football. For me photography was something I didn't consider until the age of about 16. I had my first approach to photography thanks to Instagram actually, where I saw many photographers posting their work and I was fascinated by this way of communicating. 

So for fun, I also started to take some pictures, just with my mobile phone. Then, at the age of 18, I was given my first camera and since then I have never stopped taking pictures. 

What drives me to do this kind of photography is the desire to show what life is really like for people, and to make people looking from afar to realise that in my city there are so many beautiful things to see and special people to meet. My hope is to convince people to go beyond their prejudices – to get to know the real Naples.

You have a talent for photographing people and capturing their emotions. Is that intentional? Does the city of Naples and its people make it easy to photograph their emotions? 

CP: It’s never easy to photograph people you don't know and it probably all depends on the kind of empathy and the kind of relationship you are able to create in that moment. 

The people I photograph are always people I don’t know at the time – there is no trust. But the approach is the important thing, I always try to make it clear what I am about to do, to explain the beauty of it, and to assure them that there is no negative intention behind it. 

Once I have gained trust I have the green light to take a portrait, the most beautiful thing is the relationship that is created in front of the camera lens. In that moment, everything prior to that – the barrier or wall that existed before – falls away. They can then let themselves be known through a single glance.

What is your artistic process? Do you work with the things around you or look for specific themes, people, or settings? 

CP: My way of taking pictures has never followed any specific pattern. 

I have always let myself be carried away by the emotions I feel when I am in the city. When I am out and about, my only objective is to enjoy the walk. If, during that process, I find someone or something that catches my eye, that’s when I try to capture that moment. 

It’s an approach I also used during my recent trip to Colombia. For me, it’s all about the process of understanding new places and people – to try and see the soul of the place.

You can view more of Ciro Pipoli’s work and order prints over on his website: www.ciropipoli.com/shop. Follow his Instagram: @ciropipoli.