Giulia Bersani is a young photographer from Milan, Italy, who has an incredible gift for capturing the innocent nature of her subjects with purity, curiosity, and melancholy. Her strength comes from her ability to capture the intimate moments between lovers and create a world that is between dream and reality. When you look at her photographs, it’s difficult to imagine that so delicate and mature work comes from the restless mind of a 22-year old girl. In her second book “Lovers II,” Giulia revisits the timeless theme of love and long-term relationships. She took the time to share her thoughts about love.
Lola Who: Hi Giulia! Can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
Giulia: Hi. I’m an Italian girl in love with the world. At the same time, Im very melancholic. Ive always been scared by death and by the feeling of losing everything. So photography helps me to keep some special moments and situations with me. Photography for me is mainly “memory of my past,” past youth, past loves, past places, etc.
Lola Who: How did you start taking photos and what are your favorite subjects?
Giulia: I started with some girls I met on the Internet, on amateurs models websites, four years ago. I did a shooting every two weeks just as a hobby. Ive always been shy and a bit unsociable, especially with other girls, so it was even a chance for me to make new friends and talk about girls things. I think its easier for me to photograph girls because I can see myself in them, and I can understand how they feel.
Lola Who: What inspired your project Lovers?
Giulia: My love stories. That project is like a mirror to me. It started when I was single and felt a really strong need to find someone. I found a certain relief in concentrating on other couples and remembering my own past stories.
Lola Who: What is different about “Lovers II,” compared to “Lovers I”?
Giulia: The subject is the same (couples) and the equipment is the same. What changed is my point of view. While working on “Lovers II,” I had a boyfriend and I felt more peaceful. I started to use colour films and made the framing larger, in order to make the photos calmer and less tragic.
Lola Who: How do you set up your photo shoots to capture deeply intimate moments with your subjects?
Giulia: I try to make people feel that Im just as young as they are, and that I can understand them. Its crucial for them to trust me. So I prefer to go for coffee before the photoshoot, so that I can show them my shy smile and let them see how transparent and pure I am when I take photos.
Lola Who: What story do you want to tell with “Lovers II”?
Giulia: With “Lovers II,” I want to tell the beautiful part of love; being together, sharing everything, giving each other freedom, falling in love with the world together, etc. In the first book “Lovers I,” I mainly showed love as an obsessionas something insane.
Lola Who: Why do you think love is so important in life?
Giulia: Since Im a lonely person, my lover has always been my main ally. He allows me to have a confrontation and he makes me feel important. He also makes me feel alive.
Lola Who: Do you believe in one true love?
Giulia: No, I believe in a lot of different kinds of love. I think every person has to find equilibrium and make choices.
“Lovers II” is printed in a limited edition of 150 copies. Each copy is numbered, signed and handwritten by Giulia, and available on her website for purchase.
