I was born Massimo Fiorillo but now I am Max Peef, a 55 years old photographer. I live in Tuscany and I am Italian but professionally I was born in  London. I became known by my alias Max Peef because if I had chosen to work under my real name in Milan back in the early 90s I wouldn’t have had any attention from the insiders like fashion  editors, art directors, and so on. 

I have always wanted to take photographs - from the moment I finished studying and life asked me to choose which road to take. Italy has no secrets for me,  from North to South, from East to West, and telling Italian stories in the Bel Paese is the best open-air set ever! 

Italy is creative, it's fun, it's multifaceted and it's unique in the type of environment. London however has been my adoptive mother to whom I  have remained closely attached. 

 

What was your first camera? 

Yashica FX3, quickly substituted with a Hasselblad C/M 500 and Linhof Tecnica 4x5 inch. 

How and when did you get into photography? 

I was looking for a way to leave the suburbs which was right for me in every way. So one day I read a specialised magazine (REFLEX) and it was love at first sight. My school was the studio training ground, initially supported by my teacher, a very good Japanese man. Then London was my real set and where it all started professionally. Initially as a printer in a very  famous studio in the West End and then I built my first book which I took as an  emblem of what I understood about photography.  

 

 

What does photography mean to you? 

I wrote only recently that for me, photography has been my entire life. I understand life as a concomitance of six factors: Vocation, Knowledge, Faith, Perseverance,  Philanthropy, Fortune. These factors are my guidelines for my photographs actions.  

What equipment do you have now and what is your favourite lens? 

I was supported for 11 years by Olympus until the beautiful M5 Mark III - with which I  worked specifically with my Zuiko 12-40 f.2,8. I draw inspiration from wide angle lenses because I love being ‘inside’ the scene. 

 

 

 

Where do you get inspiration? 

I like to use a phrase that Sir Paul Smith said when he launched TRUE BRIT, and he  said YOU CAN GET INSPIRATION FROM EVERYTHING...this fits very well with my looking at life through the camera. Inspiration means understanding how to turn a  concept into a visual message and I learned to look around myself - not even too far - to find inspiration everywhere. 

 

 

Do you plan what you want from a photo in advance? 

Never ever, unless I shoot in a studio with set up and even in this case I usually  direct subjects starting from my idea and let it be… I tend to shoot both on location and in a studio. The difference is alway in the results you want to achieve.

 

What has been your most memorable photo shoot and why? 

There is no ‘one’ that I can remember but I can say what was the best situation ever I lived:  it was in London with a jazz singer called Zoe Francis. We were young and we used to  jump in crashed courtyards to enjoy amazing free photo sessions!

What is one piece of advice you would like to offer a new photographer looking to  start out or to someone looking to go professional? 

Never ever think I want to be a great photographer instead say: I want to express myself through a camera forever. Always believe in this idea to perseverate.  Photography hasn’t changed at all; it is alway a matter of making essential, meaningful and a unique vision to show the eyes of the world. 

 

Join Max Peef on our Facebook page on Thursday 1st July at 7:30pm (BST) where he will share his top tips and advice as well as showing us around his home country!