Still Life: Nocera & Ferri’s Blurred Memories

Still life started in paintings in the sixteenth century. Communicating a moral or religious message, it featured often depicted objects from nature (still life is the translation of  “nature morte”, meaning “dead nature”). Over the centuries it found its way into photography, initially following the same path of using nature morte. These days, still life photography has many shapes and forms.

An art form in itself, it explores the possibilities of storytelling in commercial and non-commercial settings. Sometimes in its abstract and artistic context, products take on a symbolic meaning, giving it more depth while enriching its creators’ vocabulary and self-expression.

Starting their creative journey independently in Milan, each working as assistant photographers, the Italian duo – Luca Nocera and Lara Ferri – met in 2007 and quickly realised that their creative views and tastes were very much alike. So they joined forces and created Nocera & Ferri studio delivering projects for well respected clients worldwide.

Their photography style has been shaped through their backgrounds in graphic design, paired with a multidisciplinary approach to research. They believe art, especially sculpture and architecture, have a constant and strong influence on their unique minimalist approach to photography.

Here, we chat to Luca Nocera and Lara Ferri about their work as creative photographers, featuring their design story: Blurred Memories, a conceptual still life series based around “the home space and cosiness that everyone link into their youth memories, familiar objects and light that lead us back to our past”.

How to do come up with the ideas for the storytelling scenes you create? Do you start with a concept story first? 

We are never devoid of creative ideas, as our curiosity and passion drive us to explore and articulate our unique style, with the ultimate goal of evoking profound emotions within those who encounter our captivating images. Our concept is built upon the integral pillars of storytelling and aesthetics, which play an essential role in shaping our artistic vision.

How important are lighting, texture and contrast in your work?

For a photographer, light holds immense significance as it serves as the very foundation of our visual narrative. It is the essential catalyst that allows us to convey the desired mood and atmosphere within our work. We find perpetual fascination in observing the diverse reactions of various objects within a shared setting as they interact with light, resulting in the creation of unique textures that add depth and intrigue to our compositions.

Where do you find inspiration?

Our greatest inspiration often stems from the art and scenery that envelops us in our daily lives. We harbour a profound affection for nature, finding immense creative fuel in its myriad shapes and hues that breathe life into our artistic endeavours. Within these organic marvels, we discover the genesis of our storytelling, using them as a fertile canvas to weave narratives that captivate and resonate with our audience.