Positive Change, and Looking Into the Smoke: Behind the Scenes with Photographer Michael Corridore at Nauti Studios

Michael Corridore is an award winning and multi-talented photographer, director, and writer
based at Nauti Studios in Sydney.

And a really lovely human.

We asked Mikey some red hot Qs to get a behind the scenes look at the world,
and inspirations behind his incredible work.

Michael Corridore, working on a collaborative project at Nauti Studios Sydney.

Tea or coffee?
Both. Two coffee’s first thing, before anything else. Tea usually begins mid-morning and more follow depending on how the day evolves. Rarely have coffee during the day as it makes me sleepy in the afternoon. 

Sunrise or sunset?
Sunrise. It’s quiet and I achieve more in peace rather than chaos if the question is about work. Love sunset and twilight, best light for pictures and play.

What scares you?
People who talk in circles. Think #Scomo, his cronies and their toxic cover-up culture.

Michael Corridore, Untitled, young girl staring into smoke, 2006, from Michael’s photographic series Angry Black Snake.

When did you start taking photographs?
15. All began when a young Graphic Design graduate, fresh out of RMIT took on the role of art teacher at our ultraconservative high school and introduced us to photography and cameras. I wasn’t aware people could make a living in photography and turns out that thought was true. You don’t want to do photography or practice art to make money. If, and when the money comes, it’s a bonus.

What inspires you and your work?
Inspiration comes from anywhere, usually without warning. With regards to my personal projects, 205 (There’s nothing philosophical about the number 205, my cat just stood on my keyboard, sorry) inspiration comes from starting something, whether it begins as brainstorming, writing exercises or walking the streets and taking pictures. Some form of action sets of the triggers.

What is the photograph you are most proud of?
Tough question. Not sure if I can narrow it down. Maybe this one shot of the young woman looking away into the smoke. This was the first photograph I took at a burnout festival, which initiated a long-term photographic project which spanned 12 years. I attended the event with one thing in mind and saw something else, which resulted in a larger body of work entitled ‘Angry Black Snake’. The work went on to win the Aperture Foundations Inaugural Portfolio Prize back in 2008. 

An image from Michael Corridore’s series Whitesville.

What are you working on at the moment?
I’ve always been interested in narrative, writing and films are where my interests are at the moment. I’ve been plugging away at a crime fiction story and recently started developing a YA alternate contemporary reality story, which I’ll pitch to producers. I’m always taking pictures for myself and working on commercial media content projects.

“You don’t want to do photography or practice art to make money. If, and when the money comes, it’s a bonus.”

If you weren't a photographer, what would you be?
Architect, painter, writer or film maker. A maker of some sort.

An image from Michael Corridore’s series Dreamend.

Have any photographers'/creatives' work changed the way you see the world?
W. Eugene Smith was a photographer from Wichita Kansas who worked for Life magazine during the golden period of photojournalism. He was responsible for many inspiring stories from war zones, political campaigns, profiles of Miners in Wales and so on. The work he shot covering the Chisso-Minamata disease in Japan during 1971-1973 was the work that took my breath away. It’s also the work of his that made me understand that photography and journalism can bring positive change to the world. Minamata disease was affecting newborn in the city of Kumamoto, the result of Mercury poisoning from the Chisso factory discharging heavy metals into the local water supply. One of our lecturers in college introduced his work to us. I thought W. Eugene Smith had been lost to history, but strangely, a feature film has just been released about the story.

“Inspiration comes from anywhere, usually without warning.“

If you could have dinner with any photographer, dead or alive, who would it be?
One? Saul Leiter maybe, or Garry Winogrand.

Michael Corridore, working away in his studio at Nauti Studios Sydney.

To keep up to date with Mikey’s work you can see some of his photography and directing
on his website here, and on instagram.

Read more about the series ‘Angry Black Snake’ which won the
Aperture Foundations Inaugural Portfolio Prize here. 

If you’d like to join Michael Corridore working at Nauti Studios, get in touch here.