Federico Earth is a Fashion & music photographer based in Milan, blending film and digital to capture intimate backstage moments, portraits, and bold editorial storytelling.
1) Origin story
How did you start your journey in photography, and what pushed you to make it a profession?
I started taking photos during my teenage years, around the middle of high school. Back then my interests were simple, but intense: visually telling the everyday life of a 16–17-year-old. That meant friends, parties, close friendships and new encounters—situations I lived every day, moving between my hometown and the city of Milan.
Beyond the personal sphere, there were two worlds that fascinated me in particular: music and fashion. In my circle there were a lot of guys starting to make rap, so naturally I began shooting them too. They were emerging artists, people I shared age and visions with, and documenting that beginning was important. Without realizing it, I was already building a visual archive of my generation.
All of this started spontaneously, without immediately thinking about a career—just with a strong urgency to tell stories and express myself through the camera. Over time, though, that passion started to absorb me completely. Photography became a constant presence, almost the only one. There was a force inside me pushing only in that direction. I didn’t see alternatives, or plan Bs.
After finishing school, I took a year to understand whether to continue with a path of studies or try to turn that passion into a real job. And thanks to connections, friends and word of mouth, I managed to make photography a full-time job right away.
I’m very grateful I understood so early what I wanted to do. It’s not something to take for granted—especially at that age, when most people are still searching for their direction. I, instead, already felt very clearly what my road was.
Read more:
Interviews with photographers
2) Milan as a visual school
Milan is a city full of visual and creative stimuli: how much has it influenced your eye?
Even though I grew up just outside Milan, the city had a huge impact on me. It’s a metropolis that offers a lot, but at the same time demands a lot: it welcomes you, but it tests you. It’s full of stimuli, of contrasting energies, and it constantly forces you to ask yourself who you are and what you really want.
Milan has given me so much: it’s the city where I built my professional and creative path, where I met people who were fundamental to my growth. It’s my everyday life, even if I don’t live completely inside it—it’s where I work, where I move, where my days happen. In a way, it’s home.
I think living nearby gave me a different perspective compared to people who moved here from other parts of Italy. Milan was never “the new city” for me, but a natural extension of my life. I know it well, I respect it, but I don’t idealize it.
It shaped me and gave me concrete opportunities, but it can also be exhausting. It gives you a lot and it takes a lot. It’s definitely a central chapter of my journey, but I don’t know if it will be the final one. Still, it remains a fixed point, and I know that a lot of what I am today is thanks to it.
Read more:
Milan features ·
Street photography
3) Creativity vs client work
You work across fashion, music and advertising: how do you balance the creative side with the client’s requests?
Moving between different worlds like music, fashion and advertising is an ongoing challenge, but also one of the most stimulating aspects of my job. Each of these fields has its own language and needs, and learning to adapt while staying coherent is something I’ve developed over time.
I think the key is to always keep a personal thread running through everything. It’s right to adapt to the context, to interpret the client’s requests, but without losing yourself. I’ve always felt the need not to lock myself into a single visual language, but at the same time I believe that any image—even the most “commercial” one—should carry something of mine.
For me it’s essential to cultivate what I call the “art of pleasing”: knowing how to put the client’s needs at the center, without becoming a mechanical executor. When you lose your personality, the work becomes cold, impersonal, and ends up being only a technical act.
The real balance is there: interpreting, not just executing. Bringing your own eye into other people’s requests. That’s what distinguishes you.
Read more:
Commercial photography ·
Fashion photography
4) Editorial vs commercial
What differences do you find between an editorial shoot and a commercial one? And which one excites you more?
The differences between an editorial shoot and a commercial one are very clear to me.
In editorial work I’m faced with the possibility of translating ideas in my head into images, without filters. It’s the most direct expression of who I am as a photographer—an opportunity to tell a personal vision and work in total freedom, often in dialogue with other creatives like stylists, directors, art directors.
In the commercial world, instead, the starting point isn’t your freedom, but the client’s needs. The main goal is to communicate a precise message, with specific visual codes, often within a well-defined strategy. That doesn’t mean giving up your identity, but rather finding a balance between what’s being asked of you and what you can bring as an author.
Both worlds play an important role in my work. Editorial excites me because it lets me experiment and grow as an author. Commercial fascinates me because of the challenge: managing to bring something of mine even within strict limits is, in itself, a creative form.
Read more:
Editorial stories ·
Advertising & campaigns
5) Dream collaborations
Are there artists or brands you dream of collaborating with one day?
Right now I feel a strong connection with the UK music scene. If I had to name some, definitely Skepta, Dave and Jim Legxcy are among the artists I’d love to collaborate with—because of vision, attitude and visual universe, I find them very close to my world.
On the brand side, there are many I find interesting, especially among independent British labels. But if I had to name just one that really feels aligned with my aesthetic and the way I work, without a doubt I’d say Stüssy.
Read more:
Music photography ·
Brand collaborations
6) Backstage, portrait, performance
When you photograph a musician, what kind of approach do you look for? Do you prefer backstage, portraits, performance…?
In the music world I feel especially comfortable in more intimate contexts like backstage or studio sessions. Those are situations where you can create a deeper connection with the artist, and where I can tell more real, more personal moments—far from the tension of the stage.
Portraiture is also a dimension that really feels like mine: it allows me to work on a more constructed image that still feels honest, where the artist’s personality comes through details and precise visual choices.
Live performance is definitely fascinating—it’s the climax of an entire journey, the moment when everything explodes—but if I had to choose where I feel most aligned, without a doubt I’d say somewhere between backstage and portraiture.
Read more:
Portrait photography ·
Backstage
7) Styling & team dynamics
How important is styling for you on a photo set? Do you have a fixed team or do you collaborate project by project?
Styling is one of the most important visual components in photography. It’s a fundamental slice of the image-building process and of the message you want to convey. As someone passionate about fashion, I’m very attentive—and also demanding—on this aspect, but at the same time I deeply recognize and respect the work of stylists: I fully trust whoever does that role with competence and vision.
I don’t have a fixed team, also because over the years I’ve been lucky to collaborate with many stylists—colleagues and friends—each with a different aesthetic.
Just like a photographer, a stylist has a strong identity, and I think it’s right to choose each time who to involve depending on the sensitivity that each project requires. Some have a vision that works better for editorial shoots, others are perfect for more street-oriented or cleaner work. Being able to read those nuances and match each project to the right person is, in my opinion, one of the keys to creating coherent, strong images.
Read more:
Styling ·
Creative direction
8) The hardest lesson
What has been the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far as a professional photographer?
The biggest challenge I’ve faced was having a reality check with myself. It happened a couple of years ago.
After graduating, in 2021, I started working immediately and never stopped. I had a lot of energy, a lot of drive, and very little experience—and that pushed me to accept everything. I didn’t ask myself questions: whether a job interested me or not, whether it was paid well or poorly, whether it reflected what I wanted. The important thing was working.
At a certain point, though, I started feeling like I didn’t recognize myself anymore. What used to be a means of expression—or even an escape—was becoming mechanical, emptied out. I had started saying lots of yeses, but very few of those yeses really spoke about me.
The real challenge was taking a step back, slowing down, putting myself at the center and asking: “What do I really want to do? Where am I taking myself?” It was a difficult moment, but necessary.
It taught me to respect rest time, to give value to pauses as much as to sets, and above all to never lose the connection with what pushed me to start. Even today I feel the need to question myself regularly, so I don’t fall back into the trap of “doing a lot, but saying nothing.”
Read more:
Creative process
9) Social media vs portfolio
Do social media like Instagram help you find clients, or do you prefer focusing on portfolio and word of mouth?
I think social media are one of the most powerful tools available to creatives today. They can turn an idea, an image, a visual content into something immediately visible on a global scale. Especially for photography, Instagram has been—and still is—a very important showcase.
In recent years, though, the language of social has changed: posting a photo isn’t enough anymore. With the arrival of TikTok, for example, the need emerged to tell stories, create context, add narrative around visual content. Personally, I’m very attached to a more classic approach—Instagram in its best years—and I don’t feel particularly close to dynamics like reels or talking videos. But that doesn’t mean I don’t recognize them as incredibly strong tools.
At the same time, I think the portfolio remains essential. It’s the space where a client can clearly see your work, without distractions, and with a different level of care compared to a social feed.
And then there’s word of mouth, which despite everything continues to be one of the most effective forms of promotion. For me it has played—and still plays—a fundamental role: real connections, collaborations, sincere recommendations often remain the true engine behind many opportunities.
Read more:
Portfolio ·
Instagram & visual culture
10) Advice to beginners
What advice would you give to someone who wants to enter fashion and music photography today?
The advice I’d give—to myself five years ago or to anyone starting today—is simple, even if it sounds obvious: do.
Shoot, experiment, try. Every experience, every job—even the one you might not consider successful today or that doesn’t feel 100% yours—is formative. Everything teaches you something. The foundation of everything is moving, building, making mistakes, doing it again.
Photography lives in action: if you think of an idea, try it. If something inspires you, shoot it. Sometimes you need more willingness than perfect technique. I truly believe that trust—in yourself and in your path—is always rewarded.
And if, like me, you choose not to follow an academic path, then you become your own teacher. Every person you work with, every situation you find yourself in, is an opportunity to learn something. You need to listen, observe, absorb.
And above all, don’t let fear block you. Often doing things—even without knowing exactly how they’ll turn out—is the only way to really understand who you are. Even the photos that today seem ugly, naive or make you laugh—they were useful. They built something.
So truly: do. Even before you know what you’re doing.
Read more:
Photography tips
11) Film vs digital
Do you use both digital and film? What pushes you to choose one over the other?
For me, film and digital are first and foremost tools. Different, but both valid.
My journey actually started with film, during high school. I fell in love with the work of Gunner Stahl, a photographer documenting the American rap world with a small point-and-shoot: he was invisible, discreet, but able to capture real, truthful moments. That approach fascinated me deeply.
Back then, film had an aesthetic I didn’t know—a look I didn’t see on social or around me. It felt rare, unique. So I began shooting only on film. At first it was almost the only way I wanted to express myself.
Over time, though, I had to confront film’s limits: costs, timing, flexibility. I understood that if I wanted to turn my passion into a real job, I had to accept digital too. It was a personal challenge, but necessary.
Today I see it like this: film is the heart, digital is the head. I always try to integrate film into my projects, even just with a little point-and-shoot in my pocket, to keep alive the process I started with. But I recognize that digital, for practical and professional reasons, is often the right choice.
Instagram, for example, I only use to post film work, because that’s where I feel I can tell myself. But in my full portfolio there are also many digital works, because it’s important to show I can operate in both worlds.
Today I’ve accepted that choosing film or digital isn’t about purity, but about context. Sometimes I can put first the approach that feels more like me; other times you just need to understand which medium is best for the project. In the end, they’re both tools to tell stories. And what really matters is how you tell them.
Read more:
Film photography ·
Digital photography
12) What changes when you shoot film
What changes for you in the relationship with the subject when you shoot on film?
Shooting on film completely changes the approach—both for me and for the person in front of me. Film imposes precise limits: you have few frames, a single ISO sensitivity, and you can’t afford to “spray and pray.” That forces you to slow down, think, and be more analytical in your choices.
When I’m in front of a subject, I know every frame carries specific weight. And that makes me more aware, more present, but also clearer with the person I’m photographing. I like to explain that I won’t take a hundred photos, but ten—maybe fifteen—and each one will be thought through.
This slowness, this more reflective process, creates a different kind of understanding. The energy on set changes: the pressure drops, you listen more, and often the subject feels like an integral part of what’s happening.
It’s a kind of photography that forces you to value the moment. And personally, that’s one of the reasons I’m so attached to film.
Read more:
Analog ·
Behind the scenes
13) Does film still matter?
Do you think film photography still has a role in the world of fashion and music?
As long as there are creatives who truly believe in this medium and carry it forward consistently, film will always have space—in any photographic field, including fashion and music.
It’s clear that over time everything has become faster: tighter deadlines, projects to close in very short timeframes, logistical conditions that often don’t support slow and thoughtful processes like film.
But if there were more attention to giving time to creative processes, more trust in the rhythms of those who create, we would probably see more openness towards film—and more freedom to use it even in complex production contexts.
It’s not only a technical or aesthetic question, but a matter of vision. And as long as there are photographers who want to insist on a certain kind of approach, film will continue to have its place—even if it will never be the easiest or most immediate one.
Read more:
Photography culture
14) Digital freedom, film intention
What are the limits and freedoms that digital gives you compared to film?
Digital gives you incredible freedoms: immediate feedback, more accessible costs, great flexibility in timing, and a much simpler logistical management. When you work on fast sets, outdoors, in difficult conditions or with tight deadlines, it’s the ideal medium.
But those freedoms also come with limits. One above all: you risk losing intention. Digital, with the ability to shoot hundreds of photos without thinking too much, often leads you to rely on chance—shooting in the hope that “among all of them, one good one will come out.”
With film, instead, you’re forced to study. To plan. To be present. Every frame has weight, and that trains you in another kind of attention—slower and more conscious.
Then there’s the physical aspect: with film you have something tangible in your hands. A negative, a real strip you can preserve for years. In digital, everything is more abstract. Files live on hard drives or in the cloud, and if you lose a backup, you lose everything.
Another important aspect is aesthetic: with digital, the photo is always a starting point. It’s up to you to build the look, give it character and meaning. With film, instead, the photo is born already with its own visual soul.
In the end, both media have pros and cons. Film forces you to focus before the shot. Digital, instead, challenges you after. It’s up to the photographer to decide where to place their attention.
Read more:
Workflow
15) A project that needed film
Is there a project that wouldn’t have been the same without film? Tell us about it.
If I think about recent work, one in particular is the project shot with some Inter players for the launch of last season’s second kit. It was a set with extremely tight timing: very little margin to photograph all three players together, zero space for tests or second thoughts.
Despite the pressure and the need to deliver everything digitally, I still wanted to carve out a moment to shoot a roll on film.
It felt like a forced choice, almost risky in that context.
And yet, in the final selection phase, it was decided to use those film images.
It was a great satisfaction—not only because of the final result, but because that small space I forced myself to take made the difference.
That project confirmed for me how sometimes insisting on carrying a certain approach forward—even when it isn’t the most comfortable route—can add a strong, extra value.
It wouldn’t have been the same without film. The feeling, the atmosphere, the materiality of the shot… it was something else.
Read more:
More film stories
Discover more:
Photography ·
Portrait ·
Fashion ·
Music
