We caught up with first place winner Alejandro Merizalde for a quick chat. Alejandro was born in Ecuador and is based in NYC, with an ongoing project in Venice (the subject of his winning image). You can learn a little more about him in the interview below. Also, don’t forget to visit his website at artmerizalde.com to see more of his work.
When did you first get into photography?
I started off as a painter and was actually fairly successful in that realm, but eventually lost interest. I needed something that would bring me closer to the environment, so in 2012 I went out and bought my first camera. I had always liked photography, and so I began teaching myself all of the techniques I ever wanted to know.
Why do you love photography?
I love capturing everything uncompromised, especially the city of Venice, Italy, where I am currently doing most of my work. I love going there and just showing the city the way it is. For me it’s a more simplistic way of telling stories compared to painting.
What are you working on now?
My main project is Venice. When I first visited in 2008, I fell in love with the city and have been going back once a year ever since. My goal with the project is to show Venice from a more intimate angle, so I go there in the winter to capture the Venice that most tourists don’t get to see.
What was your process for creating the winning image?
I actually took the photo in 2013 with no knowledge of the Canaletto painting you see in the winning image. It wasn’t until my wife brought home a Canaletto book that I discovered he had created a painting from the same vantage point. When I came across the Recollection contest, I figured it was a perfect fit.
The photo was created early in the morning with long exposure to get rid of all the people walking by. You can imagine how amazed I was to later see that I had virtually recreated the work of a famous painter in photographic form.
How long have you been working with Duggal?
I’ve been coming to Duggal since 2014 for film processing. They do beautiful work, and the people are extremely passionate. I’m always impressed.
