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European Photographer Daniele Mattioli was born and raised in Foligno, Italy. He bought his first camera at the age of 22 and hasn't looked back. He has lived in Pompeii assisting the photography of ancient frescoes, and in Vienna working at the Anzenberger Agency (who now represents him), as a photo researcher. His photographic journeys have taken him from the middle of Europe to Sydney, Australia, and his works have been published in Shanghai, New York, France, Spain, Germany, Hong Kong and more. His subjects range from the "2000 Olympic Games" to the "Kites of China". But what we were most interested in was his project entitled, "The Drag Queens of Australia." Here are Daniele's words about this glamorous photo project: Daniele was kind enough to take time out his busy schedule to answer our questions about his life as a photographer and his projects. Because English is not his native tongue, he gave us permission to prepare his interview for publication. We have done our best to capture his thoughts as accurately as possible. Eros Zine:How long have you been a photographer? Daniele Mattioli: I have been a photographer for more than 13 years. EZ:Your biography says you began as an Assistant Photographer, coordinating the photography of ancient frescoes in Pompeii. What sorts of things did you learn as an Assistant? DM: Well, that was a long time ago… I assisted another photographer. We were taking photos of the beautiful frescos of Pompeii in Italy for several months. It was good experience learning how to use light, although I did decide to do things completely differently with my own photography. EZ:You then moved on to become a Photo Researcher. What did that job entail? DM: I went to live in Vienna, Austria and began work for an actual photo agency. I learned how to handle stock photography, to meet a magazine's needs, and I got to see many photos from other photographers. EZ:At what point did you realize you were ready to go out on your own? DM: Well, I always wanted to be a photographer, so I decided to move to Australia and start there. I needed to pull away from the Vienna job because I would have been too lazy to start my own freelance work, which is a difficult task. I had to force myself to move on, and in being self-employed, created the conditions that required me to be a photographer and make some money. EZ: How do you choose your projects? What do you look for? DM: I am always looking for photographic stories that include people. I am interested in how society works. I think the human side is a very important part of my work. 75% of my pictures are of just people. 
EZ: What made you decide to cover Australian Drag Queens? DM: Living in Sydney meant being close to and having a modern perspective on gay society. Australia (and especially Sydney) is making history in the new millennium as far as I'm concerned. I was interested in looking deep inside this community. Drag Queens are also celebrities in Australia, especially after the movie Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. EZ: Were you already familiar with your subjects? DM: I did some research as I would for any project. While I am not gay, I did naturally learn a lot, as well as gain more understanding and sensitivity to this issue. I had no problems taking pictures and letting people be themselves in front of the camera. EZ: How long did the Australian Drag Queen project take? DM: Well it took some months, of course. I worked on it in my spare time between commercial projects. That project occurred during the 2000 Olympics when they were held in Sydney, Australia, so there was a lot of interest from media in everything coming from down under. EZ: How far did it take you? DM: Well projects for me are open books, which means that the deeper you go, the more you want to discover. I never consider a project finished, there is always something more to do. But more or less I had fun, and I discovered another world. In Italy, the Drag Queen scene is not as up front as it is in Australia. EZ: Which is your favorite photo from this project? DM: There are a few! One is of Vanessa Wagner, seated with a leg up on the sands of Bondi beach. She is an incredible person, a celebrity in the drag scene in Australia. She fights for AIDS education and awareness and does a lot of work for related social problems. That picture of Vanessa is the first photo on the Australian reportage link on my new website: www.mattioliphoto.net. 
EZ: What is the story you are telling? DM: I don't know... the story is about finding a good angle, a means to develop something and make it bigger. This story line is about how Drag Queens are in Australia, very different, much more physical, funnier and very passionate about enjoying life! EZ: What makes a good photo? How do you choose your best photos? DM: The best selections come from narrowing down the choices from a large group of photos and looking at them closely. I choose the pictures which reflect a combination of the captured moment, the photo composition and enough information to allow each picture to tell the whole story. A good photo is a mix of all that, and a good photo is difficult to come by - it's not that easy. You spend most of your time trying to find it. EZ: Do you like to pose and compose your shots? Or do you prefer to catch your subject in a completely natural moment? DM: I let my subjects be totally natural. I don't pose anyone unless I need something specific or I'm taking a portrait, but normally I don't say a word to the subject. I want him or her to be more natural in front of the camera. EZ: How many photos do you take before you find the perfectly composed photo? How many photos do you keep versus how many do you throw away? DM: There is a saying that with every roll of film, there are two good pictures. Well, sometimes not even an entire roll of film is enough to get a single good photo. Then again, sometimes you get a roll of film with lots of good photos, especially if you're taking candid moments and movement. There's a lot of film to waste so you can keep trying for a good shot. 
EZ: What type of camera and film do you use? DM: I am using a Leica M6 which is an old rangefinder. It's very small but really good at catching the right moment and has good lenses for getting good detail in darkness. For film, I use Kodak for both black and white and colour shots. The Drag Queen story was done with black and white film, Kodak Tmax 400 and Tmax 100. EZ: So what's next? Do you have a new project coming soon? DM: At the moment I am working on social stories about street kids in Vietnam and Cambodia. I am planning to go there in a few months (I've just finished a three month project there). I am also continuing to work in Shanghai because that's been my big project for the last three years. Australia is no longer in the picture. I lived there for seven years, but now Asia is more attractive to me. I am based between Italy and Asia right now. Thanks Daniele, we will definitely watch your new website for new photos and updates!
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"They dance in the big city limelight and in dark pubs out in the brush. Men hold their beers high and yell and cheer because they love the show up there onstage, and they want more. Drag Queens rule the night and Australia is their kingdom. These glamour-queens not only have their loyal crowds in Sydney's gay scene, their fans can be found even outside the city-limits where men are "blokes" and love the toughness of rugby, and where homophobia is still common. People are mad about the men in frocks. It's a national party gag for drag-star Mitzi to dress up as Kylie Minogue. Even at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics, Australia showcased this weird and colourful mob with pride."|
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