Fontana, Franco

Franco (1933). Italian photographer. He became interested in photography in 1961 as an amateur, and from the start had a preference for landscapes in color. After some early success due to an exhibition in which he participated in 1968, he began a rather varied professional career which can be synthesized by the several books he published: Terre da leggere (1974), Skyline (1978), Paesaggio urbano (1980), Presentassenza (1982), Fullcolor (1983), Piscina (1984), Kaleidoscope (1990), and Sorpresi dalla luce Americana (1999). He won several prizes, including, in 1992, the prestigious Photographer Award of the Photographic Society of Japan on occasion of the 150^th anniversary of photography, when Mario Giacomelli had been chosen to represent Italy. As to his relationship with the world of fashion, everything started in 1986 when he published I dogi della moda, which was dedicated to Venetian designers. The book was noticed by Alexander Lieberman, the famous art director of Vogue, who suggested that he work with Vogue America. The collaboration would last for four years, until Fontana decided to decline a contract which would have required him to move to New York. He made several campaigns for Maria Grazia Severi, Loretta Di Lorenzo, Mondrian, Versace, and Valentino, who included him, along with 120 of his photos, in the monograph which featured the best photographers with whom he had ever worked.