Meet the Northampton photographer who has created a project to celebrate the town’s people and stories
Meet the Northampton photographer who has created a project to showcase and celebrate the town’s people and their interesting stories.
Livia Anna Fallarino is the creator of People of NN, a portrait project in which she photographed residents from a small pop-up studio at her home.
She recently self-published the work as a photobook, which captures a diverse cross-section of people, stories and lives spanning friends, pets and generations of families.
Livia began taking photographs as a teenager, back when everything was still analogue. She was fascinated by the process of developing film and watching images appear in the darkroom.
She even built a small darkroom in the loft of her family home, which became her teenager hideout, and photography naturally developed into Livia’s way of expressing herself.
“My path is a bit unusual,” Livia told the Chronicle & Echo. “I worked for many years as a professional photographer in Milan, shooting fashion, advertising and commercial assignments. It was exciting but incredibly fast-paced and I travelled constantly.
“When I met my future husband, a Northampton born-and-bred, I felt ready to start a new chapter. I moved here, built a new life and stepped away from the commercial world to focus on family and rediscovering photography in a more personal, meaningful way.”
Livia now only photographs projects which truly resonate with her creatively and artistically. She is not running a commercial photography business anymore, and focuses on creating work with a deeper connection to people and place.
“When I started People of NN, I was going through a moment of uncertainty,” said Livia. “Since moving here, I’ve watched the town and surrounding area change – fewer independent shops, cultural spaces and places for people to come together.
“Even the town centre felt quieter and more empty. I found myself questioning what I felt about this place and what I hoped for its future.
“I opened the large gate of my house in NN1, set up a small pop-up studio and started inviting passersby for a portrait. I asked them simple questions about life in Northampton. In a way, I was looking for reassurance.
“What I received instead was a completely different perspective – warmth, positivity, pride, humour and contentment. The more I looked at the portraits, the more I saw love, joy, colour and hope. These faces helped me reconnect with this place in a much deeper way.”
Livia is grateful to everyone who got involved, and she hopes the project gives others more optimism about the town.
“People have responded very warmly,” said Livia. “Many were happy to be photographed, and often surprised by how simple and personal the process was.
“It took me some time to turn it into a book but now it’s out, I’ve received some lovely feedback and a growing amount of interest. I’m hoping it will be exhibited in a gallery soon.”
As for Livia’s style, people often appreciate the simplicity and directness of her portraits – namely the calm feeling, honesty, lack of pretence and the colourful yet natural look that runs through much of her work.
This is Livia’s first community-focused project and the first time she has brought together her background in studio photography with her interest in people.
Having submitted the work to international self-published photobook awards, Livia hopes to continue exploring this direction by creating projects with a human, local or emotional resonance.