Gatti, photography studio

What to do when your employer makes you redundant? You take

the first step (ironic, considering he worked in a shoe factory

before) towards the right decision: in Gino Gatti's case that meant

making his passion for photography into his daily breadwinner.

All this happened in 1960 - but this wasn't Gino's first rodeo. He'd

nurtured his passion for taking snapshots for years and he'd already

turned it into a money-making activity. To round off his family's

income, he used to photograph events during his spare time. The

jump from side hustle to main business was immediate, and he

soon opened his own shop. His son Stefano was also a passionate

photographer, and so learnt the tricks and tips of being behind the

shutter as a child. Both father and son would take pictures during

their work breaks, when hiking in the mountains, and when out

and about surrounded by nature. When all the other kids soaked up

the sunshine during the summer holidays, Stefano could be found

working in the shop and spending time in the darkroom. His regular

apprenticeship started at the age of 16 and, in 1996, he took over the

business when Gino retired.