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.