My name is Cristiano Ostinelli and I have been a destination wedding photographer for 15 years. I live in Lake Como, Italy and it’s the perfect place for my work – where I started my career. I travel the world for my work, both for wedding shoots and for workshops as a ‘Master of Photography’. I love my job; it allows me to discover different cultures, to visit dream locations, to be independent and to have complete freedom to express my photographic ideas.

You were one of the first professional photographer to test the Sony Alpha 1 – what were your first impressions and stand-out features for you? 

I have to say that it was a great honour to have been chosen by Sony to test the Alpha 1 prior to its launch. There are a lot of features I really like about this new camera. It packs all the best features from the Alpha system which are essential for complex and articulate work such as wedding photography, ranging from static poses to dynamic movements.

How do you think these technological improvements help your workflow and creativity?

The Alpha mirrorless system really helps me a lot by simplifying my work and it allowing me to focus more on the creative part. With the Alpha 1, I particularly appreciate the high resolution that id offers, along with the super-fast shooting speed. The improved autofocus is a great feature too, especially when I’m shooting moving subjects. I also love the blackout-free viewfinder, when shooting with either ambient light or flash, and it’s a feature I need for my work.

What other features stand out for you and in which scenario?

I often have to shoot in very contrasty situations, as you can also see in the images here. The dynamic range of the Alpha 1 is incredible – it retains all the details in the highlights and shadows in those shots to keep all the elements that tell the story. This performance, coupled with the other features I mentioned (resolution, speed, flawless autofocus), it is much easier to produce epic shots like the image of the bride in the speedboat.

Lenses/accessories are another core component of photography and filmmaking – What lenses and accessories did you use for your initial test and why?

On this shoot, I used three lenses: the FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM, the new FE 35mm f/1.4 GM and the FE 135mm f/1.8 GM. In my photography, I believe it is very important to blend the subject and the landscape and, in this case, I found perfection in using the ultra-wide 12-24mm GM. I always shift between the wide angle and the 35mm GM, which is my favorite lens for its versatility and for its ability to recreate a scene in a natural and artistic way. As a third lens, I like to use a telephoto lens like the 135mm GM, because of its ability to isolate the subject and create beautiful bokeh.

What advice would you give aspiring photographers that want to follow your steps?  

To those who undertake photography as a career or to those who are thinking about it, I would like to say always believe in your dreams, to take one step at a time and to have a lot of patience. Give a lot of value to your passion and less to business. Always seek and maintain your own style, not necessarily following the trends of the moment. Anything is possible. Twenty years ago, I would have never imagined being here now, talking about my work in this interview.

Any last words – thank you or last advice for our readers?  

I would like to thank all those who have read about my experiences, and Sony for giving me the opportunity to share it. Being able to show my work and my continuous photographic research is a source of great pride and pleasure for me.