Born in Salento · Based in Amsterdam
Sun, sea and wind.
I grew up in Salento, at the heel of Italy, and I carry it with me wherever I go: the warmth of the sun, the freshness of the sea and the lightness of the wind.
Hi, I’m Carmen.
A photographer based in Amsterdam and the heart behind BeLight Project. The name comes from three words I hold close: be the light. Photography is writing with light, and that’s what I do for every couple I meet: notice the light in you, and keep it.
Where it started
A curiosity for photography.
In the early 2000s my father brought home a 3-megapixel Olympus from Canada. He’d gather my brother and me in the afternoons to experiment, and taught us to always print our photos, because they are precious moments. We spent hours leafing through our albums: the family ones, and the personal ones he made for each of us.
Later he gave me his Yashica film camera, bought in Japan in the ’80s. And my brother’s Canon, which I kept borrowing, became mine when he saw it was meant for me, flash and telephoto included.
I grew up curious about the world, and I’ve always been lucky.
How I see
Real light, real moments.
Photography isn’t just what I do. It’s how I see the world.
Rooted in street photography and Hopper’s quiet realism: strong light, deep shadows, ordinary moments that become stories. I still love shooting film and developing the rolls myself.
At weddings I don’t stage your day, I follow it.
Off camera
Living life fully.
Doing what I love and what makes me feel good: photographing, cooking and enjoying every moment.
Music & nights out
My friends behind the DJ booth, me behind the lens, always enjoying the night.
Pon di Boat
Official photographer of a boat party born among friends 11 years ago: good vibes only, music and sunsets on the stunning coast of Leuca.
Books & exhibitions
Always a new book in my bag and the next photo exhibition in my diary.
Cooking with love
Recipes from my mum and grandma, cooked for the people I love. It’s my way of caring.
Family and friends: always cheering for me, always honest when it matters. That’s the real wealth of life.
Exhibitions & projects
Stories beyond weddings.
Travel, new cultures and collaborations with other artists have always fed my work. A few projects that shaped me.
In the Face of Brutalism
Amsterdam · Collective project
With Irena Jovanovska, Thomas Garrod-Pullar (Menaswell), Ulaş Uygun and Sha Bunsee: photography, poetry and illustration defending consent, pride and freedom. Supported by the Pride Amsterdam Foundation, the campaign was printed on advertising columns around Amsterdam.
Discover Barcelona & Amsterdam
Barcelona · Amsterdam
Many thanks to Let Me Italian You for this amazing project.
Barcelona 2016: portrait workshop at Estudio Fotográfico Oliver Viladoms and street photography workshop led by Quim Farrero, certified by the Institut d’Estudis Fotogràfics de Catalunya. My album was published and one of my photos won the online contest.
Amsterdam 2023: street photography workshop with Nanda Hagenaars.
Istanbul: Between East and West
First solo exhibition · Nardò, Italy
After a school project in Turkey, my father was so struck by my photos that he organised a solo exhibition for me as a gift, in a beautiful spot in Nardò’s old town. My uncle, a poet, presented it, and my high-school photography teacher proudly joined us.
Poverty and Freedom, Beauty of Things
Copertino, Italy · First prize
Won first prize at a school event for graphic sculpture and photography.
Training
Always learning.
- 2017Master Class Top Landscape · Giovanna Griffo, Rome
- 2016Camera Raw Extreme: digital workflow · Giovanna Griffo, Rome
- StudiesMultimedia & audiovisual · specialised in photography
Planning your wedding?
Let’s talk about your day.
Tell me your date, the place and a little about the two of you.
Check your date