BIO
In May of 2023, I graduated from Sheridan College’s photography program with honours, winning the Canon Canada Prize at the end of year thesis exhibition.
Soon after graduating, I participated in a group exhibition with two other artists, organized by Outlet Network. In September 2024 I moved to Berlin. I currently work as a freelance photographer, artist and commercial fine art photography assistant.
Instagram: @papini_productions
Email: lucapapini78@gmail.com
Having been born in Cape Town, but raised in Vancouver, with Italian, English and South African parents, my life has been shaped by a rich tapestry of global influences. From the vibrant pulse of South African jazz to the surrealism of Renaissance art, and the rich nature of North Vancouver, I grew up surrounded by art in every form. This diverse exposure has given me a unique voice—one that seeks the surreal, the unusual, and the unseen.
As an artist, I weave bizarre stories from fragments of my environment, turning the mundane into a quilt of my surreal imagination. Through my lens, I capture not just what is visible but what lies beneath—an energy, a pulse, a truth that the eye cannot see but the soul can feel.
I accomplish this by interpreting the aura of my subjects, revealing the essence of who they are in a way that transcends the surface. Each image becomes a window into their inner world, a truth stronger than any simple likeness. This approach extends into my product photography as well, turning objects into heroes of their own narrative, breathing life into them with a strange yet elegant approach. My work delves into surreal textures and colours, creating worlds that bend the boundaries of what we consider visual reality.
I am driven by a deep passion for the art of seeing beyond the surface and into the heart of what truly matters. Above all, I am a storyteller—an interpreter of desire, energy, and emotion.
CV
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EDUCATION AND TRAINING
2019-2023
Sheridan College, Honours Bachelor of Photography, graduated with honours
2018-2019
Toronto Metropolitan University, Image Arts (IMA) program, Toronto, ON
WORK EXPERIENCE
2024
STUDIO ASSISTANT for Fine Art Photographer Chehalis Hegner, Chicago, IL
2023 - 2024
COMMERCIAL PHOTOGRAPHY ASSISTANT experience on diverse sets in Toronto, ON
2022 - 2023
TECH SPECIALIST AT SHERIDAN EQUIPMENT CENTRE, Oakville, ON
2022
PHOTO ARCHIVIST AND COMMERCIAL WORK for LINDA HELMS CERAMICS, Vancouver Island
2021
PHOTO ACQUISITION AND CONTENT CREATOR for CANADIAN ALLIANCE FOR CHILDREN’S GRIEF, remote work
2020
LEAD WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER, Tofino, BC
2019
LEAD WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER at UNITED CHURCH OF LANGLEY, Langley, BC
2017
PHOTO LAB AND ELECTRONICS SPECIALIST at LONDON DRUGS, North Vancouver, BC
AWARDS AND EXHIBITIONS
April 2023
Recipient of the Canon Prize, 2023 Sheridan College Thesis Exhibition, Toronto, ON
May 2023
Group Exhibition at Outlet Network event, Toronto ON
March 2020
Group exhibition, Sheridan Photography Program, Toronto ON
May 27-June 10, 2018
Awarded stipend in the Chester Field Bring to Light exhibition, Polygon Gallery, North Vancouver
May 27-June 11, 2017
Finalist in the Chester Fields group exhibition: Snap, Making the Digital Image Real Again, Presentation House Gallery, North Vancouver, BC
PUBLICATIONS
2023
Fine Art Photo Book, Spores: Magical Mushroom Photography, Broccoli Magazine Publication
Assisting Clients
Suech & Beck
Tazo, Living Beauty
Brandon Titaro
Sharp Magazine
Ashley Van Der laan
Real Canadian Superstore, Tanqueray Gin, Casa de Suna
Maya Visnyei
Amir Quality Meats & Freefield Farms.
Barbara Cole
Creative Fine Art Photoshoot