Antonio FaFredo
MGT's cover photographer likes it natural and naked
By DREW Rowsome

"Actually they are natural," says photographer Antonio FaFredo as he shrugs off a compliment. "Often I have not seen the model before I take pictures of him. Or I have some idea before we start then we do something different. Some of my last pictures, 'Sunday Mood,' happened really spontaneously. A friend of mine came to my home for a coffee and he said 'By the way, I need some new pictures,' and I took quick pictures of him while he had his coffee."

It is that ability to find the beauty, particularly the male beauty, in the everyday that is FaFredo's credo and talent: "Most often, I'm inspired by the radiance of people, and the nature around me," he says. "In the beginning I was asking my friends to pose for me, then I decided just to look around me and offer the guys I like to take nice pictures of them. I like real natural things, I like my models to show the nice part of real life."

What catches his eye is "a good body and a nice smile," but he is vaguer on how he transmutes that into art. "I'm not sure how to answer," he says, "Art is like love, you can't always explain your art." But when asked what makes a photo erotic, he has no hesitation, "I could answer with something very inspiring but I'll be honest and short: the beautiful naked body."

And FaFredo knows what he likes, his ultimate fantasy photo shoot is simple, "To take nude photos of Miguel Angel Silvestre." Silvestre of Sense8 and I'm So Excited, would be wise to consider FaFredo's offer, one of FaFredo's series, a man in a sunflower field, has gone viral. "I did not know they were uploaded on Tumblr," he says before googling and being pleasantly surprised. "It is one of the most successful photo sessions I did. I think every artist is glad when his work is liked, and when people share it, they like it."

Many more will be enjoying FaFredo's work now that he is on the cover of MGT Magazine but, for the moment, his work has to be sought out. "For now my work can only be seen on my Facebook page [facebook.com/AntonioFaFredoPhotography] and on Instagram," he says. "But soon I plan to publish an Indiegogo campaign for my book." 

In the meantime, FaFredo plans to continue using his big smile to charm those he encounters on his travels into becoming art. He describes himself as, "An adventurer and dreamer who likes all the beautiful moments life can bring and to shoot them with my camera." And he shrugs, inviting all along on those adventures, "It's nice to share, that's why I'm doing this."