One crucial element to pay attention to when it comes to street photography composition is to use interesting backgrounds. Massimo Giachetti has a keen eye for dramatic graffiti on the streets of New York and blending it with subjects to create a visually stunning results.

Massimo was raised and born in Florence, Italy, but he moved to Los Angeles where he picked up photography in the early 80’s. He took extension classes in UCLA and started street photography, where he claimed his interest was at. After several years, Massimo moved back to Italy to pursue a professional photography career. It did not work out as he had planned and he took a break from the photography world. It was not until the early 2000s that he decided to move back to the United States where he revived his street photography, walking around capturing scenes around the big metropolis of New York.

In an email to the Phoblographer, Massimo noted he was inspired by two great photographers: Harry Gruyaert and Alex Webb, for one particular reason: the ability to use color effectively in their photographs. Indeed, looking at Massimo’s portfolio, his street photography is full of vibrant, explosive colors which is in contradiction to the more conservative, neutral (and usually black and white), popular approach to presenting street photographs.

His creative use of blending human subjects into visually intense graffiti paintings in the walls is often intriguing and humorous at the same time. Careful composition of matching the colors of the shirt against the similarly colored background and juxtaposition of several elements that came together beautifully in a frame made Massimo’s street photographs all the more interesting to look at. Massimo’s use of wide angle perspective for the environmental portraits resulted in an engaging experience viewing his work, yet he successfully maintains clean and organized composition, excluding unnecessary clutter from his framing.