Tim Mantoani

Written by Alessandro Gambaro on Friday, 12 June 2009 17:36

San Diego based photographer Tim Mantoani is mostly recognized as a sports photographer. In his work he has immortalized: Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Randy Moss, Troy Polamalu and Larry Fitzgerald, just to name a few. But you can’t narrow his talent down to sports. This past April I witnessed first-hand the broad spectrum of his eclectic work during the Month of Photography in Los Angeles. The title of his exhibit was Behind Photographs. Tim’s source of inspiration for this project has a double motivation: “We have reached a time in history when we are losing both iconic photographers and photographic mediums. As Polaroid fades away, so do many of the image makers that have not only recorded our history, but in many cases have helped to define it. I felt it was important for people to see the people who have created these images”.
During our recent interview, Tim explains the method he used to create the Behind Photographs project. “I had wanted to try shooting with a 20x24 Polaroid camera since I had always enjoyed large format portraiture. Since there was one for rent in San Francisco, I rented it for a day over the winter holidays in 2006. At that time, each exposure was $75 (now $200) and knew I needed to shoot something that was important to me. I had met Jim Marshall and Michael Zagaris on assignments and gave them both a call to come in for a portrait. I thought it would be fun to have each one of them hold one of their iconic images. It all started there, we all loved the pictures that were made that day and I began contacting other photographers.”

ALESSANDRO GAMBARO: You are based in San Diego but where would you build your dream house?

TIM MANTOANI: Somewhere with a view of the ocean.

AG: Did you go to school to study photography?
TIM: Yes I went to the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara

AG: What or who got you started in photography?

TIM: I got started in photography in high school shooting for the yearbook. My next door neighbour owned the local camera store in my hometown, San Carlos, CA....The Camera Shop.

AG: How would you describe your style?

TIM: I will leave that to you!

AG: What sort of work do you specialize in?

TIM: I specialize in shooting people, much of my work involves athletes. Some people think of me as a sports photographer. I consider myself a people shooter that happens to have photographed a lot of athletes.

AG: What are your favourite images that you have shot recently?

TIM: I just shot 35 NFL Rookies in one day and got a few images that I really liked.
Boxer Kid in Cuba

AG: You took some pictures in Cuba, what do you think about Cuba? So close to United States geographically but so far politically and as a lifestyle.

TIM: Cuba is magical and one of the most amazing places a photographer could go to make images. I loved that people there were so open to having their pictures made.

AG: Where would be your dream destination assignment?

TIM: I would love to go to Papua New Guinea and Prague.

AG: Do you prefer to shoot: the Photographers, the Athletes or Real People?

TIM: I love the mix of shooting a variety of people in a variety of ways and on various photographic formats.

AG: Is there anybody or anything that you would you like to photograph that you have not had the chance to yet?

TIM: I would enjoy the opportunity to photograph The President.

AG: If not a photographer, what would you have been?

TIM: I really can't imagine doing anything else.
Roberto Salas

AG: What has been your most memorable assignment and why?

TIM: Hummm.............too many to narrow it down to a single most memorable. Photography has granted me access to see the world and meet so many amazing people over the years.

AG: The first photographer that comes to your mind and why?

TIM: Dean Collins. He was my mentor and left us way too soon. I miss him a bunch. Dean always had the ability to visualize things that didn't exist.

AG: Any new project that you are excited about and you would like to talk about?

TIM: I am trying not to start anything other personal projects until I get my Behind Photographs project published. I still have several photographers left to shoot and need to find a venue and sponsor that would enable to show all of the images from the project.

Tim, thank you so much for the fantastic photos, I hope you get the opportunity to photograph President Obama very soon.

By Alessandro Gambaro

Website: www.mantoani.com
Blog: http://mantoani.blogspot.com/

Images courtesy of Tim Mantoani

sarah_reinertsen by Tim Mantoani