Good Work — Home and Abroad
This is the latest installment in our series featuring outstanding professionals we are fortunate to work with on a regular basis.
A self-portrait
Marco Ricca has been a full-time photographer for almost 30 years; but he began his career in a very different industry. His first job, in his native Italy, was as an air traffic controller. It was not a good fit. “I was bored and I was also underpaid,” he says. He decided to resign and travel around the world. His mother gave Marco her blessing for the trip; she also gave him a 35mm camera with one lens. It was 1975 and he had $1,200.
Ricca used 20 rolls of film on that trip, he says, and when he got back home he was completely broke. He sent his photos to a few travel magazines at the suggestion of friends. Two magazines showed an interest in his work. “I made back my $1,200,” he laughs. That started him on a winding path involving work as a framer, roofer and electrician, with a side hustle taking photographs. He eventually found himself in New York with “$1,000, two suitcases and a broken camera. I started from scratch.” He landed a job first as an assistant to, Scott Frances and, later, as an assistant to Michael Mundy, both photographers celebrated in the industry.
“These two helped my career,” says Ricca. “They’re very creative, but also very nice human beings. It does make a difference in the way you approach any kind of business.” Over the years, Ricca added residential interior photography to his repertoire, something he sees as a natural progression, having often photographed hotels and villas in his travels.
Here at Design NJ, we’ve reaped the rewards of Ricca’s circuitous but steady climb to success. His work graced the covers of our October/November 2016 and December 2016/January 2017 issues, and has been featured in countless others. His creativity and commitment to excellence have contributed to the success of Design NJ. “Interiors have been my passion,” he says. “I use my skill and talent to bring to life a vision.” That vision benefits us all.
October/November 2016 and December 2016/January 2017 issues
Marco Ricca capturing the best light. (Apparently interior photography involves a lot of bathtub sitting.)
Photo by Chris Delaney
Photo by Chris Delaney
Ricca on the National Geographic Quest in the Galapagos on an assignment for Lindblad Expeditions. Photo by Bennett Goldberg.
When you’ve got to get the shot, but don’t want to get the floor dirty: Ricca carries booties with him on every shoot.
Photo by Chris Delaney.
For a look at some of Ricca’s other work for Design NJ, check out the following: