Mario Tarantino

I was born in Port Elisabeth, South Africa, also known as the “Windy City” to a Neapolitan father and French mother, both of whom worked in the airline industry. Growing up as a family we travelled quite a bit and got to live in some beautiful parts of the world.

I really like travelling (who doesn’t) but not as much as I like taking photographs – in fact I find both complement each other very well. Now based out of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, photography has replaced my parents work perks, allowing me to keep exploring & looking at things through my camera’s viewfinder.

My photographic style ranges from fine art architecture & street to moody landscapes. I am no painter, probably another reason I took up photography, but the surrealists Magritte, Breton & de Chirico to name a few have all heavily influenced the way I take pictures.

“Less is more”, “Simple is powerful” are things I believe in and adhere to. This can be seen in my compositions which in general are quite minimalist. The simplicity of monochromatic imagery, the rich, deep and detailed blacks coupled with crisp whites and all the tones in between, for me makes mundane, marvellous. I often use long exposures and enjoy working in low light conditions, creating low-key images which I find more emotive. My pursuit of the sublime has been recognised in the form of numerous awards from internationally renowned institutions.

Mario Tarantino

2023

2022