Images by Manuello Paganelli

Manuello Paganelli grew up in exotic locales such as Santo Domingo, Puerto Rico and Italy. After attending a small college in Chattanooga, Tennessee studying Biology and Chemistry to pursue a career in medicine, his life took a turn of fate. Shortly after purchasing a camera he read a magazine article about a great photographer. He was so astonished by this man’s life and work that, just like that, he decided to call him. Manuello dialed information for Carmel by the Sea, California and called the photographer. Thus began his friendship with Ansel Adams.
A few weeks later Manuello got his first break, at the Chattanooga Times, and began his long and exciting love affair with photography. After a few years of assignments at home and on the road he went to work in Washington, DC, and after that moved to Virginia, where in addition to his editorial assignments he began to do his own self-commissioned work. In 1989 he began to explore Cuba, its land, its people, and its complex relationship with the USA. In 1995 his Cuban work earned him a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. That same year he had his own first solo Cuban show. On reviewing the exhibit Washington Post’s Fran Van Riper wrote “Manuello Paganelli’s Cuban photographs are a brilliant window on a land and people too long hidden from North American eyes. Working in the tradition of Cartier-Bresson and Robert Frank, Paganelli brings an artist’s eyes and a native son’s sensibility to his superb photographs.”
Manuello now lives in Los Angeles, California. Though he makes his home in North Hollywood, he travels the USA and the world on freelance assignment. His award-winning work has graced the pages of many well-known magazines including TIME, SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, LIFE, PEOPLE, NEWSWEEK, BUSINESS WEEK, FORBES & MEN’S JOURNAL.

Upcoming weekend Photo Workshop “Studio & Location Lighting with an Edge” With Manuello Paganelli @ Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara Nov 12&13, 2005
http://workshops.brooks.edu/calendar_event.php?id=72