Aura Photo Agency was founded in Milan in 1995. It is an international photographer´s representative and production company, representing the best international photographers in fashion, beauty, still life, food, interiors, lifestyle, celebrities and portraiture as well as stylists, make-up artists, CGI artists, set designers, art directors, casting directors and illustrators.

With more than 22 years' experience in the field, the company's strong presence means it is regularly in demand internationally. Aura Photo Agency offers great quality at human prices as well as 360° assistance on every kind of photographic production in Italy and Europe, for editorial or advertising shoots.

With more than 10 years of experience in international productions, Lule Production is a full service company based in Italy with a focus on photography as a commercial medium.

The company manages all aspects of a production, from accommodation to specifc location scouting. Finding the best models for a shoot is also a speciality.

For each production the company chooses only the best and most qualifed professional freelancers, creating a team of professionals that works in unison. A successful combination of advertising and fashion is its hallmark.

Working with high-level professionals to fulfil all creative needs, Contents Production's young and dynamic team have been leaders in production in Rome and beyond since 2003.

The company is synonymous with communication in all its forms, transforming customer requirements into innovative solutions for video and photographic productions all over Italy, especially in the centre/south including Tuscany, Naples and the Amalfi Coast, Sicily and Puglia.

With a 360° service covering all needs of a project, from concept to final result, the company offers location scouting, permissions, casting, camera and lighting equipment rental, technical hire (fashion van and sets), hair stylists, make-up artists, stylists, art buyers, set designers and tool makers.

Contents is also one of the largest rental studio in Rome, composed of two big open spaces: the main one measuring 20x10m with a limbo 7x7m, the second measuring 15x10m. Both have a 6m ceiling height and separate make-up and bathrooms. The studio is easily connected to the main train station (20 min) and to the airport (40 min).

Clients include The Disney Channel, Fendi, Honda, Le Coq Sportif, Condé Nast (Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ, Wired), Mondadori (Grazia, Donna Moderna, Panorama, Men’s Health), Saatchi & Saatchi, Sky and Sony (Italy, Germany). The company recently worked for international fashion brands including Adidas, Furla, Etro and many more.

Silvia Gerzeli is a freelance make-up artist and hair stylist based between Florence and the Italian lakes, working across Italy and internationally. She specialises in fashion make-up and hairstyling for photo and video clients.

Her passion for make-up means her portfolio is constantly growing thanks to the many collaborations she is involved in. She also focuses on special effects and body painting and continually studies new techniques, with regular trips to London and across Europe to work with local professionals to learn about the latest styles.

She collaborates with Lui Magazine as an art director and teaches at a renowned make-up school in Florence and Rome.

Silvia is extremely diligent and precise and "absolutely loves" her job! She appreciates the many different facets and genres that allow her to provide clients with the very best results - not only concerning make-up and hair, but also through her presence on set.

Welcome to Showcase Italy, brought to you by Production Paradise. This issue features some of the leading photographers, photo and film production and service companies, location scouts, photo post production companies, make-up artists, and casting agencies currently working out of Italy.

You can find more creative professionals and facilities for photographic and film production in our Rome (Photo / Film) and Milan (Photo / Film) directories.

Companies including Valentino, Maserati, Bulgari, LG, Fendi, Condé Nast, PayPal, Harrods, Porsche, L'Officiel, Emirates Airlines, Jaguar, Shell, and Emporio Armani, among others, have trusted these professionals with their latest advertising campaigns and editorial shoots.

Be sure not to miss our recommended events:

• Personae - the first big retrospective on Elliott Erwitt, gathering 170 B/W and colour works by the renowned American photographer. Until 7th January 2018 at  Musei San Domenico e Musei Civici - Forlì, Emilia-Romagna.
• Robert Capa photography retrospective, until 22nd January 2018 at Museo Civico di Bassano del Grappa.
• A Different Vision On Fashion Photography -  Peter Lindbergh's photography exhibition curated by Thierry-Maxime Loriot and produced by Kunsthal Rotterdam. Until 4th February 2018 at Reggia di Venaria, Torino. 
• Werner Bischof photography exhibition, until 25th February 2018 at Casa dei Tre Oci, Venice. 

Our cover image was shot by Inez & Vinoodh for Vogue Italia, photo production by Mai Mascioni Associati. 

Around Venice Production is the place where photo shoots and much more happen "around Venice!" Advising on production management and budget control, the company has the resources to handle small-to-medium scale productions for editorial and commercial shoots.

"Our experience has allowed us to appreciate the needs and working methods of international clients, many of whom have become regular partners. We work by anticipating everybody’s requirements, resolving problems, responding swiftly to unexpected situations and by offering a range of options to get better schedules, shoots and overall production value."

The team represents photographers, hair and make-up artists, stylists and movie makers. Clients include national and international brands who are guaranteed the highest standards of work throughout the production process - from location scouting to casting.

Around Venice Production deals with productions in Venice and the surrouding areas, including the beautiful Dolomites and the numerous villas of the Veneto region.

"At the newly renovated Cantiere Bovisa, you can free your creativity, making the most out of the variety of sets using the most unusual props. It is the Ideal location for photo and video productions, any sort of event, art exhibition or private party.

Chosing Cantiere Bovisa, you have the advantage of being in a house with all the benefits of a photo studio. Big spaces, natural lighting and the possibility of staging two or three sets at the same time all maximise efficiency.

A fully equipped kitchen is the best setting for your food shoot with a dedicated space for food stylists. We have last minute offers for your budget restrictions and we can offer an amazing catering service for your crew. Email for more information."

"Viewed as a whole, Andrea Varani's photos make us think of an album that a distinguished explorer continues to add to over the years, with images of trips to spectacular, at times remote places in the company of wonderous creatures.

They are portraits of landscapes in tones that are both icy and intimate, at the same time far removed yet similar in style, reminiscent of a documentary by Wenders who entrusts Irving Penn and other masters of the 20th Century with the role of director of photography.

Places so geographically distant that only the constant search for beauty (that never breaks out into ostentation), can bring so intimately close together.

Thousands of miles flown each year, meticulous, frenetic organisation, frequent changes of programme, and finally, arrival in the most disparate landscapes with their alternating seasons, in order to capture beauty in a brief moment, and then return it with calm wonder. Fashion that is worn, interpreted at times with alienated postures, at others with bemused participation, becomes the cause and effect of every shot and every journey."

Roberto Magliozzi studied photography and video before beginning his career in commercials and TV, first as a cameraman and then as a director of photography.

Roberto established his studio in Milan before approaching the worlds of fashion and advertising, contributing his conceptual and analytical vision by collaborating with b2b projects, magazines and advertising agencies through his 'non-style' - developed across fashion, advertising and through constant experimentation.

His photography is focused on portraiture, people, sports and kids, with particular focus on concept, lighting and retouching. Roberto collaborates with The North Face, Unicredit, Aquafresh, Vans, Stabilo, CP Company, Napapijri, Brand's and Timberland.

In 2009, he started developing an interest for the Asian market where he has an active partnership in Singapore, Manila, Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh City. In 2010, Roberto founded RMP SRL., a company specialised in brand and communication images. RMP supports fashion brands across digital, web and e-commerce projects. He is also professor of photography and Master of Art: Fashion and Textile Design at NABA Milano.

Welcome to Showcase Italy, brought to you by Production Paradise. This issue features some of the leading photo agents, photographers, photo & film production companies, hair & make up artists, illustrators, location scouts and services, rental studios and more, currently working out of Italy.

You can find more creative professionals and facilities for photographic and film production in our Milan (Photo / Film) and Rome (Photo / Film) directories.

Companies including Dolce & Gabbana, Apple, Ferrero, Shell, LG, Emporio Armani, Heineken, Alfa Romeo, Elle, Roberto Cavalli, Universal Studio, Glamour, Jaguar, and L'Officiel, among others, have trusted these professionals with their latest advertising campaigns and editorial shoots.

Be sure not to miss our recommended events:

• Paola Di Bello photography exhibition, until 2nd April at Museo del Novecento, Milan.
• 6th edition of Festival Fotografico Europeo, until 30th April in Milan and surrounding towns. 
• Henri Cartier-Bresson photography exhibition, until 11th June at Palazzo ducale di Genova. 

Our cover image, featuring  model Gigi Hadid, was shot by photographer Mario Testino. Production by Mai Mascioni Associati.