Meet Izzy Robertti | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Izzy Robertti and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Izzy, how do you think about risk?
I think risk is something as a photographer that you just need to take. Not even just as a photographer but as an entrepreneur or creative. If you aren’t taking risks, you simply aren’t doing enough. There is always going to be a risk that people don’t like your work, don’t like your edit, and sometimes don’t even like who you are! What are you going to do? Be scared about what others think or the risks that come behind it? Taking that risk you were scared of taking could have been the best decision of your life.

In my case, I took many risks to get to where I am today. One of them was when my downstairs neighbor who had a backyard was having a barbecue this one summer. He saw me sitting out by the window and invited my friends and I for some chicken. I could have easily said no but I took the RISK and went downstairs and chatted and ate with them. They seemed like good people from the start so this is not a go ahead of saying yes and taking risks when strangers ask you to come over.

ANYWAYS, fast forward 6 months later he tells me he is a videographer and his company needs a last minute photographer to shoot for a NYFW show. I said yes, we went together, I end up meeting future clients I worked with down the line, friends who I love dearly, and I worked many other NYFW shows from that day on. That one yes literally changed my life. Never be scared to take a risk and say yes more often (when it seems safe).

Another risk I took was doing photography in college while I was studying health science. Many people thought I would drop out or fail out. I was doubted by others and myself. It did go bad and it was hard to keep up with both things but I kept doing photography and it was the best decision I made. I graduated and I have the health degree but I am happy with doing photography full time. If the signs are pointing to keep doing the thing that makes you happy, do it!

Last thing I will say about risks is that if you believe in yourself and what you do than that is all that needs to matter. That is what I told myself as I was starting to do a lot more event photography and got to meet more talented people. You get scared and you start to judge yourself or compare yourself. Once you freak yourself out, you stop taking risks. What is the fun in life without risk? Risk is everywhere. The best pep talk I could give myself is telling myself that I am my biggest hater. Then the rest does not seem so bad.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what makes my art so different is the way I choose to capture moments of people. It is like everyone in the room is going crazy and dancing but I am quietly in my own head literally studying everyone and everything in the room. I am on the highest surface waiting for you to drop it low or get intimate or sing at the top of your lungs. And I’m going to capture it and make it look hot.

Not only am I studying and waiting for a moment but I am vibe checking to see if I can approach certain people and get closer photos of them posed or get them out of their comfort zone to get the photo that they will be happy with as well as the client.

It always makes me excited when I go to work because it is always a new experience whether I know everyone in the room or don’t know anyone at all. Regardless, the experience is thrilling and motivates me. I just love making people feel good about themselves when they go out and I like to capture them having fun. I never want to leave a job feeling like I just took the most boring photo of them smiling, posed, and left it at that. I am always looking for something more. Especially being based in New York, there is just so much fashion, culture, and glamour that it would be a shame to let it go to waste without a good photo.

Now don’t get me wrong, it is definitely not easy trying to accumulate to a crowd where nobody knows you and you don’t know them but your job is to get them having fun and getting all close and personal. It is something that took a lot of experience of networking at events, being able to spot a vibe from afar, and honestly being ok with rejection. Because sometime people will just flat out reject you or worse; ignore you and that is okay.

I have had two solo galleries where I show cased my work and for me that was the most exciting points of my career so far. Seeing people come into the gallery and reminisce in those moments in real time. Getting everyone together and having them talk about a photo I took was a surreal experience. Some people got to go home with the photos of them as well as little zines that I had made. Also just working with other brands as sponsors for the galleries is what made the event so fun. It felt like a community block party. Afterwards, I had thrown my own event at Chapel Bar in New York and I could not believe that I was capable of doing so. I capture so many events for others and finally I was able to capture photos from my own. I can’t wait to throw another one soon.

I started off as a nightlife and event photographer, but in 2023 I saw more potential in me for different styles of photos and projects. I am just excited to be able to show a more creative version of myself and see where we can go from there. In the new year, I definitely want to start doing more galleries where I fund money for charity or for a greater good. As well as start my own online photo journal. I want to explore other lens, cameras, as well as start to get more into film photography. So hopefully I get on that track this year!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend was visiting, I definitely would first and foremost take them to my favorite smoothie place. I don’t drink coffee so smoothie is my version of a “coffee date”. The smoothie place is called Juice Vitality in the East Village. I literally used to go there every day when I lived there but unfortunately I live in Brooklyn so it now it has become a little treat whenever I am nearby.

Some other place to try for the week for breakfast would be:
Village Creperie ( amazing sandwiches and smoothies )
Joe & the Juice ( don’t get me started on their power shake and pesto chicken flatbread!! )
C&B ( sandwiches 10/10 )

Then to get lunch, not to be basic but Ruby’s Cafe either in Soho or East Village or they just opened one in West Village; either one, any non-new Yorker has to try. They just never fail me or anyone I know. Everything there is so good and if you are a picky eater, that is the place to go.

Some other place to try for the week for lunch would be:
Soho Sushi ( hands down best sushi and fried rice I have ever had )
Thai Villa ( if you love pad Thai, run.)
Kuu Ramen ( so good )

A good place to people watch on the weekends is either Tompkins Square Park because there is ALWAYS something happening there or the benches where the skaters are always doing there thing in front of Jacks Wife Freda in Soho. I think that is where I would head to next to talk and digest the food.

If you can’t people watch due to whatever reason:
Go Thrifting in Brooklyn ( can’t go wrong)
For some reason Whole Foods shopping is always fun to me but ..
BARCADE. SO FUN.
Comedy Club at Saint Marks
You can never go wrong with going to the MOMA or any other art exhibition or museum – there is literally so many places.
If it is sunday, Brooklyn flea market

Next, probably go home and get ready for drinks at
Jeans Lafayette
Rintintin
The Mulberry
Bar Veronika

Then probably go out and it would all depend on the mood where we go!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I definitely think my father can take the credit for who I am today. As a kid, he would take a million photos a day on his phone and camera to the point where I was known to hate getting my photo taken. Never would I think that I would be a full blown photographer today. He made me realize the importance of capturing a memory and really knowing how to make others feel with a photo. To this day he will send photos back from 2005 and it will spark up so many feelings of my childhood and good times. I hope when people see my photos, they remember the moment and get a similar reminiscing feeling.

Website: https://www.izzyrobertti.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/izzyrobertti

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/isabellarobertti/

Image Credits
Photos by Izzy Robertti