Roberto “Sysa” Moiola is the founder of Clickalps, the agency which specialises in naturalistic photography. The project started out almost as a bit of a lark years ago at Cosio Valtellino but over time it attracted a whole host of enthusiasts, up until becoming a real point of reference for trade magazines, travel publications and international companies. Today Clickalps is also a photography school which organises courses in Italy and photographic jaunts abroad. “The stimulus many years ago which led us to focus our energies under the same name” Roberto explains, “was quite simply that of wanting to share and be part of a great friendship which is so evident when you head for the mountains. Currently the agency can count on just under 100 contributors from all over Italy, but it has to be said that it’s heart remains in Valtellina with many of its founder members living in the Province of Sondrio”.
It’s clear that photography is one of those activities which over the years has attracted a growing army of enthusiasts. “Obviously it’s not easy year after year to produce amazing images that surpass some of the previous” cautions Roberto “but as long as we remain lucky enough to be able to hang around the natural environs of our fantastic valleys, seeing them reveal their innermost selves, we’re confident we can usually bring something of consequence home”. The secret of his success, according to Moiola, is as much in an appetite to return to the origins of photography, to rediscover that purity and authenticity of images which has in part been lost. “In this era of social networking” he identifies “we see more and more artificial images, demonstrably set-up, which may well have a beautiful enough aesthetic form, but is the sort of thing that won’t last. We remain convinced that everything that nature throws up to us on a daily basis, captured in an unprecedented spot, or a particular situation is enough to produce something original”.
Every Autumn, Clickalps produces a very particular calendar dedicated to Valchiavenna which contains some of the most magnificent photographs taken during the year by the group members themselves. A perfect present for friends and lovers of the mountain environment.