Extraordinary moments: How photography saved my life
Stefano Gardel is an award-winning fine art photographer based in Lugano, Switzerland. His aesthetic is built on gloomy atmospheres and almost surreal cityscapes that give an out-of-world dimension to ordinary spaces. Photography means the world to him. It’s the thing that came to rescue him from the darkest period of his life and offered him a new creative outlet, a new career, and a cure. I first played with a photo camera one summer 15 years ago. I remember experimenting with long exposures and night photography, having a lot of fun and, for a brief moment, even thinking about becoming a photographer. But then I went on with my profession as a chiropractor. Fast forward to 3 years ago when I was at my lowest point, after my health had been getting worse for the past 6 years. I had Lyme disease without knowing it, my body was in a lot of pain, my brain was foggy, I couldn’t eat or drink almost anything, I could barely do my job. I was getting depressed …