In ten answers, photographer Andrea Reina shares on HYPERMADE his artistic alter ego, the boundaries between identity and creation – and the quiet freedom hidden behind every image.
HYPERMADE: Dear Andrea, how did you start taking photographs – and what still stays with you from that initial moment?
Andrea Reina: Good question! Starting to photograph is, for many, an almost magical moment – a spark that ignites something deep. As a child, one day I opened the drawer in the living room of our house and found an analog camera. I didn’t know yet that this small gesture would change everything: from then on, I took it with me everywhere, and that’s how my love for photography was born.
HYPERMADE: Your images are reduced, but never cold. How do you find the balance between structure and emotion?
Andrea Reina: For me, the balance between structure and emotion comes quite naturally, even though over time I’ve learned to recognize and cultivate it consciously. I’ve always been drawn to simplicity – taking things away rather than adding, to composition, to the clarity of the image – but I never want that to stifle the human side of the picture.
I always try to leave room for an emotion, a subtle tension, something that stays beneath the surface – whether in a gesture, a light, or an intentionally placed emptiness. It’s nothing I plan at a drawing board, but I do think about it often. At the same time, I don’t want my images to appear cold or distant. It’s like a balance between what you see and what you feel. I believe part of it is instinct, part the many images I’ve seen, made, discarded… but in the end, it’s always a question of sensitivity.
Courtesy of Andrea Reina
HYPERMADE: What interests you more: the space, the figure, or the relationship between the two?
Andrea Reina: Actually, I’m more interested in the relationship between space and figure than either one alone. A space can be beautiful on its own, but it’s only in dialogue with a human presence that it tells something deeper. I’m fascinated by how a figure can change the perception of a space – or vice versa, how a space can amplify the fragility or stillness of a presence. That’s where much of my gaze lies – in that tension.
HYPERMADE: What element keeps coming back in your work – even unconsciously? Your images often feel quiet. Do you seek that intentionally?
Andrea Reina: I believe there’s always – even without intention – a certain form of silence in my images. Not just an absence of noise, but a state of suspension, expectation, an empty space that lets things speak. Maybe because I like to observe before I act. Maybe because I find strength in the smallest details. Even when the subject changes, this sense of calm keeps returning. Sometimes I only notice it later, when looking back at the photos. It’s like a fine thread that holds everything together.
HYPERMADE: Which of your projects represents you best today?
Andrea Reina: Honestly? I couldn’t pick one. Each project naturally expresses what is occupying me at that specific moment. Even simple images carry a very precise emotional weight – even if it’s not immediately visible.
Courtesy of Andrea Reina
HYPERMADE: How would you describe your style – without using the word “photography”?
Andrea Reina: My style is like a quiet narration – each image a small pause in time. I work with the essential, reduce the superfluous, and let light, form, and composition speak for themselves. I want to capture intimacy without words, a presence in a suspended moment. I’m drawn to the idea of telling through what’s missing just as much as through what’s there. A balance between the visible and the invisible. Each image is an invitation to pause – without saying much.
HYPERMADE: What role does fashion play for you – as a visual language, not as an industry?
Andrea Reina: Fashion is a visual means of expression for me, not an industry. It’s a way to tell stories, show identities, convey emotions – without words. It’s like a changing language that describes who we are, how we want to be seen. I’m fascinated by how fashion interacts with space, light, and mood, creating images that go deeper than what you see. Basically, it’s like an act of storytelling through clothing – without needing to explain.
HYPERMADE: Is there anything you deliberately avoid in your work?
Andrea Reina: Yes – above all, predictability. I never want to fall into simple patterns or just be aesthetically “pleasing.” I avoid images that seem staged without genuine emotion. I also avoid too much perfection. It can be sterile if it doesn’t contain truth. I’d rather have an image with emotional strength, even if imperfect – as long as it’s authentic.
Courtesy of Andrea Reina
HYPERMADE: What does photography mean to you today – personally, not professionally?
Andrea Reina: Photography is my tool to explore the world, to question it, to recreate it. That’s how ookeeii came to life – my alter ego, my vision, my outlet. It’s like a visual diary where I show myself what I feel and see. Inspired by light, rain, cities, colors – sometimes chaotic, sometimes clear. A true mix.
HYPERMADE: You spoke about ookeeii as an alter ego. How has this voice helped you – and has it ever taken over?
Andrea Reina: Yes. Ookeeii allows me to show sides of myself that wouldn’t be visible in everyday life. He’s allowed to fail, exaggerate, explain – or not. This freedom has helped me break through creative blocks – especially those linked to self-image and expectations.
HYPERMADE: Andrea, it was a pleasure to walk with you through these spaces of silence and vision. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Courtesy of Andrea Reina
Andrea Reina is an Italian photographer based in Milan. As a child, a camera discovered by chance in a drawer sparked a passion that never faded. Today, his work moves between fashion, portrait, and space – guided by a gaze that is essential yet vibrant. His images dwell in quiet zones: suspended between presence and absence, between form and sensation. With the ookeeii project – alter ego and distorting mirror – Andrea explores a more intimate dimension, where photography becomes a perceptual language, emotional gesture, and act of liberation.
