Mario Testino

Other than his creative side, this photographer has a philanthropic side too. He has been associated with many charitable works and has helped people in the best possible way.

In 2007, he initiated ‘Save the Children’ campaign to raise funds for the earthquake victims of Peru. He is also associated with organizations such as ‘Life Ball’, ‘Aid for AIDS’ and ‘Naked Heart Foundation’.

In 2012, Mario initiated a non-profit organization named ‘MATE’ which is associated with Peruvian artists.

Mario was born on 30th October, 1954 in a Spanish-Irish-Italian family at Lima, Peru. His father was a businessman, and Mario was the eldest son among six children.

He pursued his primary education from ‘Santa Maria Marianistas’, a Catholic institution, and later joined the ‘University of the Pacific’.

During the first year at the ‘University of the Pacific’, he studied economics. Later, he joined the ‘Catholic University of Lima’, where he studied law.

In order to study ‘international relations’, he moved to California and joined the ‘University of San Diego’.

Testino had been a creative person since childhood, and wanted to see himself in a career which helps him utilize his talent. Thus, he travelled to London, in 1976, to pursue a course in photography.

Testino’s initial days in London were filled with struggle. He took job as a waiter to earn his livelihood and also to continue his photographic pursuit. He also sold portfolios to aspiring models.

For a few days he lived with a friend, at the latter’s apartment, but soon shifted to a deserted part of a hospital, and resided there for around seven years.

While he worked at the restaurant, he encountered some individuals who worked with the ‘Vogue’ magazine, and they expressed a desire to view his photographed snaps.

In 1983, Testino’s snaps were published in the ‘Vogue’ magazine, and thus, his photographic career started as a freelancer.

Initially, he worked for the British edition of the fashion magazine ‘Vogue’ and later worked for different editions of the same magazine, which were published all around Europe.

Mario has worked with major brands, and helped them become better with his creativity. Being appointed by Princess Diana to shoot her photos for the “Vanity Fair’ magazine cover was the turning point of Testino’s career. After that he has become the most desired photographer of the British Royal family.

This photographer has published more than a dozen books, of which ‘Any Objections’ is his first book containing 82 monochromatic snaps and 49 coloured ones. His most popular book is ‘Diana: Princess of Wales’ which contains gorgeous photographs of the princess that were shot few months before her tragic death.