I must be the luckiest photographer alive. Unlike many photographers I don’t actually want to give up my day job as I am a helicopter pilot, flying Hueys and CH47 Chinooks in the Italian army.

Photography was an important part of my childhood as my grandfather ran a photographic studio, begun by his father in 1898. I began to take my own photographs professionally in the Army, where I specialised in reportage work for my flight group. My first photographs were taken during a United Nations mission to Namibia in 1990.

I find some similarity between aerial photography and nude photography. In the air I am elated by the freedom which I feel hovering between the sky and the land. Without wings, I am inspired by the freedom I feel while taking photographs I am passionate about.

The female nude is, for me, nature’s finest form. I am so moved by the aesthetic form of the female body that I try to translate what I feel into images. Each time I depress the shutter, I freeze a woman’s beauty in time and create an eternal symbol of beauty.

These days we are more accustomed to the dynamic images of film or television, where images are fleeting and furtive. Fine art photography provides an opportunity to recover classical values and give erotic work a noble dimension. Looking back to the time of the Ancient Greeks nothing has changed in the way we portray beautiful women.

The female nude is still compelling and provocative. Nude images are now acceptable everywhere, and even used for advertising. Nude photography is also considered art. It is just as satisfying to own an original print from your favourite photographer as it is to own a painting from your favourite artist. The result’s the same: you have a beautiful body to look at, whose personality is a mystery.

I find that every woman has a femininity that a good photographer should be able to capture. I prefer to take sensual photographs, as in my mind, it is the woman’s form that matters most. My favourite model is my niece Natasha – she is very beautiful and a perfect subject for nudes.

I have found, however, that some women do photograph better than others. Beautiful celebrities are often not the first choice for famous photographers. When I take photographs for my own pleasure I choose models I have a special feeling for, and for whom I know the capabilities. When I am working to an advertising brief it can be difficult to interpret a woman’s beauty and personality if I don’t know her.

I have never paid a model as my models are all girls that I know. They are non-professional models and only pose for me. I print the best images for them, and they are happy with that as they like my style of photography.

I don’t need many models as I prefer to concentrate my work on a few. I think it is extremely important to know the model well for this kind of work. The better you know her, the better the images will be at the end of the day. The better the relationship, the more she will relax in front of the camera. Before a session I show photographs and explain what I want to achieve so we can work towards a common goal.

I am very privileged to work in Italy. The girls are considered classical Mediterranean beauties and are very sensual. For me, their attraction lies in their seductive eyes, in the way they look at the camera. I have worked with Russian models who are exceptionally professional, with stunning bodies like sculptures. Italian girls radiate a sensuality from their eyes that leaps out of the photographs at me.

The nature of this profession can provoke situations where relations between the photographer and model can become more intimate than normally encountered at work. The model will give you all her beauty and sensuality if she feels free in front of the camera. It is a sort of sensual game, but there are limits. It is important not to forget reality, and that you are both working. The goal is to steal a bit of her privacy, but not more than is permitted.

Many people ask me whether I am a romantic when they see my photographs. I take it as a compliment – it means that I portray women in the right light. I am romantic and in front of such extraordinary beauty I want to create poetry with my camera.