What is the thing I love the most about my job?
Telling imaginary stories, stories that come from my night dreams and my subconscious self.
What is my idea of happiness?
I am a rather tormented person; I am never fully satisfied with what I do. Therefore, fully expressing myself on a professional level and having some serenity would be a big step towards my concept of happiness.
What is my greatest fear?
I have many fears, perhaps the biggest one is not having more stories to tell through my pictures, a lack of imagination and fantasy.
What is the trait I despise the most about myself?
I tend to procrastinate.
Who are the (living) people I admire the most in my professional field?
There are so many photographers that I respect. Erwin Olaf, Roger Ballen, Tim Walker, Gregory Crewdson, Daido Moriyama, Letizia Battaglia, Arthur Tress, Alessandra Sanguinetti, Stephen Shore, Sarah Moon, Todd Hido, Ellen von Unwerth, Jan Saudek, etc. The list goes on.
What is my greatest extravagance?
I am a dowser.
On what occasion would I lie?
Only in two cases: to protect myself from dangerous people, and to protect the people I love.
What is something I really don’t like about my job?
Having to deal with narrow–minded people who don’t fully understand my art.
When and where was I the happiest, at work?
Every time I do a photo shoot.
What would I change about myself, if I could?
My shyness.
What is my greatest professional achievement?
When people tell me that they discovered something about themselves through my photos, something they didn’t know before.
Where would I like to live?
New York, because of all the opportunities it offers. I have always been fascinated by this city.
What is my most treasured possession?
My imagination and my dreamlike activity. I consider myself a photographer-dreamer: I try to decipher what I dreamed and to recreate it through the photographic language, to reveal the dark in each of us. We all have dark, hidden parts that we don’t want to see because we are afraid of them, it is our shadow.
What is my most prominent characteristic?
I am a very instinctive (almost psychic) and very sensitive person.
What is the most inspirational location in my city?
The city by night. I love taking night walks and photographing my city (Cagliari) at night.
What is my favorite place to eat and drink, in my city?
The Overlook: because it is a place inspired by the film “Shining” by Stanley Kubrick, a movie director I love, and because they have more than 300 beers à la carte. Beer is one of my passions.
What books influenced my life and how?
“Tropic of Cancer” by Henry Miller, “The Master and Margaret” by Bulkagov, “The catcher in the rye” by J.D. Salinger, Charles Bukowski’s “Factotum”. These are novels that I read when I was about 13–15 years old, my teenage years. I consider them my “coming-of-age” novels.
You Only Die Once. What music would I listen to on my last day?
Something that makes me dance. The Beasty Boys, definitely.
Who is my hero or heroine in fiction?
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (or any female character from a Hayao Miyazaki movie, really)
Who are my heroes and heroines in real life?
All those people who never stop believing in their dreams and ideals and struggle their whole lives to make them come true.
Which movie would I recommend to watch, at least once?
My approach to photography could be described as narrative and “movie-like”; cinema has a very important role in my life and in my art. I would recommend watching the entire filmography of Kubrick, Lynch, Bunuel, Bergman, Fellini, Allen, Melville, Polanski, Cronenberg, just to name a few.
What role does art play in my life and work?
It’s everything for me, I feed on it.
What do the words ‘You are the storyteller of your own life’ mean to me?
We are most certainly architects of our own destiny. But, as our dear Woody Allen said, “nothing depends on your human ingenuity, more than you want to accept. It is luck that governs you”
Who is my greatest fan, sponsor, partner in crime?
My partner and some close friends of mine.
Which people or companies would I like to work with in 2020?
I would like to exhibit in some galleries and museums abroad. In New York and Paris for example.
Which people who can make a difference in my career would I love to meet in 2020?
I’d like to meet the movie director David Lynch.
What project am I looking forward to work on in 2020?
The Covid-19 has unfortunately put everything on hold. As soon as I can go out again, I am going to finish “The Demon under the skin”, a project I was working on before the lockdown began. I am also going to start a new project that is still top secret.
Where can you see me or my work in 2020?
https://francescarandi.tumblr.com
Instagram: @francescarandi
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/francesca.randi
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/188413796@N02
What do the words “Passion Never Retires” mean to me?
We must let ourselves be guided and overwhelmed by passion. Life would be flat and monotonous without it, there would be a lack of momentum.
Which creative heroines should ask Peter to tell their story?
A dear friend of mine, whom I met years ago thanks to her dissertation work. She wrote about the issue of uncanny in relation to photography and she also mentioned my work.
Floriana Di Giorgio. She is a psychologist specialized in art therapy and makes wonderful photo collages.
How can you contact me?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/francesca.randi
Here follows a message of Peter de Kuster, founder of The Heroine’s Journey
Are you a creative leader or creative professional looking to develop your business skills and storytelling?
Amidst today’s uncertainty, it is more important than ever to reconnect with yourself and others, develop your creative business, and build your story. Dive deep into your unique business style and areas for growth with the coaching of Peter de Kuster.
IS THE HEROINE’S JOURNEY COACHING FOR YOU?
You are a creative leader or creative professional who is interested in developing yourself, your business, and your story.
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You are aware that there are no quick fixes. Learning is a journey that works when you are fully committed to it. Coaching can bring awareness and help you navigate, but in the end it’s you who is in charge of your growth.
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You want to learn more about how to resource yourself, learn about blind spots, and get feedback.
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You are curious and want to engage in online learning.
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You are motivated to work in-between sessions on yourself (e.g. working on homework assignments that will help you develop new storytelling, skills, and behaviors).
WHAT’S YOUR COACHING QUESTION?
The Heroine’s Journey Coaching is all about your development. To make the most out of your sessions, we ask you to prepare topics to work on with Peter. These topics can serve as a starting point for further in-depth exploration with Peter.
These coaching topics typically resonate with the creative leaders Peter works with:
How can i tell the most powerful story possible about myself and my creative business?
How can I handle self promotion and marketing of my creative business better?
How do can I stay authentic and with focus when having difficult conversations with potential clients?
What are my creative values and how do I align these with my business values?
How can I manage my time and energy better?
How can I radiate confidence to my clients while feeling anxious inside?
How can I steer myself towards creative excellence without becoming rigid?
About Peter de Kuster
Peter de Kuster is the founder of The Heroine’s Journey & Hero’s Journey project, a storytelling firm which helps creative professionals to create careers and lives based on whatever story is most integral to their lives and careers (values, traits, skills and experiences). Peter’s approach combines in-depth storytelling and marketing expertise, and for over 20 years clients have found it effective with a wide range of creative business issues.
Peter is writer of the series The Heroine’s Journey and Hero’s Journey books, he has an MBA in Marketing, MBA in Financial Economics and graduated at university in Sociology and Communication Sciences.
PRICING
The Heroine’s Journey Coaching online sessions last 50 minutes and the fee is Euro 189 excluding VAT per session. The Heroine’s Journey Coaching is suitable for people at any stage in their career.
FAQ
Who can sign up for The Heroine’s Journey online coaching?
Creative leaders and creative professionals who wish to improve their business story and develop their business skills and mindset.
Should I choose 1:1 coaching?
Our The Heroine’s Journey experiences in world cities allow you to learn not only from the coach but also from your peers. For the small group coaching (1 – 4 people), we have selected important, relevant topics that we find regularly come up for creative professional: purpose, storytelling, creative confidence, self promotion, time & money and resilience.
If you would prefer to work alone or on a different topic, individual coaching is a better fit for you.
What language do we speak in the coaching sessions?
English.
Can I buy coaching for my organization?
Yes, you can! We support many organizations around the world with their coaching needs. Please contact us for more information.
Can I bring my own topics?
Yes, for individual coaching you get to choose your own topic.
Are coaching sessions confidential?
Yes. Peter will not share anything that is discussed in the coaching sessions.
Where will the coaching sessions take place?
Sessions will take place online (as per the times we live in) via an online tool like Zoom or Skype. Peter will let you know.
How do I sign up?
Send Peter a mail to theherojourneyquestionnaires@gmail.com to start booking your coaching sessions.
How do I pay?
After you send the mail, you will receive an email with a link to pay.
How do I book and reschedule sessions?
Once we’ve received your payment, Peter will contact you and book your coaching sessions. He will also support you with rescheduling sessions if needed.
What is your cancellation policy?
Individual coaching sessions can be postponed up to one week before the session.
The Heroine's Journey 