My main photographic interests relate to people and intercultural matters, seen through my personal perspective (see My goal).
Typically autodidact, I learned photography techniques and exercised them as often as possible beside my main activity. My robust intercultural know-how, a few workshops, abundant online readings, and regular shooting practice, constitute my main sources of creative and technical improvements.
Shooting style
To me, photography is foremost a matter of vision, inspiration, social interaction and decisive moment, rather than the product of complex photographic techniques.
Before shooting, I pay a particular attention to light and composition. I can wait long until the missing element fits in, or the unwanted elements leave from, the scene. I also proactively prepare a given situation, if needed. For instance, I often spend time in facilitating the enabling environment for a good street photograph or portrait.
I better describe my shooting style as what it is not. I do not rely on paparazzi shooting techniques, such as hiding or shooting from far away. On the other hand, I only marginally look for fully arranged portraits. My people’s photography intends to capture the essence of social encounters to which the photographer is either a discrete witness or an active participant.
Much of my people’s photography is made on photographer-as-witness mode. I like also to openly meet people of photographic interest, engage a discussion before shooting pictures. I rarely request for formal authorisation, while leaving room for declining the shot. In my view, the positive energy produced by the encounter often more than fully compensates the loss in spontaneity.
My travelogue presents a mixture of colour and black-and-white photography. The latter are converted from colour files. Black-and-white photography fits my fondness for simplicity, composition, and expressivity. It guides the reader quicker and deeper into what the photographer intends to express. While the colour seduces the eye, black-and-white charms the soul.
Photo gear
I am a prime lens-lover. I like shaping my vision according to the focal lengths available to me. I shoot mostly in priority to aperture or manual modes with no flash. My pictures are shot hand-held or with the help of a monopod. I rarely use a tripod.
Between 2000 and 2006, I shot films. Posted pictures dating that period are made of scanned negatives. I switched to digital photography only in 2007.
I like full-frame digital photography as much as technical simplicity. My camera is best full-frame, mirrorless, producing high-quality pictures with simple functionalities.
Starting from 2011, I embarked into rangefinder photography with a Leica M9 and later a Leica M10 body, mounted with four Leica primes. Beautifully crafted, little these gems deliver astonishing digital files. Looking for enhanced precision and versatility in my photography, I acquired a Leica SL2 and three high-quality lenses in 2022.
Shooting with M or SL systems reflect quite different but complementary styles and experiences. Portability and discretion for the M line versus versatility and robustness for the SL line. I happily use currently both systems, using also M lenses on my SL2 body.
Post-processing
I shoot RAW digital files and process them with Photoshop software, enhanced with various Nik plug-ins. Black-and-white pictures are created from colour digital files using Nik Silver Efex converter.
In recent years, I worked hard to refine my post-processing workflow; learning is still in progress indeed. Elaborated post-processing valorises the creative potential of my digital files. To me, post-processing carefully and creatively digital files is like cutting and polishing a raw gem.
Last updated 10/05/2022