Andrea Monti

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  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Exhibitions,  Gear,  Photography,  Rome,  Spring

    On Detachment. Or ‘If You Love Something, Set It Free’ (cit. Sting)

    June 17, 2025 /

    A number of philosophies and religions preach the virtue of detachment from things as a path to enlightenment. When applied to gear, this advice won’t only save your soul —if you believe there’s one— but also your money and, last but not least, your photograph experience. This means avoiding the development of ‘feelings’ towards a camera or a lens that shift from appreciating their value as a tool to some sort of ‘personal engagement’. Initially published on 35mmc.com As odd as it sounds, such an attitude towards an inanimate object is more frequent than one may imagine. A paradigmatic case is the attachment of AIBO’s owners to their robotic pets:…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Sting of the Vespa

    March 7, 2025

    Learning to Fly

    August 23, 2018

    What Are You Looking At?

    June 19, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Fighters,  Gear,  Photography,  Tokyo,  Winter

    DSLR-like…?

    March 21, 2025 /

    I decided to write this post after having stumbled across the next ethusiast review of a smartphone published on a reputable magazine, claiming that the device can deliver ‘DSLR-like’ photos. In fact, as is often the case with ‘camera experts’ who work for a magazine or earn money by posting videos making funny faces on social networks, it was just a rewrite of the manufacturer’s product specifications and promotional material. There are few things, in photography, I dislike more than than these ‘DSLR-like’ claims made in the advertising of smartphones and compact cameras because ‘DSLR-like’ is the archetype of a meaningless statement made to lure people into using an arbitrary benchmark…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Nature gets its space back…

    November 7, 2018

    Late for Lunch

    March 26, 2014

    So Long, and Thank You for the Fish

    January 26, 2022
  • B&W,  Boulevards,  Bruxelles,  Daily photo,  Streets&Squares,  Winter

    5 (random) frames of Bruxelles with a MIR-1B, a Pentax ME Super and a Kodak TMax400

    March 19, 2025 /

    The late hours of a day are dangerous times, because this is when the mind, lacking tasks, begins to look for a way to keep itself busy. To make a long story short, this is why, against what the common sense would have suggested, I decided to take a stroll in a (very) cold winter evening along and around Avenue Louise in Bruxelles to test a MIR-1B 37/2.8 mounted on a TMAX 400 loaded Pentax ME Super with an M42 adapter. Initially published on 35mmc.com. As much as this is not a ‘field test’, I was unfair to the lens because I used it in challenging conditions, starting with the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Helping the Elders

    July 10, 2019

    Waiting For A Customer To Come

    July 27, 2014

    Who said that you need an Ipad

    April 12, 2013
  • Boston,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Parks,  Summer

    Selling Italian Ice in Boston

    March 11, 2025 /

    Sales culture is one of the most distinctive traits of American anthropology. The foundations of modern marketing strategies date back to forerunners such as P.T. Barnum’s ‘have a little something for everybody’ slogan and Edward Bernays, the father of public relations. It is ingrained in popular culture phenomena such as garage sales, lemonade stands ran by kids and jokes about used cars salesmen.  Sales culture is also paired with customer (not consumer) culture, as in the ubiquitous mantra ‘customer is king’, which ‘shapes’ people’s attitudes in terms of demanding fairness and a proper ‘bang for the bucks’. – Initially published on 35mmc.com When it comes to selling, creativity knows no…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Horizon Bending, Again

    April 28, 2014

    A Zen Garden?

    February 22, 2014

    Chef

    March 6, 2013
  • B&W,  Cars&Bikes,  Daily photo,  Rome

    Sting of the Vespa

    March 7, 2025 /

    Vespa, in Italian, is not only the name of the stingy and frightening wasp. The word also identifies one of the world’s most famous examples of industrial design, dating back to 1946, and made internationally famous by the 1953 Hollywood motion picture Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck. Initially published on 35mmc.com The creator of this iconic scooter — an example of a perfect blend of ingenuity, style and appeal — was Corradino D’Ascanio. An aeronautical engineer from my home region, Abruzzo, he also designed and built the first helicopter, whose first test flight took place in the city of Pescara, a town near Popoli, a small village in…

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    Andrea Monti

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    John De Leo’s Grande Abarasse Orchestra – Live

    February 10, 2015

    Learning to Shoot Boxing Matches

    July 18, 2024

    Skull of Glass at the London Science Museum

    September 26, 2016
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Spring,  Tokyo,  Travels

    5 Frames with various cameras – Ferrari On The Road(s)

    February 22, 2025 /

    Sports car photography usually happens in specific settings such as motorshows, official events, race tracks etc., where lights, crowds, fences and limited access to restricted areas are an issue. Doing the same on the street, however, is no less challenging as things happen unpredictably and, unless taking photograph of parked vehicles, there is no time to compose – Initially published on 35mmc.com In this photograph of a Ferrari F8 Tributo, the framing makes the car the focal point, and even though the door on the left adds a bit of visual clutter, it doesn’t detract from the overall result. The following image illustrate the trade-offs of reacting in real time…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Junk Food

    January 16, 2013

    A Street-Skater

    March 17, 2021

    Out Of Focus, Once More

    October 6, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Tokyo

    A Japanese Luthier and a Fingerstyle Player from My Home Region (and My Past) – A One shot story

    January 22, 2025 /

    I took this photo at GuitarPlanet, in the Ochanomizu district of Tokyo, because I was intrigued by the different bracing of the guitars’ lower backs. The picture in itself has no particular value, but on closer inspection it revealed a story linking a musical instrument, a Japanese luthier, a region of Italy (Abruzzi) and my past. – Initially published on 35mmc.com I took this photo at GuitarPlanet, in the Ochanomizu district of Tokyo, because I was intrigued by the different bracing of the guitars’ lower backs. The picture in itself has no particular value, but on closer inspection it revealed a story linking a musical instrument, a Japanese luthier, a region of…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Jazz-Manouche Guitar Player

    August 17, 2014

    Landing

    December 4, 2021

    The Traffic Controller

    November 20, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Osaka,  Winter

    One Shot Story: (Un)Available Coin Lockers at Shin Osaka Station

    December 22, 2024 /

    コインロッカー, the coin-operated lockers, are fundamental to travel around Japan: this is the first lesson any first-timer to this Country should learn beforehand. – Initially publishd on 35mmc.com Almost ubiquitous, they are plentiful in train stations and airports and are a convenient way to get rid of your luggage for a few hours or days while you are on a stopover. Until a few years ago, finding an empty コインロッカー was not such a daunting task, even when there were large numbers of tourists. Now, however, things have changed for the worse.  Recently, on my way to Tokyo from Kyushu, I did —as the automatic PA system of the Shinkansen likes…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Amex

    May 25, 2015

    The Crew’s Rest

    July 20, 2014

    Frank Gambale All Stars – Live@Teatro Marrucino

    November 22, 2023
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Downtown,  Nagasaki,  Osaka,  Photography,  Streets&Squares,  Thoughts,  Tokyo,  Travels,  Yokohama

    Why You Should Only Shoot in Your Backyard (or ‘The Art of Belonging’)

    December 19, 2024 /

    What do these pictures have in common (apart from having been taken in various places in Japan)? No, they don’t have the same look and feel, composition or use of light, nor they convey a particular meaning. What they have in common is that they’re just dull and boring —meaningless, indeed. This picture of the Yokohama’s Chinatown Dragon is hardly different than the others available on the Internet. Initially published on 35mmc.com It shares a similar fate with this one, taken last Mid November in Osaka, and, as Google Lens mercylessly shows, with this one, shot in Omura, near Nagasaki. One can hardly say that this is a never-seen-before view of Tokyo’s Kyu-Shiba-rikyū Gardens, or of…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Compelling Power of Photography

    September 22, 2022

    Missed Airplane

    December 4, 2017

    The Scooter

    March 1, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Padua

    Padua, a photographer’s goldmine

    October 31, 2024 /

    During a few hours off work, I recently had the chance to wander around Padua, one of the many historical jewels that make up Italy’s immense cultural heritage. What makes Padua special is its devotion to a powerful icon of Christianity, Sant’ Antonio. A Portuguese by birth, Sant’ Antonio belonged to the Franciscan Order and gave birth to a religious movement whose importance is testified by the basilica that still bears his name – Initially published on 35mmc.com. For the photographer, Padua is a goldmine, not only for its architectural masterpieces, but also for the many less obvious and nonetheless interesting details. For example, here is a close-up of an antique…

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    Andrea Monti

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    An old-style ATM

    April 13, 2013

    Panning the Police

    November 17, 2016

    Pouring Water Since About 300 Years

    December 23, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Docks,  Rome,  Summer

    5 frames with a Voigtländer Bessa R2, a Nokton 35/1,4 and a roll of an expired Kodak Portra 160

    July 11, 2024 /

    Tevere, the river that divides Rome in two, is one of my favourite places. No matter how much chaos there is in the ‘high places’: walking along the banks of the river puts you in another dimension, where time has no meaning and the pace slows down – Initially published on 35mmc.com Anchored boats stand still, in stark contrast to the fast-moving streets, crowded with cars, bicycles, pedestrians and tourists who have returned in droves once the pandemic is over. This is obviously a mirror image, but it looks as if it has been projected onto a digital screen. And here is what was mirrored: There are a lot of…

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    Andrea Monti

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    @Rome Maker Faire – 3. Stare Of The Mechanical Man

    October 13, 2014

    Hanging Heart at via Olmetto

    March 31, 2014

    Different Paths

    December 26, 2012
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Spring,  Streets&Squares

    5 frames with the (much awaited) Ferrania P33, a Nikon F3 and a Nikkor 50 F2

    April 30, 2024 /

    I managed to grab a few rolls of the very first batch of Ferrania’s brand new P33 film, so I wasted no time in putting it to work with a Nikon F3 and the glorious Nikkor 50 f2. I won’t go into the technical details of this film, firstly because I can’t claim to be an authority on the subject, and secondly because Ferrania’s website has plenty of information. There is only one thing to know: the canister is not DX-coded, so shooting is only possible in full manual mode. This may change in the future, but for now this is the state of the art. Finally, a transparency note:…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Out for a ride…

    January 2, 2013

    Ready for lunch

    September 2, 2014

    Love is like a flower

    May 18, 2013
  • Buildings,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Spring

    A Hellish Look

    March 26, 2024 /

    It is quite common these days to see images of various kinds using the facade of a building as a screen. In the case of government or state buildings, a flag appears out of nowhere after dusk.The overall effect is quite spectacular, especially in Italy where the palaces of power are beautiful works of art. However, when photographed with a narrow field of view, the result can be disturbing, as in this case, where the building looks more like some sort of hell embassy.It wouldn’t be strange, though: doesn’t the Pope live on the other side of the Tevere River?

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    Andrea Monti

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    @Rome Maker Faire – 7. Mobile Rest

    October 23, 2014

    Do Not Touch

    June 5, 2013

    Mind Your Business…

    January 9, 2013
  • Actors,  Autumn,  B&W,  Bruxelles,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Fighters,  Fighting Disciplines,  Photography,  Spring,  Summer,  Winter

    What Does ‘Professional’ Mean in Photography?

    March 19, 2024 /

    Pro’ is the photographer’s blessing and curse. It is the status we all – well, many of us – aspire to. It is the marketing gimmick created by the exploiters of the Gear Acquisition Syndrome to make people believe that tools make the craftsman. ‘Amateur’, on the other hand, is a word associated with casual photographers, ‘wannabe’ artists, and people who want to make you believe that tools make the craftsman. I have always been unconvinced that such a difference exists, at least in the general meaning associated with the words ‘pro’ and ‘amateur’, and in relation to the idea that the equipment used or the quality of the shots…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Floating

    October 7, 2023

    A Street Dancer@Sakae

    August 9, 2019

    Foto-Grafo admitted to the Persol Reflex Edition contest

    April 16, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  PhotoCritics,  Photography,  Tokyo

    Creativity vs Originality

    March 11, 2024 /

    Is the photo above creative? Is it original? Well… yes and no. It is certainly original because I ‘in person’ took it, and it is creative because – regardless of the aesthetic result – I took the time to arrange all the elements (composition, light, etc.) in a coherent moment —and I have the film negative to prove it. On the other hand, it is neither original —as in ‘unique’— nor creative because the same photo can be found here and maybe elsewhere on the Internet. Obviously, the linked photo it is not ‘the’ same as mine, because it is clear that they were taken at different times and places (mine was…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Processing DSLR-digitized film with and without Pentax K-1 Monochrome Custom Image profile

    April 30, 2023

    Square One

    June 17, 2014

    Not Sure I Would Like The Feel

    November 22, 2014
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Streets&Squares

    5 (improbable) Frames with a roll of Ferrania Orto and a Nikon 35TI

    February 28, 2024 /

    The photographer is a peculiar type of social being, characterised by a ‘rules are meant to be broken’ attitude in the search for the perfect exposure. So, sooner or later, all the dogmas about composition, hyperfocal, zone system, rule of thirds, etc. will be put aside to try something ‘different’. This is what happened with these five images, taken at night in Piazza Venezia and Via Salaria in Rome with a Ferrania Orto on a Nikon 35TI; a rather strange choice given the inherent limitations of an orthocromatic film and a 2,8 35mm lens of a compact camera in this scenario. Against all odds the 35TI performed well (especially in…

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    Andrea Monti

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    UnortORTOdox (Ferrania)

    July 22, 2023

    A ghostly bystander

    September 21, 2013

    Stairway to Hell

    January 9, 2022
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Boulevards,  Daily photo,  Marketing,  Rome,  Seasons,  Urban Landscape

    Iphone 15 Billboard in Via XX Settembre

    February 14, 2024 /

    This is an attempt to exploit the limitations of an orthocromatic film. Shadows and highlights were deliberately pushed, as was the contrast.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Fancy a beer?

    November 3, 2021

    Mirror

    January 17, 2013

    Cornermen

    June 4, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Nagasaki,  People

    Nagasaki Biker

    February 13, 2024 /

    Sometimes carrying a camera with a slow autofocus, slow shutter and low ISO can be a hindrance. Had I had a better camera and a faster film, this photo would have been much better.However, it is the eye that is to blame, not the old Nikon 35TI.I realised too late that what I was looking at could have been an image and had to react within a few seconds. In those conditions, the camera did what it could, but if I had been aware of my surroundings, I would have been ready at the right moment. So I paid the price for my bad habit of relying on gear rather…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Foto-Grafo admitted to the Persol Reflex Edition contest

    April 16, 2013

    Late Afternoon Shopping

    March 1, 2014

    The Racers

    December 7, 2014
  • Airport,  Autumn,  B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Photography,  Technique,  Tokyo

    Different Stories

    December 30, 2023 /

    Taking ‘static’ pictures, such as those of buildings and other architectural structures, can be quite challenging, as it is easy to fall into obvious, already seen compositions that rob the shot of any individuality.One of the things that can make an otherwise dull image more interesting is the presence of some kind of action that blends in with the stillness of the environment.In this case, the woman on the phone is in exactly the same position as the model on the billboard. Only they are telling two different stories.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Come on in…

    September 11, 2013

    Hanging

    January 19, 2015

    Is This My Breakfast? (Kirobo, the new Pinocchio)

    December 14, 2014
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Winter

    An Antique Shop in via Cadorna

    December 10, 2023 /

    The overall quality of the black and white rendition is acceptable. However, it is still necessary to find how achieve colour consistency in multiple DSLR-scan.

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    Andrea Monti

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    5 frames with a Kiev 60, a Volna 80/2,8 and a Ferrania Orto

    June 28, 2024

    Desolation

    May 13, 2015
    Copyright Foto AFP / Issouf Sanogo - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    A stupid quarrell

    April 7, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Streets&Squares,  Winter

    A jam in via Alessandria

    December 8, 2023 /

    Taking pictures with a fully manual camera is a way to keep practising the basics. Honestly, I would not use a film camera for a professional assignment —at least, not as the main one— but it’s worth doing it in a less challenging condition.As per the technicalities, waiting for the next batch of Ferrania Orto to arrive, I resorted to a Kodak Tri-X 400 roll, which is my favourite film at these ISOs.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Just Another Piccadilly Circus’ View

    September 20, 2016

    Falling Tree

    May 8, 2014

    God Save The Queen

    September 6, 2014
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Boston,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Tokyo

    As Seen on Ferrania Film’ Stories section…

    December 4, 2023 /

    A selection of the pictures I took this year in Boston and Tokyo has been published on the official Film Ferrania website, in the ‘Stories’ section.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Antonio Onorato

    August 20, 2016

    Not AI-made…

    September 17, 2022

    A Bitter Sweet

    March 23, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Tokyo,  Winter

    Ghosts of Ginza

    November 14, 2023 /

    Another shot from my last visit to Japan, taken with a Nikon 35TI and a Ferrania Orto in the corridors of the Ginza subway station, Tokyo.

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Boared Bassman

    March 16, 2013

    Underground Security RA(T)P

    June 5, 2015

    After a Tough Day

    January 30, 2016
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Tokyo,  Winter

    Isolation in public spaces

    November 10, 2023 /

    This photo is an interesting representation of what it looks like to isolate oneself from one’s surroundings. In close proximity, inwardly each of the three people could not be further apart, each in a peculiar state of mind. The photo was taken with a Nikon 35TI and a Ferrania Orto in the Tokyo subway. Admittedly, the Orto is not the film of choice for street photography due to its harsh contrast and blue sensitivity. But then, rules are made to be broken, aren’t they?

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    Andrea Monti

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    Clandestine Seagull

    November 24, 2013

    A Relaxed Call

    February 12, 2014

    Waiting For The Elections

    June 24, 2014
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