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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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    All Mobiles But One Book

    June 24, 2017

    WTF Are They Looking At?

    May 7, 2014

    Abstract

    May 9, 2023
  • 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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    As much as you’re far from home…

    April 5, 2013

    London Panning

    December 30, 2013

    The Chess Players

    October 10, 2013
  • 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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    So long and thank you for the fish

    February 6, 2014

    Italy, Street-Photography and the Law

    October 29, 2013

    Inside The Palace of Power

    September 17, 2015
  • 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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    Clandestine Seagull

    November 24, 2013

    Arriba El Mexico!

    July 3, 2014

    Next Time, Maybe…

    January 12, 2014
  • 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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    Portrait of aTocaor

    October 8, 2013

    TicTacToe

    September 1, 2014

    Slow Walk at Mulberry St.

    January 16, 2014
  • 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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    The Smoker’s Golden Rule

    July 9, 2013

    Workbench

    February 22, 2015

    Lonely cart

    March 4, 2013
  • 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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    Waiting For The Patrons – 2

    June 19, 2015

    The True Ironman

    March 4, 2015

    Nightlife

    June 20, 2013
  • 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. This isn’t about the billboard. Not really. Yes, there’s a giant child smiling over Rome, her face stretched across several metres of vinyl, captured “with an iPhone 15,” if we’re to believe the tagline. She’s luminous, playful, part of a campaign you’ve probably already seen before you’ve even looked at it. But the photograph is something else. This was shot on orthocromatic film—intentionally. Shadows are carved in deeper than they should be. Highlights flare and collapse detail. The tonal scale isn’t flattering, and it isn’t faithful. It’s limited.…

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    Andrea Monti

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    LP – Live@Anfiteatro La Civitella

    July 22, 2022

    Counter-intuitive Focus

    February 9, 2020

    All Mobiles But One Book

    June 24, 2017
  • 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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    Shoes’ Meeting in Corso Vittorio

    March 12, 2014

    Yet Another Dawn

    December 30, 2012

    Late Night@Piazza San Babila

    March 9, 2022
  • 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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    Carabinieri:To Serve And Protect

    February 8, 2016

    Portrait of an Heavy Metal Singer

    November 21, 2013

    A videographer…

    February 27, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Daily Video,  Photography,  Rome

    The Expired Film Series – Episode 2 – Ilford XP2Super 400 – Nov. 2017 shot in May 2023

    July 25, 2023 /

    This is the second episode in a series documenting the use of expired film in various contexts (mainly in Rome, Italy). Episode 2 features an Ilford XP2Super 400 shot with a Voigtlander Bessa R2 and a Voigtlander Nokton 35/1,4 in Rome (IT), between Colle del Quirinale and Piazza di Montecitorio. Also in this case, but this time by mistake, film’s ISO and the exposure compensation were not adapted to allow more light to impress the film. Once again, the blacks lack detail and show severe grain.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Not A Photography Anymore

    September 22, 2014

    An Inside Irongate

    February 26, 2014

    Servicing a Beretta 98FS

    October 13, 2019
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Daily Video,  Photography,  Rome

    The Expired Film Series – Episode 1 – Kodak BW400CN – Dec. 2014 shot in June 2023

    July 21, 2023 /

    This is the first episode in a series documenting the use of expired film in various contexts (mainly in Rome, Italy). Episode 1 features a Kodak BW400CN shot with a Nikon 35TI in Rome (IT), between Piazzale Flaminio and Piazza di Spagna where the world premiere of the latest Tom Cruise motion picture —Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning— was going to be held. As the Nikon 35TI does not allow one to ‘pull’ film’s ISO and the exposure compensation did not work, it was impossible to overexpose the pictures. As a results, the blacks lack detail and show severe grain. Legal Notice Reuse is free for pro bono personal and educational…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Climbing is hard

    March 25, 2013

    Deserved Rest

    March 21, 2021

    Collision Path

    July 5, 2019
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Rome,  Summer

    Content Creators

    July 20, 2023 /

    There are many reasons for the lack of details in this image.The main one is that this roll of Kodak BW400CN expired about 15 years ago. Secondly, the Nikon 35TI used for the shot was set to ‘P’ mode, which does not allow ISO to be changed, and exposure compensation is broken: this made it impossible to use longer exposure times, as it would have been necessary.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Wasubot. A Stiff Organ Player@Tsukuba

    June 21, 2018

    Yet Another Dawn

    December 30, 2012

    Guess Who’s the Human?

    October 12, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Social Control

    Masters of Propaganda

    July 18, 2023 /

    In the heart of Rome, unbeknownst to the horde of tourists heading for Trinità dei Monti and the Fontana della Barcaccia, hidden in plain sight lies silent the headquarter of the Congregazione de propganda fide, the ante litteram master of modern propaganda.

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Bad Experiment

    August 26, 2016

    Out-of-Focus Once Again

    February 28, 2015

    An inconvenient way to spend time.

    March 15, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Summer

    Guarding Democracy

    June 14, 2023 /

    Maybe it is just me, but I couldn’t get the best out of the Ilford XP2 Super 400.

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Standup Paddleboarder

    August 25, 2014

    Lockpicking Tools

    December 11, 2018

    Yes, We…Can

    May 16, 2014
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Rome,  Spring

    Partner in Glam

    May 3, 2023 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    The last waltz

    January 24, 2013

    An Altar for the Propaganda Machine

    November 17, 2013

    The Stroller

    July 7, 2015
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Technique

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

    April 30, 2023 /

    Digital Camera Utility 5.0 is a pain to use on a Mac with Monterey. It is slow and laggy. Its only use is to get the photo as shot, with the custom image profiles embedded in a K-1 (and other recent Pentax DSLRs), and export it as a 16-bit tiff for further processing.One might wonder, however, whether editing a RAW file without going through the DCU —and thus losing the custom image profile— would produce lower quality results. We are about to find out.The test is quite demanding, as it starts with a shot from an Ilford SP2 Super 400 (note: this is not a true B&W film, as it…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Italian Boxing Amateur Championship 2018. The Reportage

    December 18, 2018

    A Cello Player

    April 24, 2017

    Good Plan, Poor Execution

    December 15, 2019
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Rome,  Spring,  Technique

    Tell me something I do not know…!

    April 23, 2023 /

    This hip shot is the result of a complicated process. It was taken with an expired Ilford XP2 Super 400, a Voigtländer Bessa R2 and a Voigtländer Nokton 35mm f/1.4. Focus was at infinity. There was no time to frame it properly, so in post it was necessary to rearrange the composition with a generous crop.Digitising the film with my homemade rig required 2 stops of underexposure with plus or minus 1 stop of bracketing.The DNG was first processed through DXO Pure Raw, then adjusted and cropped in Affinity Photo, and finally adjusted for simmetry in DXO Viewpoint.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Lost in mumbling

    September 22, 2013

    The Score Keeper

    April 24, 2019

    Spectrum

    March 12, 2017
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Soccer,  Sport

    Stadio Olimpico, seen from Tribuna Monte Mario

    October 1, 2022 /

    The picture of Rome’s Stadio Olimpico has been shot from a very exclusive vantage point: Tribuna Monte Mario. Light conditions were so unmanageable that the only option to get an interesting photo was a heavy, borderline unrealistic post-production

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    Andrea Monti

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    Americana Skating – Italian National Championship 2019

    February 4, 2019

    Walking Table in via Cornaggia

    March 22, 2014

    Alone, Together…

    June 19, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Rome,  Spring

    Red Fan

    June 14, 2022 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Rush Hours

    March 10, 2014

    Norwegian Suits

    October 15, 2014

    Street Magic@Nagoya Castle

    July 21, 2019
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Past&Relics,  Rome,  Winter

    Still Ruling

    February 5, 2022 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Out for a While

    September 26, 2013

    Aren’t Tapas Spanish?

    June 29, 2015

    Settled in the wrong place

    January 11, 2017
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Rome,  Winter

    Get Ready, Set, Go

    February 2, 2022 /

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    The missing guest

    April 19, 2013

    Padua, a photographer’s goldmine

    October 31, 2024

    Ottica Boncompagni

    November 7, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Social Control,  Streets&Squares,  Summer

    Dark Cloud Over San Pietro

    August 27, 2021 /

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    Sic Transit Gloria Mundi

    January 14, 2013

    RedLight

    November 6, 2015

    Rocco Zifarelli, Jeff Berlin, Beth&Danny Gottlieb, Gabriela Sinagra

    June 10, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Streets&Squares,  Summer

    Technological Memento

    June 26, 2021 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Lotus Tweak

    July 31, 2015

    Blackfriars Train Station Banner

    September 22, 2016

    Pizza Maker@Ueno’s Park

    June 6, 2018
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