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Andrea Monti

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  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Paris

    Watching the Eiffel Tower

    October 14, 2013 /

    When I came across this scene on a Parisian bridge, it struck me not for the Eiffel Tower itself — an endlessly photographed subject — but for the two observers standing before it. They weren’t together, at least not in the way people usually are when they share a view. Both wore similar beige trench coats, almost like accidental uniforms, but their postures told two separate stories. The man leaned over the balustrade, intent on whatever he was photographing or inspecting; the woman stood back, upright, her gaze lifted towards the tower, seemingly taking it in whole. The weather conspired to help the mood: an overcast Paris sky, mottled clouds…

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    Andrea Monti

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    True Leather (Saved by Photoshop’s Crop)

    January 18, 2016

    Square One

    June 17, 2014

    Zebra Crossing

    March 14, 2014
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Paris,  Past&Relics

    The Double Helix

    October 13, 2013 /

    When I made this photograph, I was struck by the tension between form and function in the spiral staircase. The image does not seek drama or grandeur; instead, it isolates a fragment of everyday architecture and presents it as a study of rhythm and geometry. The curved underside of the staircase sweeps across the left of the frame, guiding the eye upward, while the metal railing introduces a vertical counterpoint. The steps themselves, worn and slightly uneven, add texture against the otherwise smooth surfaces. From a technical standpoint, I opted for a straightforward exposure, allowing the contrast between the whites of the wall and the greys of the steps to…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Mir-20 20mm 3.5 on a Pentax K1-II – A Field Test

    January 18, 2025

    Visual

    January 18, 2013

    Footprints in the Snow

    December 25, 2012
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Paris,  People

    The Changer — Glass Walls, Paper Smiles, and Currency Drained

    October 12, 2013 /

    Shot through the pane of a Paris bureau de change, this image came together almost by accident, although the structure was too rigid to call it candid. I was struck by the transactional melancholy of it all. The young man hunched behind the counter, bathed in the cold glow of LED-lit optimism, was framed perfectly by posters promising “a fabulous customer experience.” The visual irony was impossible to ignore — printed smiles all around, while the only real expression behind the glass was fatigue. Technically, this image is about reflection and layering. The pane acts as both barrier and canvas, catching the street behind me and folding it into the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Portrait of a young guitar player

    May 4, 2014

    Tough Enough

    January 27, 2013

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

    December 19, 2024
  • Cities,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Paris,  People

    George Braque

    October 11, 2013 /

    The Leica M9 isn’t forgiving, but in return, it doesn’t lie. This frame, taken under subdued museum lighting, is technically demanding—no flash, no stabilisation crutches. The man’s puzzled posture, caught mid-thought, leaning ever so slightly forward, tells its own story of trying to decipher Braque’s textured language. I shot wide open with a 35mm Summicron, relying on the M9’s signature rendering to isolate the subject from the gentle blur of the gallery background. Focus landed precisely on the man’s ear and temple, leaving the rest to dissolve into soft, painterly tones. The cool ambient light plays off the wall and his scarf—an accidental nod to the blue hue in the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Ninja-Turtles?

    April 30, 2014

    Get Ready for The Duty

    July 13, 2013

    DSLR-like…?

    March 21, 2025
  • Bruxelles,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Restaurants&Bar

    The Chess Players

    October 10, 2013 /

    Well, this is not Alechin vs Capablanca but… who cares? The photograph captures two men deep in thought over a chessboard, in what appears to be the dim, warm interior of a Brussels café. One sits with his back to the camera, the word Corvette stitched boldly across his jacket. The other, leaning forward with his hand pressed to his temple, peers at the pieces through half-slipped glasses. Between them, the board sits in a pool of light — the only element in sharp enough focus to feel anchored — while the surrounding chairs and tables fade softly into the background. Compositionally, I opted for a perspective that placed the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A ‘Trabocco’ on the Adriatic Sea

    April 20, 2021

    An Old Lady in Great Shape

    September 23, 2014

    Crate

    January 24, 2015
  • Bruxelles,  Cities,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Restaurants&Bar

    An Intense Conversation

    October 9, 2013 /

    Some photographs hold silence. This is one of them. Shot in a small restaurant in Bruxelles — the kind you’d only find by chance, and never the same way twice — this frame preserves what no longer can be: a place, a conversation, a quiet evening at a table now vanished. Two women sit facing one another, generations apart, mirrored by the soft geometry of light and posture. One speaks — or perhaps listens. The other waits — or perhaps remembers. Their hands do most of the talking, resting, folding, rising to punctuate a point. There’s water on the table, a half-empty bottle, a flickering red votive. Nothing staged. Everything…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A solitary journey

    December 24, 2012

    Business people in Rome

    February 23, 2013

    The Urban Chase

    April 10, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Portraits

    Portrait of aTocaor

    October 8, 2013 /

    There is no audience in the frame, no dancer to mark the beat, no palmas to answer the rhythm—just the tocaor, alone with his guitar. The photograph is intimate, stripped of spectacle, and in that simplicity lies its strength. Shot in black and white, the image pares down the moment to texture and expression. The grain and contrast evoke the deep tradition of flamenco portraiture, where the absence of colour invites the viewer to listen with their eyes. The focus is on the face—eyes closed, lips resting in concentration—as the player leans toward the neck of the guitar. This is not a performance for the world but an inward conversation,…

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    Andrea Monti

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    An Unplausable Perspective

    May 6, 2014

    Purple Haze

    January 3, 2013

    Multitasking

    February 10, 2013
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People

    A Sad Afternoon

    October 7, 2013 /

    … waiting for someone to call.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Springtime

    April 23, 2015

    Coffee at Caffè Nero

    July 16, 2023

    The Score Keeper

    April 25, 2019
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo

    Chasing the Runner

    October 6, 2013 /

    When I framed this shot, I wasn’t only interested in the runner. His focused stride, his athletic attire, the purposeful set of his shoulders — these elements alone could have made for a conventional sports photograph. But what drew my attention was the peripheral narrative: to his left, almost in the shadows of his determined pace, a boy on a skateboard followed along, as if sharing the same lane of motion, but on an entirely different journey. The scene unfolded on a palm-lined promenade, cars and cyclists adding a sense of layered urban activity. The runner is sharp and dominant in the frame, his bright white outfit popping against the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    An Evening Chat

    July 30, 2013

    Path of Life

    May 17, 2017

    Photography and the dangers of ethics

    April 17, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Winter

    Portrait of a Lawyer

    October 5, 2013 /

    Not every portrait needs a full frame. Sometimes, it’s what’s just out of focus that tells the most. Shot close—uncomfortably close—this image doesn’t try to flatter. It doesn’t seek symmetry or polish. The man’s on the phone, mid-thought, caught between reaction and restraint. His eyes are sharp, but not fixed. His hand rises instinctively to his face, as if shielding or steadying something unspoken. The photograph is grainy, the depth shallow. One lens, one second, one expression pulled between two worlds: the one he’s hearing and the one he’s trying to shape with his response. You don’t hear the voice on the other end, but you can sense it—by the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Three of a Kind

    July 6, 2013

    A Skateboarder

    November 23, 2021

    Knowledge in the Atelier (or: The First Shot of 2026)

    January 1, 2026
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Milan,  People

    Skating on the streets of Milan

    October 4, 2013 /

    Late in the evening, Milan had thinned out and the spaces between people became wider. The man in the frame was crossing the street with a deliberate, slightly laboured movement, his body pitched forward as if negotiating both balance and direction. His orange trousers and red jacket stood out sharply against the muted tones of the pavement and the buildings—a small burst of colour in a subdued urban palette. What drew me in was the intersection of stillness and motion. The green pedestrian light glowed steadily above him, indifferent to the slowness of his crossing. Around him, the city carried on in fragments: the illuminated bank window, the muted signage,…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Relentless Lawyer

    February 6, 2017

    Negrita’s Cover Band

    September 19, 2013

    Portrait of a Lawyer

    October 5, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Milan,  OutOfFocus,  Visual

    Out of Focus, again

    October 3, 2013 /

    Again a non intended, out-of-focus image – missed shot, in other words. Nevertheless I like the “visual” effect.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Zeiss ZK Planar T* 50mm F/1.4 – Test Shots and an Unpleasant Incident

    October 3, 2025

    The Sailor

    June 24, 2013

    Catching the Tube in Paris

    June 11, 2014
  • Cars&Bikes,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Milan

    None of Your Business

    October 2, 2013 /

    Shot in Milan, this image hinges on a moment of urban simultaneity: the pedestrian engrossed in his phone and the cyclist passing through the frame. The visual connection is understated yet effective, with the pedestrian’s green-tinted shadow cast sharply against the shutter, adding an almost theatrical element. The composition relies heavily on negative space — the expanse of blank wall heightens the sense of isolation between the two figures and allows the eye to rest before moving between them. The cyclist’s position towards the right edge introduces just enough tension, a suggestion of fleeting presence as he is about to leave the scene. The choice to keep both in the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Fuji X-T2 records audio at 16bit/48Khz

    October 11, 2020

    When We Were Kids

    August 18, 2013

    Under The Bridge

    June 27, 2016
  • Cities,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Milan,  Streets&Squares

    The Wild Bunch

    October 1, 2013 /

    Our for shopping at the wrong time!

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Jewels Sale

    November 18, 2015

    The Violinist

    July 1, 2015

    The Odd Couple

    January 30, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Milan,  Urban Landscape

    Walking at Night, in Milan

    September 30, 2013 /

    There’s a peculiar calm in Milan once the crowds have dispersed and the city settles into its late-night rhythm. This photograph captures that quiet moment — a lone figure walking through the porticoed gallery, flanked by shuttered shops and covered windows, lit by the cool precision of artificial light. The receding row of lamps creates a tunnel effect, pulling the eye straight down the corridor, while the solitary pedestrian provides both a human scale and a focal point. From a compositional standpoint, the image benefits from strong leading lines. The symmetry of the architecture is slightly offset by the human element, keeping the frame from becoming sterile. The repetition of…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Light Dance in Hamburg

    April 6, 2018

    Multiple Peripheral Visions

    February 10, 2016

    Hey Mister!

    June 25, 2015
  • Beach&Shores,  Colour,  Daily photo

    Good Manners

    September 29, 2013 /

    … comes from childhood

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    Andrea Monti

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    An Early Morning Fishing Expedition

    July 29, 2014

    Kite Surfer Under Duress

    January 29, 2021

    A Fishnet – 2

    October 29, 2014
  • Chairs&Seats,  Colour,  Daily photo

    The Naughty Customer’s Place

    September 28, 2013 /

    Remember, next be kind with the waiter!

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    Andrea Monti

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    @ Mediterranean Beach Games 2015 – Italian Anthem (and a primer on sport photography, part 1)

    September 22, 2015

    HeadButt

    August 5, 2023

    The Doorman

    September 1, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Past&Relics

    Pre Colombian Artwork

    September 27, 2013 /

    Not in Mexico, anyway

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    Andrea Monti

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    Just Another Piccadilly Circus’ View

    September 20, 2016

    The TelcoMan

    January 26, 2015

    Bulbs

    January 12, 2015
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Doors&Windows

    Out for a While

    September 26, 2013 /

    … or gone forever?

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    Action! (beware of Fuji X-Pro 2)

    February 2, 2016

    On Film Simulation or ‘is fiction more real than reality, and why should we care?’

    July 19, 2025

    Early Morning Shaving on The Beach

    August 6, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Docks,  Summer

    Street Compass Rose

    September 25, 2013 /

    There’s something both poetic and ironic about finding a compass rose embedded in the tarmac — a relic of navigation sitting just a few metres from a working fishing port, in an age where most people rely on satellites to find the nearest café. I came across this one early in the morning, when the sun was low and the light had that burnished quality that makes asphalt glisten. The framing here was deliberate: I chose to crouch low, letting the compass rose dominate the foreground, while the fishing boats in the distance anchor the background in place. This low perspective exaggerates the texture of the cracked road surface, contrasting…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Should I Stay or Should I Go?

    November 29, 2013

    Italian Track&Field Championship 2018 – The reportage

    September 12, 2018

    Nico Cilli Band Live@Città Sant’Angelo

    October 23, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  OutOfFocus,  People,  Social Control

    Out-of-Focus

    September 24, 2013 /

    My fault, but – somehow – I find this picture evocative.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Red Storm

    June 30, 2013

    On Composition. Or: the eye sees what the mind is prepared to comprehend

    September 11, 2023

    Beach in black

    January 5, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Summer

    The Audience (Not a Rock Concert, Indeed)

    September 23, 2013 /

    I made this photo during an outdoor performance to begin. What drew me in wasn’t their anticipation, but their fragmentation. Each group was self-contained, bound by conversation, silence, observation, or fatigue. Shot wide, the frame flattens the scene against the warm, textured backdrop of ancient brickwork. The wall itself becomes part of the composition—silent, immovable, almost performative in its presence. Light was fading, diffuse but uneven. I didn’t push the ISO too hard; I let the image soften in the shadows and hold detail in the mids. Skin tones are desaturated but honest. I made no attempt to brighten it into clarity. This is dusk, and it should feel like…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Rusted Window

    September 11, 2014

    Lunchtime

    February 18, 2013

    Is the next Kano Jigoro already on the mat?

    November 7, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Restaurants&Bar

    Lost in mumbling

    September 22, 2013 /

    It was a hot evening, the kind that slows time down. I stood just inside the entrance of a small southern Italian bar, camera slung low, as this scene unfolded naturally in front of me. Two young men, surrounded by the low buzz of a small crowd and the fading daylight, absorbed in their own bubble of silence. One leans into his smartphone with all the weight of someone trying to escape; the other, lost in thought, stares past the counter’s glare. The band in the background plays on, unnoticed. I framed the shot deliberately tight, giving the Ferrarelle fridge full prominence. It anchors the scene in place and era—local,…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Fisherman in Rome

    November 1, 2013

    Lost Bag

    December 8, 2016

    Interior Design at Aurum

    May 26, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Summer

    Barbarians at the Gates

    September 21, 2013 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Red Beam

    October 24, 2023

    Inside a Master Luthier’s Workshop

    July 24, 2025

    Fujifilm XF 100-400: a quick test

    January 12, 2018
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