B&W
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Padua, a photographer’s goldmine
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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The Stupidity of Being Stubborn
I knew exactly that I was going to fail, but I did it anyway, irrationally thinking that for some not well clear reason the law of physics and optics could be defied by the sacred mission of the photographer. Thus, contrary to basic common sense, a few weeks ago I brought a Nikon 35TI loaded with a Ferrania P33 (ISO160) to a jazz manouche concert of the Tchavolo Schmitt trio at the French Embassy in Rome. The outcomes, as it was easy to predict, were just (euphemistically) poor – Initially published on 335mmc.com Let’s start with a test shot to ascertain if there was some issue with the hardware: Apart…
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Nikkor 16mm Fisheye – Three Ways to Make use of Such a Lens
For me, a fisheye is the most challenging lens to use. Unlike other ‘normal’ focal lengths, a fisheye has an inherent deformation of reality. As a result, it is often used to create images with an unreal rendering, reminiscent of M.C. Escher’s self-portrait looking into a transparent globe.However, as happened in music with the advent of digital processors and effects, it is very easy – at least it was for me – to fall into the trap of focusing on the form rather than the message. In other words, as soon as a ‘weird’ looking photo is achieved, that was enough. Just like playing electric guitar back in the days,…
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Shooting Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA)-like Events
Historical reenactments are everywhere, and the volunteers who keep alive the memory of our past deserve our highest praise. Along with pure re-enactments, where the fate of the participants is already predetermined by history, and HEMA, where athletes compete using European weaponry and armour, there is a middle-ground discipline that is gaining momentum in Italy: Sport Reenactment – Initially published by 35mmc.com In short, SR players take part in reenactment events wearing faithful replica of the coats and arms of ancient Italian, Greek, Celtic and German tribes. But they also meet in forests and mountains to fight following a ruleset but without knowing in advance who is going to win. The…
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The Ferrania Film Series – Episode 1 – Ferrania Orto shot on October/November 2023
This is the first episode in a series documenting the use of Ferrania film in various contexts. Episode 1 features a Ferrania Orto shot with a Nikon 35 TI in Japan, between 25 October and 1 November 2023.
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Learning to Shoot Boxing Matches
Taking pictures in a boxing gym during regular training is a unique way to learn to understand when ‘the moment’ – a hit, a miss, a bob or a weave – is coming and develop an instinct for composition – Initially published on 35mmc.com This is important for two reasons. Firstly, as always with sports photography, you need to know the discipline you want to shoot and practice different options. But, in a classic Catch 22, if you don’t attend a fair number of bouts at ringisde, you won’t know the discipline and learn how to photograph it. Spending time in a gym, then, is the best second best option…
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5 frames with a Kiev 60, a Volna 80/2,8 and a Ferrania Orto
Working on a ‘project’ or ‘series’ is a well-known way of giving meaning to the act of taking photographs. It serves many purposes, such as training in a particular technique, familiarising oneself with a camera and/or lens, or exploring stylistic options. A project is usually planned in advance, though not necessarily in great detail. However, as in the case of these images, sometimes the idea of a common thread linking different images just happens. I was wandering around the suburbs of my home town with a Soviet-era Kiev 60 and its ‘kit lens’, the Volna 80/2.8, and a roll of Ferrania Orto when I noticed the oddity of a worn-out…
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How to Shoot an Handball Match with a Film Camera
Shooting an handball match between Italy and France, unfortunately with an unhappy ending for my Country, was an opportunity to bring back to life the rugged Canon Eos 1V, the mighty fifty and a roll of a (unexpired) Kodak Tri-X 400. When I shoot sports and, in general, events where shutter noise is not an issue, I made a point, indeed, to always carry a film camera, so this time it was Canon’s turn. Shooting handball matches is quite challenging for a number of reasons. The first thing to stick in mind is that the ball is everything: if you miss it, the shot is more often than not a…
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Yet Another WDISF Post
Yes, this is another ‘why do I shoot film’ post, and no, the answers are not ‘because it slows me down’, ‘because it connects me to the act of taking pictures’, ‘because I love the unique feeling of analogue images’, ‘because the inherent limitations of a film camera inspire creativity’, ‘why not?’ or any of the other common (and perfectly legitimate) reasons usually associated with the question. In addition, the wide range of post-processing options available to make a digital image look like an analogue one, even in terms of film emulsion, satisfies the need to produce an image with the ‘personality’ of a specific film. So, even the idea…
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5 frames with the (much awaited) Ferrania P33, a Nikon F3 and a Nikkor 50 F2
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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What Does ‘Professional’ Mean in Photography?
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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Creativity vs Originality
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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Pentax – In Praise of Usability of Cameras and Lenses
The Internet is full of columns and videos about why ‘I left brand X for brand Y’, magnifiying this or that ‘new feature’ that forced a photographer to ditch his previous setup in favour of a brand new one. Sometimes there is a genuine motivation behind such a choice, sometimes – often – it is just a clickbait set up by the need (or hope) to monetise a piece of content published on a social network. This long introduction violates the golden rule of journalistic writing – tell the reader what’s the matter in the first paragraph or so – but it was necessary because this article is exactly that:…
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5 (improbable) Frames with a roll of Ferrania Orto and a Nikon 35TI
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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A Stop in Reggio Emilia
On its way to Milan, the Freccia Rossa stops at Reggio Emilia, whose railway station is a masterpiece. It is worth taking the train just to have the chance to see some of its parts from a perspective that is otherwise forbidden.
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An Exercise in Composition (was: Rowing Boats)
Initially, I took this photo to document the poor state of a rowing teams’ dock. The idea was to praise the passion of this small group, who in the indifference of the general public, keep this discipline alive in a town, where soccer reigns supreme. However, when I saw the photo, it was the composition that attracted my attention: a classic example of the use of converging lines to drive the eye of the viewer. My only regret is that I failed to frame the small boat on the right, missing its bow. Had I been shooting digitally, I would have checked the result and retake the photo. Film, by…
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Iphone 15 Billboard in Via XX Settembre
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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Nagasaki Biker
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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Different Stories
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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二千円
The 2,000 yen note is something of a rarity even for the Japanese. As Japan is mainly a cash-based society (at least for everyday life), I made sure to carry enough money on my recent trip to the Kyushu region.The bank gave me a wad of brand new ¥2,000 notes, which were so unusual that they attracted the attention of many people I exchanged them with. The photo was taken with a КИЕВ 60 TTL and a волна 80/2.8, the film was a Ferrania P30.
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An Antique Shop in via Cadorna
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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A jam in via Alessandria
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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As Seen on Ferrania Film’ Stories section…
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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Ghosts of Ginza
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.
