Andrea Monti

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  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Portraits,  Summer

    Al Di Meola, Peo Alfonsi, Sergio Martinez – Live @ Teatro della Villa Comunale – Roseto degli Abruzzi

    July 30, 2025 /

    Last night I “covered” the Abruzzo leg of Al Di Meola’s tour, where he performed in a trio with Peo Alfonsi (second guitar) and Sergio Martinez (percussion). As a musician, I wore out the vinyl records of his albums through sheer use, and I later met him over twenty years ago when I acted as his interpreter during a tour with Chris Carrington and Arto Tunçboyacıyan—the World Sinfonia Tour, which marked his acoustic turn after epic electric albums such as Elegant Gypsy, Casino, and Electric Rendezvous. Work aside, it was a pleasure to see him again and exchange a few words, even if, understandably, he couldn’t remember anything about that past meeting. The gallery…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Common Fate

    November 15, 2013

    The EOS-M just sucks

    July 18, 2013

    VueScan and the missed Bits-per-pixel

    December 1, 2013
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  PhotoCritics,  Photography,  Portraits,  Summer

    On Tips’n Tricks to ‘take you photos to the next level’

    May 29, 2025 /

    I recently asked a friend, who works on the editorial side of the music industry, to share his thoughts on one of my photographs taken during a flamenco concert. His response was a deep and thorough analysis, which I will spare the readers in full. In brief, however, he praised the lighting as particularly effective for flamenco photography, noting how the chiaroscuro effect recalls the classical paintings of Caravaggio. Regarding the composition, he observed that the bailaora’s body fills the frame dynamically, without ever feeling cramped. In his conclusion, he remarked that the image captures the very soul of flamenco. As flattering as this commentary was, I must admit that none…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A sample of the Carl Zeiss Jena 135/F4 Sonnar and a Fuji X-T3

    February 5, 2023

    Floating

    October 7, 2023

    A Casual Walk

    March 6, 2015
  • Actors,  Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Reportage,  Winter

    A Night at the Opera – Plays and Opera Photography

    December 21, 2024 /

    This is an abbreviated version of a talk I gave to a local chapter of the Italian Federation of Amateur Photographers (FIAF) on the challenges of photographing in a Teatro all’italiana environment. A word to the wise: this post has just a few pictures because it talks about what happens behind the camera and not about what happens in front of it Initially published by 35mmc.com To approach professional photography in Italian-style theatres, it is essential to understand and deal with a series of difficulties and critical issues that characterise this particular environment. The Italian-style theatre, with its architectural structure, lighting layout and show dynamics, imposes a series of technical and…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The missing guest

    April 19, 2013

    Street Magic@Nagoya Castle

    July 21, 2019

    Access Denied

    June 1, 2015
  • Artists,  B&W,  Daily photo,  Summer

    The Stupidity of Being Stubborn

    August 31, 2024 /

    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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    Andrea Monti

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

    December 14, 2014

    Visual

    January 18, 2013

    One Shot Story – Soulless Places

    April 17, 2025
  • Artists,  Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Fighters,  Spring,  Summer,  Technique,  Winter

    Photography and the Importance of a Proper Training

    April 23, 2024 /

    In photography, among the various activities falling under the ‘preparation’ label, training is oftend underevaluated. Just as many newcomers to the world of guns think that buying expensive equipment will make them better shooters, many photographers think that mastering a bunch of exoteric camera settings will be enough to get decent pictures. This is summed up in a common piece of advice to novice shooters (of both guns and cameras): get out there and shoot. Results will just happen. I have nothing against a ‘Zen’ approach to things, based on instinct and intuition, but my Western, Benthamite mind does not allow me to forget that preparation is necessary to achieve…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Selling Italian Ice in Boston

    March 11, 2025

    Who Needs A Wedding Photographer Anymore?

    May 29, 2014

    The Wild Bunch

    September 30, 2014
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Winter

    Frank Gambale All Stars – Live@Teatro Marrucino

    November 22, 2023 /

    Rockol has just published a gallery with some of the photos I took at the Frank Gambale All Stars concert last 20 November.I’ve been a fan of Gambale’s for a long time and meeting him was a very nice experience: friend, easygoing, positive attitude despite the stress of the Italian tour: a great human being (and I can’t say the same about many of the ‘artists’ I’ve met in my career as a photographer and interpreter). On the technical side, the X-T4 and the lenses (Fujinon XF150-600 and an XF18-120) worked well. At ISO3200, the images have more than acceptable noise, which becomes almost invisible when the shadows are pushed.…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Full Moon

    September 30, 2018

    The Skeptical Listener

    May 26, 2014

    Hard Stare

    April 26, 2016
  • Artists,  Boston,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Seasons,  Summer

    Elishéva live@Faneuil Hall

    July 8, 2023 /

    Boston is an incredibly vibrant city and hosts many live events in theatres and outdoor venues. At Boston’s Faneuil Hall, I took some pictures of Elishéva, a soulful jazz singer, while she was rehearsing. Boston in summer has its own rhythm—a blend of footsteps, street chatter, and, if you’re lucky, the pulse of live music spilling into the air. I took this photograph during one of those moments when the city seems to pause and listen. The singer, shaded under her cap and oversized sunglasses, leans into the microphone with an intimacy that draws you in, while her guitarist locks eyes with her, an unspoken conversation carried through chords. From a…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Lava Nails

    February 28, 2021

    Portrait of a Fin Swimmer

    June 5, 2021

    Servicing a Sig Sauer P226

    December 16, 2017
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Spring

    Niccolò Fabi – Meno Per Meno Tour 2023 – Live@Teatro Massimo, Pescara

    May 7, 2023 /

    Covering Niccolò Fabi’s concert for Rockol, gave me the opportunity to test an X-T4 with an XF 150-600. The image quality is on a par with the X-T3. This was to be expected. However, I have some reservations about the autofocus. The lens also needs to be examined in more detail before I can form an informed opinion.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Fishermen in Rome, Again

    November 5, 2013

    Avid Readers

    November 19, 2014

    Who dares…

    February 7, 2013
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People

    Backstage, Before the Downbeat

    May 4, 2023 /

    Shot on Kodak Portra 400 with a Canon EOS 1V and the humble yet reliable 50mm f/1.8, this frame captures the unspoken moments before the music begins. No spectacle, no spotlight, just the quiet mechanics of musicianship. I focused on the baritone saxophonist, half-turned, reading the score with that blend of tension and calm that precedes performance. Portra’s muted tones did exactly what I hoped they would—warm but never too rich, soft on contrast without washing out the mood. Skin tones stay honest. Brass textures from the saxophone register with depth, neither overly polished nor artificially gritty. The background instruments bleed into shadows, helped by the lens wide open at…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Zebra Crossing in Oslo… With Red Light

    October 12, 2014

    Conversation

    November 27, 2013

    @Rome Maker Faire – 2

    October 10, 2014
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Winter

    Daniele Silvestri – Teatri 2022 – Live@Teatro Massimo, Pescara

    December 16, 2022 /

    This is the Daniele Silvestri’s Teatri 2022 coverage I did on behalf of Rockol.it using good old Nikons (a D610 with the Sigma 150-600 contemporary and a D750 with a Nikkor 24-120). As a matter of personal taste, I still like a reflex more than a mirrorless camera. The possibility offered by the latter to shoot in total silence with the Electronic Shutter is invaluable in specific contexts such as classical concerts or theatrical plays, nowthistanding the downfalls (banding and distorted images). However (and, once again, this is a matter of personal opinion), a reflex still allow a better connection with the environment at least thanks to the optical viewfinder.…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Ryanair Aircraft

    August 21, 2018

    A moment of break…

    February 22, 2013

    Sea Anemones Shot With A Cheap Kit

    August 20, 2014
  • Artists,  B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Summer

    Alessandro Valle – Live@Anfiteatro La Civitella

    August 11, 2022 /

    When I cover singers’ concerts, I make a point of not leaving band members behind. On their shoulders lies the burden of getting the show right. Without them, there is not much a singer could do unless he is gifted with a beautiful voice and proper technique. Still, they often come unnoticed. Kudos to these musicians who make the magic happens.

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Mystique of Film

    August 24, 2022

    Street Magic@Nagoya Castle

    July 21, 2019

    Too Busy to Enjoy the Life…

    April 12, 2014
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Reportage,  Summer

    Venditti&DeGregori – Live@Anfiteatro La Civitella

    August 11, 2022 /

    Here is the link at the gallery of the 10 August Antonello Venditti and Francesco De Gregori concert. A rather unpleasant experience, indeed. Photographers have been confined on the extreme left of the stage and not allowed to move. Of course the show comes first and any annoyance imperiling the performance must be prevented. A tad of flexibility for people who is there to work, though, would have been much appreciated.

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    Andrea Monti

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    AI or not AI?

    October 3, 2023

    Nad Sylvan

    July 10, 2017

    Oops!

    July 4, 2014
  • Artists,  B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Seasons,  Summer

    José Ignacio Franco – Live@Auditorium Petruzzi

    July 31, 2022 /

    He doesn’t need to sing. His fingers do it for him. Captured in mid-strum, tocaor José Franco radiates something far more profound than musical virtuosity: duende — that elusive spirit of flamenco, born of sorrow, defiance, and joy. His guitar is not just an instrument; it’s a second voice, one that speaks the unspoken, channeling generations of Andalusian lament and celebration. Notice the scene: the blurred silhouettes of fellow musicians in the foreground, the intimacy of a rehearsal or a small performance, where the bond between tocaores is more powerful than any spotlight. The photograph’s depth of field creates a natural hierarchy — we’re drawn not just to Franco’s position, but to his expression. His smile…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Racers

    December 7, 2014

    Max Gazzè Tour 2016 Live @Pescara

    February 1, 2016

    Wrecked Hull

    February 14, 2014
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Seasons,  Summer

    LP – Live@Anfiteatro La Civitella

    July 22, 2022 /

    More pictures available on Rockol’s Gallery section.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Stand-up, Sugar!

    March 8, 2014

    Shopping in Bruxelles

    December 20, 2013

    Out-of-Focus

    September 24, 2013
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Summer

    LP – Live@Anfiteatro La Civitella – The photogallery

    July 11, 2022 /

    This is the full photogallery of July 22 LP’s concert at the Anfiteatro La Civitella. I was covering the event on behalf of Rockol.it.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Raus

    May 12, 2013

    Harley-Davidson: Chrome And Presence

    December 24, 2018

    Pentax – In Praise of Usability of Cameras and Lenses

    March 3, 2024
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Spring

    Piero Mazzocchetti – L’ultima notte di Bonfiglio Liborio

    May 12, 2022 /

    I made this photograph in the dim backstage of Teatro Marrucino, just minutes before the curtain would rise. The air was thick with that familiar mix of anticipation and quiet focus. The man sat in his chair, bent slightly forward, pen in hand, making final notes on the score under the stark glow of a music stand lamp. The rest of the stage was swallowed by darkness. Shooting with the Fuji X-T3 and the Fujinon XF 16-80 gave me the flexibility I needed in such a cramped and poorly lit space. The lens handled the low light surprisingly well, though I had to work at the edge of its capabilities…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Using a 1960 Leica Elmarit 90/2,8 on a Fuji X-T3

    April 5, 2021

    The Commuter

    July 24, 2017

    Il barbiere di Siviglia – Don Bartolo mad at Rosina

    November 28, 2020
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Portraits,  Winter

    Kristina Miller live@Teatro Marrucino

    February 21, 2022 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Hands of a Drummer (Horacio “El Negro” Hernandez)

    April 24, 2013

    Using a 1960 Leica Elmarit 90/2,8 on a Fuji X-T3

    April 5, 2021

    Rest in peace

    March 13, 2013
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Winter

    Sergey Krylov live@Teatro Marrucino

    February 21, 2022 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Belgian Chocolate – Neuhaus

    November 16, 2015

    High Heels Ghost

    August 20, 2013

    A Winter Outdoor Chat

    December 17, 2013
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Streets&Squares,  Winter

    Busker and Covid-19

    January 26, 2021 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Portrait of a Perinatal Cardiologist

    July 11, 2014

    @ Mediterranean Beach Games 2015 – Wrestling, Italy vs France (And a primer on sport photography – Part 5)

    October 9, 2015

    An Asian Lion Guarding an Italian Town – One Shot Story

    August 27, 2025
  • Actors,  Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Reportage,  Winter

    Il barbiere di Siviglia – Don Bartolo mad at Rosina

    November 28, 2020 /

    A shot from the mise en scene of the Il Barbiere di Siviglia I did as a scene-photgrapher for the Teatro Marrucino

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    Andrea Monti

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    DSLR film scanning: episode three

    January 24, 2023

    Italy, Landscape Photography and the Law

    January 23, 2014

    Beer or Spritz?

    November 1, 2019
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  PhotoCritics,  Technique

    Counter-intuitive Focus

    February 9, 2020 /

    This photo I took during a reportage for a theatre hosting a concert of Uto Ughi shows a counter-intuitive use of focusing. Rather than go for the obvious option, the attention is shifted on the two musicians in the background capturing their concentration, with the leading violin blurred and conceptually, thus, ‘left behind’. The global effect is reinforced by a neat separation between the dark and light parts of the frame.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Stairway to Nothing

    March 9, 2014

    The Observer

    November 30, 2013

    Leaving The Actor’s Studio

    January 14, 2014
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  PhotoCritics,  Portraits,  Technique,  Winter

    The Power of Underexposing

    December 25, 2019 /

    This portrait was built in the shadows. Underexposing by design meant letting darkness dominate the frame, allowing only the essentials — the face, the glint of an earring, the folds of the dress — to emerge. The result is a scene stripped of distraction, where every visible element has earned its place. The composition is weighted to the left, pulling the viewer into the subject’s gaze and leaving negative space to amplify the drama. The rich crimson of the gown benefits from the controlled exposure: under normal lighting, its details might have flattened into uniform red; here, the fabric’s texture and the embroidery’s sparkle gain depth from the way light…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Common Fate

    November 15, 2013

    An Old Portable Camera

    October 14, 2014

    Portrait of a Perinatal Cardiologist

    July 11, 2014
  • Artists,  B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Seasons,  Winter

    Davide Grotta – Live

    December 8, 2018 /

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    Harley-Davidson: Chrome And Presence

    December 24, 2018

    Garbage Collection

    August 26, 2013

    Big Brother Enhanced

    May 1, 2013
  • Artists,  B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Portraits,  Winter

    Marianna D’ama – Live

    December 2, 2018 /

    The stage is barely the size of a rug. The audience—two dozen at most—sits within arm’s reach. There is no spotlight to hide behind, no sound engineer to balance the mix, no roaring crowd to dissolve into. Just a voice, an instrument, and the intimacy of shared air. In this photograph, the singer leans into the microphone with the same intensity one might expect in front of thousands. Her eyes are half-closed, her body wrapped around the rhythm, maracas held like extensions of her heartbeat. The grain of the black and white frame amplifies the sense of proximity—every shadow a whisper, every highlight a breath. House concerts are unforgiving in…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Visual

    January 18, 2013

    Now You See It…Street Juggler at a Red Light in Barcelona

    June 16, 2014

    An Early Morning Fishing Expedition

    July 29, 2014
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