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Andrea Monti

Photos, not gear

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  • Autumn,  B&W,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Photography,  Spring,  Summer,  Winter

    Personal Musing On Monochrome Digital Cameras

    September 11, 2025 /

    I was thinking of exploring the world of black-and-white digital photography so I started looking into the available options. Currently, only the Leica Monochrom and the Pentax K-3 III Monochrom are still the only native monochrome digital cameras availble, targeting photographers interested in maximising the potential for ‘true’ black-and-white photography compared to converted colour images. Many experts in the field justify the existence of this particular camera by citing the same manufacturers’ marketing claims, such as better overall image quality and the superior performance of a custom-built sensor. However, I am a photographer, not an electronics engineer or software programmer, so I care more about the final results than the technicalities.…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Zombies

    March 4, 2021

    Audience

    February 20, 2014

    Sega Codemaster

    November 21, 2017
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Daily photo,  Exhibitions,  Photography,  Thoughts,  Tokyo

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

    July 19, 2025 /

    Simulations have turned an inevitable fact —using the chosen brand and type of film for an entire roll— into an aesthetic tool allowing the selection of the most appropriate image rendition for each single exposure. Using simulations is like having all the different kinds of film in the same roll with all the convenience of digital technology, opening a huge number of creative possibilities. Initially published on 35mmc.com This is what the standard marketing claims for software simulations are based upon, but is that actually so? As a matter of fact, the answer is yes, but if we look at the matter from a different perspective, we should consider some…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Not A Photography Anymore

    September 22, 2014

    A Ferrari 812 GTS in Boston

    July 14, 2023

    The Long Way Up

    March 25, 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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    Inside the Palaces of Power – Bruxelles

    November 8, 2015

    Too Late

    April 10, 2015

    Red Bag, Black Shoes

    November 27, 2014
  • Autumn,  Daily Video,  Docks

    The Expired Film Series – Episode 5 – Kodak Tri X 400 – September 2015 shot in Sept. 2023

    May 8, 2024 /

    This is the fifth episode in a series documenting the use of expired film in various contexts. Episode 5 features a Kodak Tri-x 400 shot with a Yashica Zoomate 105 at the Marina di Pescara. The film was not overexposed, was processed with Darktable’s Negadoctor module and finalised with Pixelmator Pro. The results are not, by far, definitive.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Is Batman Coming To Town?

    December 2, 2017

    Red Moon at the end of August

    September 1, 2023

    Padua, a photographer’s goldmine

    October 31, 2024
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Seasons,  Spring,  Summer,  Technique,  Winter

    Yet Another WDISF Post

    May 5, 2024 /

    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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    Andrea Monti

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    The Expired Film Series – Episode 5 – Kodak Tri X 400 – September 2015 shot in Sept. 2023

    May 8, 2024

    Out for a While

    September 26, 2013

    What’s the Time?

    October 8, 2019
  • 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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    National Road Running Championships 2023 – Portraits

    June 28, 2024

    Tired or Fascinated?

    October 21, 2013

    Portraits in Skating

    November 30, 2024
  • 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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    The Stroller

    July 7, 2015

    The True Ironman

    March 4, 2015

    Red Cross

    October 26, 2017
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Daily photo,  Fighters,  Gear,  Spring,  Summer,  Thoughts,  Winter

    Pentax – In Praise of Usability of Cameras and Lenses

    March 3, 2024 /

    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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    Andrea Monti

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    Caparezza – Live@Palamaggetti Roseto degli Abruzzi

    February 12, 2018

    Bored

    March 7, 2013

    Barbarians at the Gates

    September 21, 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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    Lost In Rembrance

    July 26, 2014

    Every Single Day

    June 28, 2017

    A Couch in the Yard

    November 18, 2013
  • Autumn,  Daily Video,  Fighting Disciplines

    The Expired Film Series – Episode 7 – Kodak Portra 160 – June 2015 shot in Oct. 2023

    January 11, 2024 /

    This is the seventh episode in a series documenting the use of expired film in various contexts. Episode 6 features a Kodak Portra 160 shot with a Canon Eos 1V and a Canon EF 50 1,8 at the Trofeo Judo Italia. The film was not overexposed, and processed with Affinity Photo 2 .

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    Andrea Monti

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    Same Seats, Different Lifes

    April 14, 2014
    Copyright Foto AFP / Issouf Sanogo - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

    A stupid quarrell

    April 7, 2013

    Mid-Morning Break at Place Jourdan

    March 24, 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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    Stadio Olimpico, seen from Tribuna Monte Mario

    October 1, 2022

    While the kids grow-up…

    July 25, 2013

    Hanging Heart at via Olmetto

    March 31, 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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    Waiting for the goal

    April 28, 2013

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

    April 30, 2024

    An Antique Shop in via Cadorna

    December 10, 2023
  • Autumn,  Cars&Bikes,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Tokyo

    An experiment with Dall-E, ChatGPT and a Nissan S8

    November 4, 2023 /

    This is an experiment based on a picture of a Nissan S8 taken at the Nissan Crossing in Ginza.First, I asked Dall-E to describe what he ‘sees’. Then I started asking questions to locate the place where the showroom should be, being careful not to give any hints.ChatGPT did not give a correct answer on the first try, but eventually it did. Me: Describe this photo ChatGPT: This photo features a futuristic-looking race car displayed indoors, presumably within a showroom or an exhibition space. The car is designed with an aggressive aerodynamic shape, with large, protruding front winglets and an expansive rear wing, characteristic of high-speed, high-performance vehicles, possibly a…

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    Andrea Monti

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    When the Tide Recedes

    December 8, 2013

    Dress Different

    March 15, 2015

    Bulbs

    January 12, 2015
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Docks

    Red Beam

    October 24, 2023 /

    Night photography has always been an exercise in restraint and patience. The camera sees differently than the human eye after dark — more unforgiving, more literal. This frame, taken with a Fuji X-T4 paired with the Viltrox XF 85/1.8, is my attempt to balance that literalness with the suggestion of stillness. The subject is minimal: a breakwater crowned by a small red beacon, its reflection trembling down the harbour water. Compositionally, it’s brutally simple — the light dead-centre, symmetry imposed on a chaotic environment. There’s an honesty to the stark framing; nothing distracts from the red flare and its molten trail on the surface. Technically, the exposure was a delicate…

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    Andrea Monti

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    5 frames exploring the Sporting Gun Culture in Italy

    April 15, 2025

    Different Financial Transactions

    November 3, 2016

    So Long, and Thank You for the Fish

    January 26, 2022
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Daily photo,  Milan,  People

    The Traveler’s Dilemma: Where To?

    October 21, 2023 /

    Shot on a Voigtländer Bessa R2A with the Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4, this frame unfolded in less than a breath. A man, motionless, eyes scanning a departure board. Behind him, the chaos of travel hums, but he’s suspended—mid-decision, mid-wondering. No phone, no luggage in view. Just posture and projection. The Bessa’s meter can be unforgiving in contrast-heavy interiors, but I exposed for the board and let the shadows fall where they would. The Nokton, wide open or nearly so, brings in the classic swirl and falloff I wanted—enough sharpness in the centre, enough softness at the edges to suggest thought rather than define action. I didn’t wait for better light.…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Seeking Directions – Where Do I Go From Here?

    September 10, 2013

    Bycicle Ride

    August 28, 2013

    Hanging Heart at via Olmetto

    March 31, 2014
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Docks

    Modern Moai?

    October 10, 2023 /

    Still pushing the Viltrox AF 56/1,4 XF on a Fuji X-T4.The limit has not been reached just yet.

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Bitter Sweet

    March 23, 2013

    Caparezza – Live@Palamaggetti Roseto degli Abruzzi

    February 18, 2018

    Love is like a flower

    May 18, 2013
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Fighting Disciplines,  Sport

    Questioning the Referee

    October 8, 2023 /

    Sports photography is all about the moment. Freezing the moments of success – a win, a comeback or a try – as well as failure – a miss, a fall or an injury – is what usually attracts photographers’ attention. But there are many other stories to be told during a competition, and the complex relationship between coaches and referees is one of the most interesting – and overlooked. In this picture, taken during a national judo tournament, I captured the moment when a referee decided to stop talking to a complaining coach. Technical note: I took this picture with a Pentax K-3 II and a Pentax DA* 80-200/2.8. Maybe…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Behind the News

    June 25, 2013

    Bent

    July 13, 2014

    The Driver

    August 8, 2015
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Bridges,  Daily photo

    Floating

    October 7, 2023 /

    Another shot taken with the Viltrox 56/1,4 XF and a Fuji X-T4.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Dark Cloud Over San Pietro

    August 27, 2021

    Pino Ammendola – L’ultima notte di Bonfiglio Liborio@Teatro Marrucino

    May 13, 2022

    Behind The Shaft

    June 1, 2013
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Docks

    Sailing Home

    October 4, 2023 /

    The quality of the Viltrox 56 1/4 XF never ceases to amaze me.This image was taken with an X-T4 at ISO1600, so the quality of the sensor plays a significant role in the overall result. However, as the lens is not supported in Affinity Photo 2, the image is wysiwyg in the sense that no profile-based corrections have been applied.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Shopping in Bruxelles

    December 20, 2013

    The Odd Couple

    January 30, 2013

    Mario Asks for it!

    April 9, 2014
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Daily photo,  Moon

    When Venus Meets the Moon

    October 2, 2023 /

    I made this photograph with the Fujifilm X-T5 paired to the XF 150-600mm, working handheld in the early evening. The Moon was already high and bright, its craters crisp in the cold winter air. Venus, to the left, shone as a pinpoint — a bright, almost stubborn presence against the vastness of black space. Compositional balance here was straightforward but demanded precision: the Moon anchored on the right third, Venus sitting low and left, with the negative space not just filling the frame but defining the mood. The sheer emptiness is as much the subject as the two celestial bodies. Technically, the exposure leaned toward underexposing slightly to preserve lunar…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Message Check Before Breakfast

    December 12, 2014

    A Maserati GranTurismo

    July 15, 2023

    Night Shift At The Gas Station

    November 11, 2013
  • Actors,  Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo

    Serva padrona @ Teatro Marrucino

    October 1, 2023 /

    LED banding is a major problem when using electronic shutters, and the Fuji X-T4 and X-T5 are no exception. In the specific conditions of this piece, I found that setting the shutter speed below 1/100s tamed the problem. However, there is one major drawback: the number of ruined shots increases. This is particularly true of the moments when the actors are waving their limbs or moving randomly. In this case, the slower parts of the body remain in focus, while the peripheral parts do not. Unfortunately, there is still no post-production technique that can eliminate this problem, which makes it difficult to achieve usable results. Of course, using a mechanical…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The BatFire

    April 29, 2016

    Sergey Krylov live@Teatro Marrucino

    February 21, 2022

    Amex

    May 25, 2015
  • Actors,  Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Reportage

    The Death of Cio-Cio san

    October 15, 2022 /

    The final scene of yesterday’s Madama Butterfly’s ‘Prima’ at Teatro Marrucino. Opera photography is always a delicate dance between anticipation and reaction. The photographer must respect the performers’ craft while being acutely aware of the unfolding drama, ready to translate it into still imagery that holds the same emotional weight as the music itself. In this frame, taken during the tragic denouement of Madama Butterfly, the composition works almost like a Renaissance tableau — each character positioned with clear intention. The central focus rests on Cio-Cio-San’s lifeless figure, draped in white and crimson, her body collapsed against the steps like a human punctuation mark. Around her, the women in white…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Weren’t a Smartphone and a Selfie Stick Enough?

    October 6, 2016

    Columns

    November 10, 2014

    Footprints

    March 27, 2021
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Soccer,  Sport

    Stadio Olimpico, seen from Tribuna Monte Mario

    October 1, 2022 /

    The Stadio Olimpico is not an easy subject to photograph, especially when seen from the lofty and privileged perch of the Tribuna Monte Mario. The vantage point offers grandeur, but grandeur doesn’t always translate easily into pixels—especially under the kind of merciless lighting that the stadium seems to favour at night. From this spot, the sweeping geometry of the roof dominates the composition. Its repeating, honeycomb-like pattern glows under the sodium vapour lights, casting a heavy golden hue that floods the upper half of the frame. Below, the seating—empty and rendered in cool blues—acts as a counterweight, both in tone and texture. The effect is a split visual dialogue between…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Into The Cube

    November 18, 2014

    People

    December 21, 2012

    Landing

    December 4, 2021
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Docks,  Helsinki

    A Vessel Moored on the Pier

    September 27, 2022 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Content Creators

    July 20, 2023

    The Alchoolist’s garbage

    March 5, 2013

    Photography and the dangers of ethics

    April 17, 2013
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