Andrea Monti

Photos, not gear

  • Home
  • Daily photo
  • Colour
  • B&W
  • Landscape
  • Cities
  • People
  • Sport
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Conctact
Menu
  • Home
  • Daily photo
  • Colour
  • B&W
  • Landscape
  • Cities
  • People
  • Sport
  • FAQ
  • About
  • Conctact

No Widgets found in the Sidebar Alt!

  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Past&Relics,  Winter

    An Asian Lion Guarding an Italian Town – One Shot Story

    August 27, 2025 /

    Ofena is a small town located within the Abruzzo National Park of Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga, in Italy, Hit by the 2009 earthquake, Ofena is still struggling to recover.  Life came back to its ordinary pulse thank to the inhabitants who showed strong resilience. However, wandering around these wounded places I didn’t feel inclined to take photos as I felt like I was exploiting the enduring consequences of the tragedy that hit this community.

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Nagoya’s reportage featured in The Good Life

    October 29, 2020

    Portrait of a Politician – 2

    June 15, 2014

    When the Rubbish Basket is full…

    December 13, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Fighters,  Gear,  Photography,  Tokyo,  Winter

    DSLR-like…?

    March 21, 2025 /

    I decided to write this post after having stumbled across the next ethusiast review of a smartphone published on a reputable magazine, claiming that the device can deliver ‘DSLR-like’ photos. In fact, as is often the case with ‘camera experts’ who work for a magazine or earn money by posting videos making funny faces on social networks, it was just a rewrite of the manufacturer’s product specifications and promotional material. There are few things, in photography, I dislike more than than these ‘DSLR-like’ claims made in the advertising of smartphones and compact cameras because ‘DSLR-like’ is the archetype of a meaningless statement made to lure people into using an arbitrary benchmark…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Early Morning Shaving on The Beach

    August 6, 2013

    VueScan and the missed Bits-per-pixel

    December 1, 2013

    Fujifilm X-Pro 2: Does It Worth It? (Lost In Via Del Corso)

    January 16, 2016
  • B&W,  Boulevards,  Bruxelles,  Daily photo,  Streets&Squares,  Winter

    5 (random) frames of Bruxelles with a MIR-1B, a Pentax ME Super and a Kodak TMax400

    March 19, 2025 /

    The late hours of a day are dangerous times, because this is when the mind, lacking tasks, begins to look for a way to keep itself busy. To make a long story short, this is why, against what the common sense would have suggested, I decided to take a stroll in a (very) cold winter evening along and around Avenue Louise in Bruxelles to test a MIR-1B 37/2.8 mounted on a TMAX 400 loaded Pentax ME Super with an M42 adapter. Initially published on 35mmc.com. As much as this is not a ‘field test’, I was unfair to the lens because I used it in challenging conditions, starting with the…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Even

    July 9, 2016

    Batklubben

    July 23, 2016

    Negrita’s Cover Band

    September 19, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Streets&Squares,  Winter

    One Shot Story: Behind the Fence

    January 3, 2025 /

    There is nothing special about this photo in itself, but when placed in context, it changes the way we may look at it – Initially published on 35mmc.com The photo was taken in the fishing neighbourhood of my home town. Behind the fence erected by the developers were the fishermen’s small one-storey houses. Once a testament to the hard life they endured, over time the neighbourhood was abandoned and the houses gradually fell into disrepair. Now, for security reasons, it is not possible to look through the fence and see what the developers are planning to build in place of this small part of the neighbourhood. I could ask the…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Paths of Life

    January 20, 2013

    HeadButt

    August 5, 2023

    The Chicken

    September 10, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Winter

    7Artisans 35mm 0.95 – Testing this Fujifilm X Mount Lens in a Demanding Environment

    December 22, 2024 /

    So far I have been very happy with the 7Artisans 35mm 0.95 in X-mount, but I have only tested it in non-demanding conditions. Although the results were promising at first sight, only a real test could give a definitive verdict (at least for me). So I decided to put it on trial last December 13, shooting ‘La Cenerentola’, Gioacchino Rossini’s melodrama at the Teatro Marrucino in Chieti (IT), together with the ‘battle-tested’ Fujifilm XF 18-120. Initially published on 35mmc.com Did it work out? Let me spoil the conclusions: I really like this lens in absolute terms and not because of its value for money. The colour reproduction is excellent, the resolving…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Selling Italian Ice in Boston

    March 11, 2025

    Business people in Rome

    February 23, 2013

    Pre Colombian Artwork

    September 27, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Osaka,  Winter

    One Shot Story: (Un)Available Coin Lockers at Shin Osaka Station

    December 22, 2024 /

    コインロッカー, the coin-operated lockers, are fundamental to travel around Japan: this is the first lesson any first-timer to this Country should learn beforehand. – Initially publishd on 35mmc.com Almost ubiquitous, they are plentiful in train stations and airports and are a convenient way to get rid of your luggage for a few hours or days while you are on a stopover. Until a few years ago, finding an empty コインロッカー was not such a daunting task, even when there were large numbers of tourists. Now, however, things have changed for the worse.  Recently, on my way to Tokyo from Kyushu, I did —as the automatic PA system of the Shinkansen likes…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    A Zen Garden?

    February 22, 2014

    Singers

    February 19, 2014

    When the Rubbish Basket is full…

    December 13, 2013
  • 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…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Noon on the Beach

    May 1, 2014

    Just A Phone Call – 1

    February 18, 2015

    Why a Longterm Relationship (with your camera) Makes You Feel Good

    March 26, 2025
  • Actors,  Daily Video,  Winter

    Gioacchino Rossini – La Cenerentola@Teatro Marrucino

    December 13, 2024 /

    This is part of a reportage I did on December 13, 2024 for the Teatro Marrucino in Chieti (IT) during the performance of Gioacchino Rossini’s La Cenerentola. Gear: Fujifilm X-T4 and X-T5 cameras, Fujinon XF 18-120 F4, 7-Artisans 35/0,95 X-Mount Find out more at https://andrea.monti.photography

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Good Idea

    January 31, 2014

    Pentax SMC-A 50/1,7 – Nikkor 50/1,4 – Summicron 50/2

    February 9, 2021

    Parachute

    September 14, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Kite Surf,  Winter

    Shooting Kite Surfing

    September 22, 2024 /

    Kite surfing is quite spectacular but difficult to photograph. As with any water sport, the main difference that affects the results is whether or not the photographer is embedded in the organisation. In the former case, being allowed to stay on the official boats allows him to be closer to the action and get better shots. In the other case, the photographer must essentially rely on a telephoto lens (the longer the better) at the expense of depth of field – Initially published on 35mmc.com. Jumps and the flight phase are the most spectacular moments to capture. However, as the next two photos show, it is essential that the autofocus works…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Bent

    April 21, 2014

    The Lost Church

    July 16, 2014

    Guess who’s happier?

    May 27, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Daily Video,  Gear,  Winter

    The Ferrania Film Series – Episode 1 – Ferrania Orto shot on October/November 2023

    August 7, 2024 /

    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.

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Too Busy to Enjoy the Life…

    April 12, 2014

    Small Talk

    February 10, 2014

    An Old Wi(n)dow

    November 17, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Seasons,  Sport,  Track&Field,  Winter

    How to (Unconventionally) Shoot Track and Field Competitions

    July 30, 2024 /

    Having been given a LOC pass for the European Athletics Championships currently taking place in Rome, I was able to practice unusual compositions in sports photography – Initially published on 35mmc.com Usually, the pictures taken by professional photographers working for media companies, broadcasters or magazines inevitably focus on the umpteenth iteration of the same actions (the concentration before the start, the relay change, the exertion after a fast or long run, etc.). Add to this the fact that the photographers are all in the same part of the venue, the results are very similar, at least in terms of perspective and field of view. This is an example: I don’t…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Marianna D’ama – Live

    December 2, 2018

    The Pulse Of The Town

    October 17, 2014

    A Single(‘s) Call

    September 24, 2016
  • 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…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Who Said That Music Is Relaxing?

    August 14, 2013

    Lost In Rembrance

    July 26, 2014

    A Lighthouse

    October 11, 2023
  • 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…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Last Wing Down

    February 26, 2015

    A Curious Bystander

    December 24, 2013

    Ashtray

    February 12, 2017
  • 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…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    How to (Unconventionally) Shoot Track and Field Competitions

    July 30, 2024

    Relaxed Call at Boulevard du Palais

    March 19, 2014

    DxO Pure Raw empirical test

    November 22, 2022
  • 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:…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    The dilemma

    January 11, 2013

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

    July 19, 2025

    A Frame Within a Frame Within a Frame

    April 23, 2023
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Rowing,  Technique,  Winter

    An Exercise in Composition (was: Rowing Boats)

    February 18, 2024 /

    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…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    A Puff of Smoke

    August 29, 2013

    Zebra Crossing

    March 14, 2014

    The Hacker and the Photographer

    August 22, 2016
  • B&W,  Bookstores,  Daily photo,  Winter

    二千円

    December 20, 2023 /

    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.

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Up Where the World Unfolds

    November 16, 2013

    Floating

    October 7, 2023

    One Shot (Plus One) Story – All That Lasts

    April 19, 2025
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Rome,  Winter

    An Antique Shop in via Cadorna

    December 10, 2023 /

    I made this frame with a Bessa R2 paired to a Nokton Classic 35mm f/1.4, loaded with Kodak Tri-X 400. That combination has a way of imposing its character on an image, and here it played straight into the atmosphere of the scene. The urn in the foreground caught my attention first, its surface worn and flaking, the sort of texture that Tri-X renders with a quiet authority. Its reflection in the shop window doubled the presence without turning the composition into a perfect mirror—imperfections in the glass kept it alive. The rust-speckled lamp leans towards it, both physically and compositionally, as though curious about the object’s past. I exposed…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    And Justice For All

    May 15, 2015

    The El Prat’s Lounge

    June 5, 2014

    Ramping Up

    September 16, 2014
  • 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.

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Sergey Krylov live@Teatro Marrucino

    February 21, 2022

    Don’t Forget!

    March 27, 2013

    Crate

    January 24, 2015
  • 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.…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    A Rudder

    February 19, 2021

    Just a soccer field… Part 2

    February 4, 2014

    Crowd Control

    July 16, 2013
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Tokyo,  Winter

    Ghosts of Ginza

    November 14, 2023 /

    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.

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    She Died Alone

    February 15, 2022

    The Bell Ringer of Nikko

    August 6, 2018

    Outside the Nobel Museum

    June 30, 2016
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Tokyo,  Winter

    Isolation in Public Spaces

    November 10, 2023 /

    Tokyo’s subway is rarely empty, yet in the press of bodies and the blur of passing stations, solitude often asserts itself. This frame was made with a Nikon 35TI, paired with Ferrania Orto, whose orthochromatic palette brings a certain austerity to the scene. The absence of red sensitivity pulls skin tones toward pallor and renders signage and advertising in a flatter, more subdued register — perfect for distilling a moment that’s more about psychological distance than geographical setting. The composition is anchored on a single figure, set against the geometry of the carriage interior. Lines from windows, doors, and grab rails intersect in a way that almost corrals the subject,…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    St. Peter in Background

    December 5, 2013

    Every Single Day

    June 28, 2017

    Floating Flower

    May 19, 2015
  • Boston,  Cars&Bikes,  Colour,  Streets&Squares,  Winter

    A Maserati GranTurismo

    July 15, 2023 /

    Another piece of Italy in Boston…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    Modern Times

    January 6, 2013

    Sleep Wins

    August 30, 2013

    Lotus Tweak

    July 31, 2015
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  People,  Technique,  Winter

    Coats

    March 19, 2023 /

    Getting rid of film noise is a recurring necessity when shooting film at (relatively) high ISO.In this photo the negative was digitised using a Pentax K-1 Mark I and a Pentax FA 100/2,8 Macro. Then, before inverting the curves to make a positive, it was fed into DxO PureRaw3 (by the way, it properly recognized the camera and lens). Finally, in Affinity Photo Develop Persona’s Details tab, once the curves were inverted, it was necessary to tweak the Noise Reduction options by setting Luminance to 50% and Luminance Details to 0.

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

    You May Also Like

    The Sinking Giant

    December 6, 2013

    The True Ironman

    March 4, 2015

    A Lamp

    November 14, 2015
123

Projects

  • Daily photo (1,392)
    • B&W (276)
    • Colour (1,102)
  • Daily Video (16)
  • Portfolio (2)
  • Projects (1,306)
    • Airport (15)
    • Bottles&Cups (12)
    • Cars&Bikes (42)
    • Chairs&Seats (19)
    • Cities (455)
      • Barcelona (16)
      • Boston (11)
      • Bruxelles (66)
      • Hamburg (3)
      • Helsinki (2)
      • Kyoto (2)
      • London (27)
      • Milan (50)
      • Nagasaki (2)
      • Nagoya (8)
      • New York (9)
      • Nikko (1)
      • Osaka (3)
      • Oslo (17)
      • Padua (1)
      • Paris (31)
      • Rome (147)
      • Stockholm (11)
      • Tokyo (28)
      • Tsukuba (2)
      • Venice (22)
      • Yokohama (1)
    • Court (23)
    • Landscape (99)
      • Beach&Shores (78)
    • Lines (19)
    • Marketing (5)
    • Moon (7)
    • Observer Bias (14)
    • Odds (21)
    • OutOfFocus (13)
    • Parks (6)
    • Past&Relics (57)
    • People (624)
      • Actors (15)
      • Artists (85)
      • Fighters (29)
      • Portraits (42)
    • Seasons (920)
      • Autumn (143)
      • Spring (183)
      • Summer (260)
      • Winter (348)
    • Shops (166)
      • Barber&HairStylist (1)
      • Bookstores (10)
      • Brand Stores (1)
      • Fashion Shops (16)
      • Garages&Labs (11)
      • Groceries (3)
      • Jewelry (3)
      • Patisserie (11)
      • Restaurants&Bar (92)
      • Street Markets (15)
      • Tobacconists (2)
    • Social Control (51)
    • Travels (19)
    • Urban Landscape (293)
      • Boulevards (12)
      • Bridges (7)
      • Buildings (23)
      • Docks (74)
      • Doors&Windows (26)
      • Downtown (29)
      • Exhibitions (11)
      • Fountains (6)
      • Garbage (17)
      • Gates&Fences (12)
      • Parks (21)
      • Streets&Squares (66)
      • Works (2)
    • Visual (67)
    • WideAngle (13)
  • Reportage (17)
  • Sport (71)
    • Beach Handball (1)
    • Beach Volley (5)
    • Billiard (1)
    • Body Builiding (1)
    • Cycling (1)
    • Fighting Disciplines (24)
    • Handball (2)
    • Kite Surf (4)
    • Road Running (1)
    • Roller Derby (1)
    • Rowing (2)
    • Shooting (11)
    • Skating (4)
    • Soccer (6)
    • Swimming (Fin) (1)
    • Track&Field (5)
  • Thoughts (225)
    • Gear (67)
    • Photo Journalism (6)
    • PhotoCritics (19)
    • Photography (62)
    • Street Photography (83)
    • Technique (29)
Dear anonymous visitor, you may enjoy this web site’s contents with all the ease of not being tracked.

I do not know your identity and will do nothing to figure out who you are.

This explains why I do not ask for your consent: it is not possible to abide by the law if one’s counterpart is unknown.

I do not have social network’s ‘share buttons’, comments are disabled, as are user registration features.

I only use those cookies and pieces of code that make Google Analytics work and that will eventually be dismissed as soon as I am sure that Matomo (also installed) works as advertised.

If you check this website with some online tool you may find two cookies ‘_utmz’ and ‘_utma’. The former tracks your sessions, the latter your location. You may find more information in the Legalia and Cookie Policy page

Compulsory Information

  • Legalia
© 2025 Andrea Monti - all rights reserved