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Andrea Monti

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  • 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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    Minolta MC W Rokkor-HG 35/2.8 and Nikon Z5 – An Empirical Field-Test

    January 8, 2026

    Different Life

    June 24, 2016

    A Seagull

    May 10, 2021
  • 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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    @ Rome’s Maker Faire – 6. Lost In Texting

    November 23, 2014

    The New Church

    May 13, 2014

    Emanuele Cavallucci. The New Italian Pro Boxing Welterweight Champion

    March 9, 2019
  • 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…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Faces in the Façade: A Ghostly Smile in Stone

    November 15, 2014

    @Rome Maker Faire – 5. Pensive

    October 18, 2014

    Nature gets its space back…

    November 7, 2018
  • 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.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Frank Gambale All Stars – Live@Teatro Marrucino

    November 22, 2023

    The Last Puff, Before the Kitchen Opens

    March 6, 2013

    Night Shift At The Gas Station

    November 11, 2013
  • 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…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Earbuds

    December 22, 2015

    The Mystique of Film

    August 24, 2022

    The Hasselblad Way

    January 2, 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.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Empty Chairs in the Tuileries

    October 19, 2013

    Under the Heat Of Rome…

    June 26, 2018

    Generations

    February 5, 2013
  • 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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    Processing DSLR-digitized film with and without Pentax K-1 Monochrome Custom Image profile

    April 30, 2023

    Just A Phone Call – 1

    February 18, 2015

    Off-Duty Eurocrats in Bruxelles

    March 28, 2014
  • 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.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Last Check Before the Start

    July 29, 2015

    Bronine Volkit Camera Hub. Mixed feelings

    November 30, 2021

    Lost Cellos

    August 30, 2014
  • 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,…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Don’t They Drink Tea, Instead?

    December 27, 2016

    Should I Seat?

    December 15, 2021

    Outside the Nobel Museum

    June 30, 2016
  • Boston,  Cars&Bikes,  Colour,  Streets&Squares,  Winter

    A Maserati GranTurismo

    July 15, 2023 /

    Another piece of Italy in Boston…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Cello Player

    April 24, 2017

    The Coffin

    December 12, 2015

    Whatever You Stand For, Vote!

    May 24, 2014
  • 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.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Between Sea and Sky

    February 12, 2015

    A Fisherman in Rome

    November 1, 2013

    Servicing a Beretta 98FS

    October 13, 2019
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Doors&Windows,  Gear,  Winter

    Powermeters

    February 18, 2023 /

    This photo was taken with an Ilford XP2 Super 400, a Voigtländer Bessa R2 and a Voigtländer 35mm f/1.4 II lens. The film was digitised using a Pentax K-1 and a Pentax FA 100/2.8 Marco mounted on a custom-built rig. The resulting raw was processed in Affinity Photo. In Develop Persona, first the image was turned in black and white, then the master curve was intverted and finally exposure, contrast and other parameters were tweaked.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Suspicious

    December 2, 2014

    Lost Bottles

    January 27, 2014

    A Shadow

    July 24, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Daily Video,  Docks,  Photography,  Winter

    Editing a photo taken with a Carl Zeiss Jena 135/4 Sonnar and a Fuji X-T3

    February 8, 2023 /

    A vintage Carl Zeiss Jena 135/4 Sonnar whose RF mount has been replaced with a Fuji X mount by Adriano Lolli (https://www.adrianololli.com).Coupled with a Fuji X-T3, it delivers pleasant results. Post production is highly subjective, so the final outcome might no be ‘acceptable’ to some taste. Still, the lens is very good.

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    Andrea Monti

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    What an Elegant Chocolatier!

    January 6, 2014

    Guess who’s happier?

    May 27, 2013

    Walking at Night, in Milan

    September 30, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Photography,  Winter

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

    February 5, 2023 /

    This photo was taken with an old Carl Zeiss Jena 135/4 Sonnar whose Contax RF mount was replaced by a Fuji X mount by Master Adriano Lolli.

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    Andrea Monti

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    The Silent Listeners

    December 27, 2013

    Snaps of a Flamenco recital…

    April 26, 2013

    二千円

    December 20, 2023
  • Bruxelles,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Downtown,  Jewellery,  Winter

    Floating

    February 5, 2023 /

    This image was born out of a fascination with stillness in the midst of implied movement. The mannequin — suspended, curled, caught in an almost foetal position — seems to drift within a capsule that looks as though it could be orbiting somewhere far beyond Earth. The large, circular light behind it could be a porthole, a hatch, or simply a stage light; its blinding white obscures what might be beyond, giving the scene a surreal, detached quality. Technically, the biggest challenge was exposure. The extreme contrast between the brilliant backlight and the darker figure risked losing detail on both ends. I chose to protect the highlights, letting the shadows…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Dress Different

    March 15, 2015

    An inconvenient way to spend time.

    March 15, 2013

    Who Can It Be Now?

    February 18, 2016
  • Daily photo,  Daily Video,  Technique,  Winter

    Unattainable 1:1 magnification with the JJC FDA S-1 and Micro Nikkor 60 2,8

    January 29, 2023 /

    The JJC FDA S-1 does not allow a 1:1 magnification with the Micro Nikkor 60 2,8. It only reaches a smaller factor (about 80%.The probable reason is the excessive lenght of the original step-down ring.Using a thinner step-down ring, as it has been done in this video, does not improve the outcome.

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    Square Three

    June 20, 2014

    What Does ‘Professional’ Mean in Photography?

    March 19, 2024

    Waiting To Board At Santa Margherita Ligure

    August 16, 2014
  • Daily Video,  Photography,  Technique,  Winter

    Processing a DSLR Digitised Black and White Film with Affinity Photo

    January 24, 2023 /

    This videos shows how to process a Black and White film digitised with a DSLR camera.The process starts from opening the RAW file in Affinity Photo’s Develop Persona. In short and in order, the steps are:

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    Andrea Monti

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    Secret Beyond the Door

    October 24, 2013

    Gravity on Pause

    September 5, 2025

    Waiting For A Customer To Come

    July 27, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Winter

    Pixelmator Pro Debanding and Electronic Shutter

    December 24, 2022 /

    Pixelmator Pro Deband feature does not work on banding caused by the well known electronic shutter lag. The Deband feature has not been advertised as working also with ES-induced banding, so the fact that it can not handle it is not a bug. However, this limit seriously reduces the appeal of the new feature. I have flagged the issue to Pixelmator Pro Support: currently, they are out of work, but eventually, they should get back to me with some news. Good news, hopefully.

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    Inside The Clocktower

    August 22, 2015

    The Lifeguard’s Tools

    August 24, 2013

    Lost Bottles

    January 27, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Docks,  Winter

    The Silent Geometry of a Trabocco

    December 22, 2022 /

    This image came out of a walk I almost didn’t take. The light was beginning to fall into that uncertain hour, not quite golden but leaning into it, with a softness that flatters without deceiving. I was drawn to the trabocco — that wooden skeleton of fishing history jutting into the Adriatic like a forgotten broadcast antenna. Technically, the image lives and breathes in its lines. Everything points outward — cables, poles, railings — a quiet explosion of geometry pushing against the calmness of the sea. The house, slightly off-centre, serves as a visual anchor, balancing the thrust of the lines while allowing the scene to feel alive, not over-symmetrical.…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Soldering

    November 8, 2021

    The Brand As a Ruin

    May 25, 2015

    Busy

    January 8, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Docks,  Winter

    Fisherman’s Fatigues

    December 19, 2022 /

    I shot this one late in the day, when the light had softened just enough to graze the worn textures without flattening them. The fatigue in the title isn’t poetic—these clothes, half-limp, half-hardened with salt and use, are the remnants of someone’s labour, someone likely still out at sea. I didn’t stage anything. These were just there, draped across makeshift wooden trestles, drying under the weight of their own exhaustion. What makes this image work technically, for me, is the tension between stillness and implication. Nothing moves in the frame, yet everything speaks of motion just ceased—pulling ropes, lifting crates, hours on a rolling deck. The shallow depth of field,…

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    So Long, Eos-M

    January 17, 2014

    5 frames exploring the Sporting Gun Culture in Italy

    April 15, 2025

    Caged?

    June 6, 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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    Dark Cloud Over San Pietro

    August 27, 2021

    Plenty of Chairs in Via Veneto

    December 2, 2013

    Where Did I Left My Car?

    April 2, 2015
  • Actors,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Winter

    Norina shouts at Don Pasquale

    December 12, 2022 /

    This picture is part of the reportage I did for Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, featured on December 11, 2022, at Teatro Marrucino. It has been the chance to experiment a few tricks to avoid the banding effect caused by the LED pulse frequency and the sensor’s delay in EFC is used. I chose to go for time rather than aperture priority mode. I also set the shutter speed at 1/50, as suggested in many forums, and the trick worked. In some cases, banding was still present, but it was insignificant. I also tried to shoot in full manual (leaving only the focus in auto.) Some pictures ended up overexposed, and…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Learning to Shoot Boxing Matches

    July 18, 2024

    @ Rome’s Maker Faire – 6. Lost In Texting

    November 23, 2014

    Different Paths

    December 26, 2012
  • Bruxelles,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Fashion Shops,  Seasons,  Winter

    Cleaning the Tabernacle

    November 26, 2022 /

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    Between Sea and Sky

    February 12, 2015

    Nightlife

    June 20, 2013

    Countersniping

    February 7, 2014
  • Actors,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Winter

    Turiddu repeals Santuzza

    November 19, 2022 /

    This is a photo taken from the reportage I made for the Teatro Marrucino during the première of Cavalleria Rusticana by Pietro Mascagni. It captures the moment Turiddu (Piero Giuliacci) abandons Santuzza (Alessandra Di Giorgio), who —in turns— begs him in vain to change his mind. Image quality isn’t exceptional: unlike other cases, where the Fuji X-T3/Fujinon XF 16-80 pairing provided excellent results, this time it didn’t perform at its best, probably due to the choices on the scene lights.On the contrary, the composition is particularly successful.Turiddu is in the centre of the upper part of the picture. The railings of the staircase lead the eye towards him. Stantuzza’s dynamic…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Reasonable Privacy Expectation

    April 17, 2014

    Off Duty

    September 4, 2015

    The Commuter

    July 24, 2017
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