Andrea Monti

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  • 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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    Histoire d’O

    November 11, 2014

    Humannequin

    January 10, 2013

    Nick Beggs

    July 12, 2017
  • 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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    Italian Track&Field Championship 2018 – The reportage

    September 12, 2018

    Gloves

    October 19, 2014

    Early Morning’s Cleanup

    July 21, 2013
  • Autumn,  Beach&Shores,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography

    Not AI-made…

    September 17, 2022 /

    The colour rendition of a photo taken with a Pentax (camera and lens) is unique. Taste is personal, and so is this opinion. One thing, however, is sure: the pictorial look of this photography is not made by an ‘AI’.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Final Arrangements Before the Hearing

    April 19, 2015

    Between Sea and Sky

    February 12, 2015

    DSLR film scanning: episode three

    January 24, 2023
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Thoughts

    Is AI-generated art actually killing ‘real’ Art?

    September 16, 2022 /

    This picture is how Dall-e 2 interpreted a prompt like Kodak Tri-X 400 black and white sketch in the style of Andy Warhol of a scientist facing a hajime sorayama-like cyborg in a 1940 mad scientist sci-fi lab. Does that mean that —as everybody and his cousin keep repeating— that AI killed Art(ists)? Not very. AI-generated imagery serves to specific purposes and whether is creation or not is utterly irrelevant.

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    Andrea Monti

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    An Off Duty Anchor

    September 21, 2014

    Walking Table in via Cornaggia

    March 22, 2014

    A Grocery Store

    November 5, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Doors&Windows,  Gear,  Photography,  Thoughts

    The Mystique of Film

    August 24, 2022 /

    I have resisted for a long time before giving out my two cents about the neverending debate ‘film vs digital’. I gave up after the next self-delusion I read in a well-known ‘semi-pro’ (purposely not linked) online photography magazine. It featured the umpteenth column explaining how shooting film ‘gets the experience back’, going full-manual ‘forces you thinking’, having limited exposures ‘pushes you to become more selective’, and all the usual motives connected with the choice of travelling on a horse-powered chariot instead of using a regular car. There is no need to shoot film to experience all that. Set the camera on full manual, disable OIS and IBIS, use a…

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Fisherman in Rome

    November 1, 2013

    A Lockheed C-130 Hercules

    January 31, 2021

    Sunny Afternoon

    January 22, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography

    A Fix for the Wikipedia Photos’ Copyright Scams?

    December 19, 2020 /

    As reported by Petapixel, a new form of copyright (better, ‘moral rights of author) scam hits photographer: the credit stealing on Wikipedia. In a nutshell, as everything on Wikipedia is editable, somebody started changing the photos’ ownership information from the original author to somebody else who, as Petapixel writes, get a series of ‘benefit’. As bad as it sounds, copyright protection on the Internet is a lost battle for an individual. Some services like Unsplash “turned the problem into an opportunity”. However it did not solve the issue in general terms. I’m seriously considering if just going back to a print-only sharing is a better way to handle pictures’ copyright,…

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    Andrea Monti

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    How to (Unconventionally) Shoot Track and Field Competitions

    July 30, 2024

    Suspicious

    September 8, 2013

    Nice Drink

    July 11, 2015
  • Autumn,  B&W,  Daily photo,  Photography

    (Not so) Intelligent Design

    October 26, 2018 /

    A white hand dryer, sleek and sterile, is mounted firmly on a tiled wall. Below it dangles a single electric cable, ending uselessly in an unplugged RJ connector. There is no socket in sight. No conduit, no power. Just absence. The image is clean, quiet—and absurd. The title, Intelligent Design, delivers a sharp, dry irony. It borrows from the vocabulary of creationist theology to highlight a mundane failure of basic planning. What was meant to be functional is, quite literally, disconnected. In this unassuming scene, the promise of utility is contradicted by execution. The dryer, meant to dry hands, is impotent. The infrastructure, meant to enable function, is missing. Photographically, the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Hanging News

    June 18, 2013

    Floating

    October 7, 2023

    A Relaxed Call

    February 12, 2014
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Lines,  Photography,  Spring

    The Solitude of Power

    May 6, 2018 /

    In this staged tableau, a single white king stands isolated at the centre of a chessboard, surrounded by a dense perimeter of pawns, bishops, rooks, and knights—black and white alike. The visual symmetry is precise, the tension deliberate. It is a composition that speaks of power, but also of its limits. The king is both the most important and the weakest piece on the board. Its capture ends the game, yet it is immobile without protection. The title, The King’s Solitude, plays on this paradox: the sovereign stands alone, sovereign yet vulnerable, elevated yet exposed. In the context of international relations, this image evokes the precarious nature of leadership on the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    TicTacToe

    September 1, 2014

    Nightlife

    June 20, 2013

    Visual

    January 18, 2013
  • Autumn,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Rome,  Visual

    An Essay on Light

    October 13, 2017 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    LP – Live@Anfiteatro La Civitella – The photogallery

    July 11, 2022

    Early Morning’s Cleanup

    July 21, 2013

    Panning the Police

    November 17, 2016
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Garages&Labs,  Photography,  Spring

    Leica Shop @ Strada Maggiore

    May 11, 2017 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Landed

    December 19, 2013

    Stantsted Lounge’s Chairs

    December 31, 2013

    A Lonely Table

    March 8, 2015
  • Photography,  Technique,  Thoughts

    Becoming a Human Tripod

    January 9, 2017 /

    An often forgotten topic in the photography schools and courses is the physical (I would say, physiological) side of the game. True, a Leica Noctilux and a Leica M can deliver exceptionally sharp images, but if your hands tremble or your body wobbles, no gear, no matter the cost,  can save your shot from being shaken. Ideally, a perfectly steady shot would require a tripod. Yes you can tweak the ISOs and/or the aperture but this is a trade off with image quality , so we’re back to the opening statement: a steady shot needs a tripod. But the truth is that none of us – pros included – can…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Safe Living (?)

    July 28, 2016

    Red

    December 17, 2014

    Accidental Precision

    February 12, 2016
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Downtown,  People,  Photography,  Rome,  Street Photography,  Winter

    The Watchman (Street-Photography Shortcuts)

    January 21, 2016 /

    As every thing under the sun, Street-Photography too has its own shortcuts: freaky street-portraits are one of those. It’s easy to have your pictures noticed when your subject is a 60-years old Brit-Punk, an implausible-color dressed man or whatever alike: these subjects do the work on your behalf and it is very hard to obtain such kind of picture AND conveying actual meaning. Personally I like photos that – alone or made meaningful by a title – can tell a story. This way I can try to (pretend to) make “unique” shots, that stand with dignity in front of the zillions of 500px/Instagram/Flickr’s  great images that are often perfect but…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Enough…

    March 2, 2013

    Italy, Street-Photography and The Law – A Real Case

    October 3, 2014

    Foto-Grafo featured on Yanidel.net

    March 20, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Fighting Disciplines,  People,  Photography,  Sport,  Summer,  Thoughts

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

    October 9, 2015 /

    Part 1 – Intro, Before the event, getting your media pass Part 2 – Before the event, having your media pass working for you Part 3 – During the event, get ready for the show Part 4 – During the event, how to choose which event attend to 3 – Shooting the game As I said before, the chances of getting a good exposure greatly improve if you are (or have become) comfortable with the game. But knowing how the ball rolls worth nothing if you’re not in the right position to take the shot. a – Reclaiming your space from other photographers Event (and thus sport) photography is a…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Ni État Ni Patron

    June 8, 2014

    Giorgio Pasotti – Racconti disumani@Teatro Marrucino

    February 28, 2022

    Conversation

    November 27, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Thoughts

    Money Doesn’t Smell

    April 2, 2015 /

    The main photo depicts a Syrian kid surrending to a photographer, whose camera she thought was a weapon, while the side pictures are automatically displayed by the advertising engine of the online newspaper. There is a contrast between the brutal reality where the kid lives and the luxury aura implied by the two fashion shot that shows how insensitive magazine editors can be. I understand the need to monetize every click or content, but I’m not sure that this is the right way to do it. Why don’t chose, for instance, to advertise a fund raising campaign supporting UNICEF or Doctors Without Borders? And, by the way, I don’t understand…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The True Ironman

    March 4, 2015

    A comfortable chair

    November 8, 2013

    Arriba El Mexico!

    July 3, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Winter

    YANE – Yet Another Nepal Exhibit

    March 23, 2015 /

    This the poster of Yet Another Nepal Exhibit. It is hard to see the point in going to the other end of the world  to take pictures that, as a Google Image Search shows, have already been shot zillions of time. In other words: taking original photos in Nepal is very hard. This teach a simple lesson: going overseas in the belief that the place makes the photo is wrong.

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    Andrea Monti

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

    November 23, 2014

    So Long, Eos-M

    January 17, 2014

    A Green Patch

    August 26, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Travels

    From Camera to Print…

    March 17, 2015 /

    This is what happens when a shot is not taken thinking of its final destination (or when a graphic editor doesn’t consider what the outcome would be once printed): a poor rendition.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Moon, hand-held

    April 30, 2021

    Gary O’ Toole

    July 15, 2017

    Waiting for the hearing

    February 19, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Milan,  People,  Photography,  Winter

    Dress Different

    March 15, 2015 /

    According to the fashion-photography standards this is a perfectly usable shot. To me, that’s simply a missed photo.

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    Andrea Monti

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    An Unplausable Perspective

    May 6, 2014

    The Stroller

    July 7, 2015

    Menu Meditation

    February 16, 2018
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Photo Journalism,  Photography,  Street Photography,  Thoughts

    Italy, Street-Photography and The Law – A Real Case

    October 3, 2014 /

    Last July, members of the Polizia municipale of Rome seized the camera of a British-Brazilian street-photographer, Simon Griffee, while he was documenting the way they dealt with an immigrant. As Simon’s lawyer I’ve filed an appeal and a week ago the Court of Rome revoked the seizure. The battle is not over, yet, but hopefully Simon’s camera will be back on his hands pretty soon. As soon as possible I will release a thorough analysis of the case matched with what the law says, in theory.

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    Andrea Monti

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    An Athlete@Stadio Marmi, Rome

    October 11, 2018

    Photography and the Importance of a Proper Training

    April 23, 2024

    A Standup Paddleboarder

    August 25, 2014
  • Colour,  Court,  Daily photo,  Photo Journalism,  Photography,  Rome,  Street Photography,  Thoughts

    The Street Photographer Rights In Italy. The Leaflet

    July 10, 2014 /

    Here is an easy-to-carry A4 leaflet to be used in case you are confronted by a law enforcement agent of officer that question your Street Photography activity. Legal issues apart, please remember to always be polite and to help the officer not to look goofy or ignorant (as he actually would) in front of the public. Q. Does taking people’s photography in public spaces infringes sec. 615 bis of the criminal code? A. NO. Under the Corte di cassazione ruling n. 47165/2010 outdoor there is no reasonable privacy expectation, as there is no reasonable privacy expectation in case of tacit – while non equivocal – withdrawal of this right, as…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Does It Worth It?

    May 22, 2017

    The Doorman

    September 1, 2013

    Vive La France, The Oslo’s Way

    October 7, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Spring

    Who Needs A Wedding Photographer Anymore?

    May 29, 2014 /

    I took this picture at a friend’s wedding. Though there was an “official” photographer, almost all of the attendees did their own “service”. They spent the majority of their time (and of their mobiles’ batteries) by obstructing the professionals on duty to get mostly irrelevant and low quality pictures. This is the main reason I chose not do weddings and – in general – ceremonies.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Killing Time

    October 10, 2016

    Street Of New York… possibly

    March 21, 2017

    Los Niños y El Tocaor

    October 30, 2017
  • Beach&Shores,  Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear,  Photography,  Spring,  Visual,  WideAngle

    Noon on the Beach

    May 1, 2014 /

    Another experiment with the Nikkor 16mm F/3,5 Fish-Eye. Using this lens in a less conventional way is really challenging for the composition. Keep trying.

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    Andrea Monti

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    High Heels Ghost

    August 20, 2013

    Justice measured as the distance between Words and Facts

    July 10, 2023

    The Last Barrell

    December 10, 2015
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Milan,  Observer Bias,  People,  Photography,  Spring

    Brain vs Camera

    April 19, 2014 /

    The picture on the left is what the camera saw. The picture on the right is what I had in mind while shooting. Thanks to Photoshop I’ve been able to bend the “objectivity” of the camera along the line of my creativity.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Rocco Zifarelli, Jeff Berlin, Beth&Danny Gottlieb, Gabriela Sinagra

    June 10, 2013

    Cleaning the Tabernacle

    November 26, 2022

    Does It Worth It?

    May 22, 2017
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Landscape,  Photography,  Winter

    Italy, Landscape Photography and the Law – Part Two

    February 23, 2014 /

    In a previous post I addressed some of the legal issues involved in Landscape Photography where copyright was willfully not mentioned: since copyright is an outcome of human creativity who might ever think of imposing it over a landscape? Well, as much as it sounds crazy, somebody did it: on 2o11 the Town of San Quirico d’Orcia, in Tuscany, passed a local regulation that copyrights landscape images and artistic, cultural, environmental and architectural “stuff”, making mandatory pro shooter to ask for an authorization before starting their sessions. This local regulation is simply illegal, because “copyright” implies an act of creativity, while the landscape in itself doesn’t (unless you believe in…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Too Busy to Enjoy the Life…

    April 12, 2014

    A Jazz-Manouche Guitar Player

    August 17, 2014

    Phone Call – 1

    February 18, 2015
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Photography,  Reportage,  Social Control,  Urban Landscape,  Winter

    Just a soccer field… Part 2

    February 4, 2014 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Poetry Still Survives

    June 7, 2014

    An Exercise in Composition (was: Rowing Boats)

    February 18, 2024

    A Call

    December 16, 2014
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