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Andrea Monti

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  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Downtown,  Nagasaki,  Osaka,  Photography,  Streets&Squares,  Thoughts,  Tokyo,  Travels,  Yokohama

    Why You Should Only Shoot in Your Backyard (or ‘The Art of Belonging’)

    December 19, 2024 /

    What do these pictures have in common (apart from having been taken in various places in Japan)? No, they don’t have the same look and feel, composition or use of light, nor they convey a particular meaning. What they have in common is that they’re just dull and boring —meaningless, indeed. This picture of the Yokohama’s Chinatown Dragon is hardly different than the others available on the Internet. Initially published on 35mmc.com It shares a similar fate with this one, taken last Mid November in Osaka, and, as Google Lens mercylessly shows, with this one, shot in Omura, near Nagasaki. One can hardly say that this is a never-seen-before view of Tokyo’s Kyu-Shiba-rikyū Gardens, or of…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Iron Gate

    May 2, 2013

    As Time Goes By

    June 11, 2013

    Ottica Boncompagni

    November 7, 2014
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Seasons,  Spring,  Visual

    Abstract

    May 9, 2023 /

    There’s a particular pleasure in encountering an image that resists immediate recognition. This photograph—an interplay of industrial forms, bolts, struts, and cylindrical elements—sits somewhere between documentation and abstraction. Strip away the context, and it becomes less about what these structures are and more about what they do visually: dividing the frame, catching light, and setting up a rhythm of repetition and interruption. The composition is rigidly symmetrical along the vertical axis, yet it doesn’t feel overly formal or sterile. The imperfections—paint chipping, scuffs, a touch of grime—are what give it character. These blemishes remind us this isn’t a CAD rendering but a real, weathered object, doing its job in the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    As Time Goes By

    June 11, 2013

    Mario Asks for it!

    April 9, 2014

    A Fujifilm X-E1 Annoyance

    April 15, 2014
  • 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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    Alone, Together…

    June 19, 2013

    Helios 40-2 85/1,5 and Fuji X-T5: a sample

    June 21, 2023

    Floating

    October 7, 2023
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Gear

    Moonshot with a handheld Fuji XF150-600 and a Fuji X-T3

    April 24, 2023 /

    The moon doesn’t forgive technical sloppiness. Any softness in focus, hint of motion blur, or weakness in exposure shows up instantly. This crescent was taken handheld with the Fuji XF150-600 on an X-T3 — a combination that, on paper, might not seem ideal for lunar work without a tripod. Yet, that challenge was the point. The compression of 600mm brought the surface’s rugged texture into relief, and the X-T3’s sensor resolved the fine gradations between illuminated craters and the shadowed terminator with satisfying clarity. The key here was managing shutter speed — 1/1000s gave me enough to counteract handshake, but I kept the ISO just high enough to hold detail…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Mind The Step

    August 28, 2015

    Settled in the wrong place

    January 11, 2017

    Message Check Before Breakfast

    December 12, 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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    Tsutaya Bookstore@Ginza

    December 6, 2020

    The Abused Balcony

    February 17, 2014

    A Few Shots with the 7Artisans 35mm f/0.95 in X-Mount

    October 24, 2024
  • 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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    Surreal Judo

    December 11, 2016

    The Doorman

    September 1, 2013

    Batklubben

    July 23, 2016
  • 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.

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    Andrea Monti

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    A Step Ahead

    October 8, 2022

    Under The Bridge

    June 27, 2016

    @ Mediterranean Beach Games 2015 – Italian Beach Volley Female Team – Laura Giombini, Giulia Toti

    October 17, 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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    Sea Anemones Shot With A Cheap Kit

    August 20, 2014

    Life is a bitch

    May 22, 2013

    José Ignacio Franco – Live@Auditorium Petruzzi

    July 31, 2022
  • Daily photo

    DxO Pure Raw empirical test

    November 22, 2022 /

    This photo is a ‘before-and-after’ merge of a picture I took during the premiere of Cavalleria Rusticana at Teatro Marrucino, processed with DxO’s Pure Raw. As an empirical test, it has no specific goal but to provide a real-life example of how the software works.Overall, the results are reasonably good; however software’s ‘heavy hand’ is apparent in the visibly smudged areas. Pure Raw can not work miracles, although it proved to be a valuable tool to rescue photos shot in poor light.

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    Andrea Monti

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    Waiting for the Justice to Arrive

    March 11, 2013

    Max Gazzè Tour 2016 Live @Pescara

    February 1, 2016

    Afternoon’s Mumbling

    August 27, 2013
  • 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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    Money Doesn’t Smell

    April 2, 2015

    The El Prat’s Lounge

    June 5, 2014

    Reluctant

    November 11, 2014
  • 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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    Whithin The Cage

    October 22, 2014

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

    September 16, 2022

    What Lasts of a Saturday Night Party

    January 24, 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 Commuter

    July 24, 2017

    Boat Maintenance At Genova’s Porto Antico

    July 30, 2014

    Justice measured as the distance between Words and Facts

    July 10, 2023
  • B&W,  Daily photo,  Docks,  Seasons,  Spring

    Three Sprouts

    May 22, 2022 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Tsutaya Bookstore@Ginza

    December 6, 2020

    The Odd Couple

    January 30, 2013

    Good Idea

    January 31, 2014
  • Actors,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People

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

    May 13, 2022 /

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    Andrea Monti

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    Old Rolls, Immortal Style

    August 12, 2019

    Boats

    September 18, 2021

    Sleep Wins

    August 30, 2013
  • 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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    Handling the Fishnet

    October 28, 2014

    Fast Call

    December 28, 2013

    Under The Rocks

    August 14, 2014
  • Actors,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Spring

    Alessandro Blasioli – L’ultima notte di Bonfiglio Liborio@Teatro Marrucino

    May 9, 2022 /

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    Different Paths

    December 26, 2012

    Black Cat

    October 31, 2021

    The Chess Players’ Summer Nest

    July 31, 2014
  • Actors,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Spring

    Ugo Pagliai – Romeo e Giulietta@Teatro Marrucino

    March 29, 2022 /

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    An Evening Chat

    July 30, 2013

    Black Cat

    October 31, 2021

    St. Peter in Background

    December 5, 2013
  • Actors,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Winter

    Leo Gullotta – Bartleby lo scrivano@Teatro Marrucino

    March 15, 2022 /

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    The Observer

    November 30, 2013

    Free Ride

    October 2, 2014

    How to Shoot an Handball Match with a Film Camera

    May 25, 2024
  • Actors,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Seasons,  Winter

    Giorgio Pasotti – Racconti disumani@Teatro Marrucino

    February 28, 2022 /

    The stage is almost bare, yet dense with implication. A man in a deep red suit leans forward over a small stepped platform, his body angled as if straining toward something invisible. The light catches the side of his face, leaving the rest of the space in heavy shadow. To his right, suspended in the darkness, an image of a bottle looms, projected larger than life—its glass skin ghostly, its presence more oppressive than inanimate. This is Kafka territory. The stripped set, the exaggerated scale, the isolation of the figure—they all speak the language of unease. The microphone at centre stage stands unused, a silent witness, or perhaps a channel…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Passage Lost

    August 9, 2014

    Night Shift At The Gas Station

    November 11, 2013

    The SoundMaster

    July 10, 2013
  • 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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    @ Mediterranean Beach Games 2015 – Beach Wrestlers

    October 21, 2015

    Careful With That Bike, Eugene!

    July 29, 2013

    Norwegian Suits

    October 15, 2014
  • Artists,  Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Winter

    Sergey Krylov live@Teatro Marrucino

    February 21, 2022 /

    Read More
    Andrea Monti

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    LP – Live@Anfiteatro La Civitella

    July 22, 2022

    A Calm Person

    January 8, 2014

    Against the Tide

    January 30, 2014
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Past&Relics,  Rome,  Winter

    Still Ruling The Empire

    February 5, 2022 /

    The statue in this image has its back turned to the camera, but it commands the frame entirely. Shot in Rome, with the dome of Santi Luca e Martina on the left and the Torre delle Milizie rising in the distance, this bronze figure—likely an emperor or general—stands as if still governing the landscape before him. I didn’t photograph the face on purpose. The power of this moment lies in presence, not identity. The shot is about line, volume, and the compression of history into layers. The trunk of the umbrella pine rises behind him like a sceptre made of wood and air, while the palatial facades blend architectural periods…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Earbuds

    December 22, 2015

    Silent Reader

    July 17, 2016

    An inconvenient way to spend time.

    March 15, 2013
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  People,  Rome,  Winter

    Get Ready, Set, Go

    February 2, 2022 /

    I’ve always enjoyed the way a single moment in the street can hold multiple narratives at once. In this frame, taken in Piazza Venezia with the Vittoriano looming behind, the cyclist seems caught between pause and motion — a split-second where the decision to push forward hasn’t yet been made. The backlighting was a gamble. Shooting into the sun with the Fuji X-T3 and the XF 16-80 meant dealing with inevitable flare, lowered contrast, and the risk of losing detail in the shadows. But I wanted that shaft of light breaking through, almost theatrical in how it picks out the rider against the cobblestones. Exposure was a compromise: holding the…

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    Andrea Monti

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    The El Prat’s Lounge

    June 5, 2014

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

    April 30, 2024

    Action! (beware of Fuji X-Pro 2)

    February 2, 2016
  • Colour,  Daily photo,  Lines,  People,  Winter

    A Skateboarder

    November 23, 2021 /

    I took this shot with a long lens, standing just far enough back to flatten the scene and compress the zig-zag of the bike lane into a graphic, winding ribbon. What drew me to the moment was the contrast between the physical tension of the skateboarder’s posture and the rigid lines of the urban environment. He’s caught mid-shift — arms out, knees bent, entirely present in his balance. No theatricality, no posing. Just rhythm and gravity. The geometry of the path worked as an unintentional compositional gift. The white lines, curved rails, and signage almost funnel the viewer’s attention into the skater’s hunched figure. A classic leading-lines scenario, but more…

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    Andrea Monti

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    Waiting For A Customer To Come

    July 27, 2014

    Afternoon’s Mumbling

    August 27, 2013

    Servicing a Sig Sauer P226

    December 16, 2017
12

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