2010_0509_113817

PDE

I've been to Aquila last week and you document the situation quite well. I was standing just in front of the petrol station which you picture in another photograph.

What I would suggest you is to try different, unconventional points of view and angles. Everybody walking around would see the situation this way. It serves the purpose of documentation, but is not overly original.

My suggestion would be to try to be innovative in the way you portrait buildings, which seems to me is one of your favourite subjects.

These photos in particular have an issue with light. You probably took them in summer around midday. The light is harsh.

Earlier in the morning, say around 10am, or in the late afternoon, 5pm, light becomes softer and you could achieve a more dramatic effect in addition to your innovative viewing points.

L.

I don't remember so well what time it was, just that it was in May, we left Rome at 8 am, we visited 2 or 3 sites of progetto C.A.S.E., then l'Aquila, and then another 2 or 3 sites progetto C.A.S.E., being back in Rome at 4 p.m.

I was with somebody from the Civil Protection, he saw artistic photos of l'Aquila and found them quite useles compared to mine ;)

Strange enough, I have this photo in black and white conversion - much more ratings and high, unlike this, what does a simple conversion to black and white do.

Personally I am not so happy with late afternoon - the Milanese Novecento buildings I took photos in January and February, it became dark quite early, so the last photos of each day are at sunset - the lower parts of the buildings are all dark, the buildings on the other side of the street put deep shadows and so on. Similar situation in Tallinn, there I was whole day at a conference, I went out in the evening, luckily it was getting dark at 11 pm, but same issue: top of the buildings are in light, down is a deep shadow.

I've just subscribed to a project called l'Aquila 3D - building a 3D model out of photographs - I think this defines the difference between documentary and artistic photos, as for such a purpose the photos are surely as straight as possible.

Thank you for your response.

Just let me ask you something: you mention "artistic" photos versus "documentary" photos. My idea was not to do artistic photos, but rather to look for perspectives which better show the drama of a city which is now basically deserted. I'm thinking of unconventional pictures and a framing which never excludes the context.

As to the lighting, I think you are right. I usually experiment with light and I have no general rule to make it effective. I just noted that the lighting in your photos is a bit flat. It could depend on the time of the day, but also on the medium. Not properly developed film can be be the reason for it.

L.