Dedicato a Nellj

Italian poets

In these days, while I was reorganizing my analog archive (my beloved and never forgotten negatives) I found a work I did in 1995 on the most important Italian poets. So I thought I’d post these portraits that still today remind me with emotion, those few hours I spent with extraordinary people such as Mario Luzi, Attilio Bertolucci, Giovanni Giudici, Edoardo Sanguineti…and others. To me the poet figure is something sacred, as Moravia said while remembering Pasolini, ‘it’s the man that dreams of being all men’, as Borges said referring to Whitman, ‘it’s the prince of clouds with its giant’s wings’ to quote Baudelaire. Photography is a small thing compared to poetry, but having been for a moment the mirror of these faces still finds me today in a role I love

Dedicated to Nellj

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Mario Luzi. Lo sguardo è tutta la foto, e qualcosa in più.
Mario Luzi. The eyes are everything and more in this photograph.

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Mario Luzi. Non so perchè ma spesso l’intellettuale si riprende quasi da dietro, rivolto verso la luce intento nella lettura o nella meditazione.
Mario Luzi. I don’t know why but often the intellectual is photographed almost from behind, turned towards the light immersed in his reading or meditation.

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Mario Luzi sulla terrazza di casa a Firenze. Il gesto del braccio quasi a difesa o protezione suggerisce una imperiosa timidezza.
Mario Luzzi in his house’s terrace in Florence. The posture of his arm, almost in defense or protection, suggests an imperious shyness.

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Attilio Bertolucci nella sua casa romana in Via Carini nel quartiere Monteverde , dove spesso Pasolini come amava ricordare, andava a fargli visita
Attillio Bertolucci in house in Rome in Via Carini in the Monteverde quarter, where Pasolini used to visit him, as he loved to remember.

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Attilio Bertolucci. Il ‘punctum’, paradossalemente poco significativo, è la brocca sullo sfondo. Il senso di attesa dice tutto.
Attilio Bertolucci. The ‘punctum’, apparently not so significant, is the jar in the background. The sense of waiting says everything.

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Giovanni Giudici nella sua casa di Lerici. Sempre intelligente, vivo, lucido, disilluso.
Giovanni Giudici in his house in Lerici. Inteligent, alive, lucid, disillusioned.

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Giovanni Giudici che mi recita “notizie dall’Amiata” di Montale in “onore” dei miei luoghi d’origine. Accoglienza migliore non poteva riservarmi.
Giovanni Giudici while reciting to me ‘News from Amiata’ by Montale in honor of my home land.  He couldn’t reserve me a better welcome.

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Alfredo Giuliani immerso nel suo sigaro.
Alfredo Giuiani immersed in his cigar.

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Alfredo Giliani. Subito dopo con  l’amato cane. Sembra che le mani e il vello dell’animale siano una sola cosa in un gesto di rassegnato affetto.
Alfredo Gilliani. Right after with his beloved dog. It seams his hands and the fur of the dog are one thing, in a gesture of resigned affection.

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Edoardo Sanguineti nella sua stanza di professore presso la facoltà di lettere dell’Università di Genova. Vivacissimo, ironico,curioso, divertito.
Edoardo Sanguineti in his office at the faculty of Litterature at the Uniersity of Genoa. Lively, ironic, curious, amused.

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Edoardo Sanguineti. In posa ma senza prendersi, giustamente, troppo sul serio come nelle sue corde.
Edoardo Sanguineti. Posing without taking himself too seriously, as it was in his style.

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Valerio Magrelli circondato dai suoi libri nella sua casa romana. Un situazione ricordo da lui proposta.
Valerio Magrelli surrounded by his books in his house in Rome. A situation he suggested, I recall.

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Valerio Magrelli. Penso un bel ritratto complice il gesto e la luce sulla mano. Gli occhiali in questo caso, come si dice ‘donano’ e sono fotogenici.
Valerio Magrelli. A good portrait I think, favored by the gesture and the light on his hand. The glasses in this add that certain touch to the portrait and are photogenic.

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Many travel from the UK for their wedding in Italy but at times I have the opportunity to visit the UK, a land offering some very charming, romantic and unique places for Weddings. Of all the counties in England Hertfordshire is up there with the best. Connection links, country feel and location next to London mean that it is popular with commuters. These traits however are not all it has to offer.

The county is covered in stately homes, from huge estates like Ashridge Estate (which unfortunately is not always accessible but is well worth a visit if you can get in) to smaller dwellings like Micklefield Hall, stunning for private hire.

Ashridge Estate:

Micklefield Hall:

Spa’s and hotels are plentiful including some of the country’s best known, for example The Grove in Rickmansworth which is host to many a football team or celebrity. Sopwell House in Saint Albans can also boast this with Arsenal football team often staying.

Sopwell house:

UK Wedding Venues in Hertfordshire

This is a great spot for a wedding in the UK – here are a few luxury locations for an exclusive wedding:

Situated in Rickmansworth, The Grove is one of the most prestigious hotels around and not just in Hertfordshire. The hotel is renowned nationwide as a very luxurious hotel and you only have to drive down the entrance surrounded by the immaculately kept shrubbery that lines its borders. On approach The Grove is not visible as, like all good stately homes, it is set in the depths of a world class golf course and takes a little drive to reach. Inside the hotel has a five star spa with a myriad of treatments available, a swimming pool and an indoor beach.

Moor Park Mansion is not the same as The Grove, amazingly it is more impressive. Whilst both venues have impressive approaches winding their way through high class golf courses, Moor Park stands tall with huge supportive columns out the front. Nowadays times are not quite so posh at Moor Park but not too long ago you were not allowed into the bar without a suit and tie. To go with the impressive golf course they also have an outdoor tennis club which at one point reportedly had be best courts outside of Wimbledon. For a tip top game of golf in a dramatic, impressive setting Moor Park is well worth a visit.

Harpenden House is not as grand as the previous two suggestions but it stands firm and has a good reputation in Hertfordshire. Formerly in religious hands and used as a convent, the venue is now used as a full time hotel and caters for conferencing, weddings and other celebrations. The house has views over the common, sits in impressive grounds and has a very good restaurant on site, all this makes Harpenden house a very desirable destination. One of the most appealing things about the House is that it’s situated close to Harpenden. 1.5 miles is all that separates you from the town centre and can be achieved on foot or in a taxi. The same cannot be said for a local more glamorous hotel, Luton Hoo, which, whilst being incredibly luxurious, is not technically in Hertfordshire (but worth a look if you are in town).

Something quite special is what comes to mind when thinking of Fanhams Hall. There is no reason to think of Fanhams Hall as anything other than an ordinary stately home, big mansion, beautiful gardens etc. However the feel of the place is quirky and a little bit different. The architecture of the main house, whilst classic is slightly different and is enough to make it feel a little special. The crowning glory for Fanham hall is a more recent addition though. The hotel has several function rooms but one is themed on Japanese architecture and is an extension to the side of the House. It juts out and sits half in the lake making it a beautiful setting for a meal or event. Fanhams Hall is well worth a visit as it is English country home with a twist and the gardens are lovely to walk around and admire.

A friend was recently on a trip down under to Australia, a fascinating land so different and unique from the scenery of my charming Tuscany.

By chance he was invited to a wedding party and had the opportunity to “practise” being a professional wedding photographer work. Before the wedding he purchased a camera and took on the challenge to capture the most glorious and intimate moments of two people’s lives.

Wedding Photography is a highly specialised skill, if you’ve never shot a wedding before you might be seeking tips and suggestions like my friend Franco who called me several times before the event, giving me the the inspiration to write this post.

Where do you start?

In this guide, I’ll take you on a quick walk-through on how to make your wedding photos a winning success.

Visit the Location

You might be pressed for time, but visiting and scouting the wedding and reception location before the big day is a must. You’ll need to suss out which areas are going to give you the best light and the best photos, which direction to shoot in (i.e. away from the sun) and what backgrounds and natural elements of the location are going to look great in your shots.

Talk to the Bride & Groom

Part of being a great photographer is also learning how to communicate. Remember, you’re there for the bride and groom, so talk to them about what types of wedding photos they would like. Do they just want lots of formal poses with every single family member? Or are they hoping for a sequence that is more natural? If they don’t know, it’s best to go for a mixture of the two so that your shots will satisfy everyone. Does the bride want to be snapped while she’s getting ready or only after she shows up? Lots of questions are abound, so make sure you get all the answers you need up front.

Prepare Your Equipment

Preparing your equipment is simple – plan for the fact that everything might go wrong. How many digital cameras are you using, just one or two? If your battery dies will you have a backup? What if you run out of space on your memory cards? Be sure to carry lots of extra accessories and don’t forget that it might rain, too.

Capture Everything

When the big day comes, make sure you capture everything – often, it’s the small moments in between all the important stuff that can really add an element of depth of your shots and the wedding story. Can you capture the groom as he waits anxiously? The happy couple when they think no one’s looking? A fallen flower? A burst of laughter from the bride?

What Type of Shots?

Professional wedding photographers will almost always have a particular list of shots that they want to grab on the wedding day. Shooting small details like the embroidery on the bride’s dress, the rings and the flowers can add a lot of diversity to your pictures. Similarly, other shots like high-angle group photos, the bride having her make-up done, the groom with his new in-laws etc. will bring life and vigour into the story. Shooting in continuous mode is also a great way to capture the action and the small moments you might miss otherwise.

Put a Slide Show Together

Technology is a lifesaver sometimes! If you have the means and the time, you can also sometimes put together a slide show of the photographs you’ve taken at the wedding and show these at a special session during the reception (perhaps while the guests are waiting for their meals). It’s a great way to showcase both the event and your photography skills and it will make the reception all that more special. If you’re photography is great, you will a lot of laughs and a lot of “Ahhh” moments!

Be Invisible

Lastly, part of the photographer’s role is to be invisible. Of course, you’ll want to shuffle people together at times to get some lovely group shots, but you’ll find that often the best moments will be when no one notices you’re there and when no one thinks that they’re on show. If you can’t be invisible, be quick. That’s not to say you should rush your shots or strive for the best, but if you’re interrupting conversations and intimate dialogue, you should get in and get out quickly.

Here are the only photos I’ve had the permission to publish. I hope you enjoy them…

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Matrimonio a Montecito, California

Ho finalmente il piacere di pubblicare un bellissimo servizio che ho realizzato quest’estate a Montecito in California. E’ stata una meravigliosa esperienza per dei clienti straordinari con ospiti straordinari.  Ulteriore motivo di grande soddisfazione è stato l’essere contattato per questo matrimonio vip dal più importante event planner d’America con cui ho avuto il grande piacere di collaborare nei tre giorni dell’evento.  

Queste di seguito sono le uniche foto di cui mi è stata concessa l’autorizzazione alla pubblicazione. Spero che vi piacciano… 

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Click here to read the article

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Tuscan Serenade: portraits in the moonlight. Cortona, 2 Settembre 2011

Un bellissimo shooting in collaborazione con Whitethings e il Comune di Cortona. Il tema riguardava la coppia o più genericamente i rapporti, il setting una casa nel centro storico di Cortona dove abitava  un fotografo operante nei primi anni del 900 che ha fotografato spesso la moglie e la vita trascorsa con lei. Mi auguro che queste mie foto scattate con un approccio volutamente diretto e senza “mediazione” vi possona piacere.

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.“Life is beautiful”

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“A wonderful place, Cortona”

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“Carpe Diem”

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.“Poetry…”

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“A touch of Latin color in this Tuscan night”

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“The important is not to sing loud but to sing well”

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“Stick to me baby, I will show you the world!”

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.“Marry me!!”

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Matrimonio a Villa Cimbrone in Ravello

Ho scattato un bellissimo matrimonio a Ravello presso Villa Cimbrone che mi ha impegnato  per due giornate. Mi sono “divertito” a fare anche qualche scatto con il mio iphone e con Hipstamatic e ho ottenuto delle fotografie per certi versi sorprendenti. E’ vero che la fotografia, in senso puro, quanto è più “primitiva” tanto è più fotografia. La forza evocativa di certe immagini, a loro modo elementari, senza zoom, autofocus, raw, bilanciamenti colore etc etc.. non ha pari. Vorrei pubblicare in seguito anche le foto ufficiali del matrimonio perchè si è trattato di un evento splendido e le compareremo. Per adesso mi è venuta voglia di mostrarvi queste qui di seguito ed acquistare una Rolleiflex per “portarla” ai miei matrimoni.

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