GIANNI GALASSI PhotoGraphia

394

393

392

391

390

389

388

387

386

385

384

EXTRAORDINARY BUILDINGS ON SHOW

A selection of my photographs has been exhibited by the Italian gallery Arteutopia as a solo show at the Accessible Art Fair in Milan (Italy), April 12 through 15.
Special guests, the painter Marco Petrus and the collage-maker Federico Comelli Ferrari. Both Petrus and Comelli Ferrari focus on depicting architectural visions. A pictorial dialogue between their work and mine highlighted the exhibition.

EXTRAORDINARY BUILDINGS
AAM - Arte Accessibile Milano 2012
Spazio Eventiquattro - Via Monte Rosa, 91
April 12 through April 15
Galleria Arteutopia, stand 17

HOMAGE TO GORDON LEWIS

This is a straight out-of-camera color jpg. Uncropped, untweaked, unretouched. Pretty unusual, for me. Because it's unedited, certainly, but most of all because it's rectangular and depicts not just one but even two human beings.
I was taking some shots of the geometric shadows cast on that building the other day, when I was struck by that "decisive moment" feeling. Which never happens to me, as I usually control the whole shooting process, thanks to the static nature of my favorite subjects. Buildings don't move and shadows shift very slowly. Briefly, when it comes to my imaging process, everything is my decision, no matter the moment.
While composing the other day, though, I couldn't help thinking of the American photograper GORDON LEWIS, whose work I especially admire for its graphic strenght, color mastering, sharp technique and unrhetorical humanity. It was a matter of a fraction of a second: I framed (on the LCD monitor of my new Canon G1X), said to myself "This one is for Gordon" and released the shutter. Twice, but I prefer the first shot for its better composition.
After reviewing the day's work on my computer I went to pay a visit to Gordon's blog, Shutterfinger, in order to see his last posted photographs. Ironically I found out that, under that "decisive moment" bias, I unwittingly put into practice the titles of the last Shutterfinger's posts: "Learn to pay attention", "Getting It togheter", "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity", "What is <The Right Way>?
Gordon Lewis has a lot teach to all of us. His musings on photography are deep and cultivated, yet inspired by a healthily pragmatic approach. And his photographs push the so-called "street photography" towards new boundaries. Enjoy.