GIANNI GALASSI PhotoGraphia

GROCERY MARKET

Olympus OM-D E-M5 - Panasonic Leic DG Summilux 25mm (50mm eq.) w/polarizer
In-camera monocrome (red filter) - Straight out-of-camera jpg
1/200" f7.1 ISO 200

Every now and then I like going back to location I have already photographed. The Trionfale Grocery Market in Rome, designed by Architect Alessandro Santonati, makes no exception. I remember my frequent visits to the building site which, like many things in my country, went largely over schedule. Most of my shots were taken with the Canon G10, a premium compact camera that still makes a perfect companion for a stroll in the city in bright light.

This time I rode there with the Olympus OM-D (wich, by the way, I shall review sooner or later, as promised). As PhotoGraphia regulars may have noticed, I'm in a in-camera-monochrome/out-of-camera-jpg mood lately. Every minute less in front of the computer makes one more minute riding my bicycle or my Harley-Davidson. It's a beautiful summer in Rome this year and I want to take advantage of it as much as I can. And shooting with the Olympus OM-D helps a lot in this instance.

MORE SUBWAY

Olympus OM-D E-M5 - Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm (50mm eq.) w/polarizer
In-camera monochrome (red filter) - Perspective-and-curves tweaked out-of-camera jpg
1/160" f9.0 ISO 200

Now a reverse angle shot of last Thurday's photograph. This is exactly when security guys approached me.

SUBWAY

Olympus OM-D E-M5 - Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm (50mm eq.)
1/60" f9.0 ISO 250
In-camera monochrome (red filter) - Perspective-and-curves-tweaked out-of-camera jpg

This is a detail of the recently opened Annibaliano Square Station on the new B1 subway line in Rome. Designed by Architect Paolo Desideri, the station basically is a huge open-air hole in the middle of the square it takes its name from. It's called a "hypogean plaza".

While shooting I have been approached by two uniformed guys belonging to a private security service, who illegally tried to stop me from taking photographs. They claimed that I was braking an unspecified anti-terrorist act as well as -I swear it- a law "protecting industrial secrets". Of course they were obeying wrong orders. I perfectly know the WW2 Italian law forbidding photography and filming of railroads, airports and military facilities: the entrance of a public subway has nothing to do with such "sensible" artifacts.

Being aware of my civil rights and intolerant of any abuse of power I took out my cell phone threatening them to call the Police and have our quarrel settled down. I already did the same thing in London last year, when a security guy tried to stop me from photographing a building facing a public street in the City, and it worked again. They went back in their booth, grumbling against me and their bosses.

I went back there one week later in a different moment of the day in order to take advantage of a different lighting. But that time I wasn't in a confrontational mood, so I prefered to play it clever, hiding my camera and taking it out whenever they weren't looking at me.

Yes, fooling (or whithstanding) security men (and women) has become one of the main skills a photographer must have to succeed in taking his (her) photographs. This is one of the effects of what I call "the marketing of fear". It seemed funny to me in the beginning. Now it makes me feel as stupid as those people are.

SEVEN

Canon G1X @ 60mm (108mm eq.) w/polarizer
1/200" f5.6 ISO 100

STEEL LIFE

Canon G1X @ 45mm (80mm eq.) w/polarizer
1/400" f5.6 ISO 100

GAS

Olympus OM-D E-M5 - Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm w/polarizer
1/250" f7.1 ISO 200

This is the structure holding the canopy of a gas station from the Fifties, which has been recently refurbished and painted with the colors of a French oil company. The geometric layout is emphasized by the clash of colors.

430

Canon G1X @ 25mm (45mm eq.) w/polarizer
1/250" f5.6 ISO 100

POINTS OF VIEW

Canon G1X @ 50mm (90mm eq.) w/polarizer
1/300 f5.6 ISO 100
Perspective straightened and monochrome-converted out-of-camera jpg

This is the same building depicted in the patio photograph I posted last Monday, shot from a different, straight point of view and having in mind a totally different layout. I don't think any deep aesthetic theory should be squeezed out of this. My simple purpose is to show how walking around our subject and changing our eye's and mind's attitude can produce interesting and sometimes unexpected results. And, above all, be fun.

L

Canon G1X @ 40mm (72mm eq.) w/polarizer
Monochrome converted and tweaked out-of-camera jpg 

427

Olympus OM-D E-M5 - Olympus M Zuiko 45mm (90mm eq.)
1/640" f6.3 ISO 200

SYM-PATIO

Canon G1X @ 53mm (95mm eq.) w/polarizer
1/250 f5.6 ISO 100
Cropped and converted to monochrome out-of-camera jpg

425

Olympus OM-D E-M5 - Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm
1/320" f9.0 ISO 200
In-camera monochrome (red filter) - Straight out-of-camera jpg

Yes, this is the same porch you can see in my last post. It's located in Rome's EUR district, a suburban area which was meant to host 1942 World's Fair (which never took place because of WW2) and was designed by a pool of great masters of Rationalism such as Marcello Piacentini. As PhotoGraphia regulars may have noticed this location makes one of my favorite subjects. I often ride my bicycle there and try to catch something new, which is a difficult and exciting task in the meantime.

THREEANGLES

Olympus OM-D E-M5 - Panasonic Leica DG Summilux 25mm
1/400" f6.3 ISO 200
In-camera monochrome /red filter) - Slightly perspective-straightened and level-tweaked out-of-camera jpg