The story behind the photo | A photography newsletter
One photo. One story.
2 November 2023 edition
This week, I paid a short visit to my family in my hometown in Northern Italy, and it was during this trip that I took the photo you see here. This is the view from my parents’ flat, where I grew up, in a small village nestled at the bottom of the Alps.
In recent years, I've made a conscious effort to document my family home during my visits. Without wanting to sound too somber, living over 800 miles away from my aging parents means I approach every trip with some apprehension, nostalgia, and a desire to preserve memories.
When deciding what to capture, I focus less on my parents as subjects and more on their daily lives through the space they inhabit, such as my mother's meticulous way of hanging the laundry out on the balcony.
I couldn't help but get a bit artistic with the sun setting behind the mountains. To achieve the starburst effect, I shot with a small aperture on my camera, and positioned myself so that the sun was partially concealed by the roof, in order to reduce flare.
I am a documentary family photographer based in Dulwich, primarily serving East Dulwich, Herne Hill, and Peckham, and I am available to travel across London and beyond. Get in touch if you are interest in booking a session with me.