Nicola Bernardi
Stranger #17
17 / 100 : Unique
Ok, i had the hardest time ever choosing which portrait to post from yesterday's session.
As some of you might know, i decided to choose and post only ONE portrait of stranger for every single time i go out shooting.
Pushes me to build up and maintain a standard of quality in this 100 Strangers® Project.
And sometimes, this works miracles : you get home, make a preliminary selection, post-produce 6 / 7 portraits and then, with a good cup of steaming coffee and a bag of patience, stare at them and find out which one to upload.
But no, yesterday things decided not to go smoothly.
Starting form the afternoon itself: during the summer, some areas of Rome are completely DESERT.
Most people working and living in Rome take the chance to go to the sea or to the countryside to relax and escape the heat, and the few left in town play a game of "Hide-and-NOT-seek" with the blazing sun. All what's left usually is tourists. And me.
Which, to be fair, it's not too bad of a situation to go out shooting strangers.
The city centre is packed of tourists form all over the world, which makes it even more interesting.
So i hopped on my bike before lunch to head over the centre but... Hey, surprise, flat tyre!
Subway wasn't looking so good either, knowing that it would have probably been packed and around 200°.
Walking was the only option. So I did. And in doing so, i broke the sole of my ONLY PAIR OF SHOES. Nice.
Anyhow, if we forget for a moment the technical difficulties, i spent some nice 5 + hours downtown shooting portraits like crazy. Interesting people everywhere, but the light itself wasn't looking too flattering.
Long story short, I came home after all of that, selected and post processed a few and... got stuck.
I couldn't decide. The challenge was between this one and another one of a cute girl.
Stayed up until 2am trying to figure out which one to choose. Failed in doing it.
So i called it a day, went to bed just to wake up this morning and realize: i was still stuck.
In the end, what unlocked me form that "omg i can't decide" state was the fact that this one is more unique. In any possible way.
I've seen this guy around Rome a few times already, i even took some photos of him. And from the first time, i've always wanted to take his portrait. But never did.
He's probably homeless.
Yesterday, i saw him walking down the main street of the centre of Rome, whistling and crazy-talking out loud in some weird language. It was the perfect chance.
So i ran towards him, stopped him and asked if i could take his picture.
He didn't answer and stood there.
So i took out the camera, and said "look in the camera". No answer again.
Click.
Not even the time to take down my camera, and he was already gone.
Now that's unique, right?!
Thanks, Stranger!
(As always, check out my Facebook page for all the extras from yesterday!)
Ps: Are you wondering why have i been "absent" form flickr in the last week? Well then, i'm trying to publish a comic/photo book born from a 50 portrait/50 comics project i did this year back in the tool ol' Sapporo. You can check all the infos in the fund raising we site here : www.ulule.com/uncommonstories !)
[This picture is #17 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page ]
Camera Info: Nikon D700 | 85mm (ƒ/1.8D) @ 85mm | ƒ/2.8 | ISO 280 | 1/180 s — Camera Handheld
Stranger #17
17 / 100 : Unique
Ok, i had the hardest time ever choosing which portrait to post from yesterday's session.
As some of you might know, i decided to choose and post only ONE portrait of stranger for every single time i go out shooting.
Pushes me to build up and maintain a standard of quality in this 100 Strangers® Project.
And sometimes, this works miracles : you get home, make a preliminary selection, post-produce 6 / 7 portraits and then, with a good cup of steaming coffee and a bag of patience, stare at them and find out which one to upload.
But no, yesterday things decided not to go smoothly.
Starting form the afternoon itself: during the summer, some areas of Rome are completely DESERT.
Most people working and living in Rome take the chance to go to the sea or to the countryside to relax and escape the heat, and the few left in town play a game of "Hide-and-NOT-seek" with the blazing sun. All what's left usually is tourists. And me.
Which, to be fair, it's not too bad of a situation to go out shooting strangers.
The city centre is packed of tourists form all over the world, which makes it even more interesting.
So i hopped on my bike before lunch to head over the centre but... Hey, surprise, flat tyre!
Subway wasn't looking so good either, knowing that it would have probably been packed and around 200°.
Walking was the only option. So I did. And in doing so, i broke the sole of my ONLY PAIR OF SHOES. Nice.
Anyhow, if we forget for a moment the technical difficulties, i spent some nice 5 + hours downtown shooting portraits like crazy. Interesting people everywhere, but the light itself wasn't looking too flattering.
Long story short, I came home after all of that, selected and post processed a few and... got stuck.
I couldn't decide. The challenge was between this one and another one of a cute girl.
Stayed up until 2am trying to figure out which one to choose. Failed in doing it.
So i called it a day, went to bed just to wake up this morning and realize: i was still stuck.
In the end, what unlocked me form that "omg i can't decide" state was the fact that this one is more unique. In any possible way.
I've seen this guy around Rome a few times already, i even took some photos of him. And from the first time, i've always wanted to take his portrait. But never did.
He's probably homeless.
Yesterday, i saw him walking down the main street of the centre of Rome, whistling and crazy-talking out loud in some weird language. It was the perfect chance.
So i ran towards him, stopped him and asked if i could take his picture.
He didn't answer and stood there.
So i took out the camera, and said "look in the camera". No answer again.
Click.
Not even the time to take down my camera, and he was already gone.
Now that's unique, right?!
Thanks, Stranger!
(As always, check out my Facebook page for all the extras from yesterday!)
Ps: Are you wondering why have i been "absent" form flickr in the last week? Well then, i'm trying to publish a comic/photo book born from a 50 portrait/50 comics project i did this year back in the tool ol' Sapporo. You can check all the infos in the fund raising we site here : www.ulule.com/uncommonstories !)
[This picture is #17 in my 100 strangers project. Find out more about the project and see pictures taken by other photographers at the 100 Strangers Flickr Group page ]
Camera Info: Nikon D700 | 85mm (ƒ/1.8D) @ 85mm | ƒ/2.8 | ISO 280 | 1/180 s — Camera Handheld