LIFE LATELY

THINKING POSITIVE AND GETTING INSPIRED

Life lately has been a rollercoaster, we are experiencing stricter rules and curfew because Covid-19 cases are rising up at a too high speed, and this means my anxiety will be following the curve of the virus on the rise. Blame the government, blame people’s behaviour? I don’t know, at this point I am tired of this situation which is getting scarier by the day.

I am doing my very best to immerse myself in a flow of optimistic thinking (challenging), so finding some good things and situations around me is the best way to heal the scary thoughts and all the negativity.

• Since this summer I started over with my running activity. I know running is my best frenemy, but you know endorphins are very much needed into this brain of mine plus I would be more than happy to shed some kilos that I didn’t ask for but the first round of pandemic brought. I am running 5k almost every day right before lunch time and I am not getting tired – yet. It’s “only” 30 mins so it’s very much an achievable goal and a doable activity, and I am very happy to comply. Well knowing me, hope it lasts! From this week on all running competitions (those that allow amateurs) have been cancelled, so the DIY only can be done. Anyway last Saturday F and I attended the Monza Free Run and it was good to be back on the starting line again, smiling and doing the funny faces at the photographers, being super cold at the start and then slowly starting to feel the warmth of the fatigue, kilometre after kilometre. 30 seconds made fun of me so I was not able to run 10k below 1 hour but, you know, that’s ok! I am proud of the commitment I am achieving.
• Like I already mentioned, lately I have put into use an old film camera and I am slowly rediscovering the beauty of non-digital photography. I have always been a fan of instant cameras and instant photography (I have many Polaroid cameras at home plus a Fuji Instax), so I guess it was a matter of time for me to buy a film and put it into a camera. These are the to firsts weeks of using it and I am being very cautious at clicking the shutter button, because I want to make sure that light and especially composition are ok, a total shift of mind versus any digital camera! I am pretty sure I am not producing 24 masterpieces, at the moment I am falling in love with the feeling of nurturing and taking care of each and every picture I photograph. We’ll see what happens when I develop the film! I’m planning to bring this old Agfa camera with me in Venice these days, my first attempt to create a photo essay using the analog language.
• I am very happy to grab a little piece of (old) normality and to visit Venice, last time I went there was about 20 years ago (OMG) and I cannot wait…Venice , Murano and Burano are on my wish list since so long! I still don’t know if I wish to find few tourists or the usual billions, at the moment I am focusing on looking for an idea around which to build my photo essay. Getting creative with a solid idea is so stressing and so hard! I always do some research before leaving, but 9 times out of 10 it’s only when I arrive in a certain place that I start to recognise the path that I will enjoy photographically speaking. We’ll see.
• I’ve seen a photo exhibition I loved very much here in Milan, here’s the link for my fellow Milanesers about the work of Margaret Bourke-White. A photojournalist neither F nor I had ever heard about, but whose evolution I really loved. From photographing factories and plants to revolving her attention towards people, and with an exceptional experience working for the likes of Fortune and Life, her work really is incredibly inspiring, and resonated with me a lot.