I’ve sent plenty of time in Lucca, where my father lives, and tend to take many beauty shots. After so many trips, I wanted [needed] something new—inspiration, subjects, etc. I usually take my 23mm (35mm in 35mm terms) lens and my FujiFilm camera; usually my X-T5. Italy works very will with wider lenses. Many streets are narrow compared to the broad spaces we have in the United States. However, taking the same gear would have put challenges in the backseat.

My lens of choice: 35mm ƒ1.4 lens. Just a change in lens but doesn’t do well for broad, sweeping landscapes, or whole-building architecture but for details—getting close to ones subject and maximizing the minimalism of photography. That focal length doesn’t distort much, it doesn’t exaggerate perspective or compress the seen. It is a boring lens… and one much focus on interesting content.

For this trip to Italy, people became a suprisingly common subject for me. Surprising because I tend not to do the typical street photography but I loved it. While New York City is considered a mecca for street photography, I would argue the people of Italy of been sold short on that premise.

These are some of the people of Italy; Lucca, Pisa, Orvieto, and Firenze.