noun

ˈzēn 

Synonyms of zine

: magazine

especially: a noncommercial often homemade or online publication usually devoted to specialized and often unconventional subject matter

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I decided to publish a Zine… a trendy name for a non periodical magazine. It’s a nice way to share my printed pictures without the high costs of traditional book.

You can buy it here on Blurb directly.

It’s just 11.11 Euros or ~$13 with a good print quality. A great way to enjoy my pictures printed.

The first issue is dedicated to the square format, a format I used a lot and really like.

If you want to know more, watch the video and get a copy.

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Stay tuned for the next issue!

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The book can be previewed and bought here on Blurb.

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I kept the book very simple, with a short version of the tales and just location and camera used for each picture.

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See you with the new projects…

If you prefer a video version, just watch it here, but if you prefer to read go on.

I’m really glad in January 2020, before the shit hit the fan badly, I decided to start my Black and White Tales project. It was a great way to keep myself busy and stay in touch with the world and my creative mind while we entered the Covid jail we still have to leave!

That project taught me a lot about myself and my photographic style and preferences. I got even more involved with film thanks to the images I found in my archive and really loved.

If you followed the projects from the beginning I owe you a big thank you. If you did not just click here and enjoy it. If you do not click and check it out nothing will happen to you but you will make me sad and that will perhaps heavily influence your Karma!

Another success of 2020 was the publication of my book about fine art ink-jet printing. It is the English version of the one I published few years ago in Italian and contains some obvious updates. Check it out.

The Black and White Spider Award is one of my favorite awards, it always have so many beautiful photographs submitted and very high standards. I had three images nominated, one in the Fine Art category and two in the People category. Not bad at all.

Photography for me is always a great way to meet new people and hear new stories.

In 2009 while photographing Ginseng farmers I took a picture of Abe Vang, a Hmong farmer who was a refugee from Laos and passed away recently. I always loved that picture because I felt a connection with Abraham also if we spoke for few minutes.

Craig Thompson, a comic book designer contacted me to use the picture for the issue about Abe Vang of his comics series dedicated to Wisconsin ginseng farming. It was great to learn Abe’s story and create a new connection.

Even in a shitty year I manage to have satisfactions from my job! Not bad.

Now the projects for 2021.

First of all I will take a break until the end of January, to organize myself and to relax a little.

I have no idea what the year will bring, but the beginning already brought a lot of censorship on social media so I will start to upload my video also on Rumble and move away from FaceBook and other traditional social media. You can find me on MeWe, if you like to stay in touch.

Photographically I intend to produce 10 magazines and 10 fine art portfolios, about 10 different places. I will continue to make videos and talk about the pictures involved in the project… Rumble or Youtube I will find a way also if I expect some censorship due to my libertarian ideas I have no problem to express.

I will also continue the Gear Talk series, so expect more reviews of old film cameras!

It is all for now, stay tuned and see you at the end of the month.

This image was taken in the same place and with the same subject as the Black and White Tale #1. Around 35 years between the 2 images and a lot of similarities and differences!

The image is a part of a project you can see here , about Giulianova harbor .

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See you next week for the conclusion of the project!

First, check is website ‘case is worth. Second, he suggested me a book: Code Zero by Marc Elsberg. A very intriguing book and the inspiration for this Tale.

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Two more weeks to go…

The book talks about all is essential to know to start to create fineart ink-jet prints.

Content:

Why to print

Ink-jet technology and its history

Different kind of inks and their specifics

Paper, canvas, other substrates and their characteristics

Consumer advice

Color profiles, what they are and how they work

A deeper look at ICC profiles

How to practically use the ICC color profiles

Optimize the workflow for printing

How to set the options in the printer interface

How to take care of your printer

Beyond the “correct” print

Ink-jet fine art printing in black and white

An example of the journey from pixels to pigments

Some general rules for retouching images

Protect and presenting the prints

Build the optimal lightroom

Resources to learn more

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You can buy the book on Amazon.

This image is inspired by a Buzzati’s novel. Not the right book to read right now, being a little bit too much kafkian, but a book that came to my mind this week and inspired this picture years ago.

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See you next week… and we will see if the tide brought something useful…

In this week print I wonder why we moved from complex form of compositions to the banality of a “mandatory” rule of thirds… and I wonder also about some other things… It’s a long ranting, you are advised! lol

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Until the next one…

While now other “leaders”, following the same socialist philosophy, are establishing a new dictatorship all over Europe with the excuse of a virus and the help of bureaucratic non elected worldwide organizations, I decided to homage the real people that freed us. I hope they will do it again, because Europeans are demonstrating one more time to be just sheep ready to lose all their freedom for the impossible promise of safety.

Sadly the people’s memory seems to be very short, the same mistakes are going to be repeated and the trust is wrongly given to the fascists that, wearing now a red shirt, rewrote history.

Personally I have only one creed: Live free or die!

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…to the next week!

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See you next week, knowing it will be another week of Italian covid jail! ouch…