If my photo blog were a building, it would probably look a lot like the one in the picture I am sharing. I have spent several months without posting anything, leaving this space in complete abandonment. What is behind this neglect? I am afraid it cannot be explained by a single reason, and there is no simple answer. These past years have been marked by an extremely intense photographic activity. Almost every weekend I went on outings that meant driving hundreds of kilometres, something that eventually took a toll on my energy and motivation, which I squeezed to the very last drop. To that effort I must add the work of developing film and, above all, scanning it, a process that is especially slow and tedious, at least the way I used to do it. Scanning a roll of film could take me two or three hours, and that does not even include the editing, which requires almost the same amount of time, photo by photo. Keeping up that level of activity has been deeply rewarding, but it is not sustainable in the long run for someone who does not do this professionally. At some point my motivation said “enough,” and I listened.
During these months I have rested, focused on other parts of my life, and my photography has been limited to the occasional snapshot with my phone, something completely different from the whole process required by my little Leica M-A. I did not want to force an activity that is so deeply vocational for me; I simply let it rest, and that pause has paid off. After these months, the desire to photograph, to pick up my camera and go out to see the world, is awakening again inside me. Honestly, I missed not so much the act of taking photos, but the experience of exploring and discovering new places and moments.
This does not mean I feel motivated to devote as many hours and resources to photography as before. After reflecting calmly and with some perspective on what photography represents in my life, I have come to the conclusion that it is a way to live more and live better, and that the process, although important, is secondary. That is why I am seriously considering moving from analogue photography to digital, setting aside a method I have already explored thoroughly and from which I have learned a great deal, but which had recently become more of a burden than an inspiration. It is nothing unusual; many photographers I follow have gone through the same stage, and I believe I have reached that point as well. I may continue combining it with film, or I may switch to digital entirely, but what I am absolutely sure of is my intention to dive once again into that world of exploration and adventure that I have enjoyed so much over the years.
It is time for this blog to stop looking like an abandoned and decaying hostel and become a new photographic adventure, one at least as exciting as the one my beloved Leica has given me. A new chapter begins in my life, and I will be delighted to share it with you. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey.
