The story behind the photo | A photography newsletter
One photo. One story.
9 November 2023 edition
In last week's newsletter, I talked about an ongoing photographic project centered around documenting my visits to my hometown in Italy.
I go 'home' (after nearly 20 years in the UK, Italy still feels like home) three or four times a year, and since I started bringing the children with me, we've developed our own family traditions when we're there. One of them is driving to the nearest shopping centre, which looks like an uneventful warehouse nestled within a grey industrial estate.
We do this on the first or second day after our arrival. Why? Firstly, I'm a nervous driver, so this short trip, 20 minutes in the car on a straight provincial road, serves as my test drive to get used to driving on the other side of the road and the incredibly sensitive brakes of my sister's car. Secondly, there's a toy store in the shopping centre where the children go and immediately spend their Nonna's (grandma's) money.
This photo is from our February 2023 visit when "Nonna's money" went towards the World Cup football my son is holding here (if you can spot him!). In fact, I have a mini-photo project of my son with this football, which he carried everywhere (including the bathroom!) and eventually brought back to England.
I took a few shots of him relaxing among the giant teddies, but I chose this one because he is camouflaged in the colorful and bright display of toys of various sizes. By stepping back, I also included clues that indicate the time of the year (the 'Valentine's Special' sign at the top) and also the location (the writing in Italian and prices in Euros). The sign on the left balances the composition and creates a layer which, in my view, made the photo more interesting than the other ones I took!
I am a documentary family photographer based in Dulwich, primarily serving East Dulwich, Herne Hill, and Peckham, and I am available to travel across London and beyond. Get in touch if you are interest in booking a session with me.