Alessandro Umberto D’Aloia
writer
screenwriter
film / philosopher at large
PHOTOGRAPHY
I took up photography around 2016, originally as a way to pass the time. My interests range from the candid to the everyday mundane, the unusually forgotten, and the bespoke. If I can, I try to take photos of people when they are going about their day-to-day lives. I only use a simple, polarised lens filter - to cut out the glare and the highlights, and to keep the colour truer, as I see it through my own lenses. I don’t edit my photos, and it probably shows, but I like the honesty of blur, the out-of-focus, the spontaneity, the dark, the bright, the way that the photo helps to make itself sometimes, maybe, or not at all.
I am currently using a Nikon D3400, which is a nifty little workhorse I learned to use during my VET Multimedia days - and with respect to my then teacher and forever mentor, Nigel Lawrence. I originally started with the stock 18-55mm Nikkor VR lens, and eventually decided upon a 35mm Nikkor AF-S f/1.8G prime lens, not only for more intimate shots, but specifically bokeh (and the fact that 35mm films use the same focal length). I also have a 55-200mm AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor telephoto lens, which I bought specifically for my trip to Uzbekistan. Not very exciting or mind-blowing equipment - but practical, cheap to break, easy to replace, nothing precious, good philosophy.
Samarkand, Uzbekistan, 2019
About 12-13 hours by the Very Fast Train, the city of Samarkand lies roughly in centre of Uzbekistan. Famous for its ancient Islamic school, also known as Rishtan, Samarkand is positively brimming with history.
Local artisans can be found almost everywhere, especially hole-in-the-wall shops.
This is where the tomb of Amir Temur is located. Further into the city, you can even visit the shrine of the late President Islam Karimov - although photography there is not permitted.
Chimyan, Uzbekistan, 2019
Two or three hours from Chirchik, a satellite city of Tashkent, Chimyan is a popular destination for locals (as well as tourists) during winter. Should you get cold on the mountainside, there are plenty of sellers eager to pour you a cup of hot tea - for a price, of course!
Bukhara, Uzbekistan, 2019
Roughly 6 hours from Tashkent on the Very Fast Train, Bukhara, like Rishtan, is famous for its own Islamic school. Here, thanks to Muslim scholars, works from the likes of Socrates and Aristotle were not only translated from Ancient Greek, but saved from total destruction in Europe. If one can say that all roads lead to Rome, then one should also be able to say that Western thought, and Continental philosophy at large, lead to Bukhara. Alas! I was unable to visit the school itself before becoming sick.
Gulistan, Uzbekistan, 2019
Gulistan is a provice about 3-4 hours from Tashkent; it literally translates as ‘Land of Flowers’. The people here are considered to be kinder and warmer than most, even in the middle of winter.
Xiva Fort, Uzbekistan, 2019
At the centre of Xiva, Xiva’s restored Fort beckons tourists from afar with its towering minarets: one is short, blue, and stocky, the other is tall, tall enough to see the surrounds for miles in either direction. The Fort itself is also home to a number of guest families, who will happily house backpackers looking for a much more authentic Uzbek adventure.
Xazarasp Market, Surrounds, Uzbekistan, 2019
Xazarasp is old, as old as Xorezm, as Zoroastranianism. Legend has it that 1,000 winged-horses landed here to partake of its waters before flying away for good. Bustling markets, hand-picked cotton fields, the smell of charcoal on the wind in almost any direction.
The Carnibella Moot, Pakenham Upper, 2019
New Year’s Day, the calm before the storm. Probably there’ll never be another day like it on Earth. Cousins, aunties, families. Perfect weather. Big food. I can still faintly hear the Sicilian folk music playing in the background.
iLandscape Behind-The-Scenes, Portarlington Surrounds, 2018
Somewhere in Adelaide, there’s supposed to have been an art exhibition to pair with these photos as part of Tammy Honey’s iLandscape series. What a beautiful day for the beach!
Maddy & Nate’s Wedding, Bellarine, 2018
A stone’s throw away from the beach, this vineyard cum wedding venue is nestled in amongst the rolling plains leading up to the Bellarine peninsula proper.
Banyule, Melbourne, 2018
The later practice-days, looking for begotten subject-matters. Part urban-renewal nostalgia, part hidden gem, Banyule suburbs are almost always too quiet.
From Dennis, With Westgarth, 2017
The early practice-days, looking for leftovers on my way up to Clifton Hill.
Melbourne CBD, 2017
The CBD is a constantly changing face. Look around nearly any corner and you’re bound to find something. Or somebody. Take care, take care, take care.
Point Cook, Melbourne, 2017
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
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