The Stool
An ongoing project
“Which photo of you would others choose for the day of your funeral?”
Two years ago I read this sentence written by the photographer Emanuele Passarelli and it never left me. Which photo?
We live in the era of images, phones and selfies and tens of thousands of images are taken every hour, but how many of them reflect us?
Until 80 years ago a photographic portrait was among the only things that testified to our existence in the world. Try looking at your grandparents or their parents family portraits. There was likely only one for each generation. A portrait is the most precious, eternal testimony of our person.
Today, however, we are full of images of ourselves, but how many of these reflect us?
The difference between the thousand photos we have and a portrait is in the intention. The absolute and spontaneous will to indulge in the sacred moment of posing in front of the piercing eye of a camera, and the attentive soul of a humble servant of the time: the photographer.
Give yourself a moment to silently scream “I have existed on this earth”
Many people will never reflect on this aspect of photography, but as a photographer, and last romantic, I feel it’s my duty to bring this awareness to people.
I do it for you. Because when you pose in front of my camera, and my heart, you will create a gift. Not only for yourself now, but for yourself in 60 to 70 years. You will do it for your children, so that when they look inside a frame they will see their own eyes in yours, with the world at your feet and your dreams on your shoulders.