Artist Statement:
Situated in the northwest corner of the Italian island of Sardinia is the city of Alghero. The historical centre of the city, on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea, is composed of a collection of narrow lanes surrounded by medieval walls and towers that have been carefully preserved over the centuries. During the day, the streets of the old town provide an interesting venue for a quiet stroll to browse the shops and breathe in the sea air while enjoying a gelato, or lingering over a beverage at one of the many cafés.

As night falls, however, the atmosphere changes. The streets come alive. People, young and old, spontaneously appear from everywhere and the sounds amplify. It is the time-honoured tradition of the passeggiata and in Alghero it seems that the entire population takes part, flooding the streets, walking back and forth, up and down, and of course, stopping frequently to socialize. It is against this nighttime backdrop in historic old town Alghero, where some streets are teeming with life and others are deserted or nearly so, that these photographs were taken.

This series of photographs was taken in 2010.
Images from the series (click to view): Bastion Restaurant, Girls Walking, People in the Square.
There are other images in this series that are not on this website. If you are interested in more information about them, please leave a message below or email me.



Some Thoughts on Nighttime Photography:
Nighttime photography and how it differs from daytime photography has always intrigued me.
Here are a few of the differences that I enjoy exploring and working with:
1. The image is constructed on a black, rather than a white canvas.
2. Individual light sources replace the overall general light of daytime, lighting subjects in different ways and from different perspectives, revealing new shapes and textures.
3. When objects are silhouetted against a light source, shapes, forms and figures are more easily perceived and recognized, while, at the same time, individual features are less recognizable and more generic.
4. Various degrees and stages of motion can be captured with slower shutter speeds made possible by lower overall light values.
5. Our ability to see and distinguish colours is greatly diminished in darkness. This fact makes black-and-white monochrome a very comfortable and appropriate medium for night photography.
6. Darkness can help create a mood in a photograph, exploiting feelings aroused in humans who naturally seek out light for warmth, comfort and security.
7. Shifting from daylight to darkness changes the relationship between the subject and the background of a photograph.