Deep Dive

“London presents itself to my eyes as a gigantic spectacle”

Francesco Gioia about street photography in London

Francesco, please tell us a bit about yourself:

I am a photographer based in London, England. I was born in Florence in 1991. I like to shoot various different things when I’m on the street. Even though I have always loved photography, I discovered street photography only a few years ago and immediately became obsessed with it.

Where is your focus when out on the streets?

Usually, I never go out with a clear and defined idea of what I’m going to photograph. The streets and the people give me the inspiration to move on and to keep photographing every single day. I always carry the camera with me so I am constantly looking out for interesting and unusual moments.

Whats the story / idea behind your submitted series “Daymares and Nightdreams”?

This series focuses on the mixed feelings I have when doing street photography. Sometimes it can be a daydream and other times it can be a nightmare. But after thinking about it I realized that most of the times these two feelings go hand in hand and instead of separate them, I should unite them and let them coexist.

These photos represent my passion for irony, light, shadows, expressions, colours and also for things like ambiguity and life itself.

© Francesco Gioia

How do you compare Italy and the UK interms of street photography?

Even though I absolutely love my hometown and I find Florence to be the most gorgeous place on the earth, there’s some kind of mental obstruction with it. Mostly it feels like a self-satisfied dragging up of memories, a sort of theatrical operation. I simply cannot think about Florence in an impartial manner, I always feel under attack by the ghosts of my memories and therefore I never feel free to shoot as I would like to. London on the other hand presents itself to my eyes as a gigantic spectacle, free and wonderful and I feel less observed, more “invisible”.

How do you keep yourself motiviated?

I try to keep myself motivated by not going to the same places over and over, I spend a lot of time studying the great photographers like Garry Winogrand, Harry Gruyaert, Joseph Koudelka and many others, their work never cease to amaze me.

What are your photography plans this year?

Right now I am working on a big project and I am also preparing a few series for some competitions ahead this year.

Where can we find more of your work?

https://www.francescogioia.com/

https://www.instagram.com/francesco_gioia_street/

Thanks Francesco!