Stuart Anstee
August 2026 - Walking the Streets of Trastevere
About the Image(s)
I have just started to explore the genera of street photography and a recent trip to Rome and its historic neighbourhood of Trastevere provided the ideal location make some images. I was up early one morning before the tourists arrived and captured this beautiful Nonna slowly walking to the Piazza di Santa Maria.
Shot on Ilford HP5 plus at ISO 400 with a Leica M2 and Voitlander, Nokton 35mm f1.4 MkII lens. Hand processed the film and then scanned as 16 bit greyscale tiff file. Digital workflow in capture One Pro and Photoshop 2026.
4 comments posted
Great street shot, Stuart. Well composed. The light draws my eye to the nonna. Good tonal variations throughout. Nice texture and details on the building. The lightened path leads me to her destination. You captured a good story on the streets in Rome. Well done.
Posted: 08/10/2026 23:38:35
Posted: 08/10/2026 23:38:35
I really like the story and timeless quality of this image. The composition is very engaging, with the person finding her way through the alley, the image on the church wall, and the dark leaves framing the scene from above. I wondered whether the alley in front of the nonna had been softened or blurred, as that area does not seem to have the characteristic grain of HP5. Dodging and burning areas when needed to guide the eye would preserve the grain better. It is wonderful to see film photography here - I still enjoy working with film myself. Posted: 08/11/2026 19:53:36
The lightness of the figure, and the patch of light in which she stands, contrast beautiful with the dark bushes beyond. Her placing in the lower left corner provides a lead in to the buildings in the background. Her bent figure conjurs thoughts of tiredness and the weight of life. Is she heading to church or just struggling home? There is a number of possible stories hidden in this great composition. Posted: 08/17/2026 09:07:26
Stuart -- Welcome to the group. It's interesting to see some film work. The texture of the lighted cobbled street surrounding the figure is very nice. The visible hand at her back is fortunate; we don't see her face but the hand is revealing personality. The massive presence of the painting (a saint?) contrasts with the frailty of the figure. Lots of interesting narrative makes this an outstanding image. Posted: 08/22/2026 17:45:50