Artisans of Florence

       

               When I  first arrived in Florence I was struck by the transparency of the city. It is common while walking down an ochre colored dusty alleyway to see into artisan’s shops and artist’s studios: in one storefront a cobbler, through an open door a violin maker. It is this easy and unobtrusive glance into private spaces where people are working at their craft that I find so inviting. In larger, more cosmopolitan cities like New York, one is often shielded from the workplaces of tradesmen and artisans. They labor in spaces that are tucked out of sight: in the basement of a building, or an old factory in an outer borough, separated from our view by walls and floors, elevators and windows. 
               This project was born out of my desire to push beyond my technical,  intellectual and emotional boundaries as a photographer. I was determined to learn how to interact with strangers with my camera; how to approach a person, gain their trust, and photograph them honestly and without pretension. 
              This project taught me that people are generally much more receptive to one another, and more open to engaging creatively, than I had previously imagined.