Follow me during a 3-day workshop as I take my camera through the streets and coastlines of Istria
Fishing villages with peeling paint, hilltop towns catching the golden hour, Roman ruins quietly holding their ground against the sea breeze.
instagram.com/msecchi
Most photographers learn the rule of thirds. Few actually understand it. It's not a recipe. It's a visual argument about where the eye wants to go and what the mind feels when it gets there. New post 👇
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/rule-of-thirds-what-nobody-actually
A gallery is evidence. A body of work is a statement.
Most photographers wait to see what emerges from their shoots. Professionals define the meaning first, then build toward it — one frame at a time.
New post on how to make that shift. marcosecchi.substack.com/p/how-profes...
You're not photographing the place.
You're photographing your habits.
New essay ↓
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/why-your-p...
I’m thinking about doing something a bit different this autumn.
For years, I’ve kept my workshops mostly one-to-one. It’s the best way to work properly. I tend ot be fully booked most of the time. But I’m considering running a very small number of group workshops
substack.com/profile/2330...
The rule of thirds is not why your photos work.
It’s just a training wheel.
Useful at the beginning, yes. It stops things from falling apart completely. But most photographers never move past it, and that’s where the problem starts.
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/compositio...
Most photographers learn aperture the wrong way round.
Because aperture is not really about blur.
It’s about how much of the world you allow into the frame
Somewhere in the middle, the story starts to hold together.
👉 marcosecchi.substack.com/p/why-most-p...
Most photographers think the moment happens in front of them.
On Substack, I break down the thinking behind it, the positioning, the missed frames, the small adjustments that actually make the difference.
marcosecchi.substack.com
The photos I'm most proud of are the ones I never took.
One was a crime scene in Venice. One was a fox in a Hungarian forest at 6am.
Same decision. Completely different reasons.
This week's Reflection: the discipline nobody teaches.
→ marcosecchi.substack.com/p/the-art-of-letting-go-the-photos
30,000 Followers on @flipboard.com
Thanks!
flipboard.com/@msecchi
There is one zone in every contrasty frame, sometimes 1% of the image, that decides your exposure
Not the mid-tones. Not the average. That one highlight.
Protect it and everything else follows.
New post: the highlight metering framework
🔗 marcosecchi.substack.com/p/why-photog...
Most photography critiques are useless.
It’s polite.
It’s vague.
And it keeps you exactly where you are.
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/the-red-pe...
30 years shooting for Getty taught me one thing:
If your photo doesn't have a flaw, it probably doesn't have a soul.
New post on why your best images are technically "wrong", and why that's the whole point.
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/why-perfect-photos-are-boring-photography-philosophy
Headline: Stop looking for the "correct" settings.
I’m sitting here in Slovenia watching the afternoon light hit the stone, and it reminded me of a conversation I had during a workshop last week.
substack.com/profile/2330...
Absolutely right, Brian. There is difference between being brutal and being honest.
The "Brutal Truth" crowd usually cares more about their own ego than the photographer's growth.My goal isn't to smash the china shop; it’s to help you see the cracks.
It’s about the philosophy of seeing!
The Red Pen is back!!
Most feedback online is a polite lie. "Great shot" doesn't help you grow.
substack.com/profile/2330...
Most photographers reach for the Contrast slider when their B&W looks flat.
It's the wrong tool. Contrast is a blunt instrument, it crushes your midtones and kills the texture in stone, skin, and shadow.
substack.com/profile/2330...
Depth of field is one of those things that separates snapshot from a photograph
Lesson 3 of Starting Photography Properly goes into aperture and how it controls depth of field, because once you understand this, you start seeing light and space differently
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/starting-p...
In my latest article, "The Alchemy of the Small Story," I dive into why the "Grand View" is often a trap for photographers.
I’ve found that the most powerful narratives are hidden in the details we usually overlook.
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/alchemy-sm...
I’ve learned that the difference between a good photographer and a great one is knowing what to leave on the cutting room floor.
Stop hoarding images Start curating
My new Masterclass on the ‘Reverse Cull’ is live
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/how-to-cul...
#photography #substack #streetphotography
Most photographers still think it is about the camera.
It isn’t.
This note brought in a lot of new readers when I first posted it, so I’m bringing it back.
substack.com/note/c-21777...
If you’ve ever stood in front of a crumbling wall and whispered about the 'micro-contrast' or 'texture' while your workshop group looked at you like you were mad... this one is for you.
Photography isn't just a job; it's a dialect.
What’s the weirdest thing you’ve pointed at recently?
Information is the enemy of mystery.
Most amateurs fill the frame because they don't know how to lead the eye. Professionals use Visual Silence to dictate exactly where the viewer is allowed to look.
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/starting-p...
#Photography #StreetPhotography #Composition
I've launched a new series called "The Red Pen" where I analyze images to find the hidden geometry. Today, we’re looking at everything from industrial geometry to the surgical precision required for depth of field in portraiture.
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/the-archit...
Time Moves Strangely When You Pay Attention
A curious thing happens when you spend long hours photographing.
Time stops behaving normally.
substack.com/@marcosecchi...
Some mornings, Venice gives you nothing but grey skies and a ghost of a boat.
That's usually when the best photographs happen.
Punta della Dogana, Leica, patience.
#Venice #Leica #MoodPhotography #DocumentaryPhotography #ItalyInBlackAndWhite
New on Substack: The Architect’s Eye.
I’m breaking out the red pen today to dissect composition. We are looking at the skeleton of an image, the geometric precision required to lead the viewer’s eye exactly where you want it.
marcosecchi.substack.com/p/lesson-8-a...
#Photography #Composition
