I took some portraits of this lovely family last weekend and I’ve been on tenterhooks for a week… I used two analogue cameras, the Canon EOS 850 and the AT-1. I’d already used the EOS 850 (which is fully automatic) with good results, whereas the AT-1 was a complete unknown to me. To be frank, I’d NEVER used a fully manual film camera before! So before I started, I was quite nervous…Luckily, the girls were two natural models; the older one was spontaneous and calm, and I loved the way the little one posed in front of the camera, she was so at ease, you can tell that she enjoyed it, just like a real actress!
Cristiano and Maria, thank you for the trust you’ve given me, and see you soon for a summer series of shots!
“So I say to you, seek God, and discover Him and make Him a power in your life. Without Him all of our efforts turn to ashes and our sunrises into darkest nights. With Him we can skip from the fatigue of despair to the buoyancy of hope. With him we are able to rise from the midnight of desperation to the daybreak of joy” – extract from Strength to Love by Martin Luther King
If we allow Him to, God can act in our lives in powerful ways to transform our weakness into hope and joy. He can equip us with grace, enabling us to overcome what we consider insurmountable obstacles. I believe that this is the ultimate meaning of Easter.
Accepting the very things we usually run away from (various problems, relationships, illnesses) and, ultimately, “surrendering” to the idea of having to die one day is the most difficult challenge we feel called upon to take on. We don’t like surrendering our lives to anything. We like to be in control of things, to be in charge of of situations but yet, we are also the most anxious and depressed version of mankind.
I feel tired of rationalizing my existence and purpose, so perhaps it is time for me to listen to the One who called me into being and who gives meaning to my life through His continuous love. He is showing up in my daily life thanks to creative, powerful, silent episodes of “presence” during this tiring and challenging phase. He is real and is waiting for us.
The sensation of being stuck persists. You know when a photo seems to capture your state of mind? The one below (taken yesterday with my IPhone) sums up pretty well this period: finding myself in a tough time, with signs of hope and improvement on the horizon!
I am focusing on rebuilding skills, trying to be practical whilst taking decisions. I want to be more consistent in my daily routine.
I had an afternoon of shopping last Saturday and came back to buying jeans again (gently but firmly pushed by Raffaella!)
The furry babies (hidden by momma’s body in the foto, and close to their aunt), who should join me at home in June, seem determined to grow up healthy and really sweet, as their brilliant breeder is confirming!
We are being blessed by an incredibly beautiful spring time, with crystal blu skies often peaking out over the Cathedral. The flowering season is in full swing and the shades of green on the meadows are stunning!
The other day I asked AI: “Does it make sense to keep a photography blog in 2026?”
The answer was:
Overall, I agree with AI’s reply. I believe that human beings are looking for connection and need continuity. Blogging can become a positive bond that still works in 2026, allowing photographers to be known and to get in touch with more people, as well as it gives them the opportunity to be contacted.
On the other hand blogging is currently a niche phenomenon. It can be effective, but only for enthusiasts or connoisseurs who are interested in a specific sector. Unfortunately, and I say this with regret, nowadays the most popular form of communication happens on social medias, as limited and, at times, as stupid as they can be. On these platforms there is a very diverse audience which vary from enthusiasts to experts.
With a blog, you reach now fewer people but they are of more quality. Blogging turned out to be a constructive experience for me. I opened my first photography blog on WordPress in the spring of 2012 and kept it running for 3 years. It helped me open up to the outside world, bringing out a side of me that I wasn’t aware of. t has helped me discover a love for communication and meeting people, the pleasure of feeling part of a community, albeit a virtual one, of photography lovers. It also made me realise how driven I can be in working on myself and in succeeding. That blog helped me gain an initial audience, and I believe that a large part of my success is linked to it. My problem is a lack of perseverance, but that’s another topic, perhaps for a future post!!
On Friday morning, I was captured by the intensity of the colours of dawn, it was a quick escalation of deep, glowy yellows, oranges and reds. It felt like I was in the desert, and yet I was in Via Mazzini!
That same day, I received tarot cards from my friend Daria, premises of good tidings (underneath the video).
Cards drawn: • Three of Pentacles • Temperance • Four of Swords (reversed)
These form a very clear pattern: cooperation → balance → recovery from strain.
General reading (overall direction): this is a repair phase for Elena, not a resolution phase yet. The foundation is being rebuilt. The main dominant card is Temperance which is one of the strongest cards for stabilization and healing.
Overall meaning in the coming weeks: • Emotional balance returning • Situations improving slowly but steadily • Conflicts cooling down • Recovery from a stressful period • Rebuilding strength in multiple areas of life
This is not a chaotic or destructive period. It is a controlled healing phase.
Elena Arvasi Portrait Photographer 