Beyond the Frame 18/
Answers to: Why is Milan Man spinning around? Is there really a monk on the Cathedral roof? Which part of the Milanese bull has been reinforced? Plus, What’s a Splash Screen and can I make one?
Style & Substance
We’re in Milan! I’m photographing a feature for a travel magazine. I have the luxury of three days and an assignment from a laid-back editor who I’ve worked with on many occasions.
Her brief is reassuringly simple:
“You know what we want. Have fun! Let me know when you’re done.”
What my trusting editor expects is a collection of images reflecting everyday life in the city. She wants me to bring out the flavour of Milan. The architecture, the cuisine, any unusual or unique public transport, famous landmarks, but mostly the people.
She’s expecting a variety of perspectives. Wide-angle views of the city, close-ups of Milanese delicacies, a potential cover image (portrait format with space for banner logo and text), and a Signature Image, one introductory photograph to summarise the article’s tone.
The Brief
So what will the tone be? What do you think when you hear “Milan”? Style, Flair, Panache, Fashion, Passion, History, Tradition, Food, Drink, thimble-sized cups of super-strong espresso, Football, Opera…
These subjects are the ingredients of my brief and showing Milan in her best light is my goal.
Here they come, the Beautiful Ones
Everybody in Milan is, without exception, beautiful. What’s the easiest job in the world? Modelling Agent in Milan.
And the clothes! Mamma Mia! Everybody is so effortlessly and unpretentiously stylish. Suits and dresses so perfectly tailored that I suspect uttering the phrase “off the rack” in Milan might get you arrested.
I have never felt so underdressed.
Somewhat recklessly, I glance through the window of the Versace shop. A stylish shop assistant catches my eye, looks me up and down and makes a sad face as if to say, “No signore, questi vestiti non fanno per lei.”
She’s right of course. Utilitarian Freelance Photographer chic has yet to take off in a big way. Or, indeed, in any way. That’s OK. My time will come.
Meanwhile, back with my assignment, I’ve completed my research and done one of my very favourite things. I have made a list. 😬
First? The Cathedral. Duomo di Milano.
I manage to climb onto the roof (don’t ask) and photograph all the beautiful people in the Piazza below, silhouetted against the dipping sun.
Next, I’m photographing architectural details but thinking, “These pictures are OK but they could be anywhere. What I really need is a Catholic priest or a monk to walk along the rooftop.”
Cue eerie music…
Why was the monk on the Cathedral roof? (This isn’t the start of a joke). I have no idea. He appeared from nowhere, walked along the roof, walked back, disappeared. If I didn’t have a photo I’d be sure that I imagined it.
Chasing the Bull
The epitome of Milanese style can be found at the sumptuous Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II shopping precinct. It is a glorious, four-storey arcade dating from the late 19th century. The architecture and decorations are shamelessly decadent, opulent, just the right side of gaudy. Best of all, the glass domes allow the precinct to be flooded with diffused, natural light.
In the centre of the precinct is a mosaic featuring a torino, a dancing bull.
Local legend promises that anybody who spins around three times with their heel on the bull’s… well, a certain part of the bull’s anatomy… will receive good fortune. So many heels have spun around on the bull’s most sensitive parts that a hole in the floor has had to be reinforced.
A quick photographer’s check-list for the ideal scene:
Impressive backdrop ✅
Space to work without getting in anybody’s way ✅
An abundance of natural light ✅
People laughing as they pause in one spot to do something quirky ✅
Sometimes all the hard work is done for me.
I return each evening, hoping to catch the ideal person in the perfect pose. I strike out on the first two days. The pictures are acceptable but I feel like there’s more.
Spontaneous Dancing
In a charming interlude, I catch a couple dancing. They’re walking along, just a couple of visiting tourists and, without warning, start to dance. I’m not sure why they’re dancing but it’s lovely. I think more people should spontaneously dance in shopping centres.
Milan Man
It’s my third and final evening in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and I have high hopes.
A man approaches the bull. Wide grin, designer sunglasses, slicked-back hair, shiny blue suit, tan shoes that perfectly match his tanned face…
He spins. I want to catch him facing forward. I make two frames. Milan Man completes his triple-spin, walks away, laughing to himself. I thank the torino for blessing me with good fortune.
I’m quietly confident that Milan Man will be used as the magazine article’s introductory image. But these decisions are above the photographer’s pay grade. The designer prefers a relatively mundane picture of the Cathedral for the “double-truck” (two-page) intro and Milan Man is relegated to a thumbnail on the 8th page. I think he deserves better. Hopefully I’ve remedied that small injustice now.
What about the convenient rooftop monk? Curiously, his picture didn’t make the cut. Or perhaps he simply vanished?!
Update
After posting this article, I found a tearsheet from another magazine article I wrote where Milan Man does make a more notable appearance.
An Update for Paid Subscribers
I’m delighted to welcome so many new paid subscribers. You truly are the Beautiful Ones and I appreciate you.
Since launching Beyond the Frame, I’ve been finding my way around the Substack platform and have compiled a reliable workflow, allowing me to publish two newsletters each week.
Tuesday’s edition will always be free — and the content will continue to be reliably random - which is an oxymoron I approve of.
Now I’ve settled in, I want to focus more on this Friday edition, to give you - the Beautiful Ones - the best value I can.
I’ll continue to write about an assignment or a personal project each week, like this one about Milan.
I’ll also share an aspect of my photography workflow. My aim is that Friday’s newsletters will build into a comprehensive photographer’s guide with useful information and resources for the photography enthusiast and the budding freelancer.
I’m writing a series of practical photography guides, based on oh-so-many years of experience, that I hope you can use to enhance your photographic adventures.
In essence, these will include the sort of hints, tips and techniques that you might learn on one of my photography workshops.
There will also be more practical guides based on my own, finely-honed digital workflow:
Managing data storage, back-ups
Tagging and labelling images
Keywording and captioning (I’ve built an impressive keyword catalogue that I’ll share with paid subscribers)
Processing - all the Lightroom presets you could ever wish for, a masking tutorial, adaptive ISO tricks…
Exporting made simple
Why Lightroom templates will change your life
etc. etc.
I’m also writing guides for more abstract subjects, like “How to photograph people in public”, “Pitching to editors”, “Marketing” and “Artistic Goals”.
Really, it would be a lot simpler if we could all meet at my house. I’ll demonstrate my digital workflow in the office, we’ll go on a long, leisurely photo walk together and finish the day with a discussion over dinner in a cosy restaurant that I think you’ll love.
Until that’s possible, my Friday newsletters will provide the content.
With that in mind, I’ve started to compile a Directory of Topics which will continue to grow. I’ve named it, somewhat cunningly, “Directory” and you’ll also find a link at the top of the page, if you’re reading in a browser.
As a paid subscriber, you’re very welcome to let me know if there’s a specific topic or technique that you’d like me to write about. You can leave a comment, send an email, or pop round in person. I’ll put the kettle on.
Right, apologies for the long interlude. I wanted to set out exactly what I’m intending for the newsletter so you know what to look forward to.
We return now to our scheduled programming.
Creating a Custom Splash Screen for Lightroom Classic
Each time you launch Lightroom Classic, you’ll see a temporary Splash Screen, something like this:
If you would prefer to see something more personal, you can easily create a custom Splash Screen. There’s a quick method and an even quicker method:
Quick Method
Locate your Splash Screen folder
Mac:Users/[username]/Library/Application_Support/Adobe/Lightroom/Splash Screen
Windows:Users/[username]/AppData/Roaming/Adobe/Lightroom/Splash Screen
If you don’t see a Splash Screen folder, create a new one in that location.
Create an image, landscape format, width = 1600 pixels
Save it to the Splash Screen folder
Relaunch Lightroom and your new Splash Screen should appear
If you save more than one image in the Splash Screen folder, they will appear in what I believe is a random sequence each time you launch Lightroom.
Even Quicker Method
Create a Publish Service
This method requires setting up but once established you can simply drag images into the Publish Service directory and they will magically appear as Splash Screen images.
In Lightroom, open the Publish Service panel on the left
Click “Create a Publish Service”
A window will appear, almost identical to the Export window
Give the service a name. “Splash Screen” seems appropriate
Choose the export folder location, as above
No need to rename the files unless you’re even more pedantic than me - unlikely
JPEG format, quality = 85, sRGB Colour Space
Resize to fit Long Edge = 1,600 pixels
Sharpen for Screen = Standard
No need to include additional metadata
Add a watermark if you’d like your name or logo to appear on the Splash Screen
That’s it. You’ll see a new Publish Service called, presumably, Splash Screen. Drag images into that Service, click on Publish.
The images will be saved in the appropriate folder and appear as a Splash Screen each time you launch Lightroom.
Thank you for reading. I hope you have a splendid weekend. Get your camera out. You know you want to.
Beyond the Frame 17/
It’s hot in Geneva. Too hot. Our balcony thermometer reads 36.9ºC, the air is thick and heavy like treacle. Even the uppermost leaves on the giant Horse Chestnut tree beside our building are motionless. There’s not even the faintest hint of a breeze.
Another great newsletter, this one giving insight into how you approach a commission. Again it transported me….to Milan. Thanks so much for the time you devote to sharing with us.
I signed up to be a paid member today. Loved this. One question about the monk: was F/4 an artistic decision to put the crosses slightly out of focus ?