This week I thought we would take a look back and feature a “best of” past posts. This post is what started this incredible journey of photobloggers from all over the globe participating in a joint effort we labeled Monochromia.  Since this first post I have met many of these incredible photographers and I can proudly call them friends. In addition to being a talented photographer and friend Emilio is also our resident comedian. I plan to meet this “character” in person some day soon. Since launching our site we have grown into one big family from the original seven main contributors to twelve main contributors and numerous guest contributors who post on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. This photoblog has exceeded my wildest expectations. I hope you enjoy this week of looking back and have a great Holiday Season. We will be back on January 3rd 2016 with brand new posts and I want to thank all of our contributors and followers for making this venture such a success – Joe

I am very pleased to announce the premiere edition of Monochromia, the brainchild of Joe Giordano of The Visual Chronicle. My name is Emilio and I will be one of 7 contributors, each of us posting one day a week. It will be a black and white only photo blog to which I have the distinction of being the first contributor by dint of a random drawing of names from a hat! If black and white photography is one of your passions, I hope we do not disappoint. If you do not particularly care for black and white photography, please give us at least a week for one of us to hopefully change your mind. The odds should be with us!

My family comes from Fontanarosa, a small town about 1 hour east of Naples, Italy. They settled first in New York, but now those of us who remain reside in the south-west United States. I first picked up a camera to document my passion for nature, the land, and the effects of the weather on my surroundings. My father was a film editor who worked mostly on television commercials in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s, and had a black and white darkroom in our garage that he built himself. I assume that’s where my interest began.

To document my travels, I use a digital camera, but I feel the lack of texture decreases the effect I am going for, so I play in Lightroom. I began experimenting with black and white images just lately and find they are much more dramatic, I think. So this opportunity to express myself comes at an opportune time.

I have no argument with people who want to reproduce exactly what the camera sees, without manipulation of any kind. But with every choice you make; the type of lens, the use of filters, the aperture, or the setting of the camera, aren’t you manipulating the image? Therefore, I feel justified in reproducing an image with whatever is at my disposal, so that the viewer can see what I want them to see.

Thank you. I hope you will enjoy and follow our new photo blog. I will be posting on Tuesdays and more of my images can be seen at –

Photos By Emilio