Vera in Milano

The streets of Milan are quiet just after sunrise. It’s my favorite time to photograph—when the light is soft, the city is still half-asleep, and there’s space to create without interruption.

This session with Vera started as a simple film comparison between Fuji 400H and Kodak Portra 400. I wanted to see how each film would handle the cool tones of Milan’s architecture and the warmth of that early morning light.

But like the best moments in photography, what began as technical curiosity turned into something more soulful.

Vera moved with grace, never overly posed—just present. One of the portraits we created that morning was later awarded Runner-Up in Flickr’s Best Portrait of 2023, but what stays with me is not the recognition. It’s the atmosphere of the shoot: quiet, cinematic, and full of trust.

Fuji 400H gave us soft pastel tones and an almost ethereal palette. Portra 400 added warmth, contrast, and depth. Together, they told the same story from two different emotional perspectives. To the film collection I added and some test shots with Instax Film, since in 2023 I believe I was absolutely obsessed with that look.

These portraits are a reminder of why I choose film. Not just for its look, but for the way it slows time. There’s no rush, no pressure to overshoot—just a commitment to the frame, to the light, to the subject.

Vera in Milano. A morning I won’t forget.