Home by Sam Benari
The dictionary defines "home" as "relating to the place where one lives". Although I don't live in London, I find this city to be where I am most alive. There is beauty, moments and stories to tell everywhere you go, and it's up to us to find them. Somehow, in this city, I don't need to look hard. They find me.
I love the feeling when the train door opens, and within seconds, I am swimming in the crowd. The sounds, smells, and sense of waking up transform me. My camera is already in hand, waiting for the wave to pass and the stories to appear.
They say that there are 300 languages spoken in London, blending or standing on their own. All are part of this little town. With every visit, I just choose my slice, my corner, my mood. This is where I start. With one camera in hand, 30,000 steps later, I retreat. Until the next time.
I shoot in black and white. In most cases, I don't even get to see the color version as I convert my photos as part of my import workflow. There is something in black and white photos that captivates me. This is how I like these moments to live. It may be a limitation or maybe it's just me. I imagine a photo on paper, where you can hold it and feel it in your hand. I don't print much, so most of them end up on a large screen. The best ones are on the wall, while others are asking to be in a book.
I don't think that one can have enough of Paris, and I must admit that I keep coming back to Rome, but this town is something else for me. It's home.
