By Jane Fochler and Adele Haraughty 

Photo: Top, Jennifer Persichilli; Bottom, Breanna Black

Day after day Florence displays itself to its vast number of visitors projecting a picturesque image of the city. On September 21 at Corridoio Florentino, the student gallery of the Department of Photography of Florence University of the Arts (FUA), opened the FLORENCE BETWEEN SKY AND EARTH exhibition. At the event, Jennifer Persichilli and Breanna Black of the intermediate level Landscape and Architectural Photography class of fall 2017 taught by professor Marco Gualtieri challenged the cliché of the beautiful renaissance city exploring unusual point of views. Day after day Florence displays itself to its vast number of visitors projecting a picturesque image of the city. On September 21 at Corridoio Florentino, the student gallery of the Department of Photography of Florence University of the Arts (FUA), opened the FLORENCE BETWEEN SKY AND EARTH exhibition. At the event, Jennifer Persichilli and Breanna Black of the intermediate level landscape and architecture photography class of fall 2017 taught by professor Marco Gualtieri challenged the cliché of the beautiful renaissance city exploring unusual point of views. 

Jennifer Persichilli explained how she had always shot landscape and portrait photographs but she rarely shot abstract photos. This assignment challenged her photography skills by making her take a closer look at the details surrounding her. She explained, “I wanted to capture the not so typical postcard version of Florence by focusing more on contrasting colors, shapes, shadows and objects that are typical in everyday life from a different point of view.” For the exhibition, Persichillis’ displayed photos that take a closer look at the landscapes around Florence that often go unseen.

The second photographer, Breanna Black had never done abstract photography before. Through this experience she was able to learn about different exposures that create different moods which helped her photographs appear dark and rich with the clarity of reflection. “I made it my mission to find all of the reflections in Florence. I wanted to show a completely different side, showing that it’s actually where people live.” Black said. At the event, Black had a display of photographs that captured Florence and all its beauty through reflections in puddles. Her display challenged the audience to look at the ground that people walk on, but still capture the beauty of Florence through a reflection.

Through looking at Florence from a unique point of view, the students were able to capture a different side of this historic city. The viewers were then engaged in a visual journey that developed from surreal reflections to vertiginous sights.