Through the Lens of Emotion: Davide Bulli on Authenticity, Light, and the Heart of Street Photography
Discover this inspiring and heartfelt interview with Pure Street Photography
Interview by Dimpy Bhalotia and Kamal Kumaar Rao
16/02/2025
(c) Davide Bulli
(c) Davide Bulli
We would love to know more about you! Who you are and where you're from? When did you start street photography?
Hi,My name is Davide Bulli and I live near Rome in Italy, I am a 63 old guy that started taking pictures in 1982 and never anymore stopped to, I am an IT technician and that is still my primary job so I never tried to become professional photographer but sometimes people calls me for some music events or portraits or other kind of services.
My first photos was about family and friends but in soon I realised that I love to catch people emotions, people in their normal life, I really love the fragility of some people, like elders or the joy of children and I started to take some kind of street photography, or better what is my meant of street photography.
What inspired you to become a street photographer?
Really I am not inspired from others photographer, I appreciate many of them but I have my own way to feel the life, I think that a great curiosity about people helped me to find my way.
How would you describe your work in terms of style and/or approach?
When I think at my kind of photography I think in something simple, I love the simplicity and I have no particular style of approach , I just have my settings already done and I just walk around waiting for something special regarding people…I am not the person that wait standing in a place for hours waiting, I prefer to walk and observe ready to shot.
(c) Davide Bulli
(c) Davide Bulli
What is your photography routine like? Do you photograph every day?
I still am passionate about real life and I have my camera with me almost every day, looking around myself for any emotional situation regarding people...Over the years I have perfected my technique by being more attentive to the lights, giving the lights a greater importance, as well as the blur to make the subject stand out.
What camera or mobile device do you use for photography? Do you shoot digitally, on film, or a mix of both?
I have changed many cameras over the years and in the end I chose the Fujifilm X-T5, light, with excellent quality lenses and very customisable.
What challenges do you face when photographing on the street?
When I look around and observe people it is not enough for me to watch an empathetic scene, I also want there to be the right lights to make it stand out and I try to avoid that there are too many distractions in the scene.
Do you ever wonder what happens to the people in your photos?
I already wonder about people on my photos, if I want to do street portraits very often I ask the permission but sometime I feel that the beauty of the photo that I saw in my mind is better without asking, especially if the person is doing nothing too much personal or scandalous , there is not many children in my photos because sometimes I don’t feel comfortable shooting at them without the parents permission.
(c) Davide Bulli
(c) Davide Bulli
(c) Davide Bulli
In your opinion, what is the biggest misconception people have about street photography?
Honestly I consider the street photography as a everyday life show, something that happens to the people and their interactions with other or animals or whatever, I am not a big fan of that kind of street photography made up of coincidences or combinations of colours or road signs, I love people and I like them to be seen clearly.
What are your favourite elements to capture in a street photograph? (light, colour, composition, human interaction, etc.)
Absolutely human interactions with particular lights is my primary point of view.
What is your take on social media influence on street photography?
I think that social media are important, is a space where to show our works but also I think that many people cares mostly about likes than the interaction.
Are your prints available for purchase? If so, where can art buyers and collectors contact you to purchase them?
I thought many times to sell my prints but so far I never I worked on seriously.
(c) Davide Bulli
What advice would you give to aspiring photographers?
To be themselves , to look at them heart before than try to copy anyone else.
A huge thank you to Davide Bulli for sharing his incredible journey.
In Frame : Davide Bulli