Paesaggio con Gioia Photo Essay by Fabio Sozza

Today, we’re featuring a beautiful photo essay from Italian film photographer Fabio Sozza. Scroll below to view Fabio’s Paesaggio con Gioia series (Landscapes with Joy) and read about his film journey…

Analog cameras and films used: Contax 167MT (Find on eBay), Canon EOS 50 (Find on eBay), Canon EOS 33 (Find on eBay) | Kodak UltraMax 400 (Find on Amazon), Kodak Gold 200 (Find on Amazon), Kodak Vision 3 50D, 250D, and 500T

Connect with Fabio: Website | Instagram

Paesaggio con Gioia Photo Essay

By Fabio Sozza

My adventure with film began as an unexpected twist in my photographic journey. I started out in 2015, shooting digital exclusively, never really considering film as an option. For a while, it didn’t even cross my mind.

However, my innate curiosity and desire to explore eventually led me toward the world of film. At first, the idea of shooting film was a little intimidating. I was well aware of the costs involved and knew I would have to acquire an entirely new skill set, which meant facing new challenges and learning from inevitable mistakes.

One day, almost by chance, I stumbled upon my late grandfather’s camera—a Bencini Koroll II, a medium format camera. The camera had been lying dormant for years, and when I found it, the lens was stuck, and it was covered in dust.

Something about that camera drew me in. Perhaps it was the connection to my grandfather or the challenge of bringing it back to life. Before I knew it, I was on YouTube, searching for tutorials on how to fix the lens. Reviving that camera felt like a mission—a way to reconnect with a piece of my family’s history. That moment was enough to let film photography find its way into my life.

Once I got the camera working again, I rushed to a store to buy some medium format Ilford HP5 film. The first time I pressed the shutter, I knew I was in love.

The camera had no light meter, and focusing required estimating the distance to the subject, since it wasn’t an SLR. The Koroll II has just two aperture settings and only a few shutter speeds—definitely not the easiest equipment to start with. But I embraced the challenge. With some basic knowledge of exposure and the help of an app to measure light, I managed to get at least in the ballpark of a correct exposure.

I vividly remember the uncertainty that came with shooting that first roll. The complete darkness in which I found myself, not knowing what, if anything, had been captured on that HP5, and the need to be sparing with each shot—only about 16 per roll—was both terrifying and exhilarating. In that uncertainty, though, I discovered something new, the attraction to doing something I already knew and loved (taking photos), in a way I knew nothing about and feared. Much to my surprise, the images actually came out pretty fine!

A few weeks later, I purchased my first Contax 167MT and a Zeiss lens. I had always admired Zeiss for the unique look of their lenses, and I wanted a system that allowed me to experiment with them. At the same time, I already owned a few Canon EF lenses, so I couldn’t resist adding some Canon EOS film cameras to my small collection.

And so, I dove into the world of 35mm film, feeling like I was riding a wave of new passion. Shooting film brought a renewed sense of joy to my photography. It sparked a curiosity that led me to capture images I might never have taken if I had stuck with digital.

Initially, I had my rolls developed by local labs, but as my passion grew, I sought more economical ways to sustain it. That led me to invest in the equipment needed to develop and scan film at home. Although I was nervous at first, I soon realized that, like following a recipe, developing film was about following the steps, and the results would come naturally.

Today, I shoot exclusively with 35mm and instant film, reserving digital for commercial work. On my website, you’ll find a blend of both, as my projects weren’t created with this distinction in mind.

The images I’ve included in this photo essay are all shot on 35mm film and are part of a project called “Paesaggio con gioia.” This project explores natural and urban landscapes, with a strong focus on color, shapes, geometry and some notes of minimalism.

Recently, however, I have found myself more and more drawn to the exploration of black and white. I’ve already started a black-and-white project entirely on film titled “Alberi e Nebbia,” which you can also see on my website. Maybe this will be the focus of my next submission.

Check out all of our film photography features here, and if you want to have your own film work featured on the site, view our submissions process!

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