The Velominati site has drawn out many interesting, talented people these last few years, from frame builders to custom V-bar plug makers. We all know @pedale.forchetta as a Moots riding, bidon cage disdaining Italian cyclist. What’s not to love already… and generous too? From the beginning he has been sharing his photos with us all: the Giro, Milan-Sanremo, Il Lombardia. Luckily for us he is not a professional cycling photographer. For starters he might not post his photos on Velominati so easily. He is not on a moto. He is on foot taking pictures of the Italian fans, police, riders, directors, ex-riding legends and the tifosi’s cars. While most professional photogs shoot the race, Angelo captures the tension and excitement before the race and the emotion and exhaustion after it. He is the best.
His before-and-after photos of Milan-Sanremo 2012 were amazing. He has ridden in a Androni Giocattoli team car during an edition of MSR. His black and white photos on the Muro di Sormano were otherworldly. If he was not a cyclist we wouldn’t know him on Velominati. We might have missed his photography, until Milan-Sanremo 2013. The day of the race he sent a few fast photos to Velominati so we could be there too. Since this MSR, I’ve seen his shots on PEZ and Il Dolore. When the going gets tough, Angelo gets going. Luckily for us all, Angelo Giangregorio was there on that crazy day from Milan to Sanremo.
Personally I’d say these are some of his best photos ever. It was an epic day. I’ve watched some poor quality video of the race, yeah, it was grim, I get it. But no, I didn’t really get it until I looked through a set of Angelo’s photos. There is a shot of Mark Cavendish at the start that is so mesmerizing, it could be in Vogue.
Does being a cyclist make him a better photographer? It has to. He understands the beauty and humanity that is cycling and captures it with his camera. Does being Italian make him a better photographer? Of course it does. He shoots the people at races as much as the racers and his Italian generosity come through in his photos.
I’ll let Simon of Il Dolore say it properly.
The Cycling Photographs of Angelo Giangregorio.
I’ve known Angelo for about three years now ever since I used his photographs on my old website La Gazzetta della Bici. Ever since then I don’t think I have ever seen Angelo take a bad snap. He is by far my favourite photographer and one of the nicest people I know. Italy bleeds from Angelo’s photographs. He not only photographs the sport of cycling but manages to capture the heart and soul of the riders and the fans in every photograph he takes. I always look forward to a new set of Angelo’s photographs not just because they feature Italian cycling but that they always show the very soul of what it means to ride a bike, watch cycling and be aware of the life around us.
Grazie socio, Angelo.
Writing about photography doesn’t work so I’ll stop right now. Look at his pictures. In fifty years from now, when people are looking back to the old days and epic races, Milan-Sanremo 2013 is going to be one of those races and Angelo’s photos are going to be the pictures people remember.
Here is his MRS 2013 flikr set, and make sure you check out his amazing Photo Stream.
[dmalbum flikr=”72157633022136858/”/]
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View Comments
@Alfonso
Yes, I'm a big fan of Il Dolore too. I just found it in the last few months. He really gets it. I've been chasing photo credits for our book and sweet jesus, it can lead you down some scary blog alleys!
Poor bikes indeed. They shouldn't be humiliated like that.
Nice shots PF. What must it be like to live in the Motherland. Hopefully, one of these days you can feed me pasta at your house after a long ride.
Thank you gents for the Il Dolore suggestion.
Indeed, we're very lucky to have pedale post his photos here. I always love seeing them.
Chapeau, PF. It's always a joy to see your photos and the collection on the Il Dolore page are no exception. Pro or not, they wouldn't look out of place in a Rouleur Annual.
@Gianni
Any site that leads off with a Fellini quote cannot be all that bad. Thanks for the reference, Gianni!
Damn straight, this work is just fantastic photography, it just happens to be a subject dear to all of us!
@Cyclops
If we can ever pull together a Keepers Tour in Italy you can bet we will try to get Pedale in on the fun. So keep making those frames. Always be soldering, as they say in Glengary Glen Ross.
@Gianni
Il Dolore is great. My only complaint is that following him is like drinking a fine Trappist ale out of a fire hydrant.
Always look forward to his photos. Always the best photos from races, better than any other website or news outlet you can find. Very supprised to find out he is not professional and working for a top magazine or something.