The Animals (2005-2009)

Italian photographer Giacomo Brunelli has been shooting animals in backyards, fields and farms since 2005 and defines his work as ‘animal-focused street photography’. By pushing the lens to its closest point of focus, almost touching the subject, he forces the animals to either flight or fight, which is exactly the moment he releases the shutter. It is all about capturing that moment of reaction, triggered through various approaches that vary from animal to animal. Whether it is ignoring them, running after them or using their natural curiosity for the shot, Brunelli’s images are striking for their immediacy as a direct consequence of the intervention by the photographer. Shot on a Japanese camera from the ‘60s, Brunelli’s use of morning twilight or diffused light on a cloudy day adds to the haziness of the atmosphere and the fleetingness of the moment.