Valeria Tofanelli on Street Photography, Gender, and Her New Book 'Mareterno'

Valeria Tofanelli, a street photographer based in Rome, discusses her practice, the underrepresentation of women in the genre, and her recently published photobook 'Mareterno' (Eyeshot), co-created with Lorenzo Catena. Tofanelli began photographing in 2016 as a means of escape from daily routine, drawn to the medium's ability to reveal hidden nuances of reality. She notes that fewer women practice street photography due to historical and social factors, but observes a growing presence of female photographers in festivals and judging panels. 'Mareterno' emerged from a desire to challenge street photography conventions by adopting a more project-based approach, interacting with subjects in Ostia, and moving beyond the 'decisive moment' to explore hybrid genres. Tofanelli advises photographers to make their work tangible beyond Instagram by engaging photo editors, seeking exhibition or publication opportunities, networking at festivals, and participating in portfolio reviews. Her influences include Alex Webb, Cartier-Bresson, Gilden, Parr, Fan Ho, and Larrain. The interview was conducted by Marco Sconocchia for Artribune.