Valerio Bispuri's 'Dentro una storia' Explores Photojournalism's Ethical Depths
Valerio Bispuri, a Roman photojournalist born in 1971, has released a book titled 'Dentro una storia. Appunti sulla fotografia' (Mimesis Edizioni, 2022). The volume blends autobiography with technical advice, recounting his career covering social disparities in Latin America, Africa, and Italy. Bispuri's notable projects include 'Encerrados', a multi-award-winning investigation of South American prisons, and documentation of mental illness in African countries. The book's first chapter narrates a 2008 encounter in Buenos Aires with Juan, an eight-year-old boy who ingested paco, a cheap cocaine residue drug, and became paralyzed. Bispuri describes his experience at the Salada, South America's largest illegal market in Lomas de Zamora, where he photographed covertly. He explains why he chose not to photograph Juan, citing emotional overwhelm and the risk of shifting the story's focus. The book includes a preface by Marco Damilano and is available for €14.
Key facts
- Valerio Bispuri published 'Dentro una storia. Appunti sulla fotografia' with Mimesis Edizioni in 2022.
- The book is part autobiography and part technical manual for aspiring photojournalists.
- Bispuri has worked in Latin America, Africa, and Italy, focusing on social disparities.
- His project 'Encerrados' investigated prison conditions in South America and won multiple awards.
- The first chapter describes a 2008 encounter in Buenos Aires with a boy named Juan who was paralyzed after ingesting paco.
- Paco is a drug made from cocaine residues, costing about two euros per dose, and is highly destructive.
- Bispuri visited the Salada, a massive illegal market in Lomas de Zamora, with bodyguards and a hidden camera.
- The book includes a preface by Marco Damilano.
- The book costs €14 and has 150 pages.
- Bispuri chose not to photograph Juan because emotions overwhelmed his ability to frame the image.
Entities
Artists
- Valerio Bispuri
- Marco Damilano
Institutions
- Mimesis Edizioni
- Artribune
Locations
- Rome
- Italy
- Latin America
- Argentina
- Buenos Aires
- Lomas de Zamora
- Mali
- Africa
- Rebibbia
- Poggioreale
- Regina Coeli
- South America
- Chile
- Paraguay
- Uruguay