Photographers are forever chasing time, but there is never enough of it. The perfect moment vanishes in an instant: subjects become aware too quickly or start to act unnatural, the golden light fades too quickly, and the streets never seem to hold quite enough people, architecture, landscapes, shadows, or stories to satisfy the undying curiosity. The photographic weight of curiosity is heavy, and so most street photographers, to calm that state of uneasiness, love to go on road trips, but road trips, though full of potential, often steal more time than they give—rigid schedules, endless driving, road bumps, check points and unpredictable delays leave little room for spontaneous stops, a block spin or intimate lingering shots. Even in group settings like photo walks, the pressure to keep it moving can mean sacrificing the depth that comes from just being a patient person, waiting, watching, whiling, and truly seeing. But it is precisely this battle against time that sharpens a true photographer’s eye. The unpredictability, the urgency, the necessity of working within fleeting opportunities—it all refines not just technical skill but a unique artistic identity. Faced with the impossibility of capturing everything, photographers learn to choose what to frame, what to emphasize, what to enjoy its passing and what to regret. One artist may carve emotion from stark black-and-white contrasts, while another finds literature in vibrant color. In the end, the struggle with time becomes more than a limitation—it becomes the very force that shapes a photographer’s signature, the distinct way they interpret and reveal the world through their lens. Carlo Soffietti seem to be no different as we recently started meeting each other to sit and discuss photography in the outdoors here in Capetown, and then going for a long satisfying walk after. “Not enough time, not enough time!” he screamed when asked: “What is the best and worst thing about being on the road as a street photographer”. “So many things to photograph, never enough time.” And then he laughed and asked for some tea. As it should be, Gallery F played a pivotal role in introducing several photographers to the Journal Project, serving as the platform where the preservation of the work of Carlo Soffietti first caught our keen attention, leading to this one of a kind interview where we try to flesh out, in conversation a photographic map from Malawi to Tanzania.

What’s your favorite camera to use? 

For fast photography, I use only one camera: Leica.  I have one digital body, the M10M and one analog body, the M6. Both these camera bodies are part of the M system, and that permits me to use interchangeable lenses. I use mainly a 50mm lens and 35mm. Rarely the 75mm. I always go back to the 50mm, it’s definitely my favourite! For slow photography, I use a medium format Hasselblad 501c. I have had these cameras and lenses for a long time, and I feel like they have become part of my photographic eye. This permits me to focus on the subject without any technical distractions. By the way, I only use manual settings because it gives total control of the photographic capture. In conclusion, I try to keep the process of shooting photographs as essential as possible. 

What’s your favorite thing about being on the road, and what highs and lows have you learned about being on the road that you think other photographers who haven’t tried don’t know?

Travelling is movement, and that is what street photography is about, and I am passionate about going around and about. The ever-changing subjects, lights, ideas, etc., are a constant challenge and keeping a fixed focus whilst on the road is not easy and, at times, frustrating. How many times I could not make the photograph I saw! Some days on the road, one sees photographs everywhere but not fast enough to capture them; how annoying. On the other side of the coin, sometimes at the most unexpected moment, a perfect photograph appears in front of you and with a simple click, it’s done! When that happens, I always want to go back to that place, always, and I do. On the road, stories change on a daily basis, and one begins to understand that capturing a moment after another is so important to tell the whole story. The story unveils as the journey proceeds.

How long have you been a street photographer, and how did you find your way to photography

I believe I have been a street photographer from the moment my father gave me a Rollei 35 when I was about 12/13, although I didn’t know I was a street photographer. As time passed, I got intrigued with the idea of fixing moments and then going back to look at them on the print and feeling the same emotions as I had at the moment I was shooting. Photography, for me, is living over and over again those emotions and transforming a sequence of images in a story. Photography is to put one’s emotions on a print. 

In the series of images you’ve shown to us, which is your favorite, and what’s the story behind it? 

The two trees intertwined with each other. Two different species that grow for a very long time side by side. Why? Is it mutual help or mere competition for water? I was taken off my feet when I saw these two trees. I will go back to Tanzania just to photograph those two trees again and again. I know exactly where they are! I don’t have an answer as to why they grew like this.

Of all the countries that you’ve visited in Africa, which is your favorite for photography, and why did you enjoy the experience so much? 

Difficult to say as all cultures and places have their own distinct thing. Some have magnificent landscapes, some have intriguing human beings, some have extraordinary lights, and I could go on and on. Let’s say that my favourite is the country that I am going to visit next! Expectations are always high, and fantasies flow for what is to come. 

How do you balance capturing the raw, unfiltered essence of a moment with respecting the privacy and dignity of the people you photograph? 

It is up to one’s sensibility to establish what can be photographed and what not. It comes with time, the older one gets, the more refined one becomes. Not always do I want to respect the privacy of a person, exactly the exact opposite and other times, I try to be as delicate and transparent as possible. The important point is to be honest about what one does with a camera and always create a sincere (even if harsh) connection with the subject. This dual approach to street photography is what fascinates me and keeps me researching new ways of seeing.

How do you adapt your technically and ethically approach when shooting in diverse urban environments where cultural norms, lighting conditions, and social dynamics shift rapidly, all while maintaining your artistic voice and ensuring your subjects’ stories are authentically represented? 

First, I read about where I am going. Secondly, I walk around even without the camera to get the feel. That can be for a long time. Last, I dive in the deep end and crunch kilometres walking ALONE and click. It always goes well. The ethical issue: I have chosen a long time ago to try to depict the ordinary rather than extraordinary. To represent the ordinary originally is a much bigger challenge.