Photographer Bartoli Cristiano is the Edge of Humanity Magazine contributor of this photo essay. From the project ‘Presences’. To see Bartoli’s body of work, click on any photograph.

This photographic project consists of ten street photography shots that, through composition and the interaction between subjects, tell a silent story about the individual and the collective.

It begins with images of solitary figures, absorbed and immersed in their urban surroundings.

Everything revolves around the human figure and its relationship with what surrounds it.

Gradually, the human presence increases: two subjects, then three. Connections begin to take shape — at times closeness, at other times distance.

In the final photograph, a single subject stands among many others, revealing a profound solitude. They remain alone.

It is a visual and human paradox, a moment of truth that brings the project full circle, returning us to the initial question: when are we truly together?

"My name is Cristiano Bartoli, I am 54 years old. I am an entrepreneur in the clothing industry.

In addition to my work, I have a deep passion for photography, particularly street photography, and so I love exploring cities and towns to capture moments of everyday life, capturing authentic and often unexpected fragments of the souls that inhabit them. Photography is a way for me to express my curiosity and interest in people and their stories.

I have attended various workshops and seminars on the subject, trying to learn as much as possible from the masters in the field. For me, capturing moments of everyday life is about trying to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.

I can’t say if I have ever succeeded, but I can say how exciting it was (and is) just the research."

All images and text © Bartoli Cristiano