POLE POLE
Federico Sorrentino
Text: courtesy of Federico Sorrentino
In my journey in Tanzania, I noticed how it has become increasingly difficult to avoid predefined tourist routes, which have become the main source of income for the country. Travel agencies and accommodation facilities tend to focus on the most popular destinations, turning once remote places into obligatory stops for visitors. This not only limits the genuineness of the experience but can also have a negative impact on the environment and local communities. On the other hand, this trend is often motivated by the need to ensure safety in a territory that is complex to navigate alone.
Despite this, I tried to capture the authenticity of the place through encounters with local people, their daily gestures, and immersion in natural elements, thus getting closer to the most essential aspects of life in Tanzania. As its inhabitants say, “pole pole,” meaning “slowly” in Swahili.
Federico Sorrentino
Federico Sorrentino is a photographer who works between Europe and the United States. His photography finds its greatest expression in analog shots, where he personally handles darkroom printing. He enjoys storytelling through film with a nostalgic and contemporary perspective.
As a passionate traveler, he has explored various countries around the world, which have provided him with inspiration for various portrait-focused projects. His stylistic signature lies in capturing his subjects, seizing a moment, a very natural occurrence that defines the uniqueness and spontaneity of the shot.
His work is influenced by photography’s great masters such as Stephen Shore, Wim Wenders, William Eggleston, and Robert Frank, and his pictures have been published in international magazines.
