“Vespa Cena was taken in 2007 on a very hot evening in August in Porto Recanati, Italy. The kitchen had gotten unbearably hot from cooking, and the table was too heavy to move outside. Then, an idea: “ceniamo sulla Vespa!” In minutes we had everything ready. It seemed as if it was made to be eaten upon. I set up my point and shoot on a nearby car. I later cropped it in order to draw attention to the Vespa and chose black and white to give the photo a more classic look. When my father, who’s always encouraged my love of photography, told me about Accenti’s competition, I immediately thought of this photo which “captures an Italian moment”: Pasta, Vespa, and the lack of AC!” – Virginia Ritacca
“Vespa Cena” won Second Prize in the Accenti Magazine Photo Contest, and was displayed at the Accenti Magazine Awards during the Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival in May 2008.
Virginia Ritacca is a Toronto photographer and teacher.
First published in Accenti Magazine, Issue 15.