Despite the spread of smartphone and digital cameras, in the selfie’s era and image sharing on social networks, in the main Albanian cities an old generation of photographers continues to take snapshots, the so called Foto Çasti. The term “Foto Çasti” also defines a common photographer’s profile. Proudly showing their equipment, Foto Çasti walks along the main tourist areas, offering visitors a souvenir photo, sometimes a signed one if requested.

Photographers establish the location, the arrangement of subjects and poses to be taken, leaving nothing to chance. Over the years the tools have changed and the film cameras replaced by more modern (but already dated) digital ones, are only friezes to be immediately recognizable by potential customers. After the shoot, photographers run in the nearest lab and after about ten minutes they deliver they photos. This activity was so widespread in the past that in cities such as Tirana or Durres it was easy to meet dozens of Foto Çasti. Nowadays their presence is sporadic and influenced by the flow of tourists or weather (or as often happened during their search, by the health condition of the photographers themselves). For many decades the Foto Çasti has documented sunday walks, birthdays and various celebrations of Albanian families, producing for many of these the only family memories during the years of the regime. Today they are the last witnesses of a photography meant to disappear.