Peter Albu is a junior at Florida State University majoring in exercise-physiology. Originally from Chicago, Peter was introduced to photography through his uncles, with whom he has been capturing events for over five years. Now living away from home, he has shifted his focus to the artistic side of the craft, specializing in black-and-white street photography from cities around the world. Life in Monochrome came to be after living in Panama and Columbia with FSU International Programs study abroad opportunity. Peter’s work explores contrast, shadow, space, and silhouettes to evoke emotion. His aim is to highlight the beauty, complexity, and humanity found in unfiltered moments.
We sat down with Peter to ask about his exhibition and about his work as an artist. You can see Life in Monochrome on the 3rd floor in the Strozier Legacy Gallery for the entirety of the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 semesters.
- Tell us about this show – give our readers a brief introduction to the work you are exhibiting with us this semester.
If I could sum up this show in one word, it would be chaos. From exploring remote islands to getting shot at a protest, each photo in this exhibit tells a unique story of my time spent studying abroad in Panama. All of the photos are shot in black and white, and capture the raw, authentic, day-to-day lives of people living in completely different worlds than us.
2. Where are you from or what is your background, and how does that inform your work?
My cultural/ethnic background is Romanian, but I grew up in Chicago. It was in high school when my uncles, Bogdan and Adrian, both got me into photography. Their influence on my creative outlook, mixed with my culturally diverse upbringing, is what drives my work today. As an international photographer, I’ve shot and documented photos in cities all around the world, spanning over ten countries.
3. What is your favorite work in this show? Tell us a little more about the story behind it.
Funnily enough, my favorite work from this show has no name (technically it’s called Untitled #77.) What made me choose this photo is the raw and powerful emotion that it carries through the man and his eyes. I noticed the man with no arm sitting down, asking people for help, but people simply kept walking by. I took the photo as I was passing by and decided to share it with the public to highlight the fact that some people exist and feel invisible in this world. Many people are rich in their own sense, and most are too oblivious to those who are less fortunate around them. To those who feel invisible, there will always be someone to lend a helping hand.
4. Do you have a preferred medium to work in? If so, why?
Most of the work that I have done in my life has been through digital photography, so I’d have to go with that. I find it to be much easier than film, but I have to say it’s definitely a lot less cool than film photography. I think black and white gives my photos a more vintage look, and lets me focus more on meaning than eye candy when shooting.
5. What does your artwork represent about you? What message do you want to send out into the world through your art?
The photos that I take represent my love for different cultures. Before studying abroad, I went from not knowing a single thing about Panama, to finding a place that I can call my second home. My photos remind me that I know so little about this world, and that every day is a day to learn something new. At the end of the day, there is nothing special about my work. What’s more special is the world that surrounds us and the people that come from different places with unique stories to tell. Sometimes it’s good to step outside of what you’re used to and to seek discomfort.
6. How does being a student impact your creative process?
As a student, it’s definitely hard to find time to shoot photos. I do have to say, on my days off, I like to walk around different parks in Tallahassee to relieve some stress and take some photos at the same time. I like to see it as an opportunity to try new things and get some nature photography sessions in.
7. Is research part of your art making process? If so, could you give us an idea of what that process is like? Where do you do research before you start making? Are there any specific kinds of information that are critical to your work?
I’d like to say I research composition methods, or photography settings, but the truth is that I don’t. When it comes to traditional research, I’m not a big fan. I am a visual learner, so I like to look at other artists who do similar work and take inspiration from them. A “research” session for me is typically just scrolling through Instagram posts of various photographers and noticing different techniques, or styles that they use. That way, it inspires me to try new things when it comes to shooting and allows for me to experiment with things that would have never come to mind.
8. Are there themes that pervade your work in general, not limited to the works included in this current exhibition?
Most of the work that I do is candid. When it comes to street photography, I like to feel as if I’m going out with no plan and shooting in the moment. That way, it feels like I’m capturing something true—something meaningful. Each person is doing something different, occupying their time with different things, and that’s really interesting to me.
9. What is your dream project or collaboration?
Dream project: I’ve always wanted to take photos on the field at an Arsenal game.
Dream collaboration: Alan Schaller, or Ovidiu Selaru. They’re both black-and-white street photographers based in London. I’d love to follow them around for a day, take some pictures, and just get to understand their mentality when it comes to taking photos.
10. Where can our readers learn more about you and your work? Please share any social media or personal contact information you’d like to have published on our blog.
@peter_albu_photograph on Instagram.
FSU Libraries’ Art in the Library Committee organizes visual and performing arts programming in its spaces to enrich the library as an aesthetic and academic environment. A major part of this program includes exhibiting artwork drawn from the FSU student body on a semester-long basis. Each semester, the committee interviews these student artists and shares their statements surrounding the work they’ve created; the views expressed in this interview are those of the artist. They share insights into their creative process, inspirations, and the themes they explore in their work, providing a deeper understanding of their artistic vision and the impact they aspire to have.
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