When photographer Emanuele Camerini was 11, he appeared on Italian television to select the five winning numbers for the weekly lotto. That night, he determined someone’s luck. But sweatier palms or a less comfortable shirt could have taken a little extra cash out of one person’s pocket and put it into another’s. That’s how luck goes. What it can do is immense, where it comes from is unknowable.
In many cultures, different deeply held beliefs are thought to spur on, or at least understand, good fortune and stave off bad luck: rainbows, shooting stars, gold. Below, a series of Camerini’s photos explore some of those concepts and how they manifest in everyday life.
What remains of a scratchcard is a little foothill made of hope. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
The remains of a coffee reading from a fortune teller. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
What remains of a scratchcard is a little foothill made of hope. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
The remains of a coffee reading from a fortune teller. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
A reflection of a golden peak in Austria. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Riccardo Silvestri, 12, spends almost every weekend with his dad looking for gold in a creek near Turin. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Costis Mitsotaki, the unluckiest man in Sodeto, Spain. He was the only townsperson who refused to buy a share of a lottery ticket. In December 2011, the entire village won. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Riccardo Silvestri, 12, spends almost every weekend with his dad looking for gold in a creek near Turin. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Costis Mitsotaki, the unluckiest man in Sodeto, Spain. He was the only townsperson who refused to buy a share of a lottery ticket. In December 2011, the entire village won. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
A double rainbow over Kalsoy, one of the Faroe Islands. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
An empty fortune cookie wrapper, found on the street. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Is the glass half empty or half full? Perception can help determine luck. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
An empty fortune cookie wrapper, found on the street. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Is the glass half empty or half full? Perception can help determine luck. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
"Make your wish." A shooting star on a summer night sky. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
The practice of palmistry is believed to divine the future. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Specks of gold dust. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
The practice of palmistry is believed to divine the future. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Specks of gold dust. Emanuele Camerini / The Outline
Emanuele Camerini is a photographer living and working in Italy.
