Across the universe. A view of the Milky Way over the southern coast of Sardinia, in summer. This is a 6 shots stitched vertorama used, in conjunction with a simple post processing, to convey a realistic sense of wonder, that can be felt while looking at the sky, during a dark summer night.
Before the storm. A seascape of South Sardinia, Italy, taken some minutes before the arrival of a storm. To emphasize the threatening appearance and the speed of the dark heavy clouds, I used a Lee Big Stopper which extended the exposure time to about one minute.
A panoramic view of the lake Tovel and the surrounding mountains, in northern Italy. This image is a panorama made of 4 shots in portrait orientation. since the overcast caused quite some high contrast in the scene, every piece of the panorama has been captured overexposed and then underexposed, to be blended in order to recover the entire dynamic range.
Just above the small town of Pale, in Umbria, the river Menotre canalizes into narrow fissures in the rocks, generating many waterfalls. This is one of the jumps which can be found in the wood.
A path in the deep of the forest of Mount Cucco in Umbria, Italy. The natural park of Mount Cucco is a protected natural environment, as well as one of the most beautiful places in the mountain range of central Italy.
Sardinia, Italy. In a narrow canyon surrounded by limestone cliffs, a unique place forged by nature and by time is hidden in the deep of the forest: it’s a sinkhole with resurgence, whose waterfall feeds a pond. Depending on the time of the year and the weather, the waterfall can grow from a feeble stream to a roaring gush.
Rolling hills. Late afternoon in the countryside of Tuscany. The view of the fallow fields is an uncommon sight for a landscape which is famous for its vibrant green hills, nonetheless it’s a fascinating view. I decided to emphasize this mood using a monochromatic color grading, using the hues of the soil.
Contemplation. A detail of the Nachi no taki waterfall. This is a famous destination among travelers and japanese people as well, because of its beauty and its spiritual importance (being part of the “Nachi Taisha” temple area).
In this picture I’ve focused on the details, which are the soul of its beauty: the particular color of the stone, the complex and almost perfect vertical flow of the water, with its many small jumps, the way it creeps between the fissures and the presence of a pine tree which pushes out toward the water, all of this creates an almost poetic and timeless scene that brings to my mind the ancient japanese scroll paintings.
You can find the full blog post about the Kii peninsula at the following page: Kii peninsula: discovering the ancient natural and sacred heart of Japan
This photograph has been awarded with an Honorable Mention in the 2017 edition of the ND Awards: Contemplation – Category “Other”Nachi no Taki waterfall, near the important Nachi Taisha shinto shrine in Kumano Kodo, Kii peninsula. This is the tallest single-drop waterfall in Japan, and one of the most important because it embodies the spirit of Hiryu Gongen, a worshipped “kami” of Kumano Kodo. The view of the waterfall from its base and the roaring sound of the impact with the rocks makes you feel tiny and reveal the possible presence of the “kami” within this wondrous manifestation of the power of nature.
You can find the full blog post about the Kii peninsula at the following page: Kii peninsula: discovering the ancient natural and sacred heart of Japan
The Daimon-zaka is part of the Sankeimichi pilgrimage path in south-eastern area of the Kii peninsula; it is a monumental staircase made with cobblestones that climbs a slope of about 600 meters to reach the Kumano Nachi Taisha. The quiet atmosphere and the almost physical sensation of being embraced by the ancient forest establish some sort of spiritual bond with that natural place, arousing a pleasant peaceful feeling.
You can find the full blog post about the Kii peninsula at the following page: Kii peninsula: discovering the ancient natural and sacred heart of Japan
