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It's 4:30am in mid May and I'm in the Val D'Orcia, which is without doubt, for me anyway, the most photogenic region of Tuscany in Italy. It was a chilly morning but as such, it was one full of promise. At this time of year you have to be out early but believe me, it's worth the early start. This is when the magic happens.
I had travelled little more than 10 minutes from where I was staying to a road I knew well, one of the many Strada Bianca (white roads) where so often images lay in waiting. It was still fairly dark when I arrived but even then I could see mist laying in the valleys - just what I had hoped for. I found my spot, overlooking a wide valley where two cypress trees punctuated a landscape of undulating hills.
As the light levels rose and the morning slowly unfolded, the landscape revealed its treasures. There were some fabulous wider views to be had but I found myself drawn in particular to these two cypresses and the subtle layers of the landscape behind. The simplicity of the scene together, with the pastel shades of pink and blue, drew me in. A perfect, beautiful moment that was completely intoxicating.
I chose a long 200mm focal length to capture this image and after experimentation, adjusted the aspect ratio of my camera to 1:1 to help me visualise it in square format which I felt worked well.
In little more than an hour the temperature had risen and with it, the magic had gone…but I had my memory of that morning forever captured on my camera.
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Dimitri Vasileiou • Editor