Staying in Pienza located in the Province of Siena, Tuscany or more specifically in the Val d’Orcia, I was up early hoping for some ground fog at Belvedere, west of town. But when I got there, it was clear and mild; no ground fog for this early October morning. So, having checked out the Agriturismo Poggio Covili farther to the south with its line of cypress trees, I got in my car and quickly drove down SR-2 to the spot I had picked out to shoot the Viale di Cipressi and farm back lit against the glow of the early morning sky and the rising sun. Stopping a little east of the creek bed along with a fellow photographer after the same scene I got out my camera and began shooting producing this compelling simple image.

I had long wanted to visit Tuscany, its Val d’Orcia, its rolling hills, churches, vineyards, the hill towns of Montepulciano and Monticchiello along with the wonderful wine of Montalcino. A family trip to the Province of Siena made it possible, with trip beginning and ending in Florence. Including Siena along with Pienza. Pienza is ideally situated as it is centrally located to wonders of this part of Tuscany and is a delightful small town in its own right. One would expect nothing less since Pope Pius the II had his summer residence here. But what we liked best was the Tratoria Latte di Luna at the Eastern part of Pienza.

I have long been a fan of simplistic images, using a fair amount of negative space to enhance to feel of the moment. The wonderful yellowing glow with the blue of the sky, richly offsets the black of the cypresses and farm. I must admit that I enlarged the waning crescent moon of that morning to compensate for it being diminished by shotting at 38mm.