Podere Belvedere is one of Tuscany’s iconic hilltop farmhouses, making it a compelling subject for landscape photographers.
Located in the much-photographed UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Val d’Orcia, it is understandably one of the most popular locations for photography, simply because it is picture-perfect. From the overlook where this image was taken, the scene appears timeless. An old farmhouse (now a bed and breakfast accommodation) sitting atop a small hill, surrounded by groves of olive trees; the rolling green hills and fertile wheat fields surrounding it, so typical of the Tuscan countryside; lone trees and avenues of perfectly-aligned cypress trees dotting the landscape in the distance; and to complete the visual feast, the ever-changing mystery and mood created by low hanging mist in the early morning before dawn. No two mornings are ever the same.
There are so many compositions here. The scene lends itself to wide panoramas that showcase the soft beauty of the undulating landscape contours, with the rule of thirds applied perfectly. Close in with a telephoto lens and we can highlight the timeless charm of the farmhouse itself, surrounded by cypress; the curve of its driveway, almost drawing us into the front door; and the canvas of olive groves on which it appears to be painted. As the mist moves through the valley, it can envelop the house, causing it to appear mysterious, ghostly and spooky, even, isolated and somehow inaccessible, as if concealing secrets.
Of the three sets of images I made here this year, each beautiful in its own right, this is the one which I felt best conveys the story I wanted to tell about Podere Belvedere. One of mood, mystery and timeless charm.
