Pienza, Val d'Orcia, a photo from Siena, Tuscany

Photographer's Note

Pienza, Val d'Orcia, has been described as a "touchstone of Renaissance urbanism." In 1996, UNESCO declared the town a World Heritage Site, and in 2004 the entire valley, the Val d'Orcia, was included on the list of UNESCO's World Cultural Landscapes. However, this photograph, while showing the beautiful valley and the famed Monte Amiata, doesn't do justice to the town itself. Maybe another future posting will redress the balance. This image was taken on Via Gozzante, part of the Passeggiata Panoramica which skirts the southern edge of the town. The girl appeared to be asleep, so I thought it would help the composition to include her figure; just as I was ready to shoot, she looked my way, but she smiled so I made the photograph anyway, and thanked her. She appears to be posing, but that's just serendipity. Even I get it sometimes!

Noel_Byrne, mumek, kato has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

ACL1978 (5775) 2013-01-12 7:01

The woman adds a kind of fashion-shoot feel to this one, Will, and I like how she links the two trees here. Beyond is a nice peaceful landscape with a misty mountain in the BG, very idyllic and peaceful - an interesting shot for TE and a successful one.

Andrew

saxo042 (31800) 2013-01-12 8:23

Hi Will,
This is a marvellous view here! You are right, inclusion of people always improves a photo. In this case you have also managed to combine the colour of her trousers with the colours of the background hill and further improved the harmony in the picture. An excellent contribution!
Kind regards
Gunnar

Noel_Byrne (7352) 2013-01-12 8:39

Hi Will
The girl certainly adds a beautiful element of life to your shot, and she has a very beautiful smile too. That combined with the wonderful peaceful backdrop makes a wonderful image.
All the best
Noel

SNOOP_Chan (3474) 2013-01-12 8:56

Hello Will, a lovely shot here. Her face tells me everything i need to know about Tuscany. Great take, amazing landscape.
Regards!

mumek (20190) 2013-01-13 13:53

Good evening Will!
The background is very picturesque, but even I am older man, I prefer look at a lovely girl in the foreground. This is a very beautiful composition / thanks to the girl/. Thanks for the note and thanks for posting
regards
ziggy

marabu61 (3914) 2013-01-14 7:23

Hello Will
a well composed shot. IMHO the girl is utterly essential for this shot to work. She adds just the right balance to the wide valley behind.
have a good day
Daniel

kato (6767) 2013-01-14 22:26

Hello Will,

You're capturing well this scene by a good angle and excellent tone/clarity, so it's interesting and impressive to see the beautiful valley of Tuscany with mild slope and rich compartmented cultivated field. It's effective for the woman who wears the clothes with a good sense and lies to the front. And, the ridgeline of mountain in the distance draws out an additional good mood in this image.

Kind regards,
mikio

Silvio1953 (98129) 2013-01-15 1:21

Ciao Will, lovely relaxing composition with nice girl, fantastic landscape with sweet hills, splendid light and wonderful natural colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

fabbs99 (5441) 2013-03-04 9:56

Hello Will,

Thats an amazing shot with excellent view of the vast plains of the valley with great sharpness and clarity.It is a very creative photo, well seen and executed-well.Very well done.

Best regards,
Farhat