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| Tuscany, Framed |
The rolling hills at Tuscany are like lines and lines of poems that rhyme and go on and on to no end. I did not use a telephoto lens and I felt that I could not focus on one segment without carrying it on to the others. As we cruised along the road, I fast-produced lots of panorama clips which seem to satisfy my anxiety to take in everything, but at end of the day, I found the images framed are more attractive and drive me to be more attentive.
I did bring my tripod, but it does not always practical coming to the popular tourist spot where I either had to dodge hundreds of heads or there was no extra room for a tripod. September is usually not a prime tourist season, but it still is here. I found myself constantly in the way of another photographer and had to snap my shots whenever there was an opening.
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| Grape Vines, Under and Up-Closer |
Lodging at the place next to the acres of the vineyard is an unforgettable experience. The smell of the rows and rows of ripen grapes flows into the air a sweet and vinegary aroma. It is enjoyable to walk down the vineyards; It is soothing to rest under the structured grape arbor; It is captivating and satisfying looking through a window with grape vines and ripen grapes hanging down… Wonder why I did not see such grape arbors in Willamette Valley. Maybe our grape vines are too young to be manipulated as a sustained structure?
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| The difference is in the Framing |
Not until a recent trip to Italy, I did not think much of open doors and windows without glasses. The distinctive history of Italy has established its exceptional styles of architecture. Instead of wood frames, there are stone and rock versions that often remind me of the stronghold and fortress in the historical Roman Empire. They were built upon a long and hard history, meant to be unbeatable and forever lasting. I wowed when I walked into this space and was wholeheartedly in love with what I saw. The view won’t be so stunning without the dramatic stone columns which bring in the contrast and frame for us a natural painting.
How do you like to live in a house where a large panel of open windows unwraps for you the whole world of the sea below and the blue sky above, right in front of you? Don’t you feel like you can walk on water and easily reach out to the sky? This house makes me dream. That’s what I am talking about…
Now I understand why Terra cotta color is so popular here. I cannot think of a better color to harmonize the sky and the earth, and to amplify the entire color scheme to its extreme, so perfectly.
photobychriskilpatrick.com 