Landscape as part of a Narrative

This is another urban landscape photograph that I am considering for my Instant Nomad Chronicles series as a follow up to my previous landscape article. This photograph could provide some background ‘color’ to my narrative about anxiety and travel. This would provide a broader environmental context that essentially sets the stage for where all of the anxiety occurs, as well as a part of the reason for the anxiety, since it represents a place other than home, especially when located mid-story.

In cinema, this might be construed as a bridging shot, to cover a jump in time or place or other discontinuity. A series of these bridging shots, including Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, France, England, China and now Italy would convey the hectic transitions of traveling. Hopefully the various urban landscapes would also convey an essence of time in conjunction with the anxious feelings related jet-lag.

This image was captured in the early morning after a light snow, with the town slowly awakening. Due to the jet lag, I hardly slept that night, mostly tossing and turning and finally giving it up to set up the camera and tripod to await the morning light. I had been to this hotel a number of times and I knew which rooms to request that provided an elevated vantage point of the older city located on the hill top. In the foreground lost in the shadows is a sheep pasture.

The blue cast to this photograph was not too far off of the actual color at this time of pre-dawn morning, with just enough city lights emerging across this urban landscape to add a very more patterns and visual interest. But not too many city lights as to still convey a sense of loneliness. Alone with my thoughts.

I am guessing that most Americans would not recognize this central region of Italy as many of the local Italians kept insisting that I was actually English since they have never recalled seeing an American in the area. I must admit, for an American on vacation, this area of Italy is not on anyone’s top ten to visit, but I find the region charming enough for my first published book, Ciociaria.

Cheers

Doug

____

Workshops:

Developing a Creative Photo Book, a virtual (Zoom) workshop I will be leading again in conjunction with Medium Photo, September 11th, 12th, 18th, & 19th, New dates: March 5 – 6, 12 – 13, 2022 More details and sign-up available now at Medium Photo. New Dates!

New Book Workshop added: I will be leading a Creative Photo Book workshop with the Southeast Center of Photography (SEC4P) later in the Fall of this year. This will be a virtual event (Zoom); November 6 & 7th and 13 & 14th, 2021, 10 AM – 1 PM, EDT (3 hour session each day, with a week between the weekend sessions to work your book-dummy). Registration is now open, and there is a SEC4P membership discount. Just advised that it is half-way sold out. Let me know if you have any questions!