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Giancarlo Gallinoro

@giancarlogallinoro

An artist's perspective

Awaiting Winter

I had dreamed of going to the Arctic for so long that I really wanted to make every second of my stay in Svalbard count. So I got in touch with a local guide, Oddgeir Sagerup (@seeandexplore), to maximize my chances of encountering wildlife. But I was well aware that even with a guide, there was no guarantee I would see anything at all, so I kept my expectations low. 

When we got to the location, the conditions were the best I could have asked for: moody weather, soft light, and a touch of mist. We started walking in silence while scanning the scree above us. 

Then Oddgeir mentioned that a family of Arctic foxes lived in that area. As you can imagine, this made my expectations skyrocket. And then, just as we were walking, we saw what looked like a snow-white cotton ball on the dark scree not far ahead. And then, as it got closer, we realised what that small cotton ball was: a beautiful and fluffy Arctic fox right there in front of us. I was on cloud nine as it was such a wonderful encounter.

We slowly laid down, trying to be as quiet as possible, while the fox kept sneaking around and smelling our scent in the air, always checking on us to see what we were doing. I can’t tell how long this majestic fox stayed around for, as I completely lost track of time. But after a while, it ran back to the scree. It then stopped just a few meters away from where the edge of the mist was, and looked back at us once more before curling into a little furry ball.

Arctic Fortress

When I planned my first trip to Svalbard, I made a mistake I quickly regretted: I didn’t pick a window seat on the plane. It wasn’t until we were flying over the archipelago that I realized what a silly decision that was. Everyone was suddenly glued to their windows with eyes wide open, staring at some of the most incredible views to be seen. “Next time!” I lied to myself, although I was pretty sure there wasn’t gonna be a next time. This was to be a trip of a lifetime.

However, just a few months later, that next time presented itself: my application for the Svalbard Guide Training course had been accepted. It was the beginning of a new adventure and chapter of my life, and I was so stoked to go back to the island.

I booked a ticket that same day, and this time around, nothing was between me and a window on the plane. 

I thought I was prepared to enjoy the beautiful view when the scenery finally appeared out of the clouds. But I just couldn’t believe how magnificent it was. The sharp ridges, the icy textures and patterns, and the cold winter light shining on the snowy peaks all contributed to making the moment unforgettable.

Whiteout Ahead

This photograph embodies my idea of fun. Nothing puts a smile on my face more than glaciers, white-out, and freezing-ass wind. It might sound foolish for some, but being out there in challenging conditions is like taking a cold shower: it forces you to be present and live in the moment (ask @iceman_hof). There was no better way for me to start my adventure in the Arctic.

After leaving the settlement behind us, we headed towards the wilderness of the Adventalen, which is a 30km long valley that runs along the Isfjorden. In surprisingly good weather, we started our ascent to the Foxfonna glacier, following the edge of a scree that overlooked the valley. Less than an hour later, the weather suddenly turned, and the Arctic showed its real face. However, when we reached the glacier plateau, the visibility was still good enough to appreciate the scenery. There was ice in every direction! 

We decided to walk a bit further. And finally we reached the edge of this spectacular crevasse, where two margins of the glacier meet. Just as we were about to pass it, the weather took another turn. In a matter of seconds, it was full-on white-out!

The Lighthouse Keeper

Svalbard is more extensive than many people think. However, there are only 40km of roads in total, and they concentrate mainly in and around town. I really wanted to take a look a bit further than where I could walk to. So I hopped on a boat to Pyramiden – an abandoned soviet coal mining settlement – which sailed along the Isfjorden and stopped by the Nordenskiold Glacier. 

It hadn’t crossed my mind to check the sea forecast beforehand. And that was fortunate; otherwise, I would have probably chickened out (let’s just say I don’t handle rough seas particularly well!) The silver lining was that it forced me to spend the whole 8 hours above deck. And that’s where the succession of jaw-dropping views, in pretty much all possible weather conditions, did a decent job at keeping my mind off my stomach. 

For the whole journey, aside from Pyramiden, there were no signs of human presence at all. So when, on the way back, a bright red shape on the coastline caught my eye, I was pretty surprised to see a lighthouse in what looked like the middle of nowhere. But only when I looked through my 600mm lens to get a closer look, I noticed a reindeer sitting in front of the lighthouse, almost as if it was guarding it. Now, that was good timing!

These four pictures are some of my favorite shots from Svalbard. They all have something in common: they represent both the fulfillment of a lifelong dream and a new starting point for me. Nothing compares to being there in person. However, I've done my best to convey those moments' intensity and the sense of wonder I felt there. And I hope that hanging these prints on a wall will make people feel a bit closer to the majesty of the Arctic.

When I get back from a trip, I don’t usually start working on any of the photographs I took straight away. Unless, of course, I have a deadline. I wait a few days or so to let the experience sink in. There is no rational explanation for this, but it really helps me get the editing right.

Once I’ve made my selection of shots, I start “playing” with them in Camera Raw. I try to see how they respond to specific editing steps, sometimes using a few custom presets. 

Once I’ve got a feel for it, I reset all the parameters to default and start with the actual edit. From this point on, I don’t usually use any presets, as each photograph has a different story. And so I work on it in a slightly different way.

In the case of the Arctic Fox photograph, for example, I really wanted to emphasize the sense of isolation with the cold and misty conditions we had that day. Also, the contrast between the white fur and the dark rocks was essential, as it told a story on its own: the fox was already in its winter coat, but there was no snow. So this meant that winter was late this year. 

Now my editing workflow has evolved a bit since I first took this photograph. However, if I had to summarise the process in a few steps, it would look something like this:

1) I started by adjusting the basic parameters in Camera Raw to get a neutral and balanced starting point: exposure, white balance, contrast, highlights/shadows, vibrance/saturation.

Then I worked on the contrasts:

2) Luminance contrast first, using curves, levels, and local adjustments to separate the subject from the background. 

3) And then Colour contrast by reducing the intensity and saturation of secondary colours in the HSL tab. In this case, I dialed down some greens and purples, which automatically made the primary colours more prominent. This helps “clean up” the picture, making it easier to look at.

4) When I was happy with that, I worked on the “atmosphere”, emphasizing the mist at the top and the shadows at the bottom, to guide the viewer’s eye.

5) I moved on to the photo’s overall grading to give it a “colder” look. I do this with colour balance in photoshop and/or gradients and split toning in camera raw.

6) As a final step, I adjusted the sharpness. I always leave this at the end, as the sharpening amount depends on where I’m publishing the photo. I do it selectively, leaving the background untouched (or sometimes I might actually soften it a touch). And then I progressively sharpen towards the center of attention in the image.

Awaiting Winter

Giancarlo Gallinoro

This is clearly a simplified process. Some pictures require barely any work. Some others are a bit heavier on the editing side, depending on the result I want to achieve. There’s a lot of back and forth involved, and sometimes I might start from scratch if I am not satisfied with the final look. I enjoy editing as much as I enjoy taking photographs, so I’m quite happy to spend some time on it. 

YOU CAN NOW SUPPORT GIANCARLO'S CAREER!
Svalbard_Longyearbyen_arcticfox_@giancarlogallinoro
Awaiting Winter_@giancarlogallinoro

Awaiting Winter

€50.00 – €90.00

Year: 2020  Artist: Giancarlo Gallinoro

– Open Edition Gallery Quality Photography
– Certificate of Authenticity
– Printed on Gallery Premium Art Paper

SKU: PT-GG01-1-1 Category:

Description

About “Awaiting Winter” and Giancarlo Gallinoro

“Photography is a bit like writing a song. While you’re writing it, you can lose yourself in the moment, and that moment is only yours – a moment of introspection. But then, when you share it with other people, it becomes everyone’s and it can really break barriers.”

Printing

Photos are printed on high quality paper at an art gallery that is specialized in printing, having their own equipment.

Eco-friendly

Paper used for the prints is ecological and 100% recycled.

Shipping & Delivery

Each order is unique and will be printed on request. That means that it takes some time to process the order. Once your product has been sent, you will receive a confirmation email.

Please check your contact details carefully when placing your order, so the courier company can contact you in case of unexpected circumstances.

You should receive your order within 2-10 business days.

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For all international orders, import taxes, duties and tariffs (if any) should be paid according to your country’s governing laws in order to clear customs.

Additional information

Weight0.5 kg
Dimensions10 × 10 × 60 cm
size

15×20 cm, 20×30 cm, 30×40 cm, 40×50 cm, 60×40 cm

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