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Leonardo Pisano
@roamwithleo
Landscape photographer based in Italy
I have always loved photography, ever since I was little. My mother had an old roll camera and when I was about 8 years old, I stole it from her and started to take pictures of whatever crossed my sight. I remember once, during a school trip, I took it with me, only to realize with regret that if you rewind the roll and shoot again, the photos overlap and, of course, the roll is to be thrown away. I was just a child, I clearly didn’t know and was caught up in enthusiasm! I can say that photography has always been a part of my life, but I had never considered what it really was, where it would take me, what adventures it could offer me.
I had a blast with my first iPhone, a 6s to be exact. I took it with me on a school trip to Edinburgh, during a European project. I had taken a lot of photos and videos and when we returned to Italy I even created a video as a nice visual memory.
I decided to open an Instagram account in 2016 or so, posting photos taken exclusively with my phone. I did it mostly for fun, I had not yet taken photography seriously yet, although many people told me that I was good at photography. I have always been a closed and reserved person, and consequently, I did not listen much to others complimenting my work. However, it was thanks to Instagram that I began to discover more about the world of photography, and the wonderful places I am surrounded by, not only abroad but also here in Italy. We used to live in a house practically in the middle of the woods; the last house of a small mountain village. From the very beginning, I have admired these mountains, the walks in the woods, the feeling of calm and peace. And then, through Instagram and photography, I got to know that The Dolomites, for example, were just a two-hour drive from my house!
I guess I had never become aware of these other, even famous, places I was surrounded by because I’ve been living a lot of my life in a bubble of difficulty. My father was sick and my mother had to take care of both of us alone. She worked a lot and if she was away from work I had to stay with my father. Unfortunately, he left us in 2016, a week before my eighteenth birthday, which in Italy, like other countries, represents the age of majority.
"I didn't get to share many things with him, but I know that he is always with us, in one way or another."
So I rolled up my sleeves and finished school, albeit with low grades, and then my mother and I decided to take a two-month trip to the United States and Latin America (my mother has Colombian origins). Those two months were the turning point. Any trip, whether short or long, changes the person you are; you see new things, meet other people….and so my eyes were opened. Upon my return, I looked for work, and I succeeded. I started working as an Apple Technical Specialist, a job that only those who really appreciate technology and the tech world can really appreciate.
If it was the randomness of fate or destiny, my colleague turned out to be a photographer as his second profession. I began to ask questions: How an SLR works, how to shoot, about the photography industry, about composition… I decided to buy my first SLR, a Nikon D610, still a faithful companion on my adventures.
As mentioned, when I was a little younger, I wasn’t aware the dolomites were so close to home, I was shy and reserved, and preferred to stay home rather than go out and about. After all the changes I went through and when I finally got my driving license, I decided to give everything. To do everything. To see everything. It seems those mountains and landscapes only exist in fairy tales but it’s true, they exist and it’s all so huge and majestic. The emotions you feel cannot be described and can only be understood until you are there yourself.
"Photography now accompanies me all the time."
Fortunately, I’m always free on weekends. I can always afford to go around, even if for now I prefer the Dolomites as a destination, staying close to the area where I live. Nevertheless, the Dolomites are not the only reason why we call Italy Bel Paese, an expression first used in the middle ages that refers to Italy as Beautiful Country. There is Venice, Rome or Milan for those who like a city atmosphere. Those who favor nature, I absolutely recommend Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige, or Sardinia, one of the largest Italian islands. The beaches and the sea itself are incredible, it seems to be in the Caribbean, especially on some archipelagos.
DISCOVERING
ITALY
But unfortunately or fortunately, I will soon have to leave my country and move to the United States. A big step that involves big plans; I have become ambitious now. I know I will have to make many sacrifices, but I hope everything will be fine and I will be able to tap into many opportunities. My mother is already there, and I will move to both find my luck on the job market as an Apple technical specialist, and to follow my dreams. I want to travel by campervan and visit all the national parks, from Yellowstone to the Everglades, and capture all of it in the most meaningful manner.
I can say that photography has changed my life. If before I only wanted to stay at home, now I don’t want to stay there at all. I want to explore, get to know new places. I’m always curious to find out what is hidden after every step I take.
I consider myself lucky because I’m a person who feels good both in company and alone, because in reality, even when traveling alone, you are not lonely. You are traveling with yourself, for yourself. You do it to fulfill yourself, to feel good about yourself, to be autonomous and responsible. Thanks to my job and my savings, I was able to afford a few trips. I remember one in particular with my best friend. We went to Iceland for 10 days in February, the Icelandic winter. You’ve no idea how many adventures you can have in 10 days!
Despite the fact that we had to stop for three days because of a storm, we still managed to see more than we had planned, going from Keflavik to Eystrahorn, and then along the south coast to visit the Snaefellsnes Peninsula. I have one memory in particular that I cannot get out of my mind – The visit to the famous American wrecked plane c-117D, which landed in an emergency and was then left on the beach. The storm had just passed, but it was still very windy that day. I remember that we walked from the parking lot for about 30 minutes, perhaps we were rather quick thanks to the wind that was pushing us. Once we arrived the scenery was surreal. In the background, the evil was raging because of the wind. The flat, black beach stretched for miles while on the other side the mountains peaked into the sky. The place was incredible, and after spending some time, we decided to return. I don’t think I’ve ever worked so hard for a walk and to move forward on a flat surface. How long do you think it took us to get back? It may seem unbelievable, but because of the wind, it took us 1,5 hours to get back! Absurd, isn’t it? But despite the fatigue, once we got to the car, we had so many laughs. I owe a lot to Iceland, an incredible country that goes from the sea to the mountains in a few hundred meters, from volcanic lava to frozen lakes.
"Thanks to this magnificent land, the desire to travel and discover has grown more and more."
Usually, after a trip or an outing, I do not immediately check the shots I have taken. I prefer to enjoy the landscape in front of me and be part of it. Only once I come home do I turn on my computer and look at all the shots I’ve taken, both with my camera and with my trusty drone that I always carry with me to obtain a completely different perspective of all the places I visit. I must admit that buying a drone was the best investment I’ve ever made. I mean, who among us has never wanted to fly? Thanks to drones we can say that we can fly, in a certain sense.
I believe photography is an art, a way to express ourselves. In the editing or during the shooting, I often do not pay attention to any photographic techniques. I always try to capture the moment as I want it, obviously taking into account composition. Next, with the editing, I try to bring the viewers directly to that moment, to make them feel the magic as if they had been there with me as if they were watching with their own eyes like a child who sees something beautiful for the first time. I’m just a small creator from Italy, but I have big plans and hope to have a big impact through my photographs!
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