Description
About “Gran Sasso National Park” and Roberto Rinaldi
This is Gran Sasso National Park, Central Italy. The mountain you see is not one of the main mountains in the park, which is why I love it so much. It’s not much visited by hikers and alpinists, so it is the wildest of peaks around the area, offering a stunning panoramic view.
During wintertime, the mountain is exposed to some very strong winds – I had to give up on reaching its top several times. The wind can become so strong you are barely able to stand strong on your legs. The last time I went there, it took me three days to reach the top of the mountain because of the wind – In essence, it took me three days to finally capture this scene and get this shot. In addition, I had to make sure to be there very, VERY early in the morning, as I wanted the snow pattern on the ground not to be destroyed by other people walking on it.
I love this photo because of the calmness and sense of peace, and because of the snow, which I crazily love. It makes every landscape particularly photogenic. Since there are several different elements in this picture, I chose this composition in order to not make the scene too chaotic.
The picture is divided into four equal horizons or layers. First, the sky, the second the Gran Sasso Mountains, and the third plus fourth layers are the ground, covered in snow and nicely modeled by the wind. I have assigned two layers to the snow-covered ground because I wanted to highlight its pattern and the (artistic) power of the wind.
The first three characters, the sky, the mountains, and the ground, are easy to distinguish. However, the most interesting is the fourth character, which you cannot really see but it’s there and it is hugely contributing to the final result: the wind. If you think about it, being able to capture a non-material or intangible element is something you can actually achieve. This is the power of photography.
When editing, my first rule was “do not overdo”. Especially when dealing with snowy landscapes, I believe over-editing the photo will create a very unnatural result. I have slightly edited this photo on Lightroom, by simply adjusting the temperature settings and increasing the contrast and shadows on the ground covered in snow with the aim of bringing out and emphasizing the tridimensional pattern.
As a generally impatient person, this photo has been a challenge and taught me about patience. I had to go back several times and both face AND use the power of the wind to finally get this shot. So, if you really want to achieve the result you are looking for, be patient and wait for the right moment. And anyhow, not a single minute is wasted. You will have lots of time to practice and improve your skills while waiting for the perfect moment!
Printing
Photos are printed on high-quality paper at an art gallery that is specialized in printing and has its own equipment.
Eco-friendly
The paper used for the prints is ecological and 100% recycled.
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