Behind Pienza, Tuscany

Last year as we drove around the Tuscan countryside in the late afternoon, we asked our driver to turn off onto a narrow dirt road. There are many roads criss-crossing the farmlands below Pienza, so that without the trusty GPS on my watch, I don't think I could get back to many of the locations.

There was hardly a cloud in the sky and as the sun sank towards the horizon, it cast beautiful deep shadows over the hills, while still highlighting higher areas. This vineyard struck me from a distance, but I struggled to get the others enthusiastic enough to stop. And as a tour leader, I didn't feel I should take the time when there could be even better things around the corner. Was I concerned? No. I think this is the part of travel photograph I love the most, when you're on the road, exploring and finding new and exciting locations. If you miss something, there's a good chance serendipity will step in and you'll end up with something even better.

Fortunately, a hundred metres or so later, serendipity did strike because something else attracted the group's attention and we stopped. So, I got my photo, but as I write this, there's a part of me that wonders if you will like it as much as me! I mean, if it's such a great photo, why didn't everyone else respond the same way in the first place. And I guess we already know the answer to this - because we all see the world so differently.

I also think having a vision of what you can do to a photo when you press the shutter helps. I knew I could darken the shadows so the vines stood out. I knew I could increase the colour saturation on the vines as well. I loved the shape and the abrupt conclusion of the vineyard next to an empty field. And the panoramic format and curved borders are from the portfolio of images taken in Italy and France last year - called Wanderings. You can purchase an eBook with them if you're interested - click here. 

So, my background, my interests, my experiences allowed me to pre-visualise something that I really liked. On this occasion, I was the only one, but still it's a great example of why keeping a database of ideas and post-production techniques is so useful in the creative process, because together ideas and editing are going to transform your captures into the final rendition.

Sometimes it's helpful to know how you're going to treat a photo at the time of capture. I hope you like it!