Ever since my first visit to the beautiful little town of Manarola, I knew that it was one of the most extraordinary places to photograph in the world. Even more astonishing, is that it’s just one of five towns that make up the famous region of Italy known as Le Cinque Terre, each of which have their own unique and beautiful charm.
In Manarola, this is one of my favorite vantage points because it requires a simple (yet technical) climb down to the rocks below. With some careful hand and foot placement, it’s easy to find a nice spot all to yourself – well away from the typical tourist path. Just don’t forget your bottle of wine at the top because it’s a long way back up.
I know I say it a bit too often but I just can’t help myself. I absolutely love Italy. 🙂
Technical Mumbo Jumbo
Camera: Nikon D800
Lens: 14-24 f/2.8 (Shot at 19mm)
Tripod: RRS TVC-33 / BH-55 Ballhead / RRS L-Plate
ISO: 100 at f/8
2 Exposures: 15 / 30 sec
Location: Shot in Manarola, Italy – May 2013 and post-processed in Key Largo, Florida – August 2013
Hardware: 15” 2013 Macbook Pro Retina, Wacom Intuos5 Small Tablet
Software: Lightroom 5, Photoshop CS6, Nik Color Efex Pro 4
Technique: 2 exposures blended manually in Photoshop. The 30 second exposure accounts for the main scene as well as the soft water and sky while the 15 second exposure makes up the highlights. Additional sweetening with Nik Color Efex Pro 4 and simple Luminance Masking Techniques.
Espresso: Cafe Bustelo (a South Florida classic)
