🧳 2016: Pesaro, Pesaro e Urbino, Watten

Pesaro & Watten 2016: A Day of Art and Discovery

My camera is often my companion on journeys, big or small, and November 1st, 2016, proved to be a day of remarkable visual contrasts. This collection brings together moments from Pesaro, nestled in the Marche region of Italia, and the enchanting world of Watten, Austria. It was a day where my lens explored both the familiar charm of Italian urban landscapes and the fantastical artistry found in unexpected places. From the captivating light play on the Adriatic coast to the intricate details of grand installations, this album, titled 'Parchi e Attrazioni' and 'Installazioni artistiche', is a reflection of how art and environment constantly intertwine, no matter the distance.

Behind the Lens: Capturing Moments

• For these varied scenes, I relied on a mix of equipment. My trusty Canon EOS 700D, often paired with the versatile EF-S10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens, was perfect for capturing wide, immersive views, especially for the larger art installations and the sweeping vistas. For more spontaneous shots, or when discretion was key, my smartphones – the samsung SM-A715F, OPPO Find X5, and Sony G8141 – proved invaluable, offering remarkable quality and flexibility, particularly for intricate details and quick captures.
• Lighting was a constant character in these photographs. The challenge of sunset photography in Pesaro, with the dramatic silhouettes of the Ferris wheel and the shimmering reflections on the water, pushed me to experiment with exposure and dynamic range. Indoors, within the exhibition spaces, the controlled yet often complex artificial lighting for the installazioni artistiche demanded careful metering to preserve both highlights and shadows, especially in the geometrie in bianco e nero compositions. The dramatic effect of the Swarovski Kristallwelten in Watten, with its interplay of natural light and reflections, offered its own unique set of opportunities and challenges, pushing the ISO from a low 32 up to 1600 in dimmer conditions.
• This album traverses distinct environments. In Pesaro, the focus was on public spaces and urban photography, capturing the dynamic energy of a city by the Adriatic, with its unique blend of traditional architecture and modern attractions. The journey then took a dramatic turn to Watten, Austria, specifically the captivating Swarovski Kristallwelten. Here, the context shifted entirely to a world of curated art and immersive experiences, featuring monumental sculptures like the Volto verdeggiante con cascata and intricate miniature architectures, where every detail tells a story of imagination and craftsmanship.
• My photographic approach for this collection emphasized geometric compositions and the interplay of light and shadow. I was drawn to the abstract patterns found in both natural and constructed environments, from the precise lines of an installazione artistica to the reflections of a Ferris wheel at dusk. Techniques included seeking out strong leading lines, exploiting reflections for added depth, and often simplifying compositions to highlight the core subject, whether it was the bold form of a metallic sphere or the striking Volto verde scolpito nella collina. The goal was always to convey the emotion and scale of these diverse visual encounters.