This morning, we checked out of our hotel in Florence and
boarded our bus to journey out into the Tuscan hillside. There was a slight kerfuffle with our bus
driver and all of our luggage, but we worked it out in the end.
Our first stop was in the lovely town of San Gimignano (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Gimignano). There was no mistaking the origins of this
village what with all the medieval towers which this city is known for. The cobble stoned streets led from the outer
village through an arched entry into the heart of the fortress. All sorts of windy alleys led off the main
path to doorways to personal residences.
The main square was lined with shops, including “The Best Gelato in the
World”. Well, with a claim like that, we
just had to try it. While very good, I
think their PR firm might have hyped it a little.
Our home for the next three nights was a lovely La Torre Di
Gargonza (http://www.gargonza.it/) in Castello. This lovely bed
and breakfast sits atop a hillside with expansive views of the countryside
below. Several of the buildings now serve
as guest rooms. We started our stay with
a tour of the facilities which ended Prosecco and hors d’oerves on a
patio.
Natalie donned a gorgeous red dress for a photo shoot and
lighting demonstration on a terraced garden.
Joe showed how he would approach an assignment, looking for placement
and lighting to add interest to the photo.
We next each got a chance to use his lighting equipment to take our own
shots. While this sounds like a pretty
easy assignment, the thrill of the moment quickly overtakes the care needed to
a proper portrait. It was a great demo
for us.
Dinner for the next three nights would be on property. The food here is wonderful and accompanied
with regional wine. Served family style,
we quickly filled up on the offerings before retiring to our rooms to choose
pictures for tomorrow’s class.
Tomorrow: A full day in the country
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