Capturing the Chianti on camera...

Is not an easy feat. But a challenge well met by the happy visitors of my Tuscan Wine Tours with Angie. The Chianti is of an enchanting beauty with its rolling sun-kissed hills. To capture some images of the cheerful spirit of our trips and to share the pretty photos taken I decided to open a photo contest. Over twenty people sent in their prettiest snapshots, which were published on Facebook open for public judgment.  After some weeks of open contest, the result was very very close. In fact, we ended up in a tie! I am proud to announce that the winners are…

The Rokos Family from Boston

Jacqueline Bernardin from San Diego, California

Congratulations to the happy winners! I will personally choose some of the best samples of Chianti wine and send them over for you to share some Tuscan sunshine with your friends and family.

The beautiful result of this contest was not only a collection of pictures of a cheerful day in the vineyard, but also a demonstration of the beauty of the Chianti in every season. Where most people imagine the Chianti as a place of summer sunshine, the area is equally breathtaking in the less sunny seasons. Many of the pictures in the photo contest were taken in autumn and spring, showing the vineyard in its different stages of maturity.

The winter vineyard in its rugged beauty

From grape to wine

The cheerful atmosphere of a cellar tour

The typical Tuscan cypress-lined lanes

Playing with oak, clouds and sunshine against a gorgeous background

I would also like to congratulate the contestants who did not win the photo contest. There were plenty of good runner-ups that equally artfully managed to catch the spirit of the Chianti. And for any future vineyard photographers I would like to share the following advice that proved useful to me over the years:

1.      Light

Vineyards are sunny places, blessing the vines with plenty of sunshine to produce tasty grapes. However, all that light might produce good wine it does not necessarily produce good photos. Good photos need soft light, no the harsh light of midday. Photographers use to refer to the first hour after sunrise and the last hour before sunset as “the Golden Hour”, the two hours a day with the perfect soft light that kisses your pictures rather than over-light them. 

2.      Distractions

There are always small distractions that can spoil the general picture: a bad grape, a brown leaf, a lost piece of plastic. If possible, one could remove these distractions totally or angle the camera such that the particular distraction is not visible on the picture. Be aware when re-angling the camera though, you might discover another distraction!

3.      Look for eye catchers

Vineyards are very natural places with a plenty of possible eye catchers. Natural variety can create intense colored leaves and grapes, or interestingly curly vines. Do not forget the breathtaking effect a partially clouded sky could have: bright blue with white.

4.      Steady Camera

Vineyards have very rocky and rough surfaces and it is not always easy to keep a steady hand while making a picture. To avoid shaky and blurry pictures you could either take a tripod/monopod or search for a local rock or branch to steady your camera.

5.      Patience is a virtue!

Most important is a small amount of… patience. It takes some time to remove distractions, look for eye catchers and to steady the camera. Use your walk through the vineyard to spot nice images to catch. Take your time to find the right angle. 

Enjoy the view, take a few snapshots and relish in their memory with a glass of good Chianti wine!