One click at a fair of Vicoforte Sanctuary

Last night I was driving home, in Vicoforte, a small town in the province of Cuneo, was the last day of the famousfair of the Sanctuary. I passed through the people in my car and at one point I had the idea.

Luckily I had my trusty 40d with Manfrotto tripod because the night before I went to photograph the fireworks.

At the carnival this year there was a carousel incredible, at least 20 m high that revolved on a pivot at the ends of which were fixed 4 seats. Photographically beautiful.

The result is a click 4 seconds f 10 iso 200.

The event is one of the oldest fairs in the Piedmont that they are not lost. Every year on September 8 to 10 at theNativity of Mary, the patron saint of Mondovi and Monregalese, hundreds of stalls and cattle traders of all kindsgather around the majestic Sanctuary of Vicoforte.

The fair began practically together with devotion to the ancient shrine around which was built the Sanctuary. Legend has it that the chest of the fresco of Mary and Child gushed blood after Giulio Sargiano hit him by mistake hunting.We are in 1592. From those years during the feast of September 8, thousands of pilgrims from everywhere began to pour into the surrounding areas and also the fair was born spontaneously.

Once it was an unmissable event for all the inhabitants of the nearby Liguria Monregalese and today is a bit more commercial.

I still remember my grandfather telling how to Roburent, not very close, we went in procession to the sanctuary of Vicoforte through roads and trails lost in the woods. Logically did not go empty-handed, they brought the fruits of the summer almost over trying to earn some money or exchange it for products which are difficult to cultivate in the mountains in preparation for winter. Stories of the past that have transmitted to us the beauty of the event. 

Landscape Photography Workshop at the Refuge Mondovi by Luca Gino and Mondoviphoto

In the weekend of 14 and July 15, 2013 I was able to attend the workshop organized by landscaped Mondoviphoto the refuge Mondovi.

The two days were held , despite the bad weather that has not left us to do everything we had planned.

The teacher Luca Gino had an incredible patience to answer all the questions of the participants despite the fatigue of the marches and genepy Mariolino that have really made ​​my evening creating applications is not just suited to the subject.

During the event it was possible to try a set of Manfrotto tripods and heads , two systems Cokin filters , some optical panoramic Samyang provided by Magic Fowa photos and video and a set of Lee filters provided by the teacher.

All of this material was detected truly rise to the occasion . We were particularly amazed Samyang lenses for image quality in the photographs of the night sky. A sharpness that, say some, even the Zeiss is able to guarantee wide open . For the rest, are well known to the construction quality of both stands both for systems of creative filters .

After the meeting at the door of Pian Marchisio at 10 am on Saturday, starting for the first location which will then be reached again in the evening for the sunset.
You stop, Luca tells us countless rules and tricks, someone already doing some test shooting even if the condition is not ideal.
Around 12 we move to the Refuge Mondovi that awaits us for lunch , everything good in the afternoon again Luke tells us other rules and take the opportunity to do some shooting water from a nearby stream using various filters , polarizers , degrading , neutral .
When the light begins to fall we are moving back to the area chosen , the sunset unfortunately gives us great emotions because of the clouds coming up that just the most beautiful darken the sun. Some shots worthy of note , however, turns up.
Around 21 we are back at the shelter , we make dinner , here are a few members of the group exaggerate a bit ' with the digestive and no longer be able to take to the stars ....
Following up 1 .30 am shooting to the sky in the meantime it is clear from the clouds .
All to bed for a few hours , the alarm rings at 4:30 am and you 've got it right ... just like that , the work of the landscape is not compatible with sleep .
The alarm sounds undeterred and all down the camp , someone seems to have turned a chainsaw and the alarm is only the lesser of noise. We open the windows and the weather is not on our side again , probably skip the sunrise , but we carry on the same place , you never know .
At 6 o'clock we are in the area, as it turned even the shadow of the sun , only clouds. Under these conditions, the only alternative is to try to do some shooting water or some macro. After a little ' of shots we go back to the shelter would expect for breakfast, perhaps for many was the most expected after the early rising and the bitter cold of the morning .
In any case, it was a wonderful experience as every time when a group of friends with the same passion is found can not be otherwise .

One of the many pictures taken during the two days.
Canon 40D Tamron 17-50 2.8 cokin filters to graft the front polarizer 2 stop more degrading .

Some pictures at the alpine hut Mondovì - Ellero Valley

Two weeks ago, I and my colleague, Maxpina, we went to the shelter Mondovi to do some test shots in anticipation of mid-July Photo Workshop organized by our association.
The area is located in Val ellero, short valley in the province of Cuneo and the time chosen was the sunset.
We drove around looking for a good place to pull off something decent, but I have to say that my best shots were with my party colleague.
I'll show some of them.
This is me at work, as you can see the area is beautiful and at that time there was still a lot of snow. The shot was made with a Canon Mark 3 and the Sigma 12-24.

My mountains through a lens

This shot is born so coincidentally, I was removing the headlamp to clean the lens. I disassembled, cleaned, and we'll give you a look through, I immediately had the idea to take a picture. Unfortunately, it was impossible with the camera, the lens is too large, but with your camera phone, a Samsung Galaxy Wonder, anything is possible.
The quality is not the best, but considering that I've always behind the times it takes some whims.

A few photos with the Sigma 180 Macro and Canon 40d

I finally had time to fix some shots done with the Sigma 180 Macro April 25 in Varaita valley.
I must say that also hides qualities as a portrait lens and I was very surprised having always used to take pictures of flowers and insects. Below I have posted a picture made ​​my girlfriend with a 100% crop to understand why I was amazed.
These few clicks.

One day with Sigma 12-24 and canon 40d

On April 25, I left early in the morning, although the weather did not promise anything good, armed with my Canon 40d and all objectives.
The idea was to make some shots worthy of the name and spend a relaxing day.
The goal by the Varaita.
Unfortunately, the light throughout the day was not the best and I had to keep the ISO high enough, the 40d is no longer a youngster and this machine feels the weight of years.
First stop, a place found by chance on the river Maira near Busca during the journey, at a certain point and step on a bridge, looking down, I see the ruins of a mill and the crib style canyon.
Engaging the Sigma 12-24 and I do some shooting.

The ruins of the mill, I have not taken a picture of the outside because it was all submerged vegetation. Note the entrance to the beautiful fresco.

After this short break we moved, we had some breaks here and there, but the only shots of note with this view I made them in the lake dry seeds of Pontechianale shortly before returning home in the afternoon. The landscape was still purely winter and seemed to be in a Norwegian fjord.

In conclusion, the Sigma 12-24 I consider it a great lens with a truly remarkable value for money, considering that it is located on the new € 750. Unfortunately, I'm just taking advantage of being born to cover a full frame.
The only flaws are its maximum brightness of f 3.5 and the impossibility of montarci filters having the last lens protrudes from the petals of the lens hood.
But I saw photographers who have built media craft to be able to mount the filter lee. Sooner or later I'll try and let you know.
During the day I also did a few shots with the Sigma 180 macro, but that's another story.

Two hours in the garden with the Sigma 180 macro and canon 40d

The other afternoon I was at home in crisis from migraine with aura.
At one point, the headache goes a bit and leaves me a breather then put his nose out of the house with my trusty 40d and Sigma 180 macro.
The light was perfect, overcast, occasionally a little 'sunshine. The tulips bloom and just all around a swarm of life.
Despite the physical form was not the best I've taken something.

I hope you enjoy them and I would like once again to congratulate the Sigma 180 macro which is really a bomb. Are you about to stories and photos.

Photoshow 2013 - Milano

These days it is being held in Milan on Photoshow 2013 national event for all lovers of photography.
Despite the crisis, this year we had to turn to the various booths along with friends mondoviphoto .
Unfortunately, he felt the lack of some historical figures such as Manfrotto , Leica, Olympus and many other small exhibitors who filled every space in past editions .
This year, if you ask me I think they've done a master stands Nikon , Samsung and Sony. Canon would have to be at least equal to , but in his booth there was the joy and the desire to involve the public as in the other just mentioned . I would have expected a grand debut of the GoPro camera , however there was only one shop style stand and two monitors that repeated over video advertising that can also be found on the web.
Another interesting thing about the presence of some radio-controlled drones which could be mounted several cameras but the prices really prohibitive.
Now I put a bit of photos I captured with my canon 40d trusts and the Tamron 17-50 f 2.8 .