Fountains Abbey, near Ripon, England, was founded in 1132. It was in use for over 400 years and is one of the best preserved Cistercian monasteries in England. This photograph was made inside the Great Cloister, which physically and symbolically separated the world of the monks living at the abbey apart from the outside world. Prints available, please see the Purchase page for details. Click for a larger preview
In January/February 2013 I traveled throughout the southern Italian region of Puglia with my friend and client Ron Cooper and his wife, Beth. (Ruth also joined us at the end of the trip, for a weekend in amazing city of Matera.) Ostuni was one of the best places [photographically] we visited; there was so much to explore and shoot around the area. I’m just now processing through my selects from the days we spent there; here’s an image made from a hillside overlooking the town. Next I’m working on stitching a sunrise panorama facing the other direction … it looks amazing, stay tuned! Click for a larger version
An old cottage is covered by a large wisteria vine in the small village of Longborough in the historic and picturesque region of the Cotswolds, England. Prints available. Click for a larger preview
“Mezzaluna” photograph by Nat Coalson (click for larger image)
I made this image at sheep farm and artisan cheese maker Cascina Pistone in the Langhe region of Piedmont, Italy.
Upon entering the room, I was immediately drawn to the gentle shapes and beautiful window light. I spent a long while shooting this scene, first with the camera handheld, before deciding on the final composition and setting up the tripod.
Although the background and foreground are slightly blurred from a relatively shallow depth of field, this photo was captured using f/25 at 90mm on a 28-135mm lens. I tried many apertures and other settings before finding the “sweet spot” that provided just the look I was after. In the end, this setup required a shutter speed of 5 seconds for correct exposure (which is why the tripod was required).
I made this photo during my Italy Photo Tour in October 2012. It was an amazing trip, and many of my clients were able to produce similar photos and many others from equally beautiful locations. I have several photo tours in Europe planned for 2013; please contact me for details.
This image is available as a print in any size on paper and canvas.
Comments and shares always appreciated!
On October 6, 2012 Ruth and I visited Kenilworth Castle in the Midlands of England. It’s a fantastic medieval castle ruin and one of the most renowned of English historical castles.
While exploring the ruins I found this moody, dramatic inside corner with a circular staircase leading up to the floors above. I was glad to have my tripod with me, as this scene was lit with very low light levels requiring a 1.3 second exposure, even at ƒ 6.3.
View more of my photographs of England at http://www.NatCoalson.com/united-kingdom