NIGEL'S RAMBLES: Another Year Passes

We are almost at the end of another year and it is time to look back on the places I have visited and photographed during the year. I have not updated this Blog as much as I should have done, but my work has left me with little spare time this year.

My exploration of the area around Mantua ruled by the Gonzaga dynasty has more or less come to an end and I must find time to put together a Blurb book, which signals the end of a project.

My interest in Architectural photography has deepened, and I am enjoying the pleasures of "slow photography" with the set of shift lenses I have put together as well as a good geared tripod head. Working with shift lenses on a tripod is painstakingly slow, as the camera needs to be levelled precisely, but the resulting compositions are more precise.

Pieve San Paolo in Vendaso, Just over the border in Tuscany, was the starting point for this years project. I was fascinated by the primitive column capitals and my Romanesque Architecture project started with this little church.

Pieve San Paolo, Vendaso, MS

Codiponte in the Lunigiana was the second place I photographed form my new photographic project.

Codiponte, MS

Casola in Lunigiana

Lunchtime in Casola in Lunigiana

I have done very little hiking this year. I did do a nice walk in the snow in February at the Cerretto Pass.

Passo Ospedaletto, Ceretto, RE

I finished the Gonzaga series with a visit to their summer palace in Volta Mantovana

Palazzo Ducale, Volta Mantovana, MN

Another Romanesque building. This time the Duomo di Fidenza, with its wonderful carvings on the entrance.

Duomo di Fidenza, PR

A nice spring afternoon on Lake Garda, where I saw the way they once cultivated Lemons

Limone BS

limone BS

In April I had a long weekend in the UK, to visit some familiar places

Swainswick, Bath

Langridge, Barh

Swainswick, bath

Wells Cathedral

I finally found the Pieve di Sasso near Parma open, with its wonderful font

Pieve di Sasso, Neviano degli Arduini, PR

At the End of June I was in Florence for work. I managed to fit in some photography too.

The crypt, San Miniato, Florence

The Cathedral in Fiesole, FR

The curious Badia di Fiesole, FR

The crypt in Santa Trinità, Florence

On the back of another work trip, I made a big detour to visit the Pieve in Rivolta d'Adda, with its superb Romanesque column capitals

Rivolta d'Adda CR

In July it was time for the seaside in Liguria. We found some time to see the new bridge in Genova, rebuilt in record time after the Morandi bridge collapsed.

Ponte San Giorgio, Genova.

Some Fascist era architecture , Chiavari, GE

The Bardone Abbey with its unusual Romanesque brickwork. Bardone, GE

In August the River Po was at a record low level.

Boretto, RE

Boretto RE

Another addition to my Romanesque project. The Abbey in Fontevivo near Parma

Abbazia di Fontevivo, PR

In late September we were in France to see a few places

Colmar

Reims Cathedral

Aix les Bains

Up into the high Apennines to Berceto to see the cathedral that was the last staging post on the Medieval Via Francigene, before crossing over into Tuscany