ABOUT ME


Explorer of nature, photography and life

Portrait of Delphicaphoto sitting in the mountain cabin
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"Una poesia al giorno

per tirar su bene

le vele

a queste montagne

con gli occhi grandi

da sembrar cicloni di bambini,

ciclopici dettagli a cui

mi appiglio

parete su parete anch'io

 

socchiudo il cielo

tirando la corda sciogliendo

nelle nubi lacrime

colme d'amore - 

a tutto volo

mi passi accanto in rime baciate"

 

Ylenia Cantello

 


 Artist Statement

I am a photographer inspired by natural mountain landscapes as a place of existential rebirth, spiritual resonance and artistic evolution, and I express my vision through images of great depth and purity that lengthen the duration of the gaze and resolve the perception of contrasts in materializing and dissolving of the elements

 

My compositions are distinguished both by the strong lyrical and spiritual character, due to the practice of poetry, the Taoist approach to life and ancient Chinese landscape painting, and by the naturalistic scientific attitude to observation and exploration.

 

The themes of my poetics develop starting from the importance of silence and solitude:

  • celebrate the sacredness of the mountain that exposes human beings to the ultimate truth of life, and invites them to travel to the root of their Self, opening up to the mystical meaning of their existence and preparing for death;
  • recognize the unity between nature and all beings by unhinging the common sense of separation, valuing relationships and interconnections, to reawaken people's awareness of their being part of a universal whole and therefore called to preserve natural balances , preserve the memory of places, take care of nature, as of oneself.

 

My style is characterized by the search for the essential – compositional, formal, aesthetic – beyond appearance, given by the relaxation of time which lets go of all attachments and flows into the timeless and by the opening of space which brings out the infinite, where everything is born new and unique in a breath of eternity.

Precisely this breath, this vital energy that pervades everything, manifests itself in my works which are in harmonious harmony with nature.

Few and irreplaceable elements create the moment and the place, overturn the common thought of opposites, they are not exhausted within their borders but are charged with an aesthetic value and a poetic sense.

They unite the immanent and the absolute in a point between the end and the beginning that contains every possibility, in which photography stops for a moment on the threshold in search of the mystery of love to open itself to intuition and go beyond the limits of the gaze, listening to the authentic voice of nature.

 

Immersed in this intimate dialogue of amazement, discovery and gratitude, I create symbiosis with the landscape as a foundation and expression of creative vitality and dynamic balance.

In my works the mountain reveals its forms, its history, its mood in the continuous atmospheric changes, in the palpitation of natural forces that ignite vibrant plays of light and shadow.

My approach to the image then goes beyond Edward Weston's "great wonder of revelation", and the deep contemplation of the natural landscape is the recognition of my own inner landscape in a new perspective of looking - free, present and aware, in which photography arises from a need of the spirit, from being a participant in Life in its continuous evolution, from the joy of setting out on the road, from waiting and trusting in the universal creative energy.

 

Thus an exploration of acute sensitivity takes place which naturally flows into black and white or colour, into the experimentation of both digital and analogue supports and techniques, to communicate the emotional essence, the tonal richness, the face and personality of the mountain, restoring a tangible sensation of concreteness.

 

In this context of expressive research, the mountain embodies my personal experience from which my artistic vision of an absolute landscape sprouts - which embraces the divine of existence, which reveals to every human being the spiritual need for harmonious union with the nature - in which my works are an act of love for the mountains, and a gift for today's and tomorrow's humanity.


 Biography

Born in Siena - a UNESCO World Heritage city - I lived my first years of childhood between the city and Monte Amiata. Since I was a child I have been surrounded both by the masterpieces of Italian art history and I have been able to admire the works of the most famous artists with fascination, and by the priceless landscapes of the province of Siena which houses three UNESCO world heritage sites.

 

I showed an early aptitude for drawing, a strong plastic intuition and an innate inclination for poetry, which, together with the study of music and sports practice, have contributed to increasing my passion for art, nature and exploration , developing in me sensitivity and creativity, ability to listen and respect for others, desire for knowledge and openness to the world that still characterize me.

Just the strong love for nature prompted me to undertake university studies in Natural Sciences to understand and protect the environment and deepen its relationship with the human being.

 

As a child I had a toy camera and I pretended to be the author of the landscapes that appeared by pressing the shutter button. 

Growing up I was attracted by the expressive potential of photographic language, and I began to create my first works in film and with ancient techniques, setting up a small darkroom.

 

I attended the International School of Visual Communication in Florence, born from the collaboration with the Alinari Foundation, obtaining the Qualification of Photographer, recognized by the European Union. At the final exam, after the theoretical and practical test, I presented my portfolio of landscape photographs and the paper entitled "Photographic printing techniques. Printing processes from salted paper to Cibachrome”, also including seven prints that I made by hand (on salted paper, albuminized paper, cyanotype, Van Dyck, gum bichromate, silver salt polycoated paper with and without selenium toning).

 

I have participated in various courses and workshops, in particular at the Advanced Training School of the Modena Arti Visive Foundation, where I have also exhibited in a group exhibition.

I continue with constancy and enthusiasm to enrich my artistic and photographic training by studying a lot, visiting exhibitions, fairs and events, following professional refresher courses, but above all living the love for nature and art.

 

I am a trekking instructor and I practice challenging mountain excursions - from the Apennines to the Dolomites, from the Alps to Nepal - which leads me to discover new places, meet people and share my walking experiences with them.

 

Passionate reader, I like to delve into various fields of interest and find new ones, ranging from Alpine literature to poetry, from ecology and geology to psychology and neuroscience, from primitive artistic expressions and paleoanthropology to oriental spiritual traditions and quantum physics.


 Vision and Values

I particularly care about the conservation of the natural world, of animal and plant species, the protection of ecosystems and lands, the transmission to new generations of the importance of the relationship that binds human beings to nature and other animals.
All this is possible thanks to photography: photography allows you to discover a deeper way of perceiving yourself and the world, and come into intimate contact with everything we are part of.


Through the union of art and nature my work wants to be a declaration of love for our planet, it wants to tell the embrace full of gratitude to be part of such absolute beauty, contemplating the flow of change in the exchange of energy and love that perpetuates life.


Each individual photographed subject has an infinite value in the relationship with others and the environment, and a sense in the global balance.
Every moment is a new beginning, unrepeatable and precious, each shot is an act of participation and welcome.


With my work I want to increase in each person the knowledge, awareness, gratitude, empathy, sensitivity and responsibility to live in peace and harmony with the natural environment and with ourselves, and to protect our Earth.
Living immersed in art and nature gives me the opportunity to grow as an artist every day, allowing me to refine sensitivity, listening, curiosity, awareness,  and aesthetic taste, to look with wonder, give value and respect everything around me.


I feel close to movements and non-profit organizations that share my same values, including: Italia Gentile, Nature First, Leave No Trace, POW, The Photography Ethics Centre.

 

To learn more in detail about my principles and values, you can read my Statement of photographic ethics and my Sustainability statement:


 Skills

PHOTOGRAPHIC SKILLS

I make use of artistic, philological and interpretative techniques and skills to develop services and products with technologies related to the photographic realization of images and related analogical and digital processing.


Knowledge of photographic materials and equipment



Knowledge of the technical compositional problems of an image or a series of story images


Knowledge of techniques of visual storytelling and psychology of perception



Creative creation of landscape images




Digital image management, workflow and photo editing



Knowledge of the treatment of works of art, film and digital images, archive and catalog photos



Creative creation of portraits and image campaigns of a product



Development of an entire advertising project for a product



Knowledge of the history of photography and the history of art




These skills allow me to meet the needs, tastes and goals of those who want in a personalized way:

 

  • to learn new techniques, deepen their photographic knowledge and express their creative talent;
  • to decorate their living spaces with prestigiuos fine-art prints;
  • to promote their business and their image;
  • to enhance the natural beauty and local traditions.

HIKING SKILLS

I trained as a trekking instructor (registered in the CSEN-CONI technicians national register), becoming a sports national technician able to managing every aspect of hiking. 

I assiduously practice demanding treks especially in mountain environments.


Planning a trekking in a natural and mountain environment, choosing the type of itinerary, the differences in height, the time of year, the degree of difficulty

Knowledge of meteorology, topography, cartography, orientation, use of the compass and GPS



Knowledge of the territory and its peculiarities from a naturalistic, ecological, historical, cultural point of view, and environmental education


Knowledge of clothing, necessary equipment and nutrition during trekking






Knowledge of sports walking techniques, human anatomy and the muscular system, posture, breathing and stretching


Basic notions of prevention, safety and emergency management




Identification of individual hiking preparation level, leading a group during the trekking, communication and group psychology

Knowledge of basic survival techniques






These skills allow me to offer a personalized service to photography lovers who participate in photo trekking and want:

  • to be protagonists in exploring new places in a conscious, sustainable and experiential way or rediscovering them with new eyes;
  • to regain psychophysical well-being thanks to the revitalizing effect on the mind, body and spirit of an ecological approach with their own self and with nature;
  • to experience the area in a responsible and respectful way for the environment, local populations and traditions, doing a sporting activity in safety.

PHOTO TREKKINGS

Photo of the mountains with gray clouds
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FINE ART PRINTS

Photo of a living room with a fine art print of Lake Como and a flying crow seen from the Grigna

BLOG

Photo of the snow-capped Alps

Frequently asked questions about Delphicaphoto


I love the simplicity and naturalness of the shots. I don't like to intervene a lot on the photos and I always try to work at my best when I'm in the field.
I process my photos starting from single files in "Raw" format on which I work by putting together different types of interaction for each file through Adobe Photoshop.
This processing is also the starting point to create a final photo that includes more shots of the scene that I want to represent (as, for example, in more or less complex panoramic photos).
Often my images are the result of shots taken with different exposures, especially in cases where I have not used GND filters in the field. In fact, a useful technique in landscape photography is that of HDOFR (high deep of field range) which allows you to extend the depth of field using multiple images taken with different focuses.
Sometimes, to take particular photos, I combine shots of the same scene that differ from each other in: focus points, exposure times, focal length.


First of all my legs and my eyes! I met the most precious and sublime places by walking and observing with an open heart. Nature continually gives us its beauty!!!
I always carry with me the compass, the altimeter (integrated in the watch) and the topographic map of the area at the scale of 1: 25000. These tools allow me to better choose the path to follow both in preparation for the trekking and when I am on the way.
There are also many websites and applications to download on your phone that allow you to consult all the information you need for trekking, such as weather forecasts or the position of the sun and moon.
The tools available to a photographer are really many and constantly evolving!
The ones I usually use are: Photopills, Google Earth , Windy.App , MySnowMaps .
But I don't want to be a "slave to technology" and, beyond the technological supports, certainly useful, I especially like to rely on my instinct, to follow the free spirit that pushes me to explore listening to the vibrations of nature.
All this is possible thanks to physical training and mental preparation, technical competence and experience, the right equipment, common sense and prudence, always!


This name is inspired by the figure of the Delphica sibyl, in particular in the depiction given by Michelangelo Buonarroti in the Sistine Chapel (Vatican City).
The Delphica sibyl, in the ancient Greek and Roman tradition, was a woman who acted as an intermediary between the human being and the divinity giving responses to human destiny.

Delphicaphoto takes its cue from the wisdom of the sibyl and answer your questions:
● to meet your needs and help you discover and realize your true essence and the hidden talents that make us unique.
● to bring to light the beauty that surrounds us and bring out in a photograph the eternal and unrepeatable instant that unites the core of every human being with the profound meaning of existence;


Yes, it's true!

I chose to train as a dog educator with a cognitive-relational approach (I am registered in the CSEN-CONI technicians national register) in order to help owners to create, grow and mature with joy and serenity the relationship with their dogs, putting in the first place listening, empathy, correct communication and respect for personalities, motivations and needs of these extraordinary life companions, and teaching all those behaviors useful to improve mutual understanding also in view of employment in sports and recreational activities.

I also achieved the title of operator in didactic zooanthropology at the Zooanthropological training Institute SIUA in order to combine love for all other animals with the desire to pass on to the younger generations the importance of an authentic and profound knowledge of the relationship that binds human beings to other animals; of the enormous benefits that this entails in the development of personality and interpersonal relationships; of the positive consequences, on the whole of society and nature, which are generated by hospitality of other life forms by accepting and valuing their diversity and their unique characteristics.

Have more questions?


Do not hesitate to contact me for any information or curiosity.



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