This is classic Tuscany. Cypress trees lining a winding road to a farmhouse on a hill. Although it may appear that these scenes are so common that it is easy to create good images, such is not the case. Finding the right vantage point, with the right light and that is accessable is not as easy as it would seem.

This little chapel is on the main road between San Quirico and Pienza. It is often photographed and there is a small pull off. However, it still requires the right light and atmosphere to capture a unique image.

Morning light and shadows create ever changing patterns across the landscape as in this scene in the Val d'Orcia.

The winding road to La Foce is at the southern end of Tuscany. There are a number of places from which to photograph this road but again, getting the light right is a key to success.

I was in awe as I would wander out into the stark barren hills. Clouds would roll across the sky casting shadows and creating mood. And off in the distance would be the characteristic cypress trees standing as sentinels on the ridges.

There is great distance between the hills and valleys which become defined layers as haze and fog set them apart.

Visiting Tuscany in the fall means that the fields have been harvested and plowed under, leaving contours in the brown dirt. The low light of the morning sun created a shadow on this furrow which wound through the hills adding an element of interest to this composition.

Whether photographed from above or below, each farmhouse has its unique look, but the vantage point can make a big difference in the composition.

This home was in a quiet little piazza in the hill town of Radicofani. It is off the beaten path and apparently not frequented by tourists.

We passed this cluster of olive trees growing on a hillside in an olive grove as we walked from a car park into the hill town of Montichiello. Most of the hill towns are limited to pedestrian traffic and tourists have to park In a public lot outside the told town and walk in. Some of the walks in can be fairly steep but we like the stroll.

I came across this abandoned farmhouse one morning as it was raining. Suddenly the rain let up and clouds rolled across the great expanse of the sky very quickly. There was a constant change of light and I was consumed with the ever changing scene.

This home in Montefioralle appears to come with a cat, at least for this photo shoot.

These old abandoned farm buildings were rather ordinary and I had driven by them several times. However, on this day it was the late afternoon - early evening light that captured my eye as I drove by. I quickly turned around and drove back to the scene, unpacked my equipment and began to photograph.

The thin little sliver of road in this image helps to anchor the leading lines in the composition that are created by tonal variations in the landscape.

Fog and mist hovered in the valleys below the Tuscan hill town of San Gimignano on this fall day when we visited in 1998 on our first trip to Italy.

The medieval hill town of Barga lies in the northern region of Tuscany and the lanes are steep and narrow. The old town was quiet and pleasant when we visited.

Montefioralle was a quiet hill town in the Chianti region which is in northeastern Tuscany. The drive up to and beyond the town was steep and the road was narrow. It was my wife's pick as she had read about the town and wanted to visit, however she found that the drive tested her bravery.

The dappled light in this scene coupled nicely with the colors and tones to create an interesting composition in black and white.

This was our view from the terrace in the morning at breakfast when we stayed in Siena on our first trip to Italy in 1998.

The stark landscape of the Crete Senese in Tuscany was undergoing constant charge as the sun and clouds moved across the sky. As we walked this dirt road through the area it was fascinating to watch the patterns unfold.

The piazza is at the center of life in Italy and this image captures it well. Here in this piazza in San Gimignano people visit, stroll and share time with one another, la dolce vita.

The morning sun warms a Tuscan farm as clouds begin to dissipate and give way to another day under the Tuscan sun.

I have referred to the subject of this image as a mill but cannot say I know for a certainty. It was in a valley below and I have made the assumption based on the architectural style alone. 

Haze and sunlight create tonal layers that distinguish the farms in this scene.

We just happened upon this secluded courtyard while travelling through the hills one day.

Another view of the valleys below San Gimignano being enveloped by mist and fog.

We left Montepulciano and after crossing the valley, as we were driving away, I noticed the beautiful sky from the distant hill. I had to find a place to park and walk back seeking a vantage point. I found several and beganphotographing until some dogs began to chase me away.

Pienza in the morning light.