An Evening Framed in Gold

Sunset Family Portraits in the Tuscan Countryside

Suppose you are about to embark on a trip to Italy. In that case, a family portrait is just what you need to snap a memory and relive meaningful and precious moments for a long time, especially with a backdrop as picturesque as that of Tuscany at sunset. So did this family from Tennessee, who chose the countryside as the setting for their family portraits. I met them near San Gimignano and guided them through the small white streets and hills of Tuscany to the location of the photo shoot. Here I asked the family to interact: the adults with the children, the children on their own, and various combinations to ensure a variegated photo shoot.

Thankfully, the children were very cooperative and, thanks to my directions and those of their parents, let themselves be pictured in different scenarios. I had them pose among the sun-yellowed grass and against the backdrop of hills dotted with orderly cypress trees. I did the same with the adults: I asked them to walk to capture intimate and intense pictures among the beaten paths and open fields, with sunset hues as a backdrop.

The late afternoon light made everything more romantic, and even the dry fields of Tuscany were colored gold and enveloped shapes, bodies, and views with a magical aura. It was beautiful to spend some time with this American family. I can't wait for them to see their images. But even more, it is nice to be conscious of having given them back a most precious memory, to be savored and relived in the years to come.