Happy New Year everyone! Let's all together help to make 2013 the best year yet, learning from the bad and building on the good of all the years that came before; might it bring us all joy and happiness, health, prosperity and success.
First of all, thank you to all of you that took the Boxing Day sale chance to enlarge your collections with our artworks! Once done with preparing all the parcels for shipping, I thought about something that needed to be addressed for quite some time already, and I put some work into the consistence of my "web looks", so to speak. The problem was that this blog, my VIERI BOTTAZZINI FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY website and my commercial work website, while following more or less the same aesthetics, have been developed in different times. Inevitably, due to changes in taste and in the website providers used, they ended up not looking consistent with one other and needed to be touched up a bit.Now I did it, and I hope that with their new and more unified look they'll offer an even more pleasant experience to people moving back and forth between them. Let me know what you think!
Lovers of large panoramic images, this one is for you! Now available for purchase on VIERI BOTTAZZINI FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY is two new series of artworks, Panorama and Grand Panorama, for lovers of large, huge panoramic images. By keeping image height fixed no matter what the image ratio is, the new PANORAMA and GRAND PANORAMA series will result in much bigger images than the regular series when image ratio is above 3:2. The "wider" the image, the bigger the difference between regular and Panoramic series is!
The Maya's prophecy failed (no big surprise there!), Christmas came and went: I hope you are having a great time enjoying the holidays in peace with your loved ones.
To make your holidays even better, at VIERI BOTTAZZINI FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY we just started our Boxing Day Sale!! An incredible 25% off any of our wonderful prints using
to the nearly 2.000 people who took the time to check it out during this first week, to those who subscribed to my Newsletter, those who registered to the site and those many who took the time to share their views on it via the email - and, last but most certainly not least, to those who ordered my artwork already! I really appreciate your time and enthusiasm in your response; even if it has been only a week since the Grand Opening and it's therefore way to soon to draw any conclusions, your positive reactions give me even more motivation to go on.
Speaking of which, the works on the website are going on, and today I am very proud to announce that the website's ITALIAN LOCALISATION has been finished, uploaded and is now open to business: if you log in the website from Italy, it should automatically load it; otherwise, you can switch languages using the language switch under the main content block.
Besides the Italian localisation, I have been busy with ironing out some bugs, fixing some mistakes and generally refining the texts (english is not my first language, so that had to be expected!). As well, a Turkish localisation is in the works!
Visitors' feedback and suggestions are invaluable to me in order to make VIERI BOTTAZZINI FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY better and better, so please keep them coming: as you can see, you talk, we listen...!
OK, this is about it for now - stay tuned, more coming soon...
OK, today is Shameless Self-Promotion And Marketing Day! Here we go...
Finally, after many long weeks of intense work, the wait is over: my new website, VIERI BOTTAZZINI FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY, is now online and ready for you all to browse and enjoy!
As many of you knows, I have been labouring for quite a while over whether to bring my Fine Art prints business online or not, and eventually what could have been the best way to do it. Once the decision has been made, I have been very excited about it: in fact, I have almost not been able to sleep for more than a month, while working incredibly hard to get it ready by early December; and even if a few days later than I initially hoped, I am very proud to announce its Grand Opening today. Well, the good thing is that now that it is out there, it's too late for any further labouring (some inevitable tuning-up and bug ironing aside): the results are out there for you all to see and judge by yourselves. As always, I would appreciate very much any feedback, comments, suggestions you might have - and, of course, your support and business if you feel so inclined. While we all know how judging prints online is a near impossible feat, I am confident to say that if you liked my images here and on other sites, you'll love the prints: their quality is absolutely wonderful! You might think I am a little biased, I can see that; while I very well may be, being this my brainchild, I just wish you could hold these prints in your hands and see for yourselves. Not a substitute for a real print, but HERE you'll find all the details about my philosophy, my shooting and printing process and more, which could give you an idea of the quality I aim for. More, seeing that Christmas and the holiday season are coming, I thought appropriate to throw a little gift into the mix: until December 24, you can use the coupon below
GO#BLG@FAP12
at checkout to get a nice Grand Opening discount! What's even better, the coupon is valid for any purchase on the website, including our PRINT OF THE MONTH specials.
To go along with the new website, I designed a NEWSLETTER as well; it will go out monthly, and keep you updated with all the news regarding the website such as new uploads, new galleries, the new PRINT OF THE MONTH, a behind-the-scenes tutorial on how that has been done, special deals, general news about photography and more. Oh, and there is a nice sign-up gift coming with it, too! You can SIGN UP HERE if you want, and fear not: as you, I really don't like spam as well, so our MailChimp powered NEWSLETTER comes with a one-click unsubscribe option always available, plus you can be sure I'll not bother you more than once a month :)
So, I think for today this is about it - now, even though I'd like to sleep for a month, is back to work: the website and the Newsletter will be localised in Italian and Turkish soon, new galleries will be uploaded, there are hundreds of photos waiting to be processed... is back business as (busier than) usual from now on!
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Besides shooting and editing as usual, I have been very busy lately moving my Fine Art Print business on the net. The development of my new, dedicated website is almost done - I am now at the point of uploading galleries, so forgive me for not posting as much lately and... stay tuned, I'll have are some very exciting news coming real soon. In the meantime, enjoy the beginning of the winter and the crisp fresh air outside!
Just a couple of examples to show you how my framed prints look like:
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Here it is, the fourth and last instalment of this Irish portfolio (click here for part 1: IRELAND: A WONDERFUL LANDSCAPE, part 2: THE WONDERS OF MEGALITHIC IRELAND and part 3: IRELAND'S HISTORICAL CHRISTIAN REMAINS.), dedicated this time to landscapes which, whether willingly or unwillingly, have been heavily modified and defined by the intervention of man. Of course, it can be argued that except perhaps for very remote locations, man always influence the landscapes around him; here, I will show how this happened either by men willingly building something or by leaving something unwillingly, wrecked and ruined, behind. I'll show you some of what seems to be millions of castles that you can see touring around the island: some have been kept and repaired and are still lived in today, most of them are in ruins (some better preserved than others), while some have unfortunately been reduced to one last-standing wall or to a mound of stones. Besides castles, lighthouses and forts, Ireland's coasts hosts (quite understandably, given its island status!) a lot of shipwrecks as well; to my eye, all these ruined buildings, wrecks and other man-made artefacts are very beautiful in their decay, perhaps more so than in their original form.
Wrecked, Ireland 2012
Take the wrecks caused by the strength of the rough northern seas, or take ships abandoned because of being of no more use, add time and weather, and you'll inevitably get crumbling, colourful, majestic landmarks, constantly changing in time. Some of them are slowly disappearing back into nature, as the wooden wreck in Bunbeg:
Bunbeg's shipwreck, Ireland 2012
Some other, being metal giants, are destined to stay a bit longer, as the Plassey:
Shipwreck, Ireland 2012
Assonances, Ireland 2012
One more wreck, this time at Rosses point:
Rosses Point, Ireland 2012
Here is Rathmelton, a beautiful old sea-channel port and village:
Rathmelton at dawn, Ireland 2012
Following the channel towards the sea, one find this wreck first:
Wreck at Rathmelton, Ireland 2012
Followed by this one, so old that the hull is all that is left of what was once a boat:
Hull, Ireland 2012
Lighthouses like this one, while neither wrecked nor ruined, are always photogenic:
Fanad Head's lighthouse, Ireland 2012
Now, let's leave the sea behind for a while and let's check out some castles!
Doonagore Castle, Ireland 2012
Inish Oirr's O'Brien's castle, Ireland 2012
Trim's Castle at dusk, Ireland 2012
Parke's Castle, Ireland 2012
In the middle of Ireland, not mentioned by guides or road signs, stands Fethard: not just a castle, a medieval walled town which stayed still enclosed by its walls, remaining pretty much as it was:
Fethard, Ireland 2012
This is Charles Fort:
Charles Fort at sunset, Ireland 2012
To end this long series of Irish photographs, what can be better than a couple of moody black & whites? First, an abandoned old mill:
Old Mill, Ireland 2012
Then, last but not least, as they say:
Stairway to nowhere, Ireland 2012
OK, this last instalment has come to an end as well, and with it the Ireland series - I hope you enjoyed it!
Plug: if you like beautiful Fine Art Prints, printed masterfully in-house on Hahnemuhle Fine Art paper, want the security of my unique 6-POINTS WARRANTY and of my CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY, look no further: artwork featuring Fine Art prints of my Ireland images are available for sale HERE!
Following up to my previous instalments on Ireland (see here for part 1: IRELAND: A WONDERFUL LANDSCAPE and part 2: THE WONDERS OF MEGALITHIC IRELAND), I decided to dedicate this third post to one of the things that defined the country throughout its history, for good and - unfortunately - at times for worse: religion, and specifically Christianity. However, I didn't take a reporter's approach, nor did I want to delve into the Troubles; while I am fully aware of the religious controversies and wars that happened in Ireland during the last centuries, and of the pain and scars they left on the island and its people, I was off to depict the beauty of the country as best as I could, and so I did. Early Christian settlements, ruins of what once have been mighty churches and abbeys that fulfilled such an important role in the diffusion of religion all over Europe, impressively decorated High Crosses, Holy Wells and so on, most of which placed in really beautiful natural settings; Ireland offers a wealth of photographic opportunity following the trails and paths that early Christians walked many centuries ago.
Jerpoint Abbey, Ireland 2012
Jerpoint abbey, above, is one of the best preserved abbeys' ruins in Ireland; so are the Rock of Cashel and Athanassey abbey, below: in this case, shooting after a storm provided me with intense, dramatic skies that enhanced the atmosphere of the places.
Storm over Athassel, Ireland 2012
Extremely important for the diffusion of Christianity, but not as well preserved as some of the others, is Mellifont Abbey:
Mellifont Abbey, Ireland 2012
Despite being very scant, the remains give us a pretty good idea of the importance of the setting; the particularly elegant double-colomned cloister's remains and what is left of the lavabo are impressive, and so is the size of the abbey's grounds. Despite its actual state, and no matter how difficult it is to imagine it while there, secular and religious history has been made at Mellifont, synods held, treaties signed; during its heydays, hundreds of people lived in and around the abbey.
Out of the most traveled touristic paths, one can meet with very interesting finds, such as the huge and well preserved Franciscan friary in Adare, now hidden in the middle of a golf course:
Adare's Franciscan friary, Ireland 2012
Or Killonaghan church, in the Burren:
Storm over Killonaghan, Ireland 2012
and the more modern chapel at Gougane Barra, on a foggy day:
Gougane Barra, II, Ireland 2012
Going back in time, Gallarus oratory is not to be missed: its construction is a feat of engineering, its walls still not letting in rain nor wind after so many centuries:
Gallarus Oratory at dusk, Ireland 2012
Just close by stands the small, Romanesque church of Kilmakedar, shot at dusk; on the left you can see an Ogham stone, while on the right stands an early cross:
Kilmakedar, Ireland 2012
Early Christians in Ireland started by carving crosses in wood, moving subsequently to carving stone crosses of amazing beauty; these so called High Crosses stand tall (in the literal sense of the word) today, after centuries, still amazing us with their magnificent carvings. Here comes a series of some of the most impressive high crosses I found and photographed last summer in Ireland. First, the high crosses at Ahenny, starting with the North Cross:
North Cross, Ahenny, Ireland 2012
Ahenny's North Cross at sunset, Ireland 2012
Followed by the South Cross:
South Cross, Ahenny, Ireland 2012
Ahenny's South Cross at sunset, Ireland 2012
Then the High Cross at Drumcliff, in the yard of the same church where W.B. Yeats' tomb is:
Drumcliff's High Cross, Ireland 2012
Following, also shot at dusk, you'll see two of the Clonmacnoise crosses; unfortunately, these are modern copies, the originals are stored in the museum on site (the amazingly informative display is very recommended!) to preserve them from the elements:
Cross of the Scriptures, Clonmacnoise, Ireland 2012
South Cross, Clonmacnoise, Ireland 2012
Less known and in a worse state of preservation, but nevertheless still quite impressive, is the High Cross at Termonfecking:
Probably the most known of all, and certainly one of the most impressive both for its size and for its wonderful decorations, is Muiredach's Cross at Monasterboice:
Muiredach's Cross, Ireland 2012
Kells is the location of four crosses, out of which the beautiful Cross of St. Patrick & St. Columba and the East cross (here photographed with Kells' round tower behind) are the most interesting, photographically speaking:
Cross of St. Patrick & St. Columba, Ireland 2012
Kells' East Cross, Ireland 2012
Duleek's High Cross is actually not so high, but its decorations are worth a stop:
Very interesting is also a second Cross' head, laying in the church's remains at Duleek; judging from the size of both the head and the base, it should have been pretty impressive as well:
To end this tour into early Christian Ireland, here is the remote, paleo-Christian Cross of St. Brendan, marking his grave:
And the monastery at Glendalough, very impressive in its valley setting, photographed at dusk:
Glendalough at sunset, Ireland 2012
and in the early hours of the morning:
Glendalough, Ireland 2012
Ok, this is the end of the third instalment of photographs from Ireland: I hope you enjoyed them!
Plug: if you like beautiful Fine Art Prints, printed masterfully in-house on Hahnemuhle Fine Art paper, want the security of my unique 6-POINTS WARRANTY and of my CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY, look no further: amazing artwork featuring Fine Art prints of my Ireland images are available for sale HERE, HERE and HERE!
