I often wander through the countryside looking for landscapes to photograph. It’s a relaxing pastime, with very vague destinations that lead me to discover unexpected corners and views of Sicily. On these regular wanderings I sometimes “pick” a beautiful image: there it is, waiting for me. A field in bloom under an intense blue sky, clouds drifting on the horizon, a farmer under a tree, the slow roll of the hills or the symmetry of the vineyards. Luckily I live in a region where the light is strong and floods everything. And this month the best, most beautiful light is in the late afternoon, from 5 pm onwards. June light is fantastic, especially for photography lovers. Taking advantage of the video functions of new cameras, I often shoot some footage too. Of course, it’s a different world from photography: a photo is an instant, a video is “a flow”, a series of instants. You need a steady grip, otherwise everything shakes, and I don’t always have a tripod or monopod to hand. Let’s say that while photography is my job, video is my fun, so don’t expect an Oscar-winning film 😉 But let’s not digress. I met a shepherd with his flock and stopped for a chat about milk and ricotta. “How is it made, I wonder?” I asked myself. We are so used to seeing ricotta in sterile refrigerated counters that we forget that… someone must have made that ricotta. Someone got their hands covered in milk and put all their experience and skill into making it, right? The chat with the shepherd got me directions to a local dairy I knew existed, only reachable after a 20-minute drive. Sometimes I realise I’m a bit cheeky, yet I manage to win over people busy at work, once the initial mistrust is overcome. In fact, I think craftsmen like it when someone takes an interest in their work, and they also enjoy showing off a little. I also arrived at just the right moment, as the milk was ready to receive the whey and turn into fragrant ricotta. I shot some footage especially for you, my friends. Naturally, I went home with a delicious haul 😉 And remember, let’s not forget to support local produce.
Best wishes
Leave a Reply