About the Image

This image was taken late in the day from Monte Baldo (Bold Mountain) in Malcesine, Italy, high above Lake Garda. I had been walking along the mountaintop, heading toward the sunset in search of a better vantage point. That’s when I noticed a paraglider in the distance. At first, he was flying too low for a good composition, so I hurried down the slope to find the framing you see here.

Shooting nearly into the sunlight's reflection off the water presented a challenge. To avoid overexposing the image, I increased the shutter speed, which silhouetted the paraglider against the glowing water with the boats wake rippling behind them.

The reason I was here is I was to meet two friends who were traveling through Italy and I thought they might like to see this, so we took the ski lift to the summit. A few months earlier I’d asked them to join me at a friend’s second home nestled in the hills near Malcesine—a place I’d stayed at a few times before. They had flown into Italy and taken a train to Peschiera del Garda, a charming resort town of around 11,000 residents at the southern tip of Lake Garda. Its name translates roughly to “Garda fishpond.” I met them at the train station and drove us north to Malcesine.

The drive from Peschiera del Garda to Malcesine takes about an hour winding around the lake's coast. Malcesine is a beautiful municipality on the eastern shore of Lake Garda, in the Province of Verona, Veneto region—about 75 miles (120 km) northwest of Venice and 25 miles (40 km) northwest of Verona. After spending time exploring the town, we spent the night and in the morning, continued on to Como, where I had lived in 1985 and 1986.

Malcesine is officially recognized as one of: I Borghi più belli d’Italia—“The Most Beautiful Villages of Italy.” It’s especially scenic, with the medieval Scaliger Castle rising from the waterfront. Perched on a rocky promontory, the castle overlooks both the village and the northeastern shore of Lake Garda, near the border between Veneto and Trentino-Alto Adige.

Originally passed into the hands of the powerful Scaliger (or Della Scala) family in the late 13th century, the castle was rebuilt under their rule, giving it the striking appearance it retains today. It now houses a local history museum and is owned by the municipality.

Feel free to share: stpvd.com/25/11

I see things differently, which is an advantage to my clients. Being inspired by the beauty of light, motion, and atmosphere... my personal work reflects the same creativity and attention to detail I bring to every client project, commercial or editorial. Whether you're looking to elevate your brand visuals, tell a compelling story, or capture unforgettable moments with impact, let's create something visually extraordinary together, stills, motion or both. Get in touch to discuss your vision today. E-mail is by far the best way to contact us as we are traveling on average 175 days a year and some times well out of cell phone range.

For Photographers

The Gear:
Canon 5D MKIII, ISO 100, with a 70-200mm IS lens at 200mm, f8, 1/2000 shutter speed, hand held.

The Gear light:
Sunset

We are based in Los Angeles, California, Atlanta, Georgia, both in the USA, & Milan, Italy, and serve the nation and travel worldwide for projects, both video and stills. On average we travel 175 days a year from all over the USA, to Singapore to Japan, Europe and the Middle East. We are normally in Europe 2 or 3 times a year, mostly Italy and Germany, shooting for clients there.

If you would like to use this image, or any of my images for mock or comp use, please just ask. There is never a charge for this service. Educational use is permitted without charge, unless published, but please ask first. All commercial use is available only with a limited copyright release prior to use from the copyright holder, Steve Thornton. Thanks for looking!