Too often we save the places we love for our dream vacation, retirement or the weekends. But if you love it there, why not make it your workplace?

Author unknown

And so I have. At least for a month, I am staying at Elientemo.

Elientemo is a bed and breakfast situated on the hillside overlooking Spoleto, Italy, in the heart of Umbria. It is further away from town than I remembered and more seclude and it seems quieter too, although I suppose that could be because I am here alone, unencumbered by students or other guests or perhaps because spring has not yet arrived in full force. There is something about that pre-spring foliage when the trees are not yet in full bloom and the buds are not complete that always makes me feel lonely. Kind of like fall, but without the trepidation of knowing there are still months of cold and dreariness ahead. Loneliness is only one emotion you can feel while traveling and I know that each day and moment of each day will bring differing emotions. I have come here to Elientemo to rest, to try to heal my body and my mind, but also to work, to find myself creatively and artistically.

As you travel the world, camera in hand, you soon realize that often the best place to photograph those sites are often occupied by hordes of tourists all intent on trying to get the same photograph. The Best spot to film the castle, as they so aptly describe it at Disneyland. In other words, it is not the best spot after all, only the most obvious. Yet, tourists work their way to the front of many a line, snap off a few images or roll a few frames of video and move on. They’ve captured an image just like hundreds have captured before.

Now I suppose that those taking these snap-shots, are filling a natural emotional desire to say, “I was here and I have an image to prove it. ”Click”. They may have even felt something in the locations presence. ”Click”. Or It may have been that they were in a hurry. ”Click”. or I don’t have time to think about why I am here, because I have to get clear across town for dinner. ”Click”. Most likely they don’t know any better. ”Click”.

But for an artist or a film maker, “is that enough? Should that be enough?”

I believe, that as artists and film makers and creative people we want to capture an image of a place in a way that is unlike any other. More than that, we want to capture the emotion or spirit of the “place” so that we can share the magic of being there and of actually having felt something in it’s presence. In that way the viewer can share in that experience too.

So how does that happen? How do we capture the essence of “place?” Is it more than just a “click?”

Stendhal has written, “that beauty is the promise of happiness.”

I suppose that to begin with we travel in hopes of finding happiness and we are on the lookout for beauty because we know it will bring us happiness.

Howard Suber, a film professor at UCLA, sums up how we should make a film or I would also say a photograph.

“A film only needs two elements to become memorable: originality and elegance. Achieving these qualities, however, requires more time and effort than most people are willing to expend, which is why we see them so seldom.”

Here are a few shooting activities that may help you discover the hidden beauty and create a work that is original and elegant:

One: Choose a location, setting or structure that excites and overwhelms you. Spend 20 minutes just sitting enjoying the location. After 20 minutes explore why this location has been photographed the way it has been photographed in the past. Determine the innate personality.

Film a scene from the most obvious “tourist” location. Trying to capture the innate personality. Now, select a personality of the location that you wish to convey. Are the emotions you are hoping to capture, supportive of the stereotype or contradictory? If contradictory, determine how will your approach that change cinematically or photographically. Either way, make images of places that are memorable, original and elegant.

Select a spot that might not be beautiful at first sight, try and find the beauty.

Review your shots. What do you like, not like? What would you do different? What did you learn?

Second: Move through a location shooting as many well composed shots as possible in as short of time as possible. Take an hour. Then for the second hour pick a location and sit and wait for shots to come to you?

Third: Try to return to a particular location several times throughout the day. How does the lighting change? How does that change the look and feel? Do the shadows and reflections change. How about the people and faces? What does it say at different times of day. Can you identify other differences?

Photography place can change how you see that place forever. I think it has more to do with who you are at the moment. Looking for beauty, and feeling happiness and fascination and having patience can make all the difference in the world. As Andre Roussin says,

“what counts is the harmony that is in your heart.”