Early Wake

This morning we journeyed into the Tuscan countryside in search of some interesting light. These images reflect my interpretation of the environment we found.
Enjoy

Recent Foto Work

Above and Below: Bottini di Siena (underground aqua-ducts)

Below: Assisi, Italia

New Work Coming Soon!

Horse races and house hunting

Since my arrival in Siena there have been many significant events to occupy my time. One of which was the Palio race right here in Siena. For those of you unfamiliar with the name, the Palio is the oldest horse race in the world and it takes place in the main Piazza; called Piazza Del Campo.The duration of the actual race takes only a matter of minutes. However, the preparation takes months and aftershock felt for a year, until the next race.

The Palio was one of the craziest things I've ever witnessed, and I'd be content if this was the only one I get to see. While the tension was unwinding from the races, I managed to end up in great place just outside the walls of this medieval city with some Italian friends and am quite happy with the setup. Chris and I have lived in 3 different places since getting here in July so it's nice not having to search and call about possible apartments for rent. Following this text are a few images from the past few months depicting the Palio and my current living situation.

Cheers

Practice races. More than one Jockey fell off

Above: glitter on the street of the Giraffa Contrada. 

Below: Giraffa marching through Siena's Duomo before the race

Above: Via Castel Vecchio, my old street in the Tartuca (turtle) Contrada

Above: My and Chris's room

Below: Drawings on the kitchen wall

Arrival in Italy

After graduation, I was given the opportunity to move back to Italy for 5 months. With a great summer in the Southwest behind me, I jumped on a plane in search of new opportunities. I have been living here in Siena, Italy since late July and have had the privilege of exploring the Tuscan countryside, playing host to a few good friends from the states, and traveling around the region with my amazing girlfriend, Aly, for two weeks before she started university again in the states. It hasn't been easy moving to a different country when I have so many great friends and family members in the states, yet knowing that I have the support of these individuals allows me to pursue such endeavors.

Currently, I am volunteering at the school I attended here in the fall of 2009, working on everything from an assistant professorship of a photography to running errands around the medieval city or helping students with paperwork and travel plans. In addition to these duties, I've found plenty of time to mingle with friends and even meet some great Italian ones. One friend I had the chance of meeting showed Me and my buddy Chris around his uncle's villa just outside of Siena. The following photos are from the first 5 minutes of our tour around the large property. Our friend's name is Alberto, and he too is a photographer. The property is also a holiday destination, so they are often doing work to build new rental bungalows. The last image is of an outdoor amphitheater.

Enjoy.

What to expect

In this blog, I will display text explaining my travels and activities, images of importance to me, and whatever else I deem worthy of recognition. I hope you look forward to seeing what's in store, and always feel free to inform me of your thoughts along the way.
Cheers,
Max

Greetings Earthlings. Welcome to my blog.

Tasty news is on its way. Stay tuned.