Up, up, and away... that's how it feels on your way to the summit of Italy's Seceda Mountain. We had just arrived in the Dolomites, and this was our very first stop. Totally unfamiliar with the region, it sure felt like we were heading to the top, and edge, of the world. We came here right away, because, being an autumn visit, many cable cars shut down for the off-season. The first day of our trip was the last day that the Seceda car was operational, so went made sure to utilize it while we could. Needless to say, we were totally unprepared for the majesty of these mountains.

Also unexpected was that the local experts and guides treat this day like a holiday... as (most of) the tourists depart, the mighty Dolomites once again become their playground. When we reached the summit, there were more locals than tourists! Many of them, like the three in this picture, were taking advantage of the windy day to go paragliding. But most of them were just getting drunk with each other, celebrating some much needed time for themselves.

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Bellagio is one of the most famous towns in Lake Como, perhaps because of its location. It juts out into the middle of Lake Como on a thin peninsula. While the peninsula is made of gentle hills, it affords stunning views of the towering mountains that border the lake. From on the lake, its easy to forget that these mountain features are similar to a valley, except that the area retains water. The way the sun broke through the clouds and lit up the mountains reminded me that each of Lake Como's three legs is long and narrow, almost like a tunnel. And the channeled golden rays seemed to end squarely on Bellagio, almost like the pot of gold at the end.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 9227x3667). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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Lake Como is sometimes referred to as "The Gem of Lombardy," and it's easy to see why. The location is truly a rare and unique combination of natural and cultural beauty. There are other places in the world where stunning mountains steeply descend to beautiful pristine lakes. There are other places in the world with quaint small towns, each replete with ancient history and hidden treasures. But there's not many other places in the world that combine the two so perfectly. It's also a location that seamlessly combines the dramatic with the tranquil. On this peaceful morning, the tranquil side of Lake Como shown through most. I've often heard the term "cotton candy sky," but never really felt like it applied until I witnessed this sunrise. It felt like a symbol for all the many various types of beauty that this unique location embodies.

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This is one of the most iconic churches in the entire Italian Dolomites region, though perhaps one of the smallest. This is the church of St. John in Ranui (or St. Johann, or San Giovanni, depending on which of the local languages you are reading). Ranui is not much of a town at all really - only a cluster of three or four buildings, that's it. To me, that was one of the craziest things about the Dolomites: just how few people it takes to warrant a church. A few huts high on the hillside? They get a church! Three or four houses down in the valley? They get a church! A small town of a hundred or so people? They get three or four churches! It just goes to show how much dedication for their religion these people had, especially when you consider that most of them were built when this area was truly isolated, and construction projects were a serious undertaking in such a mountainous region.

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This beautiful vista is part of the Adolf Munkel trail, in the Val di Funes area of Italy's Dolomites. This mountainous region owes its fame mostly to its stunning sheer cliffs and towering peaks. But its lovely European Larch forests are just as big a part of its beauty. Endemic to the Alps, the European Larch is one of a handful of conifers that are also deciduous. I'm more familiar with the forests of North Carolina, where you only see conifer forests with dappled color like this when they are infected with lethal pine beetles! It was much less concerning, and more beautiful, to see it as a part of the natural autumn spectacle.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4933x3648). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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When I first saw a photograph of the Italian Dolomites in autumn, I was in disbelief. I thought it was an egregious example of Photoshop fakery. "Pine trees are evergreen, they don't change colors in fall!" I said. Safe to say, I was ignorant. While this region of the Alps does have pine trees (which are indeed evergreen), it also has another conifer called the European Larch, which is deciduous. As soon as I learned this, the Dolomite region shot to the top of my list of places to visit. I must say, it didn't disappoint. There is something surreal about seeing the beautiful gold colors of autumn, but in the shape of a tree that my brain will always associate with evergreen. Of course, the stunning mountainous backdrops literally everywhere didn't hurt either. When combined, the vistas etch images in your memory that are sure to last a lifetime.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4279x3465). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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Modern marvels of engineering are truly something to behold. But they don't seem to hold a candle to historic marvels. While our capabilities have grown exponentially over the past centuries, there is something awe-inspiring about seeing monumental feats performed in the absence of our new capabilities. Sainte-Chapelle, or the Holy Chapel, is a prime example. Sainte-Chapelle is in the absolute heart of Paris, on the Île de la Cité, and couldn't be more deserving of its central location. These beautiful stained glass halls were commissioned by Louis IX in 1242. His goal was to create a place beautiful enough to be worthy of housing his holy relics. Furthermore, he hoped it would show him as a worthy successor to Charlemagne as Holy Roman Emperor. They are, beyond doubt, one of the most beautiful examples of stained glass on Earth.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 4146x4625). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

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This is not the typical type of scene that catches my eye. But then again, Rovinj is not a typical town. Rovinj, which is along Croatia's Adriatic coast, is one of the most beautiful, most romantic, most "cleansing" places I've ever been. Everyone you meet on the street is so friendly. All the architecture down even the most hidden alley seems exquisitely crafted. But these are not what felt cleansing to me. What felt cleansing was the perception that this is how it has always been. And how it always will be. Now, I'm sure that's not true. Any city this old has undergone countless dark eras. Nevertheless, in Rovinj time seems to stand still. Or rather, it seems to simply not matter. The town seems cohesively united against the rat race of the rest of the world. And it was very contagious.

Higher resolutions of this image are available (the maximum resolution for this image is 5824x2945). For usages that require a resolution higher than 3000px, or are otherwise beyond the standard terms and conditions, please email me directly at matt@matttilghman.com to discuss use-specific pricing.

For some of my photographs, I record and post the entire Photoshop editing process from start to finish. This is one of those photos, and you can see watch the recording here: "A Moment In Time - Peaceful Rovinj Street" editing procedure on Youtube

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This is one of my oldest photographs on this website. I took this photo well before I really started experimenting with unique compositions. Before I really started injecting my own style into my photographs. It is, quite simply, just a photo of Glen Falls. Nonetheless, it's a good photo. I've culled most of my older photographs, but I kept this one. Just by happenstance, I got the lighting quite right. It is soft enough to give the photo that "temperate rain forest" feel that embodies the Cashiers/Highlands area, but bright enough to highlight some of the bouncing water. Same with the exposure. Long enough blur some most of the water into a delicate filigree, but short enough to still capture the motion and power. While most aspects of this photo are less "intentional" than my most recent work, it still captures the personality of the waterfall quite well.

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I often title my photos based on feelings or emotions evoked while I was there. Not this one. In fact, I don't believe I even took this photo in summer. Furthermore, I didn't even post-process and publish this photo until about ten years after I took it. Nothing about it really struck me at the time. But now, almost a decade later, it strikes me deeply. I think the title "Summertime Sadness" fits from an aesthetic standpoint... the bright sun and clear sky, the lens flares, the overall sepia hue. But for the, the title fits even better from an emotional standpoint. To me, this photo perfectly embodies an afternoon in the Santa Cruz Mountains. A place where I spent many hours of my time (Windy Hill and Russian Ridge in particular). Rediscovering this photo after so many years have passed, and having since moved away from California, it is soaked with nostalgia and, in a way, sadness. Not a deep lingering sadness. That phase of life had run its course and is full of happy memories, not regrets. Rather just a fleeting sadness of good times gone past.

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