Florence Night Skyline, Italy

Florence night skyline photograph marks the beginning of my Florentine journey in 2016. Captured from the Piazzale Michelangelo, this wide view strips away the colors of the city to focus entirely on the dramatic interplay of light, shadow, and historic architecture.

There is a good reason this photo is in black and white though. After a long and exhausting 1,000-kilometer drive from Slovakia with some unexpected delays, we arrived at our hotel too late to catch the sunset or the coveted blue hour. Despite the fatigue, I convinced my friends to head up to this iconic viewpoint. Because the vibrant colors of dusk were already gone, converting the panorama into black and white became the perfect solution.

The composition is anchored by the magnificent complex of Santa Maria del Fiore, with Filippo Brunelleschi’s dome and Giotto’s Campanile glowing brightly against the pitch-black sky. Below, the calm waters of the Arno River mirror the city lights. After taking this shot, we ended our long day of travel in an amazing local restaurant hidden in the narrow streets just below the square. Looking at this photo always reminds me that sometimes, unexpected delays lead to the most unforgettable first impressions.

Copyright Milan Hutera, 2016. All Rights Reserved.