Breakers off Tellaro | Ligurian coast, Italy by Kilometer 120 | René Metzinger

Here, Tellaro reveals its wild side. The warm light of late afternoon falls upon the colourful houses and the distinctive pink church of this small Ligurian coastal village. In the foreground, the Mediterranean surf crashes against the mighty rocks, bringing a palpable sense of movement to the scene.

The low angle chosen makes the rocks appear particularly imposing and draws the eye from the foreground directly to the historic town centre. At the same time, the vast expanse of the Ligurian Sea opens up to the right. The lively, cloud-filled sky echoes the dynamism of the surf, whilst the warm light lends the rocks and façades an almost golden hue.

The photograph was taken with a deliberately chosen exposure time of 1/10 of a second. This ensures that the power of the surf remains visible, whilst the water already takes on a slight sense of motion. The waves do not appear frozen in time, but convey the movement of the sea throughout the image. With an aperture of f/14, a large depth of field is maintained, ensuring that the rocks in the foreground contribute to the image’s impact just as much as Tellaro in the background. As a wall hanging, the photograph brings Mediterranean warmth into the room without coming across as a classic, tranquil holiday scene. It is particularly well suited to living rooms, dining areas, offices or holiday homes. Thanks to the natural colours of the rocks, the warm light and the blues and greens of the sea, it harmonises particularly well with wood, natural stone and light-coloured furnishings. In a larger format, the spatial depth between the rocks, the surf and the coastal village is shown to particular advantage.