My recent photo trip Tuscany with Nathaniel Smalley Photography (very highly recommended) was quite the experience for me. My grandparents on my mother’s side immigrated from Italy and it was wonderful to visit their homeland. I have visited Italy a couple of times before but that was on cruise ships where you get to see many places but only get a day in each place. This trip allowed me to get more immersed in the Italian culture. After meeting in Florence, we spent three day in Siena before heading to Val d’Orcia for another three nights. Val d’Orcia is in the heart of the Tuscan countryside. We stayed at a farm and used that as a base to drive to various locations in the area. Very close to the farm (I believe it is part of the farm’s property) is this very high hill where a beautiful oak tree sits at the top. The tree is a great subject to photograph, but I found that it is not the only subject that was available. Once you climb up to the tree and turn around, you are blessed with the view in this photo – a stellar example of the Tuscan Countryside.