Discover Hidden Italy in Unique Panoramic Pictures

Hidden Italy is the newest entry in the growing collection of exquisite coffee table photo books featuring my pictures.

What you get

The photographs

The book contains 35 selected panoramic pictures taken during three week-long journeys.

As you can see on the map, the places are far beyond major tourist centres, even any cities of size.

The Stelvio National Park and the upper Adige river valley are in the far north-west of South Tyrol, the northernmost, mainly German-speaking autonomous province of Italy.

This is so different from the rest of the country that it would be a reason to visit for this alone. Alas, along with being far from our very ideas of Italy—no grand antique monuments, no city bustle, no pizza (!) —, the region is also literally as far and remote as it gets. The closest international airports of some significance are those of Zurich (240 km/150 mi away) and Venice (320 km/200 mi).

The main valley is a sunny, warm, apple- and wine-growing countryside surrounded by spectacular mountains just short of 4000 m high. The pictures appeared on a ten-day stay in September-October 2016.

The Prague and Sexten Dolomites are in the far east, somewhat more Italian part of the same province, best accessible from Venice, while Lake Maggiore and the Val Grande National Park are in the north-east of Piedmont, close to Milan with its two international airports.

Both destinations, though no insider tips, await and award with hidden treasures just a day hike away from the well-trodden paths.

Nine regions in the Dolomites are designated World Natural Heritage areas. The pictures in this photo book are from a visit to one of them in January 2018.

Lake Maggiore is shared between Piedmont, Lombardy and Switzerland. Val Grande in its back country makes up the largest wilderness area in the Alps, if not whole Central Europe. The photographs taken on forays from a hotel base in Cannero Riviera are from early autumn 2018.

The book

The inner pages are made of true, heavy matte photographic paper. It is able of reproducing fine details and a great tonal range with both colour and black-and-white pictures. Its smooth coating also prevents distracting reflections and keeps fingerprints at bay.

The book shares a simple, understated layout with previous editions in a highly collectible series.

As mentioned above, the book features selected pictures from three journeys' output, Alps High, Dolomiti and Bright Side.

Alps High and Bright Side also contain photographs from Switzerland not included in this edition.

“What better occupation, really, than to spend the evening at the fireside with a book, with the wind beating on the windows and the lamp burning bright…”

“What's so special about it?”

If you remember the time when photographs had to be developed and possibly printed to be enjoyed, you'd probably know what a difference it made to look at the real thing, not a glimmer on the monitor.

If you know your pictures as digital only, some chains of bytes to dwell on hard disks, or phones, or in the cloud, be prepared for a complete new visual and emotional experience.

The sensation is even more direct than comparing ebooks to their paper brethren. This is like feeling the original painting in a museum rather than only seeing it on a thumbnail image along a Wikipedia article.

Computers and internet are great, but they reduce our perception of the world to sight and hearing. Dare to walk away from your desk and get to know what lies beyond — with all senses.

How to order

Please note: Due to its dimensions, the photographs need to be cropped on top and/or bottom to be presented edge-to-edge in this format. Where this cropping would compromise the composition of the picture, the latter is shown with margins on one or both sides.

The small format is very handy to hold and pass around but no less impressive at two-thirds the size.
The middle choice from the provider's Professional Line is slightly larger than A4 when folded. It is handmade from specially selected materials.

And you are almost done! Just add your name and email address, tick off legal stuff requirements, and click on the Buy Now button to finalise your order at PayPal's.

“I want it!”

In short: You are about to make a good decision. Order now and enjoy it for years to come!

Questions you might have

Can I trust you?: Yes, you can. Your payment with PayPal is covered by their Purchase Protection and secured in case of problems with delivery.
My country isn't listed in the order form. Can I still order with you?: The list in the order form is comprised of countries the printing service are able to deliver to directly. If you reside elsewhere, there are two possibilities. The easiest would be addressing your book to friends or relatives in one of the "safe" countries. Otherwise, be sure to use the form below and contact me about the issue. Usually, I would just direct your order to my address, then send it your way by myself. (Additional shipping charges may apply in this case.)
What currencies can I use to pay?: You can pay in euros.
Is VAT included in my price?: The total price shown is the exact amount you will be asked to pay. This includes the German VAT on production costs, the shipping to your destination and a small author's fee.
Do I need a PayPal account to order?: Not necessarily. The option to pay with your credit or debit card is usually provided for those who do not have a PayPal account. However, due to regulations in some countries, you may require a PayPal account in your location. In this case, if you do not have one already, you will be able to create it during checkout. The account is free, as is using it for buying online.
How long will it take to produce my photo book?: Usually you should be able to receive your order within seven to ten working days. After your photo book ships you will receive a link to track its whereabouts while in transit.
My photo book has a production defect, or was damaged in transit. What can I do?: If you have a reason to complain about quality of your photo book, use the form below to describe the fault. I will ask you for some pictures to illustrate what you mean. Your photo book will then be replaced and resent to you at no additional cost, without need to return the defective original.