Valle dei Templi – Valley of the Temples

The so-called ‘Valley of the Temples’ near Agrigento in Sicily is one of the most important archaeological sites of Greek antiquity and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Several temple complexes were built on a ridge in the 5th century BC, some of which have survived to this day and provide insights into the heyday of Greek culture in this part of the Mediterranean. So, the stage is set. The question remains: how can you best photograph such a site?

Planning for perfect photo conditions
With around 300 days of sunshine a year, light is generally not a problem, but the opening hours from 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. limit your time frame. I opted for the morning hours, hoping there would be fewer visitors. The site has entrances to the east and west, so you basically have to decide which direction to start your excursion from. I went for the eastern entrance, since it’s quicker to get to the temples from there. When I visited in mid-February, it was the almond blossom season – a lovely bonus that I’d intentionally included in the trip planning.

During my visit, the southern light was at its best. This is fantastic for holidaymakers – but for photography, a cloudless blue sky and bright sunlight are not ideal. During my photo session in the Valley of the Temples, I used an elementary composition technique to create depth and atmosphere. I worked with so-called natural frames to compose my photographs. This artistic element directs the viewer’s attention to the main subject. At the same time, the frames (in this instance, trees, branches, rocks, cacti, etc.) serve to hide parts of the not particularly attractive sky, the sun or other visitors. To photograph the Temple of Concordia without people, I opted for an extremely low viewpoint. The steps of the temple and the rocks in the foreground obscured other visitors, while making the temple appear even more majestic. These creative tweaks resulted in photographs that evoke the feeling of discovering the site for yourself as you look at them.