A couple of weeks ago I hopped on a plane to Venice to spend 3 days with a group of like minded people; shooting, learning and developing my business (then one day on my own roaming around Saint Marcs Square). It was an experience I am very pleased I was a part of as I not only got to visit Italy again but I also got to shoot at the Neo-Gothic Castle owned by the good folks of Graphistudio.

There is a beautiful story behind this stunning location which is situated in the Arzino Valley. Pielungo di Vito D’Asio is the castle of Count Ceconi. A local hero and legend, he was once a lower class builder who lived in the town near by. One day he packed up his belongings and ventured to Venice to find his fortune.

Leaving without the ability to read or write he came back a richer and better man to his home mountain town . The beautiful valley has several small towns situated within it so to make each of them accessible to one another, create more jobs for the locals and also to connect the towns folk to Venice which is 100 kilometres away, Count Ceconi built a series of roads and tunnels leading from the bottom to the top of the mountain.

Once this was completes he then took on the task of creating his dream home. The castle that stands there today is, on the outside, exactly how it was when first built. Surrounded by forests and rivers it is the perfect location to inspire, and feed a photographers imagination. If you are a fellow photographer I strongly urge you keep an eye out for future events held at the castle, for a chance to visit this stunning location.