Autumn had already transformed the landscape around Falcade when I photographed Benedetta and Dario. Open meadows, larch woods changing colour and the Dolomite peaks in the distance created a quiet setting where the session could unfold without needing elaborate poses.
A pre-wedding shoot gives the couple time to experience being photographed before the wedding itself. Walking, talking and simply staying close helps the camera become less noticeable, while also creating the familiarity with the wedding photographer that makes the photographic experience on the wedding day feel much more natural.
Falcade lies in the Val del Biois, surrounded by some of the most recognisable peaks of the UNESCO Dolomites, including the Marmolada, Civetta and Pale di San Martino groups. The wide mountain meadows and forests give this part of the Belluno Dolomites a particularly open character, especially during autumn.
I photographed Benedetta and Dario with the same discreet approach I use in wedding reportage, using the changing light and the landscape without letting either dictate the photographs. Their gestures remained simple and unforced, allowing the Dolomites to frame the story rather than become its main subject.
