Night photography has always driven professional photographer Giovanna Griffo crazy so each time there's the possibility to shoot in some new location, she doesn't mind having a long drive ride staying up all night long! So when some friend of Giovanna told her to drive to a very dark location they grab our cars late at the evening, drove for 400 km to reach their destination and started shooting pictures all night long till dawn, then they came back home without sleeping at all ;) There are no very dark locations in Italy so, Castelluccio di Norcia is one of the best location for night photography, this why they were so excited to get there and hoped for a good weather condition. Even though the weather conditions were not the best, they were still able to get some good shots.

Night sky has always been fascinating people all over the world, and I have always been loving night sky observation! It is simply amazing how the camera is able to get way more information than the human eye can, so you can unfold through photography some kind of wonder in the night sky that is not visible to a common observation. That's why it so inspiring and so fascinating to me. In some way, night photography brings the sky nearer to earth, and it's like having a deep space journey!
-Giovanna Griffo

I feel more like someone who tries to discover inner beauty in the world thanks to my vision, creativity and even imagination. I would describe myself as a visionary. I do practice every type photography involved with creativity and personal vision. I always try to tell my vision in every genre of photography I approach. So it can be landscape, architecture, still life, or portraiture but it has to be something more that a bare reproduction of reality. My pictures tell more about me that about things I shot. Inspiration is everywhere. My inspiration is all around and above me.
-Giovanna Griffo

If I stare at the night sky, I feel like being part of the universe. There is plenty of beauty in the world, so much beauty even in the weirdest places, or in the smallest things, or simply just around the corner of your home. When you feel to be in lack of inspiration just relax, breath, have a fun and inspiration is going to knock on your door. Another great way to find inspiration is to have a look at other artist creations. Browsing on the web sites like Behance is a great way to get inspired by an incredible amount of pure creativity that can give you a real shock!
-Giovanna Griffo

I think that some people are more talented than other in looking at the work around them in a "photographic way" however surely everyone can have fun and satisfaction doing photography and try to improve ones "photographic eye". You can be a born talented photographer or you can become, just following the right path. It's something about perception and senses and even empathy.
-Giovanna Griffo

If you are able to see, feel, hear, taste, smell, touch what the world is offering you in its innermost essence, then you mysterious hidden photographic eye will break through! It will be the expression of your vitality, you passion, your sensitiveness.You can train you photographic eye. If you stop just for a moment to feel the world, it will break through your senses and it will show you the most amazing wonders you where dreaming when you were just a little child.
-Giovanna Griffo

Taking pictures of the Milky Way it is not that easy:

You have to scout a nice location having the south side of the sky free (Milky Way rises on South)

The location have to be interesting, maybe a good foreground, not just the sky.

You have to pray for clouds don't come to hide the stars, or worst rain!

Grab the fastest lens you have (f/2.8 or more), better a wide angle lens

Search for the darkest locations around you.

Search for a dark night with no moon.

Always shoot Raw!

Use manual focus setting focus on infinity or using hyper focal distance and remember to have fun!!

About Giovanna Griffo

Giovanna Griffo is a professional fine art photographer and retoucher based in Italy. She teach digital photography and digital post processing and retouching in countrywide workshops followed by professionals and amateurs. Her works have been published and featured in national and international press. Giovanna's pictures are sold worldwide through international agencies. Some of her clients: Hewlett Packard, Ford Foundation, Nissan, Columbia University Press, Bloomberg. Business week, Pushkin Press UK, Schurman Retail Group, Daily Mail, W.H. Freeman & Co./Worth Publishers. She was one of the winners of Lonely Planet National Contest 2015. She fell in love with photography since she was six years old and used to spend her time inside her father's darkroom. It was a place she loved the most! Developing films and printing was a kind of magic and she has been dreaming about it even when she grew up. See more of her works on Behance or her website.