Colosseum | Rome, Italy

This image of the Colosseum was captured during a 10-day visit to Rome in mid-March, near the Ides of March—an historically symbolic time and close to the spring equinox, when the sun rises and sets almost perfectly along the east-west axis. These conditions created extraordinary lighting opportunities throughout the city. Remarkably, we had good light every single day. While it was a dream for a photographer, it also meant waking up for sunrise—every day without exception. That level of consistency allowed for multiple attempts at key locations, though the most memorable moment came unexpectedly. After photographing the Roman Forum at sunrise, we walked further to explore the Colosseum from different vantage points. However, much of the surrounding area was closed due to a city marathon, limiting access to many of the compositions I had planned. Just as we were finishing our loop around the monument, I noticed a fleeting patch of sunlight hitting the ground near one of the remaining open views. I quickly adjusted my settings, stopped down the aperture to maximize sharpness and depth, and captured the shot. I had only a few seconds—within moments, a school group arrived and the space was flooded with people. This image represents a combination of preparation and timing.