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The eye of the drone flying over the island’s beauties

«Ischia, a paradise seen from the sky» welcomes shooting by Gianni Mattera, chef and photographer in love of his land in the sea I had the good fortune to fly over the island for three times. In the beginning of August a long time ago, tied to the rigid safety belt on a heavy institutional helicopter with the legendary photographer of Il Mattino, Antonio Troncone, we had to make a report of the press and tourism and, for a few minutes, we touched lightly crests of hills upside down, because our phantasmagoric pilot wanted to play a little bit with us guests on board, bipeds with roots accustomed to the ground!

Then, still in summer, a little teetering at low altitude, I was ‘boxed’ and happy in a mini seaplane with dubious takeoff. Finally, but most recently, I was back in a helicopter, this time graceful and light, in conjunction with a stage of the Tour of Italy cycling. The experience would have repeated more often if it had materialized the chance to put the mechanical wings to wander in pure fascination. The alien dimension, suspended and upside down compared to daily practice, dedicated to this land nestled in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea, has strengthened my feeling and knowledge. Fondling mists flushed, I was full of strong feelings that, in today’s world, those of Google Maps for instance, are welded with gifts that the social web is dispensed to a wider audience, thanks to the shooting and pictures taken with the aid of an esacottero (or perhaps eight arms?), better known as a drone.
Very nice, of course, but fragmentary. I felt the need for something more. I hoped the technology would inspire imaging professionals. I’ve been lucky. I did not have to wait much. To offset that need for excitement has just landed in bookstores the wonderful guide titled «Ischia, un paradiso visto dal cielo» (Intra Moenia editions, 144 pages in four languages, € 23,00), signed by a dear visionary friend, Gianni Mattera , 50, a chef appreciated that for years has collected the family baton to the restaurant Alberto al Lido and especially explosive certifier of his photographic alter ego that is well known by now, in the world (to learn more: www.giannimattera.it and www.albertoischia.it.). In this case, Gianni is the inspired author of shots from above, an example of celestial navigation to the discovery of an exemplary confirmation: the love for Ischia can be expressed by renewing the observation point, celebrating his eyes and the optical focus, simply by moving fingers on the joystick that moves the drone. Gianni drove with rare skill and, if he wanted to surprise me, is widely successful. The cone majestically green and soft of Cretaio; the brilliant night from the north-east; the designer terraced olive groves and vineyards in San Pancrazio and Piano Liguori that touch wild areal; the voluptuous pyramid of Sant’Angelo; yellow hues of the summit of Mount Epomeo to annihilate the punctuation of the Gulf of Naples. They are examples of a wander around in mid-air that fascinates and harnesses in a series of lightning strikes. Leafing hovers the imagination, stopping time. What else? (Ci.cen.)