The land of the Dolomites... what does it bring to the first-time visitor? Pale peaks lifted against the horizon, ruggedly distorted heaps of rocks penetrating the floccus clouds above -- a stunning scenery worth being perpetually engraved in any passing traveler's memory. The Dolomites offer an extraordinary array of landscapes: high-altitude lunar plateaus, soaring peaks, breathtaking spires, pea-green valleys, and boundless evergreen and deciduous forests.

The mountainscape and surrounding valleys are especially beautiful in late Autumn. The "Burning Dolomites," an explosion of colors, is a very special natural phenomenon that happens when the summer draws to an end, nature is at peace, and the needles of the larch turn from green to yellow, tangerine, red, or brown. This is the perfect time to explore the land of the Dolomites. I invite you to join me on this beautiful and exciting journey to explore the mountains and photograph its amazing beauty.

Ortizei is a beautiful little picturesque town encompassed by gorgeous mountainscape and lush green pastures. No doubt, it's a hiker's paradise.

In Ortizei, check in a hotel, where you'll spend your next 3 to 4 nights, while during the day, explore the following places around the town, such as Passes Pordoi, Sella, Gardena, Seceda, and pea-green valley of Alpe di Siuisi. In Alpe di Siuisi, which can be reached by a state-of-the-art lift right from the town, you may want to stay overnight to shoot both sunrise and sunset.

Starting at Rifugio Aurenzo follow the path to Cappella degli Alpini, before arriving at Rifugio Lavaredo (which can be closed depending on the season, so check beforehand). Exactly to your left, you'll see the three peaks rising up above the landscape, while on your right, the other jagged Dolomiti mountains.

From Rifugio Lavaredo, turn left and follow the path upwards towards Forcella Lavaredo, a nice view point on Tre Cime di Lavaredo. From here, you can take breathtaking pictures over the valley and towards Rifugio Locatelli.

Your next destination is Rifugio Locatelli. From Forcella Lavaredo, you can hike up two trails, one of which is steep and the other -- easier and well-trodden, both of them are leading to the same destination; however, if you are confident in your hiking stamina, I recommend taking the least trodden path, as it has a few spots with epic views.

Nevertheless, since the trail is quite steep, it might be dangerous, so if you're not confident in your hiking skills, better take the easiest trail.

Once you've arrived at Rifugio Locatelli, take a break on the terrace, have a drink or some food or both, and enjoy the stunning scenery of Tre Cime. If you have time, walk around Rifugio Locatelli and explore the area. There are a few bunkers and tunnels left from WWI, as well as other interesting photography spots to get a good perspective of three peaks. There's a nice Laghi dei Piani below the Rifugio that you can also take a glimpse at or shoot from above.

Hike up to the nearest peak, which will take about half an hour -- along the road there is a beautiful view of Refugio Locateli and three peaks. Otherwise -- you can go along the left path and climb 200-300 meters to a little moutainscape tunnel from which you can see the three peaks.

Now, if you look at the photography map I've drawn above -- you'll notice the sun points go out from Torre di Toblin or "delle Scalette," which, by the way, was used by Autsrian soldiers as an observation point in WWI.

Then there are a few photo points to the south of Torre di Toblin with the approximate shooting range from each to the mountains in the west, Tre Cime. These are the perfect sunset locations where you'll get the sun coming from behind the three peaks illuminating them from the background and making them stand out in their late afternoon-early evening glory.

However, you can also experiment and shoot at sunset, sunrise, or any other time, provided you want to find out how Tre Cime looks at different times of day.

Use 24-70 and tripod.

From Cortina d'Ampezzo, take the SR48 road, turn to Lake Misurina at SP49, drive along the lake towards Tre Cime Park.

You can leave your car in a free parking lot near the lake. There's a nice little cafe nearby where you can enjoy a cup of coffee with home-baked treats.

Lago d'Antorno is a picturesque lake surrounded by the Dolomites. It's a short drive away (2 km, ~1 mi) from another famous Dolomiti destination, Lago di Misurina.

On the western shore, there's a chalet of the same name. During summer months, you might even practice sports fishing.

In the vicinity, there're a few hiking trails up the mountains, such as Sorapiss, Monte Piana, Cadini di Misurina, and Tre Cime.

This the morning shooting location.

I recommend arriving at this point in advance before the sunrise.
It is very important to be the first one on the scene, since a good frame allows for only one tripod.

The top of the mountain in the foreground is beautifully illuminated with the rays of the rising sun and is reflected in a small puddle of water adjacent to the lake, exactly copying the mountains' shape.

You can often see ducks gliding on the surface of the lake, which can enliven the landscape.