Forte dei Marmi

There’s a quiet obsession with balance that runs through my work. I’m drawn to moments where symmetry emerges, not by chance but by intention. In nature, this symmetry is often wild and raw, yet on the beaches of Forte dei Marmi it feels almost sacred.

Every morning, before the first sunbathers appear, a handful of bagnini – the keepers of the shore – move silently through the sand. They realign every umbrella, rake every footprint, and reorient every chair. It isn’t just maintenance; it is ritual. As if the chaos of the day before must be erased so that order can return before anyone wakes.

From above, the scene appears almost surreal: the geometry of parasols, the rhythm of shadows, the grid of towels waiting to be claimed. Off to the side, a few older locals are already chest-deep in the water, undisturbed by the quiet ballet unfolding behind them, a sight they have witnessed a thousand times before.

This series captures that early moment, the calm before the human tide, the quiet pride in symmetry – an aesthetic so deeply woven into Italian beach culture that it feels timeless.