It was one of those days when I didn’t have much choice but to be accurate and patient with exposure and colour balance as it kept changing. It was a real hassle and while it screwed up the workflow, the weather was bracing and Federica in her Italian way did her best to be professional and cooperative.

I say in her Italian way because Italian girls are special. At least they believe they are and, in Federica's case, you can see her point. At the age of 29, she seems to have discovered the secret of eternal youth, tall, slender, with fairy-tale blonde hair, and eyes that sparkle like pools of water reflecting the setting sun. Or with today's weather, the shifting clouds.

Federica shares a flat with her mother, in fact she admits she's something of a mummy's girl, and made a point of expressing her disdain for immature men. "What on earth could they possibly offer?" Too right, I said, and acted like really mature. So, ever since she grew up, Federica has only dated men over 40. Her present boyfriend is 49. Just right for her mum, I was thinking, but I didn't want to sound immature and didn't say so.

With the wind blowing up a storm, she bravely stripped off and then for some reason I couldn't understand, imitated the weather by bursting into tears. She cried for mama (perfectly true!) when I asked her to pose with the stone dog that stands proudly on top of one of the entrance pillars to the villa. We got through that. Federica put on a brave show below a freezing cold fountain and, when her perfect flesh was completely covered in goose bumps (chicken skin we say up at the North Pole) she climbed an ancient olive tree and warmed up riding a quad bike. Naked, naturally.

So far so good and lets hope tomorrow is even better!

More to come…

Petter