In this series the photographer James Siow goes in search of the authenticity of Puglia and describes it to us with admiring simplicity.

“Puglia is the southern region forming the heel of Italy’s “boot,” and it is well-known for its Mediterranean coastline and whitewashed towns.

After spending a whole week travelling the northern section of this region, I honestly can’t believe it’s not stealing all the headlines when it comes to European travel photography.

You will find a deep local culture that hasn’t been diluted with tourist activities, and a beauty that is so unique to the rest of Italy.

Driving around this region with no expectations of what to find, allowed the spontaneous nature of exploration to flow into the types of photographs I was taking.

I got used to capturing the simplistic beauty of old buildings and utilising natural light to enhance them.

Nothing fancy required, just a lightweight Fuji camera, a medium focal length, no itinerary, and an eye for hidden passageways and quiet streets.”