Tag: gondola

Venice was founded by fugitives fleeing barbarians, grew with traders who had a penchant for thievery, and flourished under strong rulers whose independence drove the Pope to excommunicate the entire city. From a fledgling temporary community of wooden huts in the Fifth Century AD to an opulent trading center that once ruled the seas, Venice’s unique history gives it an incredible presence almost mythical in nature. It defies rational explanation. You can almost feel the curiosity that is inherent to this city of Carnevale masks and labyrinthine alleys. History seeps from the porous cracks in the foundations of old buildings that perch precariously along the Grand Canal.

Planning for my trip I was skeptical that Venice could live up to her reputation. Too many tourists, too busy, too loud, too expensive, too smelly, too much weird food, I worried. As an artist I followed Venice’s siren song as many have before. I was not shipwrecked upon arrival but I was wrecked. My worries, as most are, were unwarranted. The gorgeous photo opportunities I wanted were in abundance. The tourists are plentiful but easy to evade. The only smells I encountered were delicious fresh foods, pastries, and coffee. The prices were lower than I anticipated. The still of the silence with no vehicles was a welcome respite and upon leaving the lagoon, vehicular traffic was jarring. Only the weather was just okay.

Venice receives 20 million tourists annually. Many of them leave in the evening with departing cruise ships, but it felt as if they were all at St. Mark’s square the afternoon we arrived. I’ve never found a sea of heads in a throng very photogenic. We did not see the inside of St. Mark’s basilica and the sarcophagus holding his stolen body. We did nothing on my list of tourist sites to visit. Having lost our appetite for traditional traveling we succumbed to the sheer delight of discovering the hidden Venice that lies beneath the surface. Winding our way back to the serenity of the Santa Croce neighborhood where we were staying, beautiful pictures presented themselves in rapid succession.

Before dawn the next morning, thinking we would have the Piazza San Marco to ourselves, we hurriedly walked the meandering path to the Piazza to create “the” iconic sunrise picture. Imagine my dismay upon finding street sweepers cleaning up garbage, hundreds of tourists already there, several other photographers with the same idea, and many intrepid runners braving the cold to prepare for the upcoming Venice marathon. It was still dark. Rather than attempt St. Marks, I jockeyed to position my tripod to shoot the gondolas nearby, quite ready to duel if another photographer wanted to encroach on my territory. Snapping the shutter, my initial disappointment turned to fear that I would leave Venice with no good pictures. Most of my photography reconnaissance was for naught. I learned as I went and hopefully you can benefit from my experience.

Venice is an excellent city for photographers. The locals are accustomed to camera-toting tourists and are used to being in pictures. The residents are particularly accommodating if you walk over to the side of the street to take pictures rather than stopping abruptly and causing a pedestrian pileup. Everyone we encountered in Venice was gracious and friendly. Watching the children play and listening to the dogs bark in the local campo provides photo opportunities most tourists miss and also gives a flavor of the community. At only two square miles in size, it is easy to walk or take the waterbus and navigate away from the busier areas. The influence of art is also appreciated by locals and visitors alike. Venice has more artistic masterpieces per square mile than any other city in the world and is still home to many talented working artisans. The creative energy is palpable and inspiring.

The narrowness of the canals and the intensity of the light can make for tricky pictures. It is also common to find one side of the canal brightly lit while the other is dark. Getting the proper exposure can be a challenge when the light is so varied. Setting everything to manual, I took meter readings from the areas in the scene I wanted the focus on. I also bracketed many shots. We added more time to get anywhere because I was constantly taking pictures, and they took a while to take. I used a polarizer often and packed a neutral density filter but did not use it. For developing, I used Photoshop to tone down highlights in the sky and to bring out details in the shadows. Always ready for the moment, I wore my camera all day thanks to my Black Rapid strap. If you see a scene you like, take it immediately because it can be hard to find your way back later. Have patience when composing images. Wait for people to leave your scene, or for better lighting conditions. Above all else, comfortable walking shoes are a must as the waterbus, while lovely, can be slow.

Do not anticipate getting an excellent picture of the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto Bridge, or other famous sites. There are many people with the same idea, and the Bridge of Sighs is currently under renovation and covered with advertisements to pay for it. The Rialto had areas covered in scaffolding. Graffiti was not something I expected to encounter everywhere, even churches, but it is rampant. St. Marks was strewn with garbage at the end of the day even though eating there is forbidden. Beautiful sculptures and buildings are affixed with utilitarian spikes to discourage the infamous pigeons. Buy a postcard of the famous sites and focus your photographic efforts on something you find uniquely beautiful. There will be many, I promise.

For terrific photographic opportunities, better meals, and local ambience, wander the back alleys of the neighborhoods. Venice is extremely safe and treasures wait to be found. A great view of Venice can be seen from across the Canal from the campanile at San Giorgio Maggiore rather than wait in line for the one at San Marco. The outlying islands are a quiet antidote to the bustle of Venice. Burano especially is a photographer’s delight, and the boat ride there is included with your waterbus multi-day pass. The fishermen on this island painted their houses in bright colors to see them from sea and the tradition continues to this day. The ubiquitous hanging laundry adds to the atmosphere.

The sunset light was stellar and as a benefit of being there four days we were able to determine excellent locations to experience it. The fading sun’s rays illuminate the buildings and the Grand Canal like a Boroque light show and the scenes are achingly beautiful. Near the train station the views over the canal from the Ponte dei Scalzi were among the best at twilight. The way the wide Canal wends, good sunset vistas are plentiful along the Grand Canal. The smaller side canals are darker so head towards the Grand Canal at sundown.

Riding the waterbus down the Grand Canal it’s easy to marvel while viewing the marble palazzi built atop ancient wooden pylons that Venice had humble origins in a malarial swamp. Vestiges of the trading and shipping empire Venice once was are still evident. The proud Lion, St. Mark’s sign and the symbol of the city fly proudly on the Venetian flag flown everywhere. The booty brought back from Venetian raids overseas is still on display. Ever-changing reflections in the many canals subtly remind you that Venice’s very existence is inextricably linked to water. Carnevale costumes evoke the ribald past enjoyed by people from many cultures. Byzantine influences abound that speak to the long-held tolerance that attracted peace and trade from all corners. With a zoom lens it is possible to capture some of the breathtaking beauty found here. But a camera can’t see the unique spirit of this singular city. It must be felt.