Photographing Venice?
 

Hi there!

I'll be visiting Venice in late September (Yippee!) and will be armed with a camera. (I was recently gifted a friend's old digital SLR camera, and am slowly learning how to use it.) I was wondering whether there were any others on the message boards who had advice about particular spots for great pictures. I do love this city and its magical light, and am really excited to get to know the city through the camera lens--I figure that may be I'll discover some new places that I would never have thought to go in my previous two visits.

Thanks!
Cricket

P.S. Yes, I completely understand that I'll look like a tourist, but I plan to be taking pictures only in the early morning (read dawn) or early evening (dusk), and will be camera free as I enjoy walking/exploring the city in the times between:-)

Hey, Cricket, maybe you'll look like a photographer. In any case, 70% of the people you see will be tourists, minimum. So enjoy yourself.

I surely wouldn't go to a place 9,000 miles away to be 'camera-free' because someone might think I was a tourist.

For some great shots or angles try a search at www.flickr.com . I'd love to photograph Venice! I'm still working on Paris and Pere Lachaise.

Gee, a tourist in Venice, what a novel idea!

I love trolling Flickr...!

You can get great shots along the Grand Canal from the vaporetto.

Please don't leave your camera in your room while you are out exploring, you never know when you'll see something priceless to photograph. Perfect light, angle etc.....you may not get the opportunity twice!

TexasGal2,

Thanks so much for responding to the question I'd posted--I really appreciate it. I'm already browsing Flickr and getting ideas of where to go and hope to frame shots:-)

I'm just so excited to go--to explore the city both by my camera and on foot, and figured that Fodorites might have some good advice on the former.

-Cricket

I would think, anywhere along the waterline... from above (church towers)...get some bridges where you can see underneath... I always get a photo of a local cat...Morning mists and evening sunsets...Most important - don't always take 'big' photos(sweeping vistas, lots of buildings, etc) - be sure to take 'small' photos to balance out your portfolio/album. Such as the face on a statue, a shop window, a flower box...and people always love a good FOOD photo... Don't forget to get YOURSELF in the picture sometimes.

Cricket,

I say take your camera even during the day.Anywhere in Venice is a good place to take photograph. Just wandering the streets you will see so much that catches the eye. Here are links to photos from my two trips to Venice. Enjoy your trip.

www.pbase.com/trsw/venice_2005
www.pbase.com/trsw/venice2006

Tom

Venice is seriously so photogenic that just about anywhere is a good place to take a picture. You will find yourself amazed at how beautiful a decaying building can be, or a quiet piazza, or a small bridge (there are thousands of those!) with no one on it, or the majesty of San Marco. We recently spent a month in Europe, and my husband had bought a digital SLR right before the trip... we came home with some amazing photos, but of all the places we visited (London, Amsterdam, Paris, Amboise, Rome, Venice), Venice was perhaps the most photogenic (though not our favorite) city of the entire trip. I've just posted some of our pics to flickr - feel free to take a peek: http://flickr.com/photos/tara_lanning/sets/

Hi C,

> I plan to be taking pictures only in the early morning (read dawn) or early evening (dusk), and will be camera free as I enjoy walking/exploring the city in the times between.<

Why?

>...advice about particular spots for great pictures. <

Anyplace that's not too far from a canal.

Enjoy your visit.

((I))

Try and get a small, strong tripod for those early morning(before the other tourists showed up) The lights and sky at night are something to see (and photograph). Also get a non-descript camera bag.

At the risk of sounding like I'm starting a fan club, Tom's pbase galleries are great - besides being beautifull framed and interestingly chosen, his pictures convey the color of Venice.

I recommend you rent (or buy, you'll want to watch it often) the David Lean film "Summertime", starring Katherine Hepburn and Rosanno Brazzi. Lean, who also made Dr. Zhivago and Lawrence of ARabia, among so many others, is a consummate "painter" in film (with the help of his cinematographers and art directors, naturally!)

Summertime is a film with a palette: the effect Venice and her people - and tourists - have on American secretary Jane Hudson are conveyed with color in scene after scene. A stone gray background/ base tone is punctuated with red, yellow and blue, over and over. Yellow for the sun and gilt statues, etc (and money?), blue for the sea and sky, red for passion. Summertime is possibly the most beautiful "travel" film of all time - even those who don't like the story (in the minority, I think) have to admit it is a work of art to look at - especially since the Criterion DVD was made from an original negative, and looks like it was made last week, not 50 years ago.

Just watching Jane run her movie camera will inspire your photo journey.

I am not a top photographer but there are some of my Venice photos at
http://sylvia.photoblog.me.uk/c421786.html
and http://sylvia.photoblog.me.uk/c554610.html

It's a good idea to get up early and take your photos before the crowds, arrive.

bookmarking

If it's a pretty day, head over to the island of Burano (not Murano). The houses are painted bright colors and is traffic free. Lots of photo ops.

Black and White/ Sepia (easy switch on the digital)...early morning- my photos at dawn around Venice are my favorites- they remind me of what it once was- and all the wonderful old photos (ok, if you keep the scaffolding and giant banners out of the photos).
Thanks to Statia, whose photos inspired me!

Burano is a colour photographer's heaven.

I love my photos of the basilica of San Marco and the Doge's Palace at sunrise. There were no crowds and the pidgeons were asleep. Also, the Bridge of Sighs will be empty at that time.

Burano is also a must to visit and to photograph.

Also, the masquerade stores are great photo op.

And, I second that you can get great photos from the vaporetto along the Grand Canal. But, there are some great shots on the smaller side canals. Also, get plenty of photos of gondolas and gondoliers.