Where and when do you take your best photos in Venice? In addition to the main attractions, would welcome unique or quirky places. Also like daily life locations, markets, sun-set venues and classic architecture.

Venice is probably the most photogenic city on earth. One could easily take 1000 pictures a day and each one would look like a postcard. You have to go some to take a bad photo. Honest.

>>classic architecture<< That is ALL there is in Venice.

janisj, I fully agree, but was interested in seeing where and when other travelers took thier best photos.

1. There's a good spot for gondolas, the Basino Orseolo, very near the NW corner of Piazza San Marco.
2. Everything looks different from the top of the Campanile di San Marco and the roof of the basilica especially beautiful.
3. If you are lucky enough to get a seat at the very front (outside) of a #1 vaporetto, you'll have as long as you like for everything along the Grand Canal.

Some of my best photos were taken just walking around:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca...914405643/show

bridges give a good point of view of the canals.

Hard to go wrong--it is all spectacular:

http://www.slowphotos.com/photo/show...y.php?cat=4440

I was trying to say what Michael and bob said. There are no bad photos in Venice and unless you have several days there, I wouldn't waste time looking for the 'perfect' shots. I've spent one whole day mostly riding in the open back seating area of Vaporetti and jumping off to explore, back on a Vaporetto and repeat. Took hundreds of photos and could have taken hundreds more. The very best shots (and I've sold many of mine) were just kismet -- the perfect sun dappled house w/ very artsy laundry hanging from the window. A flower girl entering a church w/ her Grandmother trying to mover her along. A bride on a gondola. Gondoliers taking a break. One amazing palace after another from the water . . .

The photo ops are overwhelming.

The Grand Canal at sunset from the Rialto Bridge. (Each time I was there, the bridge was mobbed with people - hard to squeeze in a tripod.)

Piazza San Marco at night, with the light reflecting off the square (where people are dancing as the bands play).

My beat were when walking around the neighborhoods.

The earlier the better. I'm always up just before sunrise. You'll get the soft glow of the lights as the sunrise illuminates the canals and buildings.

My favourite places for early morning photography is in front of Palazzo Ducale toward Sann Giorgio Maggiore and along Riva Degli Schiavoni.

I also roam the neighbourhood of Castello early in the morning as all you'll see are workers with their delivery trolleys and pigeons. The canals and bridges around there are beautiful - as is all of Venice - but this is my neighbourhood and I find it very peaceful at this time of day.

I'm looking forward to my five days in Venice in September, but as a ling time photographer, you might want to consider turning some of your more architectural shots to black and white for a different outlook

I've seen some dull pictures of Venice! A lot actually. Some of them downright bad. Most of them taken by tourists. So putting some thought into times of day for optimal light, varying angles, scenes that tell stories is an intelligent approach.

Probably would be hard to market this one as a postcard

http://travelblog.am/wp-content/uplo...t_in-italy.jpg

and if you don't want modern architecture in your snaps, you might want to steer clear of the Ponte della Costituzione (but I sort of like it)

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/images/...c020310_p2.jpg

Thank you all for the great feedback - just what i was looking for

See what other people have shot and then shoot something different.

We went to the top of the campanile (it has an elevator) on San Giorgio Maggiore and got great pictures looking back at St Mark's Square in the afternoon. If you do go there, they're doing construction on the island, so you need to take a Siegel shuttle from San Zaccaria - the regular vaporetto doesn't stop there currently.

It is the kind of place where if you drop your camera and the shutter fired, then there is still a chance you got a decent shot.

In looking at my photos there are a lot in the evening, but I did happen to see a tall ship come into the harbor during an early morning stroll along the Riva Degli Schiavoni, as Blueeyedcod suggested. Could have been great light but it was cloudy. Still an interesting scene that would have been missed later in the day.

A few shots here if you have some time to waste.
http://nelsonchenkin.zenfolio.com/p324262459

We were only there for two nights, those shots all taken with a handheld P&S Canon.

And then, some of those ships coming into Venice are pretty ugly, although snaps of them do have documentary value.

http://myrarobinson.info/wp-content/...p_Invasion.jpg

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2012/...00_634x410.jpg

http://jto.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-conte...0130114a1a.jpg

The zillions of small foot bridges offer great photo opportunities because of the reflections in the water. Just look down any small canal. Also, don't forget Burano as a great place to take photos. Venture off the main streets and into the small neighborhoods and colorful buildings.

<i><font color=#555555>"There are no bad photos in Venice and unless you have several days there, I wouldn't waste time looking for the 'perfect' shots."</font></i>

Another post, as unhelpful as ever. And condescending as all hell.

The quote above demonstrates there is plenty of bad advice to be found on the internet. The blatant lack of photography skill among most tourists explains why Google Images is flooded with utterly awful images of Venice. If you look at them long enough, they all look the same.

Millions of people own a camera, mostly a cell phone camera, but they possess no visual talent and no photography acumen. The vast majority of camera owners never take their camera off the "Automatic" setting, which means they let the camera do all the thinking. In the meantime, the piece of electronics has no brain, but chances are, the computer chip inside the camera is smarter than the user.

Most camera holders in Venice don't have a "Manual" setting on their camera. Professional photographers would advise you that magic doesn't happen until you switch and learn how to photograph on Manual. If you're looking for truly spectacular results in Venice, you'll need a tripod.

Sembach, if you are a professional, semi-professional, serious amateur, or semi-serious amateur photographer, research is required to find the best locations, the best lighting, and the best times of day to photograph ANYWHERE, no matter where you go. While you might think a travel board would be a logical place to ask your question, and there's no harm in trying, the first answer you got illustrates the unhelpful negativity you are likely to find. NO ONE who cares about art, beauty, and good photography would ever answer your question in such a way. Most tourists who post on travel boards know nothing about the art, craft, and science of photography. There are other places on the internet, like Luminous Landscape, where your question will be treated with the respect that it deserves.

Good luck.