>>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.<<

>>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.<<

I (modestly) do not put myself in that category. I've sold hundreds of photos - The majority (probably 600 or 700) of Scotland but hundreds of other parts of the UK, Paris, Venice, and various scenic areas in California the western US. Except for specific sunrise/sunset/meteorological phenomena, the majority of my photos are not pre-planned.

<i>if you are a professional, semi-professional, serious amateur, or semi-serious amateur photographer,</i>

I think that the OP's original question rules out the first two categories.

I have $1,000's of dollars of photos but I shun the usual tourists shots and look for things that are different.

The answer depends on your aesthetic and intent. If you just want some shots that will be a remembrance of your trip, that is one answer, if you want post card shots, that is another answer, and if you want something more artsy-fartsy, that is a third answer.

<i><font color=#555555>"I think that the OP's original question rules out the first two categories."</font></i>

I disagree.

The details that the OP wants will not be easy to find. Photographers can be a selfish lot, and smart ones know how to protect their business interests. Why aid a competitor, any competitor, on a very public board?

If I wanted this kind of specific information about an unfamiliar location, I would pose as a newbie. If a cop stops me because I shoot on a tripod, I play the dumb-amateur card. Smart people know about workarounds, and they use them.

<i><font color=#555555>"I've sold hundreds of photos"</font></i>

And I'm Annie Leibovitz.

Photographers can be a selfish lot?

I am sure that is true with everyone you hang out with.

It is almost impossible to give photographic advice on a board such as this. Who knows the OP's aesthetic, knowledge, patience, quality and abilities of the cameras, experience, knowledge of other photographer's works, range of techniques, etc.

99% on the photos shown on these boards are standard fare and now with photoshop many have unrealistic colors and tones. Like blogs, people see their work on-line and think someone presented it in their name and become unduly excited.

While that may be true IMDonehere, can't the same be said for sites that are geared towards photo enthusiasts?
https://500px.com/search?utf8=%E2%9C...icense_type=-1

It's real easy, and fun, to get carried away with HDR and all those post-processing dials!

My best photos of Venice were taken on a foggy morning, when Piazza San Marco was nearly empty. The rows of chairs in front of the cafes were set out, but no one was in them. A few gondolas bobbed near their docks, their vivid blue stark against the muted colors of the waters

I am definitely not Annie Leibovitz (or a paid photographer) but I find early morning is a lovely time to look at Venice. And, rather than hoping for perfect weather, check out the interesting effects of rain or fog. (It will likely be less busy then.)

Ask "Where can I take some good pictures," and someone on Fodor's tells you how to build a camera.

Although there are photo ops seemingly around every corner in Venice, in many ways I found it a frustrating place to take pictures. You are either on foot or at the mercy of the vaporetto to get around. So if you want to photograph say sunset, some pre-planning is required. Also, because Venice isn't on a grid, it can be a challenge to figure out where the sun is likely to set at what location, until you are actually standing there.

So I completely understand the OP's question and find it very reasonable. If you are taking scenic photos, your biggest challenge is usually find the best locations, and that's harder in Venice than most other places I've been in Europe.

Nelson-I only looked at the first two pages and 85% were over photoshopped for an unnatural look. And the others look very similar to each other.

That's exactly what I thought IMDonehere. The sorting was "ranking", so people apparently like that kind of work.

For the OP, studying a few pages from that link will indicate some of the popular places where photographers like to shoot. In many cases the title, description, or some of the hashtags will indicate exactly where the picture was taken.

Another source is Sightsmap:
http://www.sightsmap.com/

Zoom down to street level in Venice and you can see where most photos posted on Google have been taken. Right away St. Marks and the Rialto Bridge area jump out as are very hot. Then you can choose either to seek out or avoid those places! Or both.

Have fun.