Lets get Lost…
Over breakfast I met up with my fellow would be photographers. There were just three of us in total, a small, manageable group, which immediately set a relaxed tone for the week ahead. I’d met the group once before, some months earlier, at Peter’s house in Derbyshire, where we’d gathered for a chat and a leisurely lunch.
Peter, a professional photographer, began his career in the 1980’s after shooting still life for advertising. After a few years, he moved to working for newspapers and PR agencies. His career flourished with a spell as a Royal Rota photographer and four memorable years shooting stills on TV like The Big Breakfast and Big Brother. During a chance trip to Amsterdam, he took a few casual shots, marking the beginning of his journey into travel photography.
Our programme for the week took us across Venice: San Marco, the Jewish Quarter, and the Rialto area, with a ferry trip to Burano planned as well. Evening shoots were scheduled too, gondolas at San Marco, the Grand Canal from Accademia Bridge, and other locations yet to be revealed. It was clear from the outset that this would be a busy and active week.
One certainty in Venice is getting lost, and that’s very much part of the joy. It adds to the sense of adventure, and some of my favourite images were taken down narrow alleyways, moments before turning around and promptly losing my bearings all over again. Lunch was usually a quick sandwich or a slice of pizza before heading straight back out. Typically, we were on our feet for around seven hours a day, covering many miles, often 8–10 miles, or roughly 18,000 to 22,000 steps. Exhausting at times, but enormous fun.
Venice is unlike any other city in the world, utterly unmistakable. Built across 118 small islands, its streets are replaced by canals, stitched together by bridges and gondolas, with the Grand Canal and Rialto Bridge at its heart. Once a powerful maritime republic, Venice’s floating architecture and rich trading history have left behind a legacy of extraordinary art and palaces. It’s no wonder millions are drawn here to experience its romantic, car-free charm.
Most evenings were planned around photography, but whenever possible I made time for something different. I would highly recommend a visit to Chiesa San Vidal, a former church now used as a concert and event hall at one end of Campo Santo Stefano in the San Marco district. There, I attended a performance of Le Quattro Stagioni by Interpreti Veneziani — a remarkable concert, and one I’d strongly suggest to anyone with even a passing appreciation of Antonio Vivaldi.
The evening shoots were, without doubt, my favourites. Setting the camera on a tripod makes life much easier as daylight fades and the blue hour begins. Patience is essential. Once the composition is set, it becomes a waiting game. I’d typically take 30 to 60 shots an hour over a couple of hours as the light slowly changed. As dusk deepens, street lamps flicker on, buildings glow, and the city takes on a magical quality. Thankfully, I was more than pleased with the final images.