Thanks to all who let me know that my site had some viewing issues. The issue has been fixed and is now back in action. Walking around cities in Europe often transports you to a different time. The age of the cities and architecture add so much character and feel to them. My favorite city to walk around is Venice, Italy. Here the city's character is enhanced by the labyrinth of canals that replace streets in other cities. I am always looking down side "alleyway" seeing what beauty lies there. Almost every little side "street" is a photo opportunity. This photo is representative of what a visitor might find walking around. While some other European cities have beautiful canals, there are none with them everywhere one walks.
Magnificence
The influence of the Catholic Church can be found throughout Europe. It seems that every city had a wonderful cathedral and there was tremendous competition to build one that was considered better that the neighboring towns. While this kind of competition was probably not in line with the tenants of the Catholic religion, it resulted in some amazing structures that are still around today. One such church is the Basilica di San Vitale in Ravenna, Italy. The Basilica dates from the mid-6th century and contains what are probably the finest Byzantine mosaics in the western world. Construction of San Vitale Basilica was initiated by Ecclesius, Bishop of Ravenna, shortly after a trip to Byzantium with Pope John in 525. The outside of the Basilica is very understated and contrasts dramatically with the magnificence of the inside. Upon entering the Basilica, you are exposed to some of the most beautiful murals made of Byzantine mosaics that you will ever encounter. The inside was very dark and since tripods were not allowed, I pushed the ISO as high as I could and used pillars to lean on and steady myself. While not as sharp as I would have liked, I think the image came out pretty well, all things considered.
Venetian Gothic
On any visit to Venice, one can't help being captivated by it's architecture, especially the ones that were built during the Gothic Period in the 14th century. This architecture was unique from the rest of Europe in that it was far more intricate in style and design. One of the other distinguishing characteristics was how lightweight the buildings were constructed. This was done to better provide stability the instability of the city due the canals. This image is of St Mark's Basilica in the Piazza San Marco. The details in the Basilica are very indicative of the Gothic style.
Backlit Exit
Whenever I visit Europe, I am amazed at the history and architecture that has survived many centuries. Here in the United States we think of 250 years as being old as opposed to the 1,000 years of many of the structures across the pond. This particular church. Basilica Santo Stefano in Bologna, Italy was built by Saint Petronius, who was bishop of the city during the 5th century, making it 1,500 years old. The Basilica originally consisted of seven buildings. There are only four remaining after renovations made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This image was taken near the end of our tour throughout the complex. It caught my eye as the combination of the light coming through the back exit illuminated the decaying walls showing the age of the Basilica.
Better Look for Cover
While there are many beautiful countries in the world, my favorite has to be Italy. It may be my favorite because my mother's parents were from Italy but it also could be for the food and the countryside. For whatever reason, I have always wanted to visit Portofino. On our Mediterranean cruise, our first stop was this wonderful fishing village on the Italian Riviera. When we got to the village, it was raining and we were not able to walk around. We headed on our tour to Genoa and hoped that when we returned to Portofino, the weather would cooperate. When we got back to Portofino, the sun was shining for a short while but when I looked out toward our cruise ship, I saw the darkest clouds that I had seen in a while. The juxoposition of the sunlit village contrasted with the dark skies just called to me to shoot a photo. I knew that I had just a little time before the storm would come leaving me little time to run for cover.
Out for a Stroll
There is no better city to walk around than Venice, Italy. It has such a unique feel to it that transports you to a different time. Sure, the fact that the "streets" are canals contributes to the feel. But so do the gondolas, even though they are there for tourists rather than for transportation. Maybe it is the wonderful buildings, some of which have been there for hundreds of centuries. Maybe it is the museums that scream the Italian Renaissance wherever you look. Or it could be the history or the food. I could go on and on. When I edited this image, all of my feelings about Venice came rushing back to me. My wife and friends had headed back to the hotel to rest and I decided to spend the late afternoon just walking around with no destination in mind. When I came across this scene, I knew I had a winner (at least in my mind). Venice should be on everyone's bucket list.
King of the Concrete Jungle
A quick post and run today. This image is from the Cathedral of San Lorenzo in Genoa, Italy. The Cathedral, reconstructed during the 12th century, has since the time of the Crusades protected the ashes of Saint John the Baptist, the patron saint of Genoa. The entrance to the cathedral is protected by this statue of a lion. The statue usually has tourists hanging all around it but the rain seemed to keep them away for a few moments.
Early Morning Line-Up
When thinking of Venice, the first things that come to mind are canals and gondolas. The ultimate appeal to romantics visiting Venice is a gondola ride with a singing gondolier showing you his beautiful city. Gondolas became the main way to get around the islands of Venice when horses were outlawed on the streets around the 14th century. At one point in time, there were over 10,000 gondolas in Venice. Today only about 500 gondolas remain and they are used primarily for tourists. It is easy to find gondoliers hawking a ride through the many canals. Gondola rides are not cheap, although the rates are officially set. The rides are about 40 minutes long and if you negotiate a better rate, the length of the ride will be reduced accordingly.
This image of gondolas was taken early in the morning before the crowds descended on St Mark's Square. It is one of the few times during our visit that you could find them unattended without crowds milling about.
Venice Rooftops
When one thinks of Venice, the first thing that comes to mind are it's canals and rightfully so. But there is some wonderful architecture in Venice that is pretty amazing too. One of the hidden gems that we had read about in Rick Steve's excellent guide book was Scala Contarini del Bovolo. It is a unique structure with it's external spiral staircase and arches. We would not have found it without Rick's directions as it is located in a less-traveled side-street near the Campo Manin, near the Rialto. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit there. The next day, we went up into the St Mark's Campanile (bell tower) to take a look at Venice's rooftops. Much to my surprise, I was able to spot the Scala Contarini del Bovolo contrasted against the red roofs.
Rialto Bridge View
The Rialto Bridge is probably the most visited and most photographed bridge in Venice. The bridge connects the districts of San Polo and San Marco across the Grand Canal. The present iteration of the bridge was completed in 1591 and is a favorite destination of tourists. Getting a view from the top of the bridge takes patience as the rails are lined with people taking photos. Once you get the desired spot, it's easy to see why the bridge is so crowded. As you can see, the view is pretty awesome and it is easy to get mesmerized with all of the boats and gondolas maneuvering the Grand Canal. Scenes like this one make Venice one of my most favorite places in the world.
Guarding the Palace
The Doge's Palace was the seat of the Republic of Venice for centuries before it became part of Italy in 1866. The current palace was constructed between 1309 and 1424. Two facades of the palace border St. Mark's Square and a third facade looks towards the Venetian Lagoon. The last facade is connected to Venice's infamous prison by the even more infamous Bridge of Sighs. Each column of the palace is unique from the others. Between the ninth and tenth columns, death sentences and executions were carried out. Today, the palace serves as a museum. In addition to being able to view the Doge's apartments, government chambers and the prison cells, the palace also contains a magnificent art collection. Climbing the enormous staircase, the Scala die Giganti, you come to the second floor and look out on the courtyard and the massive statues of Neptune and Mars. It is here that I composed this image of the backs of the statues looking out to the courtyard and the ornate other side of the palace.
When in Rome
When traveling to a new city, it is always worth doing pre-trip planning to get an idea of what attractions and photo locations there might be. Doing research on the internet, looking at post cards and calendars, perusing photo books, and looking at photos on sites like 500px and Flickr are what I usually do. There is a new tool in my arsenal that may end up being the best. That tool is Trey Ratcliff's new iPad app, Stuck on Earth. Quite simply, pick any location on earth and you will be able to see photos that were taken there by Trey or a myriad of other photographers. The interface is slick and beautifully designed. Best of all, it is free. I highly recommend the app for those who have iPads.
For this image taken in Rome, I didn't need to do any research to know that the iconic Colosseum was one of Rome's most famous tourist attractions. There are probably millions of images taken of this ancient structure but when in Rome...
Campanile View
I am really excited this week. On Friday, I saw that there were some last minute openings in Bill Fortney's and Matt Kloskowski's New England Photo Workshop. I've never taken a photo workshop before and have always admired Bill's and Matt's work. I decided to take the plunge and I am heading back to Maine on Saturday for the workshop. Looking forward to it so much. Now to today's image... Venice is one of the most unique cities in the world. It is a photographer's paradise with views on every street / canal. The center of our stay in Venice was St Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco). The square seems to be the designation of every traveler to Venice and is also a popular meeting place for the locals.
The piazza is home to the famous St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. To get a different view of St Mark's, you can enter it's campanile (bell tower) and go up 323 feet to see the basilica from above. The view shows the five domes of St Mark's against the backdrop of the surrounding city.
Salerno Rooftops
I have always considered Italy my destination of choice. There is something about it aside from the fact that my maternal grandparents were born there. I was especially excited about my trip last September in that I was going to visit the Amalfi Coast. The last time we were there, we opted to spend the day on the Isle of Capri. This time, we had just one day and had to choose whether to travel along the coast via a small tour bus or take a boat that would cruise down the coast to Amalfi. We decided on the latter and took a bus out of Naples toward Salerno to meet up with our boat.
I had always wanted to visit Salerno as it is my mother's family name and I am sure some of my ancestors originated from there. As we approached the city, the rooftops became visible. While it wasn't the golden hour, the light was still pretty good as I pressed my camera against the bus window. Luckily, I was able to capture the scene without any reflections from the windows or buses passing by in the opposite direction.
Gone Fishing
Well not exactly. I will be off the grid for a couple of weeks with limited internet access. Before I go, I want to thank all of you who have viewed and commented on my blog. I really didn't get going with it until mid-May and wasn't sure how long I would do it. My initial plans were to post a couple of images a week. The number of people that have left me comments has motivated me to post 5 days a week. Better yet, I have discovered the blogs of many other talented photographers whose wonderful images inspire me.
This image was taken early in the morning on the Grand Canal in Venice. As I was headed back to the hotel for breakfast after the morning of shooting, I spotted this old man fishing off the side of the canal. He seemed oblivious to the passing boats, while enjoying the beautiful early morning. I was a little surprised to see anyone fishing as I don't think I would be willing to eat a fish from the canal with all the thousands of boats that travel through it daily. Maybe he is a sports fisherman who does it for the solitude and fun of it. It wasn't until I began processing the photo that I noticed the face drawn in the wooden support. So much for my observational powers!
Hope to see everyone in a couple of weeks. Thanks again for your support.
Heavy Load
Venice is a magical place and it is very hard to describe it to someone who hasn't been there. There is a feel to the "city" that is unlike anywhere else I have been. Venice actually lies in a lagoon that is protected from the sea by thin strips of land that have three small inlets. Rather than an island, Venice is actually made up of 124 small islands connected by small bridges. Venice is a favorite destination for tourists who arrive by plane, water taxi and cruise ships. This particular morning, I got up at dawn and wandered out onto the Grand Canal. This is one of the few times you can avoid the crowds of tourists and get some shots without worrying about bumping into someone. I noticed this artist that had the same idea and was painting the scene. As I began to shoot a few photos of the artist, I noticed this large cruise ship being towed down the Grand Canal out to sea by a little tugboat. It was an amazing scene that I never saw coming. I think I enjoy the images that were a result of just dumb luck the best.
As I edited the photo, I wanted to give it a painterly feel and I am happy with the result.
There is a great video that explains how Venice "works" and needs to be constantly maintained.