Photographing Venice Italy...

"Ah Venice!"It's simply the only phrase that comes to mind when this amazing part of Italy comes up in conversation. Being fortunate enough to visit, and photograph this part of Italy a couple of times now.  It's truly one of the few places in the world that will never disappoint you when it comes to your expectations. Venice Italy it is one of those few places left  that matches the pictures in your mind of it.

My visits here were by cruise ships,the best way I feel. Much like the early Venetians did coming in from their trades across the known world. My first trip was for enjoyment,  and a quick overview of the region for serious photographic opportunities some day. Photography was second this time to actually enjoying the sites, sounds, and people without the distraction of seeking the best photographs.   We enjoyed Gondola rides, guided cultural tours throughout in addition to the obligatory trip to Morano Island to witness the beautiful glass being made there. Don't get me wrong, I did capture photos,  but not any of the pre-visualized obsessive ones I'm  to in my accustomed landscape photographic world. I'm sure you know what I mean.

It would have been great to seriously photograph more evocative images. But lack of time and local knowledge did not allow this.  I made more mental photographs than real ones, along with quick tourist photo's. I was a great trip and really changed my vision in many ways.

A few years went by when another  opportunity came again to visit Venice again and I was excited that had had a backlog of ideas on how I would approached it and how to best spend our time.  We arrive by ship once again. I went back to those mental photographs from my first visit. This helped me break down how we would spend our second time in this city suspended in time.
 Our first visit was in full force tourist confusion, what many experience I'm certain.  The streets were flooded with tourists. Saint Mark Square was awash with pigeons in the midday sun. Not the best time for image capture as I recall.

This second visit would be a more dedicated photographic mission, but we needed a plan. All of our ideas pointed towards a to venturing into town in pre dawn hours. We needed to avoid the mass of humanity you run into when the vaporettos water taxis pour thousands of tourists into its ancient streets.

Since many on board cruise ship passengers choose to spend their time enjoying the late nightlife this place offers, many taxis run into the early morning hours, thus providing us a way off ship in the pre-dawn darkness. After arriving on shore at 4:30am, we managed to find our way to a local water bus station that would take locals to work in the predawn hours.

We traveled alongside dories making deliveries of fruits and vegetables. Workman, painters, carpenters and merchants going to work in their seaworthy pickup trucks and water taxies. All preparing for the daily ritual called Venice!  It reminded me of a backstage look to an amazing spectacle about to unfold. The gondolas shrouded in blue tarpaulins, streets empty of life, save for a few stray pigeons fluttering about waiting for the first act.

A magic quietness radiated from its ancient canals. The warm glow of the sunrise casting dusky light on its buildings. Gaslights flickered in the early hour darkness, waterway entrances to hotels illuminated from within. I’ve seldom experienced this sensation in any man made city ever. "Ah Venice!" 

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Best Always

Mark Jansen


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