Impressions of Italy - Part 1

A few days ago on Facebook, I reposted a link to my first blog, "Travel Photography - what is it?"

In that blog, I stated that when I travel, I try to catch images that hopefully capture some elements of the People, Culture and Environment of a location.

Before I proceed, let me again clarify that I am not a professional photographer; this is not my job, it is purely a hobby. I am just a wee fat guy who is self-taught and enjoys taking photos when he can. Any ideas are mine formulated over many years but are in no way the last word on photography.

I think it is for each of us to make our own journey in this field, make ourselves happy and, if the results please anyone else, then that is a huge bonus! So - shoot for yourselves, shoot what you enjoy shooting and learn along the way. If anything I type or demonstrate helps anyone at any point, then I am thrilled.

So, Italy. I was there a few years back for a family week in a Tuscan Villa for a special occasion. Family members arrived from different locations; we met at the villa and had a thoroughly enjoyable week. Before the villa, I also visited Verona, Venice and Florence. I hope that this blog captures some of my experiences and some of the flavours of Italy. This was my first proper holiday there, and I loved every minute, it was terrific. The food, the people, the history, the scenery and even the manic driving. Such a tremendous all-round experience and I cannot wait to go back when the time is right.

Before I move onto the images, I would just like to make one book recommendation. This is a book that I read before each trip, and I now have two copies, with one permanently housed in my camper van in the UK.

Lonely Planet's Guide to Travel Photography

The book covers everything from phones to DSLRs and is well worth checking out, regardless of ability.

That done, let us get back to Italy. Aside from the joy of catching up with family, this was also my first real travel since buying my first Leica camera - a Leica M 240. I was incredibly excited bout trying this in anger for the first time. Some of the images below were taken on this camera, the others on a Canon 5D MkIII. I shall try to note which camera took each picture as we go along.

All that said, on with the show…except to add that I shall split my Italy images over two blogs, this being the first.

I’ll start with a Leica image, taken in Verona. Nothing overly special about this, but it is a typical scene in Verona and elsewhere in Italy; a couple meeting up in a pavement cafe as the world passes by.

One of my favourite images from Verona, taken in the Central Piazza. I had to crouch low for this shot; not an easy feat at my age, I can tell you! This was taken on the Canon with a wide-angle and a slow shutter speed, to catch some movement in the cyclist. Behind me was the Verona Arena, now a venue for classical music concerts.

And here is that Arena. This amphitheatre dates from the first century, and I was incredibly lucky to be able to take a shot without it being full of people. As you can see, it is being set up to hold a concert. I think it would be quite something to attend one here, but sadly the timing wasn’t right. This image also shot on the Canon with a wide-angle. A small point to note; the sky was grey and featureless, added nothing to the picture, so I composed and cropped to remove it and only show the Arena itself. After Verona, Venice was the next destination.

Venice, Leica and an image of a canal. Nothing special about the shot but is a very typical Venetian scene. The weather was again grey and dull, so I chose to keep the sky out of the frame. Clear blue skies would have been lovely, but they came later.

One thing I like to do when photographing a location is to avoid the main tourist sites and try to snap images that give a more realistic sense of the local culture and how local people live. This shot was taken not far from the Jewish Quarter in Venice. The Jewish Quarter is very well worth a visit. Incidentally, the word “ghetto” originates from when this area of Venice was set aside for Jews in 1516. Here, you can find a museum, synagogues and several kosher restaurants as well as an area steeped in history. (Taken on the Canon).

Another image from the backstreets on the outskirts of Venice, an area inhabited by real Venetians. This really is just an incredible city to wander around, full of narrow lanes and alleyway, bridges, piazzas and dead ends! (Canon).

One other thing I like to do is snap images of some of the details you find around a location. They could be anything; a street sign, for example. Here, I’ve gone for a shop window display of Venetian masks. (Canon).

I don’t think the hazy skies helped this shot, but here we see an image of the Basilica di Santa Maria Della Salute, taken from the top of St Mark’s Campanile in the Piazza San Marco. If you ever go to Venice and want to go up this tower, get there early. To be honest, that probably applies to most of the popular spots in Venice. (Canon).

After Venice, the next stop was a hotel in Fiesole, overlooking Florence. This shot, taken on the Leica, is from the hotel gardens and is one of my favourite shots from the trip. I’m not sure why it appeals to me so much, but I like several elements. I like that it is not perfectly symmetrical, the path leading to the wee lemon tree, the arches and the colours of the building. The greens and yellows complement each other, I think.

Looking towards Florence from the hotel, taken on the Leica.

OK, hands up here, full confession time. This shot has some reflections in it - you can see them in the sky. This was taken through a window in the Uffizi Museum. This is, of course, the famous Ponte Vecchio and I thought the shot worth sharing, despite the flaws. From Wikipedia, “The Ponte Vecchio is a medieval stone closed-spandrel segmental arch bridge over the Arno River, in Florence, Italy. It is noted for the shops built along it, as was once common. Butchers, tanners, and farmers initially occupied the shops; the present tenants are jewellers, art dealers, and souvenir sellers.” (Canon)

The Uffizi is a museum-lovers delight. Although that isn't a box I sit neatly in, I did like the glorious ceilings throughout the building. Here is one example. I was very happy walking through the museum, admiring the ceiling artwork. Another famous museum in Florence is the Galleria dell'Accademia which houses the statue of David, by Michelangelo. (Canon)

And here we have David in his full(frontal) glory. I tried to be careful around my use of language here, but it’s an absolute minefield, I can tell you. He has big hands. The detail is incredible, with the veins on his hands and arms. And he’s bigger than I realised, at over 5 metres tall. From Wikipedia again, “David is a masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture created in marble between 1501 and 1504 by the Italian artist Michelangelo. David is a 5.17-metre marble statue of the Biblical figure David, a favoured subject in the art of Florence.” This is a very impressive work of art and draws a large number of visitors. I just hope no-one finds some obscure reason to try and topple him. Best to move on, I think. (Leica)

This was shot on a random wander up a side alley in Florence - I like this type of image. Real people, away from the tourist traps, a slice of local life. (Canon)

I kinda like this Leica image from Florence. The light seemed to bring out the best in the buildings, the cobbled alley adds to the atmosphere and the man is nicely placed in the light. The flowers and the green shutters are nice wee touches that appeal to me. Could be from a number of cities in Italy, I think.

Another significant attraction in Florence is The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, also known as il Duomo. Construction began in 1296 and was finally finished in 1436. It is the third-largest cathedral in the world, behind St. Peter’s in Rome and St. Paul’s in London and dominates the Florence skyline. It can be seen from the window in my hotel, and earlier image in this blog.

Another exterior view of Il Duomo (Canon). I might make this into a jigsaw and send as Christmas presents to any relatives I don’t like.

A view of Il Duomo and Giotto’s bell tower, taken from a rooftop bar. A lovely spot where I could rest my feet after a lot of walking and picture taking. After a little rest here, I headed back to Fiesole.

Fiesole is a small town on the hills overlooking Florence and home to this delightful old Roman theatre which affords lovely views over the surrounding countryside.

Well, that finishes the first of my blogs covering my trip to Italy. I had hoped to cover the trip in one blog, but given how much there is to see in this wonderful country, that was wildly optimistic!

So, until the next blog, I wish you all the very best - stay safe, stay strong and be kind!

Fatman xxx