Everyone knows that Venice means romance heaven. San Giorgio Maggiore, Grand Canal, Santa Maria Della Salute, Gondolas, Bridge of sighs, Rialto bridge and the list goes on and on. However, what do you do when you have high expectations of a location you are about to visit, only to find out that the place you expected to be perfect is actually less than perfect? Do you panic or do you try to remain calm?
I arrived in Venice slightly late. It was dark, the rain was heavy, I was really wet and tired and I was looking forward to a nice, dry and clean hotel room. I was standing right next to Rialto bridge and to be honest, the world famous views did not impress me. Was this the Venice I was expecting? I did not panic. Instead, I thought it would be best to abandon every idea about the place, get to the hotel and have a proper rest, and see the place with a fresh pair of eyes the next morning.
And so it happened. Dry morning the next day, I was out and about with my camera gear and started looking for pictures. It was right then that I realised Venice was not just about views, it was about art, inspiration, dilapidation and most importantly, composition and light. Right away I put on my artistic specs and to be honest, I started seeing pictures everywhere. I knew that my eyesight is not as good as it used to be but I had no idea how good my artistic specs were. There are pictures all over the place. It makes no difference which corner you turn, there will be one more picture somewhere there, it is up to you to find it though. I had promised myself that I would not go back home with many pictures, just a handful of very good ones – I failed to keep that promise, I just couldn't stop creating images, even when I had sore feet at the end of the day.
About the picture
I had taken a similar picture during the day. However, I thought that the picture would benefit from a colourful sky and the fully lit street light, so I had to do it again. Both times I had to use filters in order to extend the exposure into several minutes. You see, even at this time of year, there are many people walking about. Let's analyse the picture though. Stunning views of San Giorgio Maggiore on the left, Santa Maria Della Salute on the right, gorgeous after sunset colours in the sky, fully lit street light with star effect – what a beautifully painted picture. One thing needs to be mentioned though, the rubbish bin below the street light. A perfect view with hidden imperfections. This is the job of a photographer, to make sure we paint a beautiful picture. Even though there are imperfections in it, if hidden under the right conditions and light, they will only be secondary subjects and of very little importance.
I did my best to come back home with a few pictures of Venice that are different from anyone else's (this was my aim in the first place) and I believe I have succeeded. I will be in Venice again on January 2015, if you wish to see Venice through my pair of artistic specs, you can add your interest by filling the form on this page, no deposit required.