The Floating City
I couldn’t travel to Venice and not capture the iconic gondolas while I was there. As with all the photographs I take of popular subjects, I like to seek my own unique interpretation of them and stay away from the shots typical of stock imagery.
Photographing the gondolas on the narrow canals presented problems because it is difficult for light to infiltrate the tight waterways. The water was often dark and shaded, and the gondolas themselves being black, along with the clothing of the operators, made it hard to pick out the details with limited contrast.
I searched the city for a canal that was open enough to allow in more light, but not so wide that it would lose the essential essence of the transportation. The buildings flanking the water were bright yellows which helped reflect more light onto the water. Although the passing gondola remained in the shaded side of the canal, it allowed a clear stretch of water to reflect the pale blue sky which added another lift to the shot, and ultimately made this a bright and colourful scene.
The Floating City offers a classic snapshot of Venetian life, packed with sculptural detail, rippling textures and brilliant colour.
I couldn’t travel to Venice and not capture the iconic gondolas while I was there. As with all the photographs I take of popular subjects, I like to seek my own unique interpretation of them and stay away from the shots typical of stock imagery.
Photographing the gondolas on the narrow canals presented problems because it is difficult for light to infiltrate the tight waterways. The water was often dark and shaded, and the gondolas themselves being black, along with the clothing of the operators, made it hard to pick out the details with limited contrast.
I searched the city for a canal that was open enough to allow in more light, but not so wide that it would lose the essential essence of the transportation. The buildings flanking the water were bright yellows which helped reflect more light onto the water. Although the passing gondola remained in the shaded side of the canal, it allowed a clear stretch of water to reflect the pale blue sky which added another lift to the shot, and ultimately made this a bright and colourful scene.
The Floating City offers a classic snapshot of Venetian life, packed with sculptural detail, rippling textures and brilliant colour.
I couldn’t travel to Venice and not capture the iconic gondolas while I was there. As with all the photographs I take of popular subjects, I like to seek my own unique interpretation of them and stay away from the shots typical of stock imagery.
Photographing the gondolas on the narrow canals presented problems because it is difficult for light to infiltrate the tight waterways. The water was often dark and shaded, and the gondolas themselves being black, along with the clothing of the operators, made it hard to pick out the details with limited contrast.
I searched the city for a canal that was open enough to allow in more light, but not so wide that it would lose the essential essence of the transportation. The buildings flanking the water were bright yellows which helped reflect more light onto the water. Although the passing gondola remained in the shaded side of the canal, it allowed a clear stretch of water to reflect the pale blue sky which added another lift to the shot, and ultimately made this a bright and colourful scene.
The Floating City offers a classic snapshot of Venetian life, packed with sculptural detail, rippling textures and brilliant colour.