Tips for Photographing Magical Venice
There is nowhere in the world like Venice. Not only does it represent a remarkable feat of engineering it is also a unique floating, captivating city. It is home to amazing architecture, intriguing alleyways, atmospheric corners, romantic canals and bridges, bobbing gondolas and plenty more. There are photographs waiting to be made around every corner here.
There’s so much to discover both here and on its neighbouring islands. On my workshop, which I run each January, we aim to capture all the ambience Venice has to offer, from well known viewpoints to more off the beaten track, but equally atmospheric locations. So here are a few tips on the best places to photograph in Venice.
Photograph Venice Out of Season
Venice has a reputation for being crowded but visit out of season in the mid week and you’ll find far less people. I always come here in mid January meaning that we avoid the busy period and sunrises are at a reasonable time! Also, at this time of year, we are in with a really good chance for some moody atmospheric conditions with the possibility of mist and the Aqua Alta (high water) creating some wonderful reflections.
Get up early
Sunrise is one of the best times of day to be photographing in Venice. Make sure you are up and out in time for twilight dawn to catch the blue hour. Head to locations like San Marco where you’ll find incredible the architecture enhanced by glowing street lanterns. By the waterfront where the gondolas moor up overnight is another classic spot with wonderful views across to San Giorgio Maggiore.
The Accademia Bridge is another fabulous spot from which to photograph the sunrise with it’s views over the Grand Canal and towards the Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute.
Explore Venice by Night
Venice is great after dark and the early sunsets mean that you can explore with your camera at leisure and still have time for dinner afterwards.
For sunset It’s hard to beat the Rialto Bridge, where there are great shots to be had from the bridge itself. Once blue hour starts you can look back towards it as the city lights come on.
Visit Rialto Market
In the early hours of the morning, Rialto market offers a fabulous array of opportunities with some wonderful displays of produce and fish. This is a great area to also try your hand at some street photography in the surrounding alleyways as Venice wakes up.
Take a trip to Colourful Burano
The nearby island of Burano is an easy boat ride from Venice. Known for lacemaking and its colourful houses, it’s incredibly photogenic. There are no end of opportunities to be found here, from capturing close ups of the houses, to peeling paintwork and shutters to reflections in the canals as well as trying your hand at some abstracts with multiple exposures. Burano is a place where you could easily spend the best part of a day just wandering with your camera to your hearts content.
Explore the canals and alleyways
One of the best things you can do in Venice is get lost! We spend a lot of time on foot exploring some of the less popular areas, exploring little alleyways and canals. Around every corner is an image just waiting to be discovered.
From characterful old doors to elegant bridges and resting gondolas, you name it, it’s all here.
Photograph the fishing huts of Pellestrina
Experiment with Minimalist captures and long exposures
Pellestrina is an long thin, intriguing island which separates the Venetian lagoon from the Adriatic sea. It is home to some wonderful fishing huts on stilts just a few hundred meters from the shoreline, which make great subjects for photography. It requires a bit of time and effort to get to, but it’s well worth it. It’s a fantastic location which is best visited on a overcast day. Here you can try your hand at long exposures and also some minimalist captures.
Explore on foot and by Boat
Venice is a real playground for photographers. There are many architectural gems to be found here around Piazza San Marco, and the Bridge of Sighs but sometimes it’s the simple everyday scenes found whilst walking down hidden alleyways that yield the most satisfying results. Take a Vaporetto down the Grand Canal for an alternative view and don’t forget to climb a tower or two for a fabulous rooftop vista.
Be captivated by Venice
Venice is a visual feast which tantalises you as you explore its winding streets and canals. In this magical city you are surrounded here by romance, elegance, and faded glory.
All this means that you will leave not only with a huge variety of images but also some amazing memories. Most of all you’ll leave longing to return.
I run this workshop each January so come and join me!
