Venice Prague

Venice in winter A week in Prague Dennis Craggs January 2020

tour of Venice in January 2020 with the legendary Clive and Phil of Lightandland, we stopped at a er of locations along the walk to the Rialto bridge. I wondered off and found this location tucked down an alley and made a plan for just such a photo. It took a bit of thought to get the camera in just ght place and a little patience and practice waiting for the right gondola to pass just at the right ent. Even so, it required a wide angle lens in a portrait mode to achieve the desired result, with the n the bottom right corner and the gondolier just passing under the top of the arch. Although he had raw hat, sadly no stripy jumper. I took continuous shots at quite a fast shutter speed to get the n just right and had to straighten it up a bit in Photoshop.

her fairly iconic shot taken by many photographers visiting Venice. Timed just dawn but before the street lights went off at about 7.00am, a sort of morning period, much preferable to the black of night. The street lights reflect nicely e poles and on the prows of the gondolas and the Chiese is nicely lit up. I rately made a slow shutter speed to record the movement in the gondolas. I to confess that I spent some time editing out the floats in the water that ct the gondolas from the wash of passing boats. Such was my vain attempt at ction. It’s also necessary to locate the camera precisely so that the poles are ated and none of the important detail on the Chiese is blocked by a misplaced also took this image a little later without the street lights and cannot decide n which I prefer.

Another fairly iconic shot taken by many photographers visiting Venice. Timed just after dawn but before the street lights went off at about 7.00am, a sort of morning blue period, much preferable to the black of night. The street lights reflect nicely on the poles and on the prows of the gondolas and the Chiese is nicely lit up. I deliberately made a slow shutter speed to record the movement in the gondolas. I have to confess that I spent some time editing out the floats in the water that protect the gondolas from the wash of passing boats. Such was my vain attempt at perfection. It’s also necessary to locate the camera precisely so that the poles are separated and none of the important detail on the Chiese is blocked by a misplaced pole. I also took this image a little later without the street lights and cannot decide option which I prefer.

ted to take the Rialto bridge, I wanted to include a gondola and I wanted to do something a little ent from the typical tourist snap. I used a little intentional camera movement on a 1/4 second ure to achieve this effect. I enjoyed it and I hope you like the result as, like marmite, not everybody to ICM (I explain this technique elsewhere in this book).

rst dry crossing of the Grand Canal was a pontoon bridge built in 1181. The development and tance of the Rialto market on the eastern bank increased traffic on the floating bridge, so it was ced in 1255 by a wooden bridge. This structure had two ramps meeting at a movable central section, ould be raised to allow the passage of tall ships. During the first half of the 15th century, two rows of were built along the sides of the bridge. The rents brought an income to the State Treasury, which d maintain the bridge. The idea of rebuilding the bridge in stone was first proposed in 1503. Several cts were considered over the following decades. The present stone bridge, a single span designed by nio da Ponte, started construction in 1588 and was completed in 1591. It is similar to the wooden e it succeeded. Two ramps lead up to a central portico. On either side of the portico, the covered s carry rows of shops. The engineering of the bridge was considered so audacious that architect nzo Scamozzi predicted future ruin. The bridge has defied its critics to become one of the ectural icons and top tourist attractions in Venice

another dawn shot of the gondolas in front of the Chiese di San Giorgio Maggiore is time without the street lights. I was finding a lot of blue in the foggy winter days d Venice. I used a long exposure to achieve some movement in the gondolas and d the camera to keep the pier to the left, the distant light just between the poles e tower of the Chiese unobscured.

iorgio Maggiore (San Zorzi Mazor in Venetian) is a 16th-century Benedictine h on the island of the same name, designed by Andrea Palladio, and built between and 1610. The church is a basilica in the classical Renaissance style and its brilliant marble gleams above the blue water of the lagoon opposite the Piazzetta di San and forms the focal point of the view from every part of the Riva degli Schiavoni.

This is another dawn shot of the gondolas in front of the Chiese di San Giorgio Maggiore but this time without the street lights. I was finding a lot of blue in the foggy winter days around Venice. I used a long exposure to achieve some movement in the gondolas and aligned the camera to keep the pier to the left, the distant light just between the poles and the tower of the Chiese unobscured.

San Giorgio Maggiore (San Zorzi Mazor in Venetian) is a 16th-century Benedictine church on the island of the same name, designed by Andrea Palladio, and built between 1566 and 1610. The church is a basilica in the classical Renaissance style and its brilliant white marble gleams above the blue water of the lagoon opposite the Piazzetta di San Marco and forms the focal point of the view from every part of the Riva degli Schiavoni.

ple composition, hurray. There are lots of interesting reflections to be found wherever there is and this gondola basin was no exception, aided by some suitably coloured buildings behind. At this of year, the gondolas are kept in storage here and there are plenty of opportunities to capture s.

ondola is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the ian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to ull, in a sculling manner and also acts as the rudder. The uniqueness of the gondola includes it being metrical along its length making the single-oar propulsion more efficient. For centuries, the gondola major means of transportation and the most common water craft within Venice. In modern times, oats still do have a role in public transport in the city, serving as traghetti (small ferries) over the d Canal operated by two oarsmen. Various types of gondola boats are also used in special regattas ng races) held amongst gondoliers. Their primary role today, however, is to carry tourists on rides at rates. There are approximately 400 licensed gondoliers in Venice and a similar number of boats, from the thousands that travelled the canals centuries ago. However, they are now elegantly d, instead of the various types of shabby homemade boats of the distant past.

having a bit of a splurge with using the ICM technique during this period of our trip to Venice. One n I like to use it, is that I prefer to keep recognisable people out of a photo unless they are the main ct (as for example in Cuba or Bhutan where the people are so often interesting subjects for a photo ir own right). Otherwise, ‘people’ often distract from an image of an urban environment. It is nice h, in Venice, to get a stripy jumper and a straw hat (one out of two will do), they tell a bit of a story the place. I love the colours on this fancy gondola, the verticals and the stripy sleeve. Sorry if I go on

this image near the Rialto bridge in the early morning, having exhausted all st around the bridge and deciding to wonder off looking for other things. I he colours and the verticals and it is recognisable enough not to be classified stract. What’s the point of coming all the way to Venice to look for abstract s? A photo of a gondola in its winter cover is not so interesting but this works better in my humble and amateur view. My blue period, I suppose. OK, I lie, it tract. Below is a gold gondola - worked up in Photoshop during lockdown.

I took this image near the Rialto bridge in the early morning, having exhausted all interest around the bridge and deciding to wonder off looking for other things. I love the colours and the verticals and it is recognisable enough not to be classified as Abstract. What’s the point of coming all the way to Venice to look for abstract photos? A photo of a gondola in its winter cover is not so interesting but this works much better in my humble and amateur view. My blue period, I suppose. OK, I lie, it is abstract. Below is a gold gondola - worked up in Photoshop during lockdown.

ng the pathways of Venice on a January day, finding little alleyways and ving life on the canals, I stopped at this bridge, set up my camera on a tripod aited for itinerant gondoliers to pass under. To be fair and accurate, I pushed t to Clive but he is very tolerant and I'm paying so he didn't mind that I nicked ea. Although out of season for tourists, I did not have to wait long. This one nately was equipped with the iconic stripy top and a straw hat. By using a y long shutter speed and continuous shooting mode, I was able to capture ur of movement as he passed, perfectly timed, under the arch of the bridge, r sweeping by. The image is complemented by the textures on the bridge, the rick wall and the surprisingly blue canal water. The wall behind is a bit out of ... whoops ... never mind, it worked on social media and I did not notice until I ged it to print.

Walking the pathways of Venice on a January day, finding little alleyways and observing life on the canals, I stopped at this bridge, set up my camera on a tripod and waited for itinerant gondoliers to pass under. To be fair and accurate, I pushed in next to Clive but he is very tolerant and I'm paying so he didn't mind that I nicked his idea. Although out of season for tourists, I did not have to wait long. This one fortunately was equipped with the iconic stripy top and a straw hat. By using a slightly long shutter speed and continuous shooting mode, I was able to capture the blur of movement as he passed, perfectly timed, under the arch of the bridge, his oar sweeping by. The image is complemented by the textures on the bridge, the red brick wall and the surprisingly blue canal water. The wall behind is a bit out of focus ... whoops ... never mind, it worked on social media and I did not notice until I enlarged it to print.

a trip to Prague in November 2019 with Lightandland: we walked miles, took and at one point we found our way to this location at Naplavka by the river. s time for black and white (Technically this is a "black and white" workshop Adrian Beasley and Paul Sanders) and I had fun taking a long exposure on a d so I could capture movement in the swans and in the sky. It is a moody sort erpretation that seems to suit the location. Considering the exposure was for cs, it seems that the swans did not move very much anyway. Here are two of Prague to fill in the space.

I took a trip to Prague in November 2019 with Lightandland: we walked miles, took trams and at one point we found our way to this location at Naplavka by the river.

It was time for black and white (Technically this is a "black and white" workshop with Adrian Beasley and Paul Sanders) and I had fun taking a long exposure on a tripod so I could capture movement in the swans and in the sky. It is a moody sort of interpretation that seems to suit the location. Considering the exposure was for 80 secs, it seems that the swans did not move very much anyway. Here are two more of Prague to fill in the space.

harles bridge is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river in e. Its construction started in 1357 and finished in the 15th century. As the means of crossing the river until 1841, the bridge was the most important ction between Prague Castle and the old town. This connection made e an important trade routes between eastern and western Europe. It is now a CO world heritage site. It is 516m long. It is one of the main tourist sites in e and even at this time of year, there are normally hundreds of tourists to the photographic view. However, at this time of the morning it was quite and very atmospheric in the morning mist. One way to keep tourists out of graphs is to take a long exposure and, so long as they are moving, people pear! I tried this out on the bridge but on this occasion it was not necessary.

The Charles bridge is a medieval stone arch bridge that crosses the Vltava river in Prague. Its construction started in 1357 and finished in the 15th century. As the only means of crossing the river until 1841, the bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the old town. This connection made Prague an important trade routes between eastern and western Europe. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site. It is 516m long. It is one of the main tourist sites in Prague and even at this time of year, there are normally hundreds of tourists to block the photographic view. However, at this time of the morning it was quite quiet and very atmospheric in the morning mist. One way to keep tourists out of photographs is to take a long exposure and, so long as they are moving, people disappear! I tried this out on the bridge but on this occasion it was not necessary.

opped for a meal one evening in a restaurant. It must have been after an evening shoot as I had my ra with me. As we came out of the restaurant, I grabbed this shot, hand held, of a man playing pool y our table. If I had had more time, I would have composed the photograph a little bit differently but e like it and have included it in this collection anyway. Since it was a 'black and white' themed trip, on ccasion I stuck to the rules. Very dark, a notably high ISO for you technophiles. Good camera, comes ell, I may have used noise reduction in Photoshop, I do not remember. Also here is a photo of the us "Dancing House".

is Craggs