Venice photography book

[Lucy Collin]

Is anyone aware of any good books of photography about Venice (preferably large format), but not the usual tourist/gondolas/grand canal/St.Marks (even Arentz seemed unable to avoid this trap).

Color or black and white.

Also, has anyone photographed much in Venice recently. I'm going there for just over a month at the end of the summer. Hassles? Problems? enjoyments?

[Jeff Dyck]

While, not specific to Venice, Linda Butler's "Italy - in the Shadow of Time" is a gorgeous book of black & white images shot on a large format camera. I own three of Linda's books (with her fourth on the Yangtze currently on it's way) - they are all among my favorites.

[Gene Crumpler]

I've not been to venice recently, but I it is a mob scene these day. The city is working on ways to reduce the number of people. Don't know if they have restrictions on tripods, but I would try to find out before taking a 4x5. More and more places are restricting tripods. I'd take a hasselblad myself.

[John Kasaian]

Lucy,
Watch out for the Fiscal Police! They were floating around everywhere last time I was there, looking for tax evaders. Having some kind of proof that you brought your camera from overseas might be a good idea. Early moring is probably the best time to photograph, before the tourists have had thier cappuccinos. I was there during the autumn and the light was fantastic, especially out in the lagoon. I didn't have a LF then so I don't know what the deal is on tripods, but I'd love to go back with a handheld 5x7 Speed Graphic or a Pacemaker Crown.

Enjoy!

[Peter Galea]

Enjoyments in Venice? Like just about every minute, except the leaving part. I was there a year ago March. It was cold, but very few tourists. There was snow in the streets. Early morning light is outstanding. The pastels of the buildings was beyond compare. The detail in the statues, buildings, and pillars of the Doge's Palace will blow you away. I have heard that there is a prohibition against photographing on the bridges (there are 400 of them) but I was never bothered. Like John I did not take LF, but someday I would love to. I am envious. Go to www.fodors.com and read about Venice on the boards.

[Alex Ragen]

I'll second Peter's comment. I too was there in the winter (Febrauary) and I still have a photo of my wife standing alone in St. Mark's Square. Alone except for a few pigeons, but still alone. Also the weather at that time of year -- lots of mist -- makes for great shots. As for LF, sorry, no experience there.

[Arne Croell]

There is a book by the Swiss photographer Peter Gasser. "Venezia", all 8x10 photographs in black and white. Although it does show some gondolas, its quite different compared to the usual stuff. A few pictures can be seen here:
http://www.masters-of-fine-art-photography.com/artphotogallery/portfolios/venezia_01.html
It was published by edition Stemmle (Switzerland) in 1990.

[Dan Jolicoeur]

My memories are very different then the others posted, maybe the time of year I was their? This was about 10 years ago in either October, November time frame. I did not have a large format nor would I have wanted one at the time. It was packed with tourist, St. Marks square was packed. The place stunk raw sewage! The architecture was fasinating , but I would never do that trip again. I had a private email chat with a gentleman that lives in Italy about the same subject and this is what he told me;

Dan, I thank you for appreciating my country: wasn't it just for all those italians over there...
I agree about Venezia. I too have been there a few times and never found it but full packed with people.
On the Alps you've seen, one sure gets majestic scenarios there, but still I believe it's something America is not missing.
Instead, if you ever happen over here again, you might find some original landscapes in the region of Umbria's hills: the small (and quiet) ancient towns of Spello, Assisi etc. and the bigger Perugia just beautifully fit in the country.


Maybe he can chime inif he reads this.

[Pete Caluori]

Greetings,

I was in Venice last month. I would have liked to have had a LF camera, but I am glad I didn't - Venice is crawling with people. In speaking with a local guide, I was told that if I thought it was crowded then (early April) I should see it during the tourist season. As for the smell - I think they got a handle on the sewage because there was none while I was there.

Early in the morning and late at night are the best times for fewest people to stumble over a tripod, but the morning offers other challenges: Lots of folks scurring about on their way to work and deliveries to the local businesses. Deliveries mean lots of "barge" traffic on the canal and hand trucks scurring about on the sidewalks.

Sorry, but I can't recommend a photo book of Venice.

"...but not the usual tourist/gondolas/grand canal/St.Marks (even Arentz seemed unable to avoid this trap)." - I realize this is a personal/artistic point, but what makes Venice unique are its canals & gondolas, if you're going to purposely exclude these, then you can greatly simplify your life by photographing in other parts of Italy, or other places. Venice is a great city - enjoy and good luck!

Regards, Pete

[ramin]

Lucy:

No problem taking a large format in Venice. Italians love artists and respect them a lot. You can set up your tripod almost any where. I am based in Vienna and travel to Venice very often. I even once had a Sinar set up on Rialto bridge (now I take my Toyo). I was there last February photographed the carnival and will be there very soon again before it really gets hot.

Venice is crowded by the tourists all year long so try to visit places where normal life is going on. You may have to visit the city a few times (and have some local friends like I do) to find such places.

From October until end of January there are high tides especially early mornings with water level rising as high as your knee so you need a rubber boot, sounds crazy but Venetians have to live with this.

If you want more information email me in private.

Cheers

[Armin Seeholzer]

Hi

I also recommand the book from Peter Gasser he worked with his heavy Sinar 8x10 there some years ago!

[ramin]

One more tip:

The ferry that takes you in the Grand Canal and to the 3 islands travel 24 hours long so do take advantage of this to photograph places like San Marco at night.

[Tony Galt]

If by "the end of the summer" you mean August, be aware that that is the Italian vacation month, which can mean that things are closed in some cities and that others, primarily near the sea (so probably Lido di Venezia) are mobbed. I haven't been in Venice in August in a very long time, so I'm not sure how the city itself is in that month (high numbers of tourists may keep things open), but these are certainly issues elsewhere in Italy. The last time I was there was in the fall, and the place was, even in that season, very crowded. Also take lots of money, Venice is expensive.

My guess would be, however, that if you got out of the main tourist stream in the city and into some of the back piazze, the tourist crowds might be lesser. Also there are smaller places to visit like Chioggia--a neighboring island that is a mini-Venice--and you can hop on a train and be in Padua, Verona, and Vicenza, all of which have many things to photograph, in a very short time. (Many years ago I was a student in Padua at the university and would take the train to Venice frequently).

[Lucy Collin]

Thank you for all the information. I think the Gasser book was one I had seen and had in my memory and is quite striking.

I looked at a presentation of the Butler work online and from what I saw, it seems quite cliched, both in style and content? Rather like the Arentz and Rosenstock work on Venice I was referred to as well. Very much "an American on the Grand Tour"

Somone also sent me a link to a project commissioned by the Comune di Venezia to photograph the broader Venice, including Maghera, Mestre, the Lido and so on. That was very interesting with work by John Gassage, Axel Hutte, Frank Gohlke, Lewis Baltz, Geoffrey James, Stephen Shore and several others. That was very useful, thanks. It certainly seemed to show there is more there is to Venice than gondolas and the grand canal, which appears to have been one reason behind the commission. There was also a separate book by John Gossage

By end of summer I mean September onwards (no Labor Day to end summer across here) - so some time in September onwards. I also know more than you would ever want to know about the high tides and flooding. It is the research project my husband is working on and why he is going there for three months. I am also somewhat used to working in Italy. I did some research a few years ago at the American Academy in Rome on early photographic depictions of Pompeii and tourism.

[Blaine Baker]

"..... any good books of photography about Venice...."

Try: "Venice and the Veneto", photography by Sonja Bullaty and Angelo Lomeo, text by Sylvie Durastanti. ISBN 0-7892-0166-6. Published by Abbeville Press.

This book will show you the large divesity of photographs that are possible in Venice (and the Veneto). I would suggest that seeing and reading this book would make anyone interested in photography want to go to Venice with whatever format equipment they wish.

Blaine

[otzi]

Regardless of what you do you will enjoy. One must be prepared to walk and I mean walk to get a good handle on the place. Lots of nooks and cranies with surprises around aimless cobled bends. The joint has a complex and interesting history and one would do oneself a favour to bone up on the place beforehand.

My wife and I were there during christmas, an intersting time just prior to the tourist season. We were spruked at the railway station and got jolly fine digs for a good price due to this lull. Early mornings aford a reletivly peacefull explore with the water born trades plying their intense boating skills during the morning melee. Quiet fog draped lanes etc. etc. are not just a cleche but a reality.

Beyond the immediate tourist jam one finds relative calm and there is (as of 2 years ago) unlimited tripod opportunities. just be sensible thats all. When after a week of constant walking and one seeks respite there is always the boat trips to Lido, Murano, Burano where emoltion is again gobbled up at alarming rates.

Reviewing your post you asked about Hassles? Problems? enjoyments? Well you will find the trains pretty darn full and one needs to fight for a bit of equipment space. Dont bother stealing a first class seat with out paying and don't forget to *validate* you pre bought rail ticket. Problems, none. Enjoyment, total. As was mentioned a few spare bob (money) wont go astray.

I felt security to be ok and unthreatening but then I didn't give them much of a chance.

[Frank Doering]

You may want to have a look here:

http://doeringphoto.com/venice/venice.html

[domenico Foschi]

Lucy, Venezia is a dying city. The only thing that keeps it afloat ( so to speak ) is turism. They will not bother you, in addition is true, as Ramin says, that they appreciate artists.
I ,will be there in October, and yes i will bring with me rubber boots. Does anybody know of an inexpensive lodging ( yeah, right, in Venice... )?

[Donald Brewster]

The coolest photo book on Venice that I know of: Venice - Camera Obscura: Photographs with the Pinhole Camera, by Gunther Derleth. From a bookstore description:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gunter Derleth wanders with his pinhole camera on literary paths through Venice. In the words of American documentary photographer Paul Liebhardt, "The result is this haunting volume that is evocative of the plots and subplots of Wender's films, the depth of Poe's words and the lyricism of Vivaldi's music." He captures not only Venice's carnival and grand canals, but that which is tied to dreams, recollections and mysteries. His ethereal b&w photography and quotations of famous authors form a unique portrait of this wonderful city.