Venice, Italy is one of my favorite place in the world and the last time we were there we were fortuneate enough to escape from the traditional tourist route and do some photographic exploring on our own. Here's what I wrote about that early morning setting out into Venice with just our cameras, a map and a sense of the adventure ahead of us.
The sun is not even thinking about coming up as we slip off the giant cruise ship at 5:00am in the morning at the Stazione Marittima. We leave early to avoid the crowds from the 3000 other passengers traveling with us. Our goal is to photograph the new morning light in the spectacular city of Venice, Italy.
The ancient city sleeps as we wander in a sleepy haze, not sure where we are or where we are going. At last we find the Piazzale Roma, the nearest water taxi station open at this hour of the morning. Local workers are noisily stacking boxes of fruits and vegetables on to the barges to take up the Grand Canal for the local restaurants.
We squeeze on to one of the barges between the lettuce and the melons, and watch in awe as the water bus passes the centuries old buildings adorned with multiple columns, mosaics and murals. As we arrive at the Ponte di Rialto, the location of the famous Rialto Bridge, the city is barely starting to stir. The gondolas covered in blue tarps bob in the water as the few commuter boats roll by, giving life to the still quiet city. As we set up our tripods, the warm morning light begins to descend on the creamy white and brown tones of one of Venice's most famous monuments, the Rialto Bridge.
I would highly recommend anyone to see the city this way, without the crowds and the noise. All we could hear was the peaceful rippling of the water and the boats bobbing at the docks.
Holly Higbee-Jansen has been exploring her fascination with light through photography since she was a young child. Holly teaches photography, is a personal guide for , and runs a successful glamour photography business, . Sign up to receive our free newsletter at
