Visitors 35
Modified 19-May-19
Created 17-Nov-15
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During our round-the-world journey, we spent more time in Italy (33 days to be exact) than almost any of the other 23 countries we visited. Only New Zealand held our attention more. Driving in through the Alps from neighboring Austria, we started in the north in the area around Belluno – a medieval town built on a high plateau, which can be accessed by what may be the longest series of escalators in the world. My goal was to take photos of the Dolomites, but we were dogged by rain and I never really got too much opportunity to photograph these beautiful mountains as they were always socked in by clouds. Nevertheless, I did get to visit Lake Mis and Dolomite National Park and come away with some keepers.
Venice proved to be a city of great magnetism and charm – provided, that is, you got up before dawn to explore the cobbled streets and alleys while the hordes of tourists were still in bed. You'll find the iconic shots of Piazza San Marco and paddling gondoliers in this gallery. But I think some of my favorite images of the city are ones that captured the antiquity and deterioration of the buildings constantly subjected to the destructive erosive forces of the lagoon. Somehow, the peeling paint, mildew and mold complimented the old country window shutters and colors of the old structures. Add a potted geranium plant, some Byzantine architectural influences, and I had sweet photographic vignettes to capture with my camera abstracted out of the urban landscape.
The gallery also contains plenty of seascapes, as we not only visited the beautiful Italian Riveria (the Cinque Terre), but also the Amalfi Coast and the Island of Capri. If I had to pick one place as the most photogenic location in Italy on our itinerary, I'd have to say it was Positano and the rest of the Amalfi Coast. The coastal vistas were stunning and the town, built on steep cliffs going down to the Tyrrhenian Sea, seemed to attract beautiful light like a magnet. I loved trying to capture the dramatic changes in light from day to day and hour to hour in Positano, as you'll see in this collection of images.
We also visited Perugia and Orvieto in the Umbria region. Perugia is world famous for its artisanal chocolate. Our longest stay in any region in Italy was in Tuscany, famous, of course, for its beautiful landscapes and vineyards. The changing light in the vineyards was a favorite subject of mine, as were the old medieval towns that are located in the region, such as Castellina in Chianti and Siena.
Our final stop was Rome and Vatican City. The ruins of the Coliseum and Roman Forum and the fine art and opulence of the Vatican were great photographic subjects.
Venice proved to be a city of great magnetism and charm – provided, that is, you got up before dawn to explore the cobbled streets and alleys while the hordes of tourists were still in bed. You'll find the iconic shots of Piazza San Marco and paddling gondoliers in this gallery. But I think some of my favorite images of the city are ones that captured the antiquity and deterioration of the buildings constantly subjected to the destructive erosive forces of the lagoon. Somehow, the peeling paint, mildew and mold complimented the old country window shutters and colors of the old structures. Add a potted geranium plant, some Byzantine architectural influences, and I had sweet photographic vignettes to capture with my camera abstracted out of the urban landscape.
The gallery also contains plenty of seascapes, as we not only visited the beautiful Italian Riveria (the Cinque Terre), but also the Amalfi Coast and the Island of Capri. If I had to pick one place as the most photogenic location in Italy on our itinerary, I'd have to say it was Positano and the rest of the Amalfi Coast. The coastal vistas were stunning and the town, built on steep cliffs going down to the Tyrrhenian Sea, seemed to attract beautiful light like a magnet. I loved trying to capture the dramatic changes in light from day to day and hour to hour in Positano, as you'll see in this collection of images.
We also visited Perugia and Orvieto in the Umbria region. Perugia is world famous for its artisanal chocolate. Our longest stay in any region in Italy was in Tuscany, famous, of course, for its beautiful landscapes and vineyards. The changing light in the vineyards was a favorite subject of mine, as were the old medieval towns that are located in the region, such as Castellina in Chianti and Siena.
Our final stop was Rome and Vatican City. The ruins of the Coliseum and Roman Forum and the fine art and opulence of the Vatican were great photographic subjects.
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© Stuart L Gordon Photography