Rodney Campbell's Blog

This morning we were heading to another location which had been recommended by a friend.

Most people go to St Mark’s Campanile and climb the tower to get a great view over Venice. My friend recommended we go to the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore instead. Here there is a lift at the back of the church which takes you to the top of the belltower for a magnificent view of Venice. It’s cheaper (3€ per person), there are no lines or waiting and apparently the view is better than from St Mark’s Campanile.

Panoramic View of Venice

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 56 mm, 1/200 sec at f/6.3, ISO 100 x 15 Frames

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

To get here you take waterbus no 2 from S. Zaccaria Dock B to San Giorgio stop (4min).

This handheld stitched panorama is comprised of 15 horizontal frames and gives you a good sense of the spectacular view over Venice, the grand canal and the lagoon that you get from this belltower.

San Giorgio Maggiore to Venice

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/250 sec at f/7.1, ISO 100 x 51 Frames

This handheld stitched panorama is comprised of 51 vertical frames (17 sets of three bracketed exposures to produce this HDR panorama). With the Church of San Giorgio Maggiore on it’s own island in the foreground and the main part of Venice in the background.

Time for a few more Venetian monochromes :).

Hidden Views

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 62 mm, 1/320 sec at f/8, ISO 100

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

Palazzo Ducale

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 85 mm, 1/250 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

This one isn’t (a monochrome) – but it’s almost there naturally – 3PM and it’s still incredibly hazy for a soft late afternoon glow.

Depth

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, 1/320 sec at f/5.6, ISO 125

Bridge of Sighs

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 52 mm, 1/50 sec at f/5.6, ISO 1000

My previous post showed the view from the DFS rooftop terrace. This is a view from on the grand canal looking back at the Rialto bridge and the rooftop terrace above – with all those tourists lined up on both :).

Packed Ponte di Rialto

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 250 mm, 1/500 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Some parts of Venice are perpetually crazy – packed with tourists day and night – possibly none moreso than around the Rialto or St Marks square.

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

However if you explore the back streets they can be quiet and serene – and we may only be a few hundred metres away.

Doorways

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 116 mm, 1/125 sec at f/5.6, ISO 500

Late Light over the Basillica

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, 1/400 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

A good friend told me that we had to go to the T Fondaco Dei Tedeschi by DFS (an extremely fancy luxury department store). Not to shop mind you but to go right up the top to their spectacular rooftop terrace of this restored 16th-century trading hall. He promised me the best view in Venice and he wasn’t wrong :).

The DFS is right next to the Rialto bridge and on the bend of the grand canal so it has spectacular 180° plus views over Venice.

DFS Rooftop Terrace

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/250 sec at f/8, ISO 100 x 8 Frames

The view was of course amazing so it lent itself to some wide panoramic images. This panorama consisted of 8 vertical exposures and I’ve included both the colour original (and you can see the heavy smog cover over the city) and one I’ve converted to monochrome. I’d be interested in your thoughts as to which you prefer (I have my favourite)?

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

This ten (10) frame panorama is a little wider and includes my three girls who joined me for the view.

T Fondaco dei Tedeschi

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/250 sec at f/8, ISO 100 x 10 Frames

A look down the grand canal from up on the DFS rooftop – peeking through the haze.

The Grand Canal

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 92 mm, 1/320 sec at f/7.1, ISO 100

This is almost 12 noon and it’s still incredibly hazy from all the smog.

Domes on Domes

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 300 mm, 1/800 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

I think photographs of Venice in general look classically great as monochromes. The ancient streets and architecture and those fabulous canals with the spectacular building hanging over them like they are floating above the water.

The Walk

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 40 mm, 1/40 sec at f/5.6, ISO 500

Note: These photographs (especially the wider shots) look much better when larger. To see larger versions in an inline overlay slideshow gallery viewer click any of the images.

This morning with all the smog and haze about in particular suits this style well. So when processing some of my images I couldn’t resit giving some of them the monochrome treatment.

Lost in Thought

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 44 mm, 1/50 sec at f/5.6, ISO 280

This is the view looking along the inside of the Rialto bridge towards San Polo.

Rialto to San Polo

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 28 mm, 1/100 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100

Regatta of Befana

NIKON D750 + 28.0-300.0 mm f/3.5-5.6 @ 90 mm, 1/200 sec at f/5.6, ISO 100