street photography

A portrait of Venice

From its idyllic canals to its majestic piazzas, Venice offers some spectacular sights with its mesmerizing layers of history, culture, and breathtaking architecture. Naturally I found myself especially drawn to the way light interacted with the city and its historic architecture.

Below I showcase some image highlights and my thoughts while approaching composition and light while exploring Venice.

Saint Mark's Square

I wanted to frame Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Campanile and decided to compose behind the arches as silhouetted subjects passed by. I always want the image to feel engaging and layering often helps with that.

Waiting for the setting sun to fully saturated the scene helps the architecture to stand out. The polished marble floors reflected the colors nicely too.

Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten
Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Details on Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana Facade

The Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana, one of Venice's most important historical libraries, boasts a facade rich with intricate details. I wanted to photograph the library's exterior at sunset as the lighting really would accentuate every inch of the building’s rich Renaissance carvings and sculpted figures.

Venice at first light

Wandering the streets at first light are some of the most special moments for photography in Venice and a sure way to experience the best sights in Venice before they become crowded.

I always like to look for pops of color. Angled light at this time helps with contrast thus making colors pop more when they are illuminated.

Campanile di San Marco is seen in the distance.

Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten
Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Basilica Santa Maria della Salute

A hazy atmosphere always adds a level of mystique to any image even at high noon.

Here the iconic 1600’s church is seen from one of Venice’s most popular bridges overlooking the city and the grand canal.

Gondolier in evening light

Searching for the combination of high quality light and an interesting scene is always a challenge but worth the effort when you find it.

Here I found a scene where sunlight pierces through the narrow alleyway, illuminating the calm waters of the canal. The timeless tradition of gondoliers continues amidst the city's waterways.

Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Morning reflections

Sunlit architecture at first light casts watercolor-like reflections in the canals.

Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten
Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Saint Mark’s Basilica

These mosaics represent eight hundred years of artistic styles as many of these gold-ground mosaics were retouched or remade as artistic tastes changed and damaged mosaics had to be replaced.

Here the golden mosaics inside Saint Mark’s Basilica catch light and spread it throughout, illuminating even the darkest interiors.

Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Streets at noon

When the light is not as favorable I like to find scenes that work even at high noon.

Here I found the awnings that adorn the windows to the items displayed for sale on the streets below make the scene more intriguing as pops of color catch the eye. Flowers cascade from the walls adding a cheerful splash to the historic buildings and provide contrast to the aged stone and brick facades.

Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten
Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten
Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten
Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Church of San Giorgio Maggiore at dawn

Composing the scene through the lamp post adds a strong sense of place and shows off the heritage of the location.

Here the church's classic architecture is dimly lit by the early morning light.

Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten
Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Leaning Bell Tower of the Church of Saint George of the Greeks

Looking for unexpected and interesting traits feature greatly in my work and don’t have to be limited to architecture. I’m constantly looking for these unexpected traits in light as well.

Here this distinctive tower, with its slight tilt, rises above the serene canal waters and is lit by the morning light.

Bridge of Sighs

This popular view of the Bridge of Sighs is best visited at dawn to avoid the crowds. I thought I’d approach this scene with a telephoto to compress the scene to highlight both bridges and the church across the lagoon.

As dawn breaks over Venice, the soft morning light illuminates the Bridge of Sighs. This iconic, enclosed bridge connects the Doge's Palace to the Prigioni Nuove, once a prison. Legend has it that prisoners would sigh as they crossed, glimpsing their last view of the beautiful city through its stone-barred windows.

Venice Italy Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

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Tips and techniques for better street photography

Hi everyone, thought I’d share some tips and techniques I like to keep in mind when going out to shoot the streets of New York. Hope you can find some insight and inspiration ;)

Finding the light

It can be frustrating to come back from a photo session empty handed, so It’s important for me to understand the limitations and the odds of getting a good image before I even leave the house by checking weather conditions. I can try to force it but I know if its completely overcast for example I need to lower my expectation of the work I will be able to capture. Managing expectations can really make the process more enjoyable, which in turn helps me produce better images.

If the forecast is not completely overcast chances are there’s potential for good imagery. The most special light I like to shoot is in the two or three hours just after sunrise or before sunset. Obviously good images can be captured even in overcast days, but I do prefer the city views in harsher light.

Manhattan bridge at sunrise. New York City

Fog and mist is difficult to forecast properly so I always look at it as an added bonus when it occurs. Locations are scouted usually beforehand. Knowing the position of the sun at any given time with tools like the Sun Surveyor app is super helpful as I’ve mentioned in previous posts.

Sunlight between buildings downtown new york city

Using the light in creative ways for example backlit to highlight subjects and buildings always helps the image pop and adds a very nice depth. I look closely to see how light is reflecting off surfaces and people.

Manhattanhenge as viewed from 42nd street, New York City
Passengers awaiting the staten island ferry in New York City
Sunset under the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn, New York
Sunlight enters the subway station in New York City
Passengers look out of the window on a flight in New York City
Passengers look out of the window on a flight in New York City

Artificial light can also produce some great results. Observing how the light interacts with the environment is the most enjoyable part of exploring a scene and the potential of what may be possible in a location.

In the image below what caught my eye first in this unplanned shot was actually the raindrops being lit by the strong headlights of the vehicles. Waiting a bit longer for subjects to cross the street was a natural second step.

Woman crossing the street in the rain backlit by headlights of passing cars in New York City
People cross the street on a rainy evening in New York City

With good light comes good shadows too. Keeping an open eye out for them is just as important to an interesting image. It all comes down to lots of exploration and chance observations that can be applied to other locations, and also understanding where the sun might produce the effects that I am after.

A couple walk home in Queens, New York City
A car in striped shadows in Queens, New York

Composition

I’m mentioning this obvious tip mostly just to share that I don’t like to follow a strict rule. I like to experiment by climbing up something to get a more elevated view or getting low down to the ground and seeing how it looks from there. Curiosity is key to developing better compositions.

A person with a striped umbrella crosses the street in Chinatown, New York City

I usually try many different angles for each scene I’m shooting and will often return multiple times to see how the same scene might look in different lighting situations as well.

Herald Square New York City
Herald Square at sunset in New York City
Herald Square in the rain in New York City
Staten Island Ferry passenger looks out into the bay at dusk in New York City

Reviewing your images and trying to find the reason I selected the images I did is key to improving going forward. Choices become second nature eventually and everything becomes more effective. I can also move on to the next scene quicker.

Subway passengers hold onto the ceiling in a crowded car in New York City
Snowdrift in Brooklyn, New York City
Snowdrift in Brooklyn, New York City
Man under awning near Grand Central Station in New York City
The Chrysler building in New York City
Old vintage car scene in Brooklyn, New York City

Layering

This is an extension of of composition. Being aware of what I am putting in the foreground and what I am isolating in the background with my framing can make or break the image. Like mentioned previously, I move around, experiment! Curiosity is key. This one is something I’m always scanning for when shooting and its always surprising how a composition might improve drastically by simply moving myself around.

I questions if there’s any subjects I can put in the foreground and background. Its like painting with the real world. Longer lenses help a lot with compressing scenes so I usually use a 50mm on up to aid with this.

People wait to cross the street near Grand Central Station in New York City
A woman iceskating at Rockefeller Center in New York City
A skateboarder performs a jump in Downtown Manhattan, New York City
A porch with plants and flowers in spring near Washington Square Park in New York City
Building facades in Downtown Manhattan in New York City
Woman walking past neon sign near Grand Central Station in New York City
Manhattan Bridge seen during a blizzard in Brooklyn, New York
People seen walking in Central Park during the fall in Manhattan, New York
A statue is seen during the summer in Central Park in Manhattan, New York
People walk under the elevated subway in Brooklyn, New York
A woman rests near the New York Public Library in Manhattan, New York

Expressing your creativity and having fun

I will always create the best images when I’m feeling adventurous and curious. Also challenging myself to produce images in a seemingly mundane area is helpful in inducing the drive to shoot.

A reflection of a cloud photographed through puddle in Brooklyn, New York
An orange facade reflected in the wet street after a rainstorm in Brooklyn, New York
People walk past a caution sign in Manhattan, New York City

A pattern I’ve also found that boosts my output of good images is listening to music while out shooting. This could be any genre, but for me a lot of the time I find listening to movie soundtracks incredibly helpful in boosting creative juices. Not having lyrics is best in certain scenarios as it will help me get into a state of mind that opens up my eyes to potential images easier. Not entirely sure why, but I think it helps my mind enter into a daydream state and I end up capturing more interesting images.

A man reflected in a puddle in the evening in Manhattan, New York City
A building facade reflected in a puddle in Manhattan, New York City
A man reflected in a puddle near Radio City Music Hall in Manhattan, New York City
People walk past Macy's on 34th Street pop a rainy evening in Manhattan, New York City
A neon sign is reflected in a puddle as a man walks past in the theater district in Manhattan, New York City

Hope you enjoyed this post! Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more soon.

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