Morning photography in Palm Springs, California

July 31, 2024

Palm Springs is known for its iconic Art Deco architecture, vibrant colors, and striking natural elements. With these features in mind, I set out early as I wanted to capture a slightly more angled light to highlight the way shadows played on the Art Deco architecture and natural forms I encountered.

One of my favorite aspects of urban photography is the unpredictability of what you might encounter and how it will look under different lighting conditions. I find it a good artistic exercise to sometimes not have a specific plan or route in mind, kind of going with the flow. Besides making the photo session almost like a meditation, I find it helps keep my mind open to new compositions and thus sharpening my skills for future photo outings or shoots that demand an unstructured approach.

On this outing I aimed for a more abstract perspective, emphasizing the elements, shapes, and shadows that define the landscape.

Below are some images from that short morning photo session along the main drive.

Palm Springs California Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Palm Springs California Art Deco Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

Palm Springs California Art Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

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Exploring London through street photography

July 23, 2024

On a recent trip to London I wanted to approach this vibrant city by photographing it in a way that highlighted the excitement and bustling energy of it’s streets as much as possible.

I realized the best way to effectively translate some of that energy into still images would be by capturing longer exposures to highlight some of the movement and to focus on isolating specific colors and monuments in my scenes. Layering compositions with abstract shadows creates a sense of storytelling I often find very appealing as well. I also felt that the color red was especially present throughout much of the city and it seemed to be an ongoing theme in many of the scenes I encountered so I decided it would be London’s true color and be featured throughout.

Below are some of my favorite street photography finds from my explorations in the British capital.

London England Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

London England Tate Modern Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

The Picture House in London England by Street Photographer Eric Van Nynatten

London England Tube Street Photography by Eric Van Nynatten

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A portrait of Venice

July 08, 2024

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

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.

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.

Morning reflections

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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A visual exploration of Brazil's Northeast Coast

April 03, 2024

Brazil's northeast coastal region feels like stepping into a movie where every scene is like a canvas painted with a vibrant palette of colors, textures and compositions.

The best trips are often the ones I’ve taken where there’s no schedule or specific shot list. The only requirement is just to have daily motivation to explore and attempt to compose images that might also give the viewer a sense of what it’s like to be there wandering with you. It isn't difficult to find the inspiration in a region so full of natural beauty and lively energy you feel and see it around every corner.

Against the backdrop of weathered wooden boats, historical city centers and tranquil turquoise shores I tried to color hunt and layer compositions and vistas to tell a story through each image.

Gear used: Sony a6700 / iPhone 15 pro max.

Porto de Galinhas beach, Pernambuco, Brazil

Convento de Sao Fransisco, Olinda, Brazil

Framed through Robert Indiana’s sculptures

March 28, 2024

Robert Indiana’s showcase of monumental Corten steel sculptures at Rockefeller Center in New York City gave me the perfect opportunity to combine sculptural art and my favorite pastime of people watching.

These giant steel sculptures provided interesting framing opportunities as I tried capturing passing subjects and experimented with negative space, light and harsh shadows. The spontaneity and constant movement of the street combined with Robert Indiana’s iconic sculptures provided an opportunity for me to layer New York subjects and street art into one.

Artwork: ONE Through Zero (The Ten Numbers) by Robert Indiana
Gear used: Sony a7R IV with 55mm Zeiss / iPhone 15 Pro Max