Italy 2 weeks Photography Tips

floydmoon1

Hey guys,

Off to Italy on Saturday for 2 weeks.
Going to Rome,Florence,Pisa and Venice.
Bringing Canon EOS 100D , kit lense,70-300 mm sigma and 50mm fixed lense.

Any tips on this or good places to take photos in Italy.

I am also thinking of bringing my tripod.

Is this a good idea?

Thanks

MagicMarker

Defo bring a tripod, a tripod is not an accessory, it's a necessity.

Put that in your sig and smoke it!

trishw78

Early morning sun, late evening sunsets

pawrick

Rome

the walk from the city centre to the coliseum has a few vantage spots on heights to take some nice shots with a few cars also. Setting sun gives a nice warmth to the stone of the coliseum. Also go when it is closed as there will be less people in your way.

Pantheon - some nice narrow streets around it for some shots of people doing their thing coming and going.

Bulgari museum - there is a photo exhibition there at the moment - 10euro in, well worth a look.

Castle St. Angelo - looks great at night from the nearby bridges. Also there is an open air market there at night, with a Turkish style water pipe tent, restaurants, beer, second hand book stall and some random music - worth a visit.

Any ruins in sunset.

Venice

Morano island - go in and watch them blowing glass take some pics for free also. that island is very clean/sterile in my view but the glass blowing can make interesting shots.

the bell tower in st. Marks square - get some great pics of the city from that height.

buy some bread for the pigeons in St. Marks square..throw it at people, nice all round reaction shots while running.

too many side streets, walk all over the place via "church nav" (easier then looking for street names) you'll find some really nice spots with tiny bridges off the beaten track.

Definitely go on the river bus a lot - you see some nice spots to revisit and maybe get some good shot from the boat too.

also I brought a sigma 70 -300 and didn't really need it in Rome. used a Nikon kit lense the whole time.

Fajitas!

MagicMarker wrote: »

Defo bring a tripod, a tripod is not an accessory, it's a necessity.

Put that in your sig and smoke it!

God no!

Leave it behind, it's one less very awkward thing to be worried about. A tripod isn't a necessity, it's a royal pain in the arse.

Slidinginfinity

Up the steps and around back of this there is a glass elevator to to top (costs something like 5 euro[outrageous for an elevator ride, I know]) but you can see all the way to the Spanish steps one way and the Colosseum the other way. It was worth it to me.

great height for a pana, I wished I had a tripod with me when we were there.
Damn carry-on luggage!:mad:

humberklog

floydmoon1 wrote: »

I am also thinking of bringing my tripod.

Is this a good idea?

No. Leave it a home.


My tip is whack the arse off the free lemonchella that comes after a half decent dinner and see what a bandy-eye brings for the camera.
If you brought the tripod you'd only hit people across the back of the head with it.
Do: Lemonchella.
Don't: Tripod.

Deliverance XXV

I always bring my small, cheap and light tripod with me when going off on hols. When folded up it's only about eight inches long, weighs about a 0.5KG and only cost me €10 in a knock off shop in Lanzarote. It's definitely not the sturdiest tripod out there but last week it held a Canon 450D with the kit lens for sunset/night-time exposures longer than 10 secs with a slight breeze in Zakynthos and was extremely effective.

It's all down to what shots you intend on taking, really.

Slidinginfinity

humberklog wrote: »

No. Leave it a home.


My tip is whack the arse off the free lemonchella that comes after a half decent dinner and see what a bandy-eye brings for the camera.
If you brought the tripod you'd only hit people across the back of the head with it.
Do: Lemonchella.
Don't: Tripod.

Try the Melloncello and the orange version too. My current favorite is the melloncello. the wife and I brought back at least 6 bottles of varying flavors. It can usually be bought reasonably cheap.

floydmoon1

Thanks for all the tips so far lads.
I have plenty of room in my rucksack so I think I will bring the tripod.
Does anyone know would there be any restrictions on using the tripod in Rome like there is in London.
Im sure florence and Venice would be ok .
Whats this lemonchella you are talking about.
Is it some kind of drink.

Slidinginfinity

Lemoncello is yummy

Dragan

When you are in Florence get the Red tourist bus up into the moutain around it, go all the way to end and you will reach a small town purched above the city and if the day is nice you will get some ridiculous photographs.

I plan on going back next year JUST so i can do this....it's a gorgeous place.

Also, grab lunch while you are up there, the food in the resturaunt right beside where the bus stops is amazing.

Get the bridges at night, you won't need the tripod as most of the bridge walls are very wide and very flat.

LeoB

I bought a small tripod for €79 and it fit nicely onto the back of my rucksack. Would not bring full size, just didnt trust Ryanair. Saw one of their own staff not being let bring a Flute onto the plane a few weeks ago. Did she flip or what!!!! Got her no where mind you. Thick Dublin accent won against the firey Italian

Back to post. Early morning or after 4,30 in Venice is probably best. Go up the cantenelle for a few nice shots.

Keep your bag close at all times. LOADS OF PICK POCKETS
The pidgeons are filthy and if your looking up keep your mouth closed!!
Go up a few side streets for some shots.
Verona I didnt get to but my neighbour was there and said it was very nice. Try a bit of Romeo and Juliet or there are some nice gardens.

Either way enjoy your holidays.

padocon

I was there a few weeks ago. Did almost the same thing as you. You really need a tripod to get good night shots but carrying one around is a real pain. There are people every where especially around the Coliseum selling pocket tripods. They are not as good as the big tripods but they do the job!

Italy is not like Ireland, you are only aloud take pictures of people in a public place for personal use. So your grand unless your publishing a book or something and even at that they would probably never know.

Pisa: Head to the leaning tower area. There is a market area, don't go too close with your camera. You will need to go to the ticket office to get tickets to go into the Leaning Tower, Domo ect. Or pre book which costs a bit extra.
http://www.opapisa.it/

I went to the top of the Leaning tower and I really liked it. The views were nice & you get good shots of the Pisa sky scape & street scape.


From the top you can see the other attractions

Domo-From Tower of Pisa


The train to Florence takes about an hour.

In Florence.
All the main tourist sites are good particularly the Academia (David) & the Ufitzzi Gallery. You are not aloud take pictures in ether, but if you do decide to go to them I strongly recommend booking! When I was at the Academia the Q was 3 hours long. The pre book line was only 5 minuets. I don't have the number of the book line as I lost my DK book while out there.

There are really nice bridges in Florence & you can get nice shots at night!


If taking the train from Florence to Rome get a Eurostar if you can. The normal train takes four hours but ES takes about an hour & a half.

Rome:
Rome was where I got addicted to night shot! The National museum, St.Peters, Trevi Fountain & Colosseum are nice by day but spectacular by night! Try and get St.Peters from the 2nd bridge along the river Tiber. It looks like this:



And don't forget the little tripod!

If you go to the Vatican you are aloud take pictures but there are some limitations like Frescos. No photos in the Sistine chapel I'm afraid as Nikon have the rights.

You will get great shots in Italy. As always look at others work before you go. You will get lots of tips and tricks!

Hope you enjoy Italy & have a great time!

EDIT: Forgot to add. You can chance taking pics where your not aloud if you want. Cameras are not banned, just pictures. But in some places they watch ya like a hawlk!

Burnt

In when in Florence get up early early early, the streets are narrow and
very crowd by about 11am. I would advise a nice wide angle lense.

The Palazzo de Medici Riccardi; the de Medici's home is spectacular; in particular the frescoes
in the small private chapel, they are incredibly vibrant,as a plus it tends not to be to crowded.

If you really want a something to balance your camera on you could consider a bean bag

Tactical

In response to the last post with the fantastic shot on the Tiber, Rome is quite safe at night and most of the popular tourist spots are still relatively busy too. Its much easier to shoot the Trevi at night because of this

The ES is definately the way to travel distance too, comfortable, reliable and fast. Worth the extra few €.