Toad's Italy: Venice by Night

[Toad]

Leica M9 / 90mm Leica Tele-Elmarit, ISO 1600, F2.8, 1/8 sec

Venice by night. The idea was enough to set my pulse racing. The mention of Venice conjures up dark images of untold secrets and pale aristocrats leading mysterious lives within the crumbling walls of the family palazzo. Beloved of Poe, the Venice of my imagination is filled with intrigue and suspense, and I expect at any moment to be startled by the sight of a caped figure in volto and tricorn waiting in the dim light at the end of an alley - or catch a glimpse of the murderous red-hooded dwarf from Don’t Look Now scrambling across the slime-covered stones of the canals. At any corner, there lies danger – the quick flash of a blade, a muffled cry, a splash in the night, and the fading sound of running footsteps echoing on the paving stones.

I couldn’t wait. Night began to fall, and I hit the streets in search of the sinister images and deep shadows that would slake my photographic thirst – seeking out the strange and haunted denizens of the city, and the dank passageways that inhabit the Venice of my imagination.


Leica M9 / 50mm Leica Summicron-M, ISO 1250, F2.8, 1/60 sec

But life plays strange tricks. The Venice outside of my mind is full of light and motion - where every speck of illumination is reflected a dozen times over in the windows and waterways that surround me. Life is good here, and the real-world inhabitants of Venice walk and sit and dine and laugh the night away in the cafes and streets. I am left with the impression of continuous motion in the midst of the night stillness – the lapping of the water at my feet a constant companion.

...and Venice gazes down from its shuttered windows and laughs.


Leica M9 / 90mm Leica Tele-Elmarit, ISO 1600, F4, 1/2 sec

[nia]

So impressive Venice photographs... I can feel the mood in these photographs, Venice is an amazing city, from day and night fascinating...

Thank you dear Robert, I loved them,

with my love,
nia

[Irma]

I see these pictures so expressionistic...

Reading your text all images go so well. I didn't quite get the idea at first, and I still don't know if what I think of them is your idea, but they made me think, your text transport me to the place and I could understand a lot more your pictures.

I love the mood in your second picture.... I also admire your trust on low contrast to set the mood... The last picture full of light and movement and colors makes me feel happy, and gives a different idea from the first one...

I couldn't help thinking about my own experience, when sometimes I have an idea of a place and when I arrive there that idea is so different from reality... it could be a city a park or a field of flowers... The important thing I see is when you let the place surprise you, and you, with open mind, step out of that mental image and enjoy what the place has to offer...

Very beautiful series Toad... I like a lot the way you have represented your Venice by night.

Thanks a lot for sharing...

[Toad]

Thanks very much, nia!

[Toad]

Thank you, Irma. The difference between what I was expecting and what I encountered was a major surprise - but a really pleasant one. It took Venice out of the realm of a movie studio back-lot and made it a real place for me.

[Toad]

Irma Wrote:.... I also admire your trust on low contrast to set the mood...

Sometimes you just get lucky - the shot didn't need anything but a slight crop. Actually, I have found that I am doing next to nothing processing-wise in my Italy photos so far. The first one in this thread is the exception because I was going for a particular mood (imagination mode) and the reality of Venice just didn't support it in the way I imagined.

[Irma]

I have to confess....

Yesterday at dinner, Juergen and I were talking about your pictures and I explained to him all your pictures and he said. I understand without seeing his pictures, his idea about Venice... I said, well... I still don't quite get it but I want to understand to see the intention ...

When I was talking about the idea you had of the place, and the related image, I understood fully that first picture and it was then, when I saw how expressionist was this series... you taught me something very important here, Toad... I need to see a picture from the intention of the photographer, the idea behind... what he/she wants me to experience, and to feel or imagine... I don't know if I would have been able to understand it as I think I do now without the texts.... I think the texts support a lot your pictures and help us to set our minds to see your pictures.

But the very best of everything is that you said you had 2000 pics from Italy... that means we will have lots to see and lots to talk about...
That is really great!!!

[Toad]

Thank you Irma.I have been struggling with the presentation of my photos, and not being completely happy with my habit of just throwing images up and leaving them open for comment. Nor was I completely happy with *explaining* photos literally. They say that photographers are frustrated painters - but I never felt that was quite correct in my case. I always strive for a strong narrative, and to tell a story - and so I guess that makes me a frustrated writer rather than a painter.

In either case, I am enjoying using text as a bridge between ideas and images. I haven't done this before - so the whole process is largely experimental for me. If it resonates with people and gets a positive response, I will extend the series - and maybe even do a project outside of ST that incorporates some of this work. If not - I can always go back to what I did before.

Thanks for your support - I am taking a very tentative approach to this at the moment - very wait and see. Nice to see it generate some discussion.

...and as for the 2000 photos. As always, only a fraction of those will ever see the light of day...

[matthew]

I love the story as well as the photos – for your expectation of the city matches mine as well, if I had thought to articulate it. (Lurking figures in doorways and stilettos being a large expectation of mine for any winding Italian city at night, I suppose.) Looking through them the first time, I was taken by the third one for its splash of colour and surprise; on taking more time with them, they're each as strong as they are different. Nicely done, and thanks for taking the time to show them.

[Toad]

Many thanks Matthew.