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As a photographer, the first rule that I learnt is that professionally speaking you should never show up your pictures of sunsets. They are one of the most photographed and overrated subject ever. It means lack of originality because obviously everybody can take that picture without been creative or talented. It doesn't mean that as photographer you can't take a picture of a sunset fortunately. Anyway it's better if you keep those pictures inside your computer, as great memories of your holiday experiences because surf & sunsets help happiness.
This time I didn't resist, it was different. This holiday has been too intense under many aspects, being there after a surf session looking to other people enjoying the waves with that light was too much. It was simply stunning how surf & sunsets help. While I was taking this picture I felt different and so much involved. I was not just taking pictures of a sunset.
I was there sitting on the beach in Batu Bolong, with my camera but without someone. My mind was in two different places at the same time, being grateful for the chance that I had to surf in that paradise but missing someone important that should have been there. I fulfilled that emptiness with these pictures through those strong feelings that were overwhelming me.
Those sunsets where amazing in any case. Like in Seseh beach, a super quiet place where there are just fishermen during the day and someone chilling in the late afternoon. Or Pererenan, an amazing beach that became pretty touristy but that preserve a particular allure. Both great for a peaceful walk, useful for meditation, to calm down, get your mind lost and free to travel somewhere else. In order to reduce distances and to find you interior peace and happiness.
So you get tanked of all those good vibes, ready to go home, full of energy and relaxed like never before. Looking forward to go back to reality with all the positivity possible. Counting days to get rid of that emptiness, but it could also happen that shit is waiting for you, because we all know that shit happens, right? And now? Now the only thing to do is shock therapy. Sit down, download the pictures, watch them, choose them, edit them, realizing that new strong feelings are helping to achieve great results. Aware that sadness can't last forever and everything can be fixed with patience.
This is the moment when you realize that after being through all this, you deserve to show your sunset pictures, to share emotions that are to strong to be stacked inside an hard drive.
Cheers
I know, this is an off-topic, not everybody are on holiday in February and it's not possible to surf everywhere. I won't be on holiday forever but I'd like to share something positive that I felt during this trip since surf can heal your mind.
Today for the first time I had a bad day in Bali for several reasons and once I came back from a trip with the scooter I was pretty disappointed. It seemed an unacceptable situation considering that I'm suppose to be in the most spiritual place in the world.
So after wasting my first half of the day I took a quick nap and I decided to go to the beach to surf couple of hours during the sunset. I couldn't have take a better decision.
Two hours in the water among people that are chilling whatever happens, no bad feelings, everybody are considered the same, pros and beginners, just there to share a passion. The only aim is to catch and ride some waves. It's important to be focused to do the best thing in the world, but without any pressure or any kind of competition. In this way your mind is completely freed. There's no space for bad thoughts, and everything is reorganized. You think about what was wrong, converting the bad feelings in good vibes. Getting the best solution to correct your mistakes because surf can heal your mind.
After that you're a new person, completely empty and ready to think again. So my suggestion is to try to learn to surf, no metter how old or how athletic you are. Just try and the satisfaction will infect everything, your mind and also your body, yes because it's one of the better and most complete, even if very hard, sports ever.
The alternative could be meditation and sadly I'll be force to know something about it in one week!
Cheers
Once, talking about trips, a friend told me "Bali is always a good idea". I was late deciding something about holidays in 2019, so the budget was reduced and while I was checking randomly for flights I "accidentally" found this one with a ridiculous price. After booking, my friend Margherita gave me some awesome suggestions about where to stay and here we go, so...Bali again, always a good idea! My return in Venice will be characterized by a seriously busy agenda till next November. Due to this I needed a safe, quiet and relaxing shelter, the best I know.
I booked in October because I knew that February would have been a bad month in Venice for my job and I didn't hesitate. Few things changed in the meanwhile and I know I am going to miss someone. I also know that the magic island will make me a person even more awesome that I'm now, can you believe that?! So I will be back regenerated.
My only aim is to rest, relax and surf a lot, to do some meditation to free my mind and to find new inspirations and be prepared to face the new season in the lagoon and everything else. Everybody can find all these things in Bali, the most spiritual place in the world. Yes, Bali again!
This doesn't mean that I won't take pictures. There are places that I didn't explored yet. I'll take it easy and I'll go with the flow, following my feelings with no pressure enjoying the good vibes (only good vibes right?) that people there always have to offer!
So if you want follow what will happen on this blog and in the meanwhile start to plan your trip to Venice and check one the Shooting Different - Venice Photo Tours !
Cheers
It's slow season, it's really really cold, empty and desert areas, no lines outside museums, just few people around, some bars and restaurants are closed, can you imagine a better moment to visit Venice? Obviously not!
January is the best month to visit the lagoon, it's cold ok, but the weather is amazing for the 90% of the month, it's almost not humid at all, the lights are amazing and there're no sweaty crowds and packed calles. No month is better than this to discover Venice and feel its real vibes. Not just the city center though, but also Giudecca island, something that I like to consider a sort of Brooklyn of Venice, but without bridges connecting it with the city.
I decided to explore more a place that I knew just partially and I discovered being incredibly authentic with fascinating areas, everything with the amazing support of a unique light.
A friend who lived there brought me to visit a social housing complex just behind Mulino Stuky aka Hilton, the IACP Gino Valle (the architect) and it was quite surprising. I love architecture and this place is particular, characterized by the typical style from the '80s, pretty close to the rationalist architecture, perfectly inserted in the venetian domestic physiognomy, basic and effective with not much space for variations.
Walking inside this space was nice to me as a visitor, and it was interesting to explore wondering how this apartments could be inside, how people live here and at the same time I was thinking that it could be alienating because of the dark and sometimes oppressive spaces, but they were just thoughts while I was lost in that game of perspectives.
Moving forward we reached Sacca Fisola, an artificial island built in the '60s during the Italian economic boom, a sort of working-class neighborhood ghetto, that now is part of Giudecca Island connected to it by a bridge. Once it was a needy area, characterized also by criminality due to the influence of "mala del Brenta". Now instead, thanking also the new Hilton, the area has been requalified, the market on Friday attracts also people from Venice, row schools brought many people passionate of this sport and the new sport center with soccer and tennis playgrounds and the swimming pool did the rest. Even if there's nothing historically significant is extremely fascinating, here you can find something completely unusual and detached from the Venice reality, and in my case I became particularly attached to it since I was a student, when I was use to spend time for the weekly match with my friends playing soccer at the sport center.
"Sacca", like the locals are used to call the area, was a destination also for famous characters like Brad Pitt and David Furnish (Elton John's husband) that were attracted by the calm and probably the amazing views that it offers on the venetian lagoon, views that with the winter lights become magical.
Going back to the fondamenta it's also possible to join the other fascinating view of Marghera on the Giudecca's Canal, and from here it's good to enjoy the walk back to Palanca and for sure warming up at the most famous bar in the area La Palanca where you can enjoy maybe the best spritz in town.
So remember, Venice has a lot to offer, but you can find great vibes and thrills also on this amazing island that is becoming more and more attractive offering a wonderful and different escape while you are visiting one of the most touristic city in the world.
Remember, once in Venice don't hesitate to book your favorite Shooting Different-Venice Photo Tour and together we will discover also this unusual area of an incredible city learning how to get the best from your camera!
Cheers
I was just reordering pictures on my phone and I remembered that one of the things that I liked most during the trip in South Africa was the chance to take real stunning panorama pictures, and even if I used just my iPhone 7 (not the best one in terms of quality) the effect is pretty pretty good.
So I just wanted to share some of these and sweet memories with you!
That's it for the moment, not bothering you with long speeches full of mistakes!
Cheers
I just came back in Venice from an amazing trip with good friends and it clearly means great memories, but there's something that I will always remember like something different and unique, however not less remarkable and it's something that I want to face first on this blog. We decided to attend a city tour with several stops to learn as more as possible about Cape Town and actually it was the best decision because we had the chance to listen and learn a lot and get out the bus and explore different areas.
While going around we noticed that one of the stops was at Imizamo Yethu, a township like many others in Cape Town and around South Africa, and that the company was supporting the initiative and so that community through a tariff to pay to a local guide of the township. Once there we didn't have the time to investigate where those money would have gone and how they would be used, we just hoped that they were truly useful to help that community. Our guide was Africa, a skinny and funny local tour guide that led us inside Imizamo Yethu explaining a bit about the situation showing us how his people was living.
Africa, our tour guide. All pictures by Riccardo Tosetto Ph
Before to arrive in Cape Town I read that the population is about 3,5 million people, and I was not able to understand where all these people were, than driving around we realized that outside downtown the city is huge, and also other townships were huge. Once there it was clear that there were a lot of people living inside many metal sheet shacks.
I have never been a fan of taking pictures with poor people and neither to go in some places like going at the zoo to satisfy my curiosity, but I wanted to understand, being humble, how people can face that kind of life. I admit that I was not immediately comfortable with the situation, even if we were on guided tour with a local guide, but I think that it was mainly a personal thing. I immediately asked to Africa if it was possible to take some pictures and he said that it was perfectly ok, anyway I decided to take just a few. I was a bit tense because it was clear that we were completely extraneous to that context, likewise it was clear that some people were happy and curious to see us, some other not that much. Once inside I was definitely more relaxed, people were welcoming and kind, they proudly showed us their houses and they were happy to meet us. Anyway is was strange walking through this maze and look how babies and kids are force to grew up and Africa seemed first upset and then resigned to the situation and what he told us more frequently was "..you know..life goes on..", and it's exactly like this. After the WWII and with the Apartheid these people have been forced to live in this areas but here they always helped each other, they work, kids go to school and for all of them every morning life is a gift that they love to enjoy even if they don't live in a "normal" place.
The guide brought us also in the bar of the township to drink some beers, there we felt definitely observed but immediately we realized that there was a great energy, people dancing, listening to music and watching football, happy to see us and curious about us. Then we didn't drink because the card reader was broken (I felt immediately at home again) but we had fun in any case.
Sure, being on holidays means to have fun, not to think about your job for a while, being carefree and don't care about pretty much anything but how to spend your time in a lazy way or deciding what to visit the next day, where to go to eat and what, and so on.. But going in a country like South Africa I felt that it was right not to ignore some situations. Walking in Cape Town is nice, the city is beautiful and its people are amazing, but comparing it to another big european city (even if it's clearly european) you can feel that there's a big difference, because poverty is huge and everywhere and it's not right to ignore it. Exploring, talking with people you know that a big part of there 3,5 mln people are in townships, and they are there because of history, negative facts that condemned them to a life that they don't deserve, because nobody deserves to live like that, but it's important to go there, with the right attitude and respect (again, not to go there like you are going to see a show), to understand why. It's important to go there because those situations on Facebook, Instagram or on Tv mean nothing, it's too easy to feel ephemeral sympathy from a couch or a desk, and I'm not considering my self a better person because I was there. I just think that it's important to go to understand how life is important and precious, how some people appreciate that gift everyday despite all the adversities, it's important simply to understand how our daily complaints are useless, stupid and superficial.
So don't be scared, if there, go to visit a township, bring your support and help to someone that really deserve it and learn from them how we could be luckier if we would appreciate more what we have everyday.
I just want to thank Africa for the opportunity and the amazing people that I met inside there because this one was definitely one of the highlights of my trip among all the natural beauties that this country offered me! Talk to you about in the next posts!
Cheers
Hi guys!
here we go again, nine months since the last trip, and now finally, after a full tourist season, that gave me the chance to meet a lot of interesting people, I can finally enjoy my freedom and be one of them for the rest of the month!
New adventure, same travel buddy, Fedo, that is also my favorite colleague, this time direction South Africa, Cape Town. I'm really looking forward to visit a place that always fascinated me and I'm ready for new adventures but mostly to relax, to surf a lot and to enjoy the best of the local culture, to be ready to re-start again for the short slow winter season in Venice!
I won't leave you alone, don't worry, follow the blog and the many stories on instagram (@shooting_different) to discover Cape Town's surprises! Now I'm ready to fly and eager to take my camera and take great pictures of a stunning place.
See you soon with the winter edition of Venice Photo Tours, play nice guys!
Cheers
We are having a particular week here due to the high tide causing the so called phenomenon "acqua alta" (hight tide), so the city floods and water is pretty much everywhere, a big surprise for many tourists here, friends and people around the world that are clearly not familiar with this and they are comprehensibly surprised and sometimes worried! It's obviously strange and bit scaring to arrive in Venice and be involved in this situation:
Ah for most of the time it rains! Pictures about this were all over the internet, newspapers all over the world spoke about it, friends wrote to ask if I was ok, and safely from my couch I was reassuring everyone. This phenomenon happens every year, especially between the end of October and November and then in winter, sometimes early spring, always according with the moon phases and the warm wind Scirocco. Actually this year the situation was exceptional, with a weather alert also because it was pouring down and because of the strong wind, so we had the 4th "acqua alta" ever, 1,56cm for the first time after 10 years. So the concern, for someone who doesn't live here and sees pictures on the internet or on the news, is more than comprehensible.
Anyway there's nothing dangerous if you watch your step and take care about where you are walking.... (thank s to "Venezia non è Disneyland" for the link), but yes it's annoying if you work here and most of all for the ones running an activity.
The ones with they shops spent the worst 24 hours possible, pumping the water off the shop with pumps and buckets but also cleaning everything pretty carefully the day after, because no, this water is definitely not clean! (sorry for the your heroes diving in St. Mark's square!). For tourists well....it depends, if as a tourist you are already here, maybe couple of days before you will have time be prepared, buying rubber boots or covers for your shoes (if you take a proper tour you will also learn the meaning of this blazoned brand) and ready to enjoy one of the most unique experiences ever! It you want the premium experience buy the high rubber boots that cover the entire leg so you will be able to walk in the most amazing square/swimming pool in the world.
If you arrive in town the same day instead, be prepared for an unexpected walk in the water carrying you luggage over your head and one of the most annoying experience ever tried!
October is an amazing month to visit Europe and Venice as well, but the end of the month is not always great, obviously it depends about your aims and expectations, so remember to check the forecast (unless you booked six months earlier!), ask, inform yourself and download the app hi!tide (apple - android), nothing won't scare you!
Just remember, don't stop to ask for directions to locals while busy throwing the water off their shops, they won't be polite and that water could arrive really close to you!
#EnjoyRespectVenezia
Cheers!
Not at all, but the ones that voted three years ago yes, for sure, because they are definitely not aware about the situation, ignoring the real risks or pretending that the reasons why many locals protest are imaginary or false.
I don't want to speak like a scientist or an engineer because I am not one of them and anyway there are several articles reporting numbers, but this doesn't seem normal to me in a city that is 1579 years old, a town more than a city that born for rowing boats not for cruise ships.
Yes, these monsters are perfect for the short term vision of our major and his supporters, a huge number of tourists means wealth and money for Venice, but without thinking about the fact that really few of those tourists are going to bring something positive here, because it's undeniable that the quality of our tourism now is much worse than few years ago.
No, these monsters are not a good thing for a long term vision that implies to take care about a precious and extremely delicate environment and about the health of its inhabitants and there are many reasons to think in this way. Ok, looking at this the reactions could be different:
in the beginning it's stunning, magnificent, incredible and so on..but then getting over the first impact this is not comfortable anymore. The aesthetic impression could be subjective right, but it can't be ok that a cruise ship 300m long and 60m high, higher more than the double than any other building of the city, crosses a city like Venice just to appease thousand tourists.
Clearly it's not their fault, tourists are obviously not aware about all the problems that affect Venice and for them a cruise ship is just another way to spend their holidays, yes cruise ships are probably too many all over the world and they are a bad thing for the environment in general, but this is another story. Our rulers should be the ones in charge to solve these problems, to save Venice and its citizens because these monsters pollute a lot and the health risk is high even if they tell us that those engines are off (because leaded), but it's difficult to believe that while a lot of smokes comes out from those huge chimneys. It doesn't seem to be a problem just relate to the Lagoon but also to other cities like Marseille and the island of Malta. The risks and danger are many, in general, and Comitato No Grandi Navi explains, better than I can do, the situation and what a lot of locals and people in love with Venice are asking for .
On September 30th there were more than one thousand people on Fondamenta Zattere to protest against what's happening, they were not just locals, but also students, or people of different ages living here that take care about Venice more than many other locals, intoxicated by the though of money, do.
Yes, many students, the same ones that despite the four universities on the Island are forced to leave it, without having the chance to live and enjoy the place where they study, because everything is slowly going to be tailor-made on tourism activities. Young people that were there to protect their city, trying to prevent it from becoming a luna park, because Venice is first of all culture, tradition, art and authenticity in several ways. Frullatorio is a big part of this young movement and the ones that are part of it spent a lot of their time trying to help people, in a smart, ironic, sarcastic and funny way, to be aware about these topics.
Tourism is obviously an amazing thing for Venice, a great (the main) source of income but like any other big aspect it needs to be strategically planned to not be overwhelming, otherwise the risk is to kill forever the main attraction for many visitors. Again, Venice is a town more than a city, so the space is limited and more hostels, more cruise ships, more airbnb all year long can't be a good thing for the quality of life, not just the locals' life but also the tourists' one! Visiting Venice now is not a great experience like it should be, crowd and cues everywhere, people seated on every bridge, eating on the ground or over the platforms for the high tide (definitely clean), it's actually worse than a theme park.
Venice needs help, and everyone should help Venice, unfortunately now our administration doesn't seem to be willing to give this help, so there's first the need of people, locals, students but also tourists, we all have a big responsibility once here if we want that this treasure will be still amazing in few years.
Cheers
It's not that common but sometimes my clients prefer the lights of the sunrise to the fascinating venetian darkness, and even if I find extremely difficult to wake up, being a night crawler, I always appreciate their crazy requests.
Usually during my Venice Photo Tours I'm focused on the client, to assist him or to teach him something new and I usually don't have time to take pictures for me, but the last time I did' resist...
Those colors are crazy, they wrap and cuddle the city during its most quiet moment making it even more magical and most of all they let you forget how crowed it could become after a couple of hours!If you really love Venice, sunrise is the moment.
So don't wait, it's September and it's amazing here while going towards fall, visit the website and decide if you want to wake me up early or let me go to sleep late and book your favorite Venice Photo Tour!
Cheers
There is nothing in Venice that attracts tourists more than the most famous tour in town, the Gondola ride. Yes sure, it's touristy and expensive but it's that thing that you do once in a life time and one of the few traditional activities left in Venice, so why not? The choice is wide, 433 are the gondoliers registered with official license in the city of Venice, but the prices are just two for the regular tours, the day and the night one, that last 30 or 35 minutes. I now it's not a long ride, but enjoying the city from that perspective is something unique, so even if just for 30 minutes relaxing on a gondola it's pretty cool.
Being special, people choose the gondola ride for different purposes, chilling, drinking on a romantic boat, making cool pictures or videos that will appear on they instagram accounts, doing it because they think that it's a must do, or for a marriage proposal, like Mark did! When I met this super nice an kind guy, that asked me to take some pictures of him and his girlfriend on a gondola, he was pretty nervous and I didn't understand why. Then he told me that he wanted to propose to Christine and I realized the big responsibility that he gave me, so I didn't hesitate to give him the best option.
A legend , that also inspired the movie "A little romance", says that if the two lovers kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge of Sighs as the bells of St Mark’s Campanile ring out, the lovers will be given eternal love and happiness. Mark was pretty exited about it and we reached St.Mark's square right on time, the only place where you can start a gondola ride that goes under the Bridge of Sighs. Good manners are definitely not a prerogative of all the gondoliers (and I realized it also towards the end of the tour), in fact they let us wait without a real reason for a while, but who cares, Mark had something important to do, and he did..
..and most of all she said YES! Looking at them I realized how real happiness could be
Nevertheless choosing the good gondola ride could be tricky, it's not just about jumping on a typical black boat, it's important to choose the area, the good gondolier, the best spots and moments, obviously tourist's traps concern also this topic. So if you want to get the most from your venetian holiday visit the website and book your favorite Venice Tour and discover also the secrets and tips useful to choose the best gondola ride! If you want your best memories from the most magical city in the world contact me for your Venice Private Photo Shooting Tour and keep them with you forever!
Thank you Mark and Chris, best wishes for your life!
Cheers
Yes, St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) probably the most amazing in the world, the favorite place among Venetians and where their attitude is perfectly fared, the soul of Venice, and sometimes the nightmare of many tourists of every nationality. Not for you of course, if you keep reading!
Sometimes it happens that some indignant tourists complain about the crazy prices that they are "forced" to pay in this amazing place. The fact is that if they have those prices it means that people sit down to spend their money, and if those bar are always crowded it means that people are willing to spend 10€ for a coffee, so probably they could ask even more. In Venice there're many tourist's traps, but I can promise that St' Mark's Square is not on the list, they are honest, definitely expensive but honest. The prices are all visible on a menu so you know first what you are going to spend, then it's up to you, also because a cocktail have the same price that you can find in a nice hotel or at Harry's Bar, but with a beautiful view.
So folk, remember, it's always important to know something about the place that you are going to visit, this city particularly, it's on the water, it's unique, it's crazy! Remember, Venice is a super touristic city and it's obviously government' s fault, but you can do something to enjoy this amazing place, be informed before to arrive, try to know something about the local life to try to get the most from your experience. Venice is not just St. Mark's Square and despite so many tourist attractions, it could be an awesome city if you try to approach its authenticity, its local life. Among many tourist's traps there a lot of wonderful, cute and welcoming bars, restaurants, osterias, bacaros where you can enjoy life with Venetians! What's better that discover them for an unforgettable holiday?!
Are you lazy but do you want anyway to discover how to manage your holiday once in Venice? Curious about how locals live in Venice and you also want to know some of them for real? Would you like to know tips and suggestions useful to avoid tourists traps and fall in love with the authenticity of this city incredibly full of history and traditions, while saving money and knowing how not to waste them?
So if you are eager to drink a really good Spritz or a cocktail in a beautiful hidden and off the beaten track place saving a lot of money and you wanna spend your time in Venice intelligently, visit the website and book your favorite Touring Different -Venice Tours to discover the secrets that will allow you to enjoy the perfect holiday.
Do you like also photography? Great, at the end of the trip your wallet will be full of money and your memory card flood with the best memories of your trip, choose your favorite Shooting Different - Venice Photo Tour and come to discover the real Venice with me.
Cheers
One of the best goals in life is when you're able to turn your passion and hobby into a job, but it's even better when you meet amazing people as your clients.
About two weeks ago I was leading a tour in Venice and I had the pleasure to meet these two great guys, Jennifer and Jule from LA.
I immediately noticed that they were particularly interested about what I was saying, curious about Venice, its stories and beautiful spot and they also perfectly got my message about sustainable tourism in a unique city like this. After the tour I went home and couple of hours later Jen wrote me an email asking information about a Venice Photo Tour with me. I was so happy about it and the day after a met them again.
Jennifer is a freelance writer &a social media manager, Jule works as video assistant and we found many mutual interests, so the tour has been great. I love to explain technical things about photography and cameras to my clients and realize that they improve their skills in the end of the tour, and I love to bring them off the beaten track to show them places that they wouldn't have found otherwise, and doing it with clients like them is like to do it with your friends!
The thing that impressed me more was how they approached Venice, maybe it was because of Jen's italian roots, but they have been two of the best tourists that I have met. They showed a great respect about the beauty of this delicate city, that is rare to find nowadays (not even in the locals), a genuine interest about history, local traditions and set of problems that affect the city, and they truly liked the spots and glimpses that I let them discover during the Venice Photo Tour.
In the end i'm doubly happy because Jennifer wrote about me and Shooting Different in her blog writing also about how visiting a city with the help of a local makes the difference. So don't miss her article if you want to know a useful and positive way to visit Venice!
What are you waiting for? Do like Jen & Jule, visit the website, contact me and book your favorite Shooting Different - Venice Photo Tour!
Thank you again guys!
Cheers
Clearly if you decide to live in Venice you need also to deal with the fact that there are tourists, they will always be there. Without them the city dies.
There's no point in the useless daily complain of local Venetians that dream about an empty Venice because it won't never be like this.
There's a point instead in asking for rules and regulations to preserve an ancient, delicate, precious, priceless environment. The example should be Iceland with its about 300.000 residents and 2,3 millions visitors (2017). The government started to raise the prices, to preserve a particular context and to allow to visit the country just to the ones that are really interested in.
In Venice happens the opposite, 53.000 residents and 30 millions visitors every year, everyday in Venice there are more tourists than locals, in a city that is smaller than a neighborhood of London.
Why? bad government and bad residents that think they can to whatever they want just because they are Venetians but they're more than often worse than the tourists.
Savage Airbnb, number of the cruises increased, locals that sell their places to Chinese people for a lot of money (but then they are the ones complaining because there are too many Chinese, but complain with the pockets full of money is way easier).
The result is the almost complete loss of authenticity and tradition in the most beautiful city in the world and the daily damage of an amazing palace.
Why? Because too many cruises create an invasion, Airbnb and new hostels create an invasion making affordable to everyone to visit Venice, selling places creates an invasion making affordable to everyone to stay in Venice trying to spend always less and less. Invasion means damages to a delicate city that was born 1597 years ago, invasion means a lot of garbage, invasion means that nobody can really enjoy Venice.
This is simply crazy because in other cities like London, Paris, New York it's necessary to pay even for the air that you breathe, Venice instead became one of the cheapest city in the world (if you think the opposite you should reconsider your ability as a tourist) and it should be the opposite.
It would be possible to speak about this for hours but no. The only thing that i'd like to say is to respect this place, walk on the right, don't jump in the water, remember that there's a real life going on and this is not a luna park, come to Venice if you can afford it and if you can support the local traditions and economy and please, be better than the locals, so don't always scream and don't soil everywhere but also respect them and their activities.
Listen to Lorenzo Quinn with one of the most significative art pieces for Venice
If you want a good taste of this amazing reality through you hobby and passion, visit my website and contact me to enjoy your favorite Venice Photo Tour to bring back with you the nicest memories of your trip
Cheers.
It happens that @jaykannon , who studied here and he obviously fell in love with Venice, comes here to visit his old friends and ask you to take a Venice Photo Tour together because with a local tour guide it's totally cool.
Nothing better than walking around with someone that share your interests, inspiration increases and good pictures are the natural result (soon on my website), but I found also a lot of nice couples sharing love or simply good time together in the perfect context offered by this magical city. So why not to take some pictures of them?
Basilica della Salute and Punta della Dogana characterize one of the most amazing spots of the city, beautiful scenery, breathtaking views of St. Mark's Square, San Giorgio and Giudecca. Don't forget about Festa del Redentore tomorrow, the biggest celebration of the city with an amazing 45 minutes fireworks show! We are going to celebrate the end of the plague that happened between 1575 and 1577, so you can't miss the walk (just 24hrs in a year) on the pontoon bridge connecting Venice with Giudecca Island in from of the wonderful Redentore's church designed by Andrea Palladio.
Obviously after a long walk and shooting session nothing better than a beer at the most appreciated place among the locals for aperitivo, Al Squero in front of the real Squero San Trovaso where the is preserved the tradition of the gondola's construction.
So come on, once in Venice book your Venice Photo Tour on the website and enjoy good vibes and love surrounding my beautiful city!
Cheers
Sometimes it's nice to leave a beautiful city for another, even just for a week end, the best chance to visit friends that you didn't meet since months or years and to breathe some fresh air before to come back to the daily routine.
Everything started with a pleasant randomness, a first class ticket on Italo, a comfortableand relaxing trip interrupted just by the incredible burp of a chinese traveler after biscuits and coffee offered on board. Once in Rome @valeriofitzroy was waiting for me at Termini train station, and there I definitely reconsidered the concept of crowd!
First stop Trastevere, one of my (pretty predictable) favorite places of the city, where I've been explained about few local activities like Bar S. Calisto, probably the bar preferred among the locals, with his unaltered charme from the '70's, here one thing won't never miss, Peroni.
Speaking about dinner you can just be spoiled for choice, it's enough to be aware about the many touristy places, and in this case being with a local makes the whole difference! Da Augusto is an authentic place with typical local cuisine and more than honest prices, Trapizzino instead is good if you like street food with its tasty pizza and supplì; then walking around is just..nice
I spent the night at Villa Ada wonderful place with an amazing park that is hosting a music festival, here I had the pleasure to listen to Ainé and Joe Victor , nice drinks, great music, amazing people.
I dedicated the day after to my favorite activity when in another city, walking around alone, in this case not to discover hidden spots but to take a look to the rooftop of Rinascente in Via del Tritone, nice terrace but not comparable to the one of Fondaco dei Tedeschi in Venice but with a great surplus, bar and restaurant.
The first floor anyway shows an amazing aqueduct inaugurated by Augusto in 19 b.C. that was used to power the main fountains go the city like Fontana di Trevi.
Then walking around I was definitely relieved noticing that overcrowding is not just a problem that we have in venice!
In the evening I did' resist to the appeal of Piazza San Pietro and the Vatican, in this case I don't think that pictures would be necessary! Last stop of the day at Guerrini dal 1958 for a deserved Gin & Tonic.
On Sunday morning, few hours before to leave I had time to visit other amazing places in the area around Ponte Milvio.
One in particular that I always saw just in books was Auditorium Parco della Musica designed by Renzo Piano, simply an incredible place.
Before a quick lunch I couldn't have gone for a touristy ride, but I can promise you that with a local the experience is completely different...
...in fact I had also time for a cheap vintage shopping, amazing second hand leather jacket at Le vesti di Messalina
Finally the best quick lunch that I could have imagined was at Ce Stamo a Pensà , Neapolitan food that speaks Roman = FRIED
After this I obviously slept all the time coming back to Venice, and actually once in my city I was pretty happy. Rome is obviously wonderful, magnificent and amazing, but it's too much, too chaotic, too much traffic, too dirty sometimes with many holes everywhere (yes it's definitely true), but I will go back soon because history speaks around every corner, the atmosphere is more than welcoming and there so many things that I didn't discovered yet.
So now it's time again to join many Venice Photo Tours, book your favorite one and let me guide you through the most amazing places of my city all summer long!
Cheers
When I started Shooting Different-Venice Photo Tours my aim was to let discover to my clients Venice during the night, when it's more fascinating and intriguing, to give them also the chance to enhance their photographic technique in complicated light conditions. I always provided the "early morning option" but nobody booked it before...till last Sunday, when Thu asked me for a tour with the lights of the sunrise in order to enjoy the quiet of Venice and its main spots when the city is waking up.
I just can thank Thu for her choice (even if she has been forced to do it because of her flight delay!) because that morning was simply perfect an incredibly peaceful and once more I had the chance to appreciate an love my city more..also probably because everybody was sleeping before to go out to ruin everything screaming uselessly as usual.
The tour was beautiful and Thu was an amazing and passionate guest and I hope to find many other nice and kind clients like her! So what are you waiting for? Do you wanna learn something more about photography in an amazing and perfect context? Are you an expert that need new pictures in impossible spots to find in unknown areas with the best atmosphere ever?
Book you Venice Photo Tour and discover the real unusual city only like a local can do.
Don't care about photography but just about Venice an its curiosities and particular vibes through the eye of a local? no problem, book a classic Venice Tour and learn how to behave like a good one of us!
Cheers
Every year it's nice to be in this context, not just because it's supposed to be "cool", I mean, when you are used to it it's not cool anymore, it's just about feeling at home.
Contacting pavilions, speak with curators, getting informations, invites, going at the entrance and waiting 30 minutes to get your badge....that routine that makes you feel safe, in the right place, where you can do you job in that unique environment that contributes to do it in the best way ever.
This year during the opening days (this is supposed to be the coolest thing ever, but it's not, I promise) I had the chance to work for the Brazil Pavilion, taking pictures for their projects and the opening events. This is my favorite way to enjoy the Venice Biennale while many people become crazy trying to drink and eat for free pretending to be somebody else than what they are in their real life.
I don't like the crowd, but I like architecture and art in different ways and I was there, so I had to visit a bit, because I also love those two amazing venues. Ok it's crazy to walk among the pavilions in those days, and I didn't pretend to deepen anything, I will be back in autumn, the best season to enjoy the exhibition, but you know, it's just about the well known "good vibes".
Giardini Biennale is my favorite among the two main places, probably because the old memories of university, but mostly because walking around there is super relaxing, you can switch off your brain, also because not always there's something to understand, it's just about relish the context.
Obviously being so cool I had also an invitation for the Arsenale (thank you Arianna), and I love that place too because usually I work there with kids and I can tell that they are way better than adults that pretend to be cool.
Yes I love to say cool.
At the moment I am done with the Venice Biennale, so I really want to thank (they will read this blog for sure.....) the Brazil Pavilion and its amazing staff for the the great opportunity that they gave me also this year and I want to tell everybody that if you want to discover Venice in different and coolest ways you just need to visit these two website and to book your favorite Venice Tours or Venice Photo Tour!
Hopefully I'll be your guide also at the Venice Biennale, but who knows.
Cheers
http://www.labiennale.org/en
Now it starts hurting, one of the best, probably the best one, memories of my trip to Indonesia. Canggu was the most relaxing place I found in Bali, even if it rained a lot there was a such amazing atmosphere, nice beaches, good weaves, wonderful restaurants and bars.. yes probably the only place where, social media managing influencers bloggers bullshits apart, I can say I found "only good vibes".
Countdown already started, those vibes are just seven months far, in the meanwhile check the other pictures of Indonesia on the updated website and if you are in Venice come to enjoy me to sooth the pain with a Venice Photo Tour or the new Venice Tours !
Cheers
While walking in the most beautiful city in the world don't waste your time looking at the thousands shops full of the most different kind of bullshit, chocolate falls, stupid candy shops, chinese crap ecc ecc... Choose the hidden way, get lost and discover the amazing Venice that is always on the top
Enjoy the amazing art and the beautiful architecture that surround you everywhere, choose you favorite Venice Photo Tour or Venice Cultural Tour and contact us for your booking!
Cheers
During a long week end when it's holiday in Italy the smartest thing to do to escape the tourists invasion is to leave Venice and..explore!
The lagoon offers several amazing islands to visit, but Lido is alway been my favorite for several reasons.
So if you have 3-4 hours, rent a bike and explore the island from S.M. Elisabetta, to the surreal Venice Film Festival's venue in this period and then going through the wonderful Malamocco (first residence of the Doge till 813 a.d.), to arrive at Alberoni.
Finally, you can't miss the best hamburger on the island at Pecador, a sub shop inside a London Bus along the beach with amazing view from upstairs.
So take advantage of this quiet before summer and join us for a unique tour wherever you prefer, visit the website and book your favorite experience!
Cheers
Magic memories continue thinking about another incredibly spiritual place, Uluwatu, with its temple and amazing beaches.
Check the new pictures on the website just updated!
Bali is too far for you know? What are you waiting for? Come to Venice and enjoy your favorite Venice Photo Tour or choose the best Venice Tour for you with Touring Different!
Cheers
Apparently according with my hard disk Federico is my favorite subject and because of his limitless availability I have to thank him for the chance to take always new portraits and experiment a lot!
He's also the best colleague that I could have hope for, but you can be my best guest, so check my website and book your private photo shooting session during a Venice Photo Tour with me!
Cheers
Today my memories bring me back to the most relaxing and welcoming place where I have been in Raja Ampat, Gam was an amazing island, great reef, amazing hosts, delicious food and the most relaxing shed that I experienced!
Even if it's painful thinking that these places are so far and the new relaxing holiday will be in eight months it's always nice to share some sweet memories with you!
Cheers