Last year, more in hope than expectation, I applied for the London Marathon. Alas, I didn’t get in, so I looked at Manchester and Brighton — again, unsuccessfully. Then, on a whim, I looked at marathons on the continent and spotted Bologna, a city recommended for street photography by Brian Lloyd-Duckett from StreetSnappers. So this was a win-win — I do the marathon and some street photography. And so last month, my wife and I headed there for a few days, and it was wonderful — from the exquisite food to the gorgeous, beautifully-paletted streets. Sadly, the first couple of days were disappointing on the weather front, but once it perked up (just in time for the marathon, thankfully), I had a delightful time snapping away. It was the first time in a few months that I’d been out on the streets for photography, so I felt a tad rusty, but it was wonderful to get out there, both creatively and mentally. For me, just been out there, leisurely wandering the streets whilst people-watching, is as good for my soul than the pictures I take. I came away from our visit suitably nourished, if a little leg-weary! Here are a selection of snaps, mostly taken with the Fujifilm xT5…
Venice
I hadn’t anticipated on a visit to Venice this year, but when Brian from StreetSnappers (the street photography group I am a member of) sent an email saying he had two spots left on a workshop he was leading there, I took little convincing. It’s a city that has long intrigued me. How much water is there? Does everyone have a boat? Do they have any cars there? Do people wear those masks all the time? Well, it turns out that you can’t move for water, most people have very each access to a boat, there are no cars (or bikes) on the main island, and the masks are mostly used during a two-week festival in February. Alongside all that, Venice is a beautiful city, full of surprises at every turn, making it a dream for a street photographer. I also visited two nearby islands, Morano and Burano, the latter especially fun because of its colourful array of houses. All in all, I had a lovely time. Here are a selection of shots, taken with my Fujifilm x100f…