travel

Bologna

Bologna

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…

Ljubljana

Ljubljana

When my wife and I booked our trip to Ljubljana, it was principally to take part in the half marathon. But we arranged to spend a few days there beforehand, to sample life in Slovenia’s capital and explore Lake Bled (an hour-and-a-half bus journey) as well as Zagreb. We fell in love with Ljubljana. It had an understated beauty to it, that made wanderings its streets a treat. Of course, I took my Fujifilm x100f with me, and here are a sample of the best…

Venice

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…

Edinburgh

It was cold, wet and festive Saturday afternoon in Scotland’s capital city. I had caught up with a friend over lunch and we were heading to the train station where he had a train to catch. It was my fourth day in Edinburgh (principally to visit my brother who lives there) and already I felt like I had seen enough to get a good feel for the city.

But as my friend and I traipsed through streets and alleys from where we had lunch, we happened across a steep, winding street replete with tall, brightly coloured buildings. My curiosity and imagination were immediately stirred and I began making a mental note of where it was located to return to later with my camera. With darkness falling even earlier north of the border, I knew time was limited to get in some good daylight shots.

And so I saw off my friend and made a hasty to return to what I now know as being the historic and highly photogenic Victoria Street. Thankfully I was able to get in a few photographs before night began to settle in.

I had to smile at the whole episode. I had bought a guidebook and had a vague idea of what I wanted to do and see whilst visiting Edinburgh. And until that Saturday I thought I’d covered a good deal for a first trip. But if it wasn’t for a brisk walk to the train station with a friend I’d have missed out on an importance slice of Edinburgh’s history and charm. When it comes to travelling, it’s good to make room for both planning and spontaneity.

Some of the shots from Victoria Street are below, as are a few others from the trip. Enjoy!

Vienna

Turns out I arrived on the right day. I had barely arrived at my AirBnb in Vienna when the hosts invited me to the Summer Night Concert at Schonbrunn Palace. I had never heard of the event, and I am not the biggest fan of classical music, but keen to make the most of my few days in the city and delve deep into its culture, I jumped at the opportunity — all the more so since entry was free! There must have been around 100,000 people at the concert, a good majority (including us) on the hill overlooking the palace grounds. Despite being a good distance away from the stage, the beautiful sounds of Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra could be heard well. I even recognised a few pieces! It was a lovely start to my visit. Vienna is a stunning city with a rich history and many grand landmarks. What worked for me was taking a 3-hour bike tour one afternoon. It meant I could get a good feel for the whole city, find out small snippets of information on the key attractions, make some new friends (always welcome when travelling alone!) and get in a good dose of exercise. A small selection of photos from the trip are below. One final note: I took the train from Prague to Vienna, a 4-hour seated journey (with good air-con and Wi-Fi), for a bargain £15 through omio.co.uk. Tickets to other European cities are also reasonably priced. Worth looking into if you are planning on doing some travelling on the continent.