Spotlight on the Campanile Photo

Photographer’s Note

Venice's famous brick bell tower (325 ft tall) stood here for 1,000 years before it collapsed one morning in 1912, practically without warning. It was swiftly rebuilt according to the old plan, so it's an exact replica. Jacopo Sansovino's pretty marble loggia below, dating from the early 16th century, was crushed and promptly restored. In the 15th century, clerics, found guilty of immoral behavior were suspended in wooden cages from the tower, sometimes forced to subsist on bread and water for as long as a year, other times left to starve. The stunning view from the tower on a clear day includes the Lido, the lagoon, and the mainland as far as the Alps.

This picture was taken during a thunderstorm. In the dark side of the picture, you can see people walking with umbrella's. It looked like there was a huge spotligth on the campanile and the building to the right. I was just lucky to be there on that moment. I hope you like it.

PS, skewed quite a bit, but the angle was very wide, and I realize that the whites in the campanile are overexposed, I don't know how to change that.

Workshops very welcome.

Kenny10pin, Beckii has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

gadinga (606) 2004-03-05 18:58

I like the light and dark aspect of this scene. Something about the perspective is disturbing to me, is that caused by your skewing or is it just the way the building is? Also maybe in the future you could make your vertical images about 600 pixels tall when saved for the web at a resolution of 72 dpi. Otherwise I must scroll from top to bottom to see the entire image and can never see it all at once.

andyohare (437) 2004-03-05 20:12

The campanile looks stunning against the dark sky, but for me the colours are too saturated, and lines which should be straight are curved. Thanks for pointing out the people with the umbrellas, I might have missed them otherwise.

pamastro (7213) 2004-03-05 21:10

Nic shot. I like the saturated colors here. They aren't too strong, I don't think. I like the lighting in this scene, also. Both the colors and lighting contrast beautifully with the dark sky. And I really like that contrast. There is some lens distortion visible with the tower and some noise in the sky as well as a bit of softness. But that can all be worked on and what you captured is very nice. Good job.

Kenny10pin (19301) 2004-04-12 11:02

the sky is beautiful, although it is ia little coaurse and grainy, but I like the building, it really stands out and the positioning of the shot too, well done

Signal-Womb (11757) 2004-04-14 12:55

I like this photo alot having been there climb it etc. The sky really adds to it as it looks really menacing!

Beckii (60) 2004-10-14 20:48

Wow, look at that sky, I think i would be seeking shelter very soon!, I like the contrast between light and dark that you have captured, and i also like the composition of this shot - I have a good idea of the size of the buildings by the tiny people at the bottom - some with umbrellas - which if that storm comes wont help at all :-)

vapours (7935) 2004-10-27 2:55

I enjoy the dramatic sky you have captured on this one. I like it how the top of the tower seems to be reaching for the space in the clouds.

jinju (14265) 2005-03-01 20:19

What an ominous sky. It contrasts beautifully with the white of the palazzio and the tower.

MiguelP (14338) 2005-10-27 17:24

What an impressive shot... I have been walking around in your gallery, as Isabel told me once, it´s kind of intimate conection with the work of the photographer, like have an exposition for your self, watching the photos, hearing the silence... The beauty of the handmade, the wonder of the nature in a single photo. The tower is a bit overexposed, you say it, but no problem here, almost for me... Have you seen a wonderful movie of David Lean called "Summertime"? One with Katherine Herpburn. This Venetian moment could be in that wonderful movie. Take care.
PS: Thinks are starting to get clear, I expect more news in the following days. Bye dear.