My interest lies in landscape photography, which is why my main working environments are natural settings. I don’t usually visit cities and, given the state of tourism these days, I tend to avoid them.
However, not long ago, whilst I was near Venice, I made an exception. After all, Venice, despite the problems it faces due to tourism, remains an exceptional city.
After returning from my trip, the photographs of Venice were forgotten at the back of my portfolio, until one day, feeling rather listless, whilst browsing through it, I realised that my photos depicted a Venice quite different from the one we usually see in the media and on social media.
The photos – at least that’s what I believe – showed an ageing city, certainly, one that is extremely beautiful in its languor, but inhabited by real citizens going about their daily lives.
As a heartfelt tribute to these inhabitants of Venice, I put together the gallery and subsequently produced a book. I hope you enjoy both.
Venecia, ¡para los venecianos!
Mi interés se centra en la fotografía de paisajes y por ellos mis principales espacios de trabajo son los espacios naturales. No suelo visitar las ciudades y, desde que el turismo es lo que es hoy en día, las evito.
Pero, hace poco tiempo, hallándome cerca de Venecia, hice una excepción. Al fin y al cabo, Venecia, a pesar de los problemas que padece por el turismo, sigue siendo una ciudad excepcional.
Tras regresar de mi viaje, las fotografías de Venecia quedaron olvidadas en el fondo de mi catálogo, hasta que, un día de pocas ganas de hacer nada, revisando el catálogo, me di cuenta de que mis fotos reflejaban una Venecia bien distinta de la que solemos ver en los medios de información y redes sociales.
Las fotos- al menos eso creo yo-, mostraban una ciudad envejecidad, cierto, extremadamente hermosa en su languidez, pero habitada por verdaderos ciudadanos inmersos en su vida cotidiana.
Como sentido homenaje a estos habitantes de Venecia, preparé la galeria y, posteriormente hice un libro. Espero que disfruten de ambos.
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I like your photos of Venice very much, Xavier. (I’ve never been there myself.) It seems to me that there’s a fine line between an “air of decline” and historical authenticity. Many places here in the USA have been renovated or “gussied up” to the point where they no longer seem authentic. So, perhaps a little bit of decline is good, as long as it’s balanced by a certain amount of necessary renewal.
Hi, Brad, thank you very much for your comment. Absolutely, you’re right about the fine line and a bit of decline… I think we can talk here about the “patina” that some things, cities, etc, have. The time (the history) leaves a particular layer or layers over the cities, which make cities interesting.
Here, in Europe the cities build too a sort of Central Business District with the same architecture, stores, brands, products. , far away of the authenticity
Very nice and different sight of Venice. I would like to see more photos of your book about Venice.
Regards Steffi
Thank you very much for comment. Perhaps I would load more pictures on the gallery.