So often in life, we tend to try to describe items by comparing to things that we have previously experienced. In the case of the Grand Canyon, I find this almost impossible to do.

First View

We arrived on a sunny but cold, late afternoon. It had been a long drive and everything was new and the drive had been testing – not least for the fact that I was still getting used to driving on the other side of the road to normal – and it seemed to have taken an age to drive through the park to get to the South Rim and the accommodation area. We had approached from the south and so no sneaky glimpses to combat the mindset. Getting a bit frayed around the edges, there were (unwelcome) thoughts of “will it be worth the journey?”

We shouldn’t have had doubts. From my point of view, I have never seen vista like it before, and its uniqueness is such that I suspect I’m unlikely to do so at any point in time in the future.

Visiting here for the first time was a truly awe-inspiring experience and, for me, defies simple description. Standing at the edge of its vastness for the first time, all eyes are greeted by layers of rock that show thousands of millions of years of geological history, carved ever so    s l o w l y   by the Colorado River.

Be prepared to be amazed at the vastness  and get used to viewing something with downwards gaze - it's usually upwards!

Some facts to amaze at….

The sheer scale of what comes up in front of you for the first time, standing on the edge of what is a VERY big drop, is truly staggering. The canyon stretches 277 miles in length, up to 18 miles in width, and plunges over a mile deep. Put an Eiffel Towers on the bottom of the canyon and then put another half dozen Eiffel Towers top of that first one and you will still be looking down on them!

El Salvador would fit inside the Grand Canyon. Alternatively, for us Brits, click on this link to see how the canyon would look superimposed on a map of Great Britain.

On average, there are 15 to 17 deaths a year. Some of these sad events come from falls – and as soon as you arrive at the canyon, you’ll understand all too quickly how a few people fall to their death by witnessing sheer ignorance of people – often with children - prancing about on the edge…!

Occasionally there's a foreground option for images - all so often it's just a VERY big drop!

Here’s the thing. The lowest point of the canyon is 2,400 feet above sea level (Phantom Ranch). The South Rim goes up to 7,498 feet at Navajo Point and the North Rim is higher at 8,803 feet. Don’t dismiss this if you intend to visit. At this altitude, you will be physiologically compromised by the altitude – no doubt about it. You might notice a slight headache and most definitely you’ll find yourself getting out of breath walking any uphill gradient. If you have Ischaemic Heart Disease, your angina WILL trouble you!

Lots of people hike the canyon. It must be an amazing thing to do, but beware. It starts easy as you go downhill (a long way). Then things get tough as it gets hotter as you descend and then to climb back up you are compromised by both tiredness and hypoxia, climbing a steep path that only gets steeper as you ascend. The Park Rangers are pretty hot on advising about water and heat conditions – pay attention to them – they know their stuff…!

Strange fact - There are no dinosaur bones in the Grand Canyon – it’s too old for them! There are lots of ancient marine fossils dating as far back as 1.2 billion years ago. There’s also a bit of a mystery, as 250 million year old rocks lie back to back with 1.2 billion year old rocks. What happened in between is a mystery.

How on earth can trees grow here ... of all places...?

Visiting the Canyon

Don’t be fooled by the Arizona location and think it’s bound to be hot. The Grand Canyon gets very cold. When we visited in April, there were still scattered pockets of snow around us and whilst sunrise was truly spectacular, it was cold, minus 4 deg C, i.e. puffer jackets, gloves and woolly hats. The North Rim was still closed to visitors when we went in April (it opens in mid-May) due to weather restrictions.

Easter holidays are busy but just wait till the summer. Sometimes it can take an hour or more to get through the queue into the Park, with endless lines of cars. So if you’re going – book accommodation early.

We stayed at Maswik Lodge and we would strongly recommend it. The classic hotel is El Tovar, which opened in 1905 with the railroad coming to the canyon. It has a real charm and atmosphere, that makes it a must to visit for a meal, even if you are not staying there! We were too late to make an accommodation booking at El Tovar but we had a great meal there and we were definitely not disappointed by our room at Maswik.

Layer, upon layer, upon layer....

There are lots of blog posts for the area and I was particularly impressed by this one by Matt and Cheryl (“We’re in the Rockies”). Far more detail than I could possibly provide and it helped us greatly.

Our Highlights

A couple of days was enough for us given that we were not hiking. There are lots of attractions to see, but for us, the highlights were the Kolb Studio and walking back along the South Rim after taking the bus out to Hermits Rest.

The Kolb Studio was made by two brothers in 1905. They carved a niche in the area by setting up a photographic studio, taking images of the early visitors (most of whom likely stayed at El Tovar) who visited and trekked the canyon. Their story is very impressive, with a workrate that is almost impossible to comprehend nowadays.  

I found myself mesmerised by these dead trees, with such amazing shapes.

The Hermit Road is travelled by a regular and very impressive bus service . It is one of the four bus routes available). Research the buses well if you plan to visit, it’s worth the investment of time and is the best way to get about. (Your car will stay in the car park!) We took the service all the way to Hermit’s Rest , where we enjoyed a simple lunch before walking back along the canyon rim to our accomodation.

The walk back was leisurely and the path was easy to follow. Take it easy, at >7,000 ft altitude, you will soon know that you’re working out!

Photography

Sunrise and sunset were brilliant to witness, but both times presented challenges. It gets cold very quickly so come prepared. I didn’t have gloves and regretted it very quickly in the sub-zero morning temperature. My hands were colder than at any time when visiting the Arctic earlier in the year.

Don't be fooled - this warm looking sunrise was sub-zero and the absence of a pair of gloves was regretted. 

Sunrise and sunset present significant challenges for taking photos here, as the shadows are contrasted by strong sunlight. It is a very harsh light once the sun has risen, (? Altitude related – see later?). If you wait till the sun hits lower down into the canyon at sunrise – then the sun will be pretty high in the sky. and the canyon goes into shadow quickly at sunset.

As soon as the sun sets, the shadows appear VERY quickly

Many of my photos are from the early afternoon walk back from Hermit’s Rest. The sun was harsh but it gives the best view into the canyon – which is a pretty unique situation and I feel creates an exception to the “only sunrise and sunset” rule.

Mindfullness and the senses

As you will be aware now, this is an important part of my travel and especially my photography.

Being sensitive to all senses in the Grand Canyon created for me a personal reward with an awareness that I felt to be spectacularly different to almost all other places I have visited, due to the uniqueness of the geographical location, the overwhelming natural history and the physiological impositions of the altitude.

The Desert View Watchtower - at the start of the Western approach to the canyon

1 - Light

The daytime light here is as crisp as anything - verging on harsh, but it’s unique and difficult to appreciate unless you are there! This is due to the fact that light can appear clearer with higher altitude and the removal of layers of the atmosphere with altitude, means there is less scattering of light, making objects appear more distinct than at sea level.

I couldn't resist this image - the diagonal texture of the tree fits in well with the canyon's  horizontal layers.

Add to this, the increasing rarity of the atmosphere with altitude reduces absorption of certain wavelengths (eg UV and IR) that we may not see, but influence our perception of the visible spectrum.

2 - Sound

It’s a windy place, so you will hear plenty of the wind rustling trees, but keep a close listen out for the Colorado River. There’s only a few points where the sound makes it to the top of the Canyon (the bus drivers on the Hermits Rest route will tell you where) and when it does, it’s amazing to hear.

One of the few places from where the Colorado River can be heard many thousands of feet away.

Be prepared for the opposite of sound too. Silence has the potential to be very loud.

Sure, aircraft and helicopter noise is a big issue when you are at the Canyon (you’re 7,000 feet closer to the planes after all!) but the Grand Canyon is also known for its quiet too. The park noise can get as low as 10dB at night. That’s good enough for me.

3 - Feel – the cold!!!

4 - Smell

The smell of the many fir trees transports me back to when we lived in Cyprus and visited the Troodos Mountain.

Petrichor – the smell after rainful is due to certain chemicals called terpenes (don’t get me started -this is a BIG subject for distilling gin!) and creates a truly invigorating experience - creating a smile as soon as you walk outside and smell the freshness.

Juniper trees (particularly Utah juniper – in Arizona!) abound and if you can pick a berry off one of the trees, crush it and you’ll be rewarded with the unadulterated smell of… GIN…!

5 - Taste

The memorable tastes for me were those of pizza and the beer at the Maswik Pizza Pub. After a long drive to the canyon and a long walk along the South Rim, we enjoyed slices of pizza whilst tasting some of the local beers and watching both the baseball and the ice hockey on adjoining TV’s – it was brilliant!

A pano from the western approach road.

SUMMARY

The Grand Canyon is undoubtedly unique. It’s a place to recommend visiting for at least a couple of days, using that time to be free of electronics and enjoy such clarity of air, the tranquility and the endless photographic possibilities. Be prepared to book well ahead and consider avoiding peak times to avoid coming across too many noisy humans crowding near the edge. Do your homework too, know about the bus routes, the need to get fit beforehand (if you plan to hike) and have a look at some of the awesome images that other people have taken to inspire your photographic ambitions. You won’t be disappointed.

This was as close as I was prepared for us to go! Daft - yes - Memorable - undoubtedly...!

Gondolas on the Grand Canal at the Rialto Bridge

The world of Venice’s gondolas is one of deep tradition, that has changed little within our ever changing world, yet it still manages to preserve a timeless charm and elegance that helps to make Venice the fantastic place that it it is.

Sunrise over the lagoon

Up until recently I thought that a gondola ride were simply an expensive tourist trap that was rated and out dated but I am pleased to say that I have seen the light now, after spending the time to read a bit more that has let me understand how they fit into the landscape. As a result, I hope to be able to convey some of the gondola’s history, charm and style that makes it one of those experiences that is truly unique.

Waves lapping at the taxi rank

The Gondola: A Vessel of Tradition

Let’s talk about the gondola itself. At first glance, it may seem like just a strange boat, designed to catch a tourist’s eye, but they have a design that is both artistic and immensely practical. Designed to navigate the shallow, winding canals of Venice, they’ve been around for over a thousand years, and despite the changes in technology and transportation, the design has remained largely unchanged through the centuries.

Showing some of the intricate details that make each gonola unique

They’re all wood - no fibreglass in sight. They take 6 months to build from scratch (2 months for the structure and 4 months for the painting) and are comprised of eight different woods.

• Elm (frame)
• Oak (sides)
• Mahogany (top)
• Pine (bottom)
• Linden (front & back)
• Larch (footrest)
• Cherry & walnut (for decoration)

If you want to see one being built - there are very few options - but if you are interested. Drop me a note and I will give you some info to possibly get a contact for an inside track.

The stern of the gondola is custom made to cater for the weight of the gondolier who will stand at the back of the boat that ALWAYS measures 11.1m in length. This also means that there needs to be a counterweight at the front of the see-saw (sorry - boat) so have you ever wondered why the gondola has a heavy metal prow - yup - you’ve guessed it, it’s all about being a balance for the gondolier’s weight at the back of the boat…!

Showing the forcula and also why the port ide is higher than the starboard - the gondolier's weight

Gondolas are asymmetrical - the port side being 9 inches wider (and slightly higher) than the starboard side.

Each gondolier also has a made to measure “oar lock” or forcula. In truth it’s not a “lock”, it is multi-function device because the oar needs to be placed in different positions depending on what direction or stroke is required. It’s unique, made to measure and therefore expensive to make and so when a gondolier ties up his (or her) boat at night - the forcula is taken home for security, as it’s a once in a lifetime build for the gondolier and takes into account the user’s height / weight / oar stroke power etc.

Tied up at night

The front part of a gondola is called a fero - it’s one of only two pieces of metal in the boat. It’s lines are quintessentially stylish - as we would expect from an Italian design. (OK I know that Italy has only been a country since 1861 and gondolas were about for hundreds of years before that, but gimme some artistic licence please?)

The top bit is shaped to resemble the Doge’s hat (the Doge was the elected leader of Venice) - so imagine a cardinal’s hat. The semicircular hole below represents the Venetian lagoon, whilst the six rectangles facing forward stand for the six sestiere (areas) of Venice ie San Marco, San Polo, Santa Croce, Castello, Cannaregio and Dorsoduro. One rectangle also points backward - representing Giudecca (another island in the lagoon) and the S-shaped swooping curve of the length of the fero represents the Grand Canal, whilst the three ornate items between the forward facing rectangles are representative of the islands Murano, Burano and Torcello.

See the detail become more meaningful with the fero's symbolism

Gondolae used to be painted in family colours, but in the 1500’s, a law was passed to make them all black. A shame, in my view!

A gondola will last about 40 years but will have had the bottom of the boat changed three times - approximately 10 yearly……

The Gondolier: Venice’s River Navigators

There's something uniquely grand about a gondola ride!

The gondola is a symbol of the gondolier who guides it and these gondoliers have been part of Venice’s fabric for centuries, serving as both the transporters and the storytellers of the city. Today, there are around 400 licensed gondoliers in Venice, and each one is required to undergo a training and apprenticeship which some enthusiastically equate to “the knowledge” of London cabbies, but I’m inclined to think that the London guys have a more difficult job with the navigation.

Having said that, the gondoliers do have 12-18 months of schooling, which includes the learning of languages, local history and passing swimming tests - so I feel this claws back a little bit of respect from their London counterparts (how many cabbies are polyglots?)….

... and this is why the Gondoliers call out as they approach a bend in the canal!

Becoming a gondolier is no easy feat—it’s a demanding job that requires physical skill, deep knowledge of the canals, and a healthy dose of chat, not to mention a willingness to take on a pretty big loan for the gondola, (although I suspect that this is pretty well catered for by the €90-120 price of each ride - an expensive flat rate). There’s a waiting list to get on the water too - no retirements in a year means no new gondoliers.

When the gondolas were regulated black in the 1500’s, so was the gondolieri’s uniform and this stayed the same till after WW2. Now they have the instantly recognisable uniform of black trousers, striped shirt and straw hat with a black or white jacket.

Fancy a gondola ride at sunset on the Grand Canal with all that evening traffic - not for me !

There is a shop, Emilio Ceccato, (Just next to the Rialto) that sells authentic gondolier shirts (Campo San Polo 16/17) and by purchasing the authentic option, you are helping to safeguard the gondola industry. Sustaining the economy in Venice is massively important. At some point in time I will write about this, but in the meantime, please promise you will not go to Venice on a cruise. That’s a blog post on it’s own. We need to Save Venice.

Back in the day, gondoliers were highly respected, and their status could even bring them some fame. Today, while the role is still respected, the job is more tourist related. The job of a gondolier is less about being a social figure and more about providing an iconic experience for tourists looking for that quintessential Venetian ride. 

However, if you can’t (or don’t want to) afford the €90+  fare, just remember that there are limited bridges across the Grand Canal - so look out for the Traghetti - which are essentially big gondolas with the exclusive job of traversing the canal. It costs more for tourists (€2) to use than the locals (€0.70), and you can always tell the locals - they stand on the boat (a big gondola) whilst crossing - the tourists sit! Don’t moan too much about the price discrepancy, the locals need to get about town on their daily business and the tourist fare helps to maintain the service that is stressed greatly by foreigners!

Top tips for a gondola ride….

Don’t insist on a gondola trip to take you under the Bridge of Sighs as the “sigh” thing is nothing to do with romanticism anyway, the sighs were sighs of despair from the prisoners walking over the bridge from the court in the palace into the prison - which offered little other then misery, cold, overcrowing, disease and darkness! (The diseases recorded here were highly influential in providing medical education for the medical teaching in Europe - pathology not for the feint hearted!)

Palace LHS - Prison RHS - it's obvious now perhaps & nothing romantic about the cells that's for sure!

Avoid the cruise ship area (Piazza San Marco) - beautiful as it is, because the gondoliers here have to put up with selfie wielding, self obsessed individuals who are often rude and demanding and on a tight cruise schedule (this is also where there are gondola-jams too). The gondoliers will not be able to tell you apart from the less pleasant clients, so don’t expect much in the way of banter from them.

Pretty - but lots of selfie wielding cruise passengers, traffic jams & bumpy rides on the open lagoon 

Be aware that on the Grand Canal, you are in competition with a lot of things that are bigger, wider and definitely faster than your 11.1m of gondola....!

See the gondola (bottom left) avoiding the faster, bigger traffic...?

Go to the quiet places - you’ll get more talking and a better atmosphere. Compare a car drive in the countryside to rush hour city driving - imagine the “gondoliering” equivalent….

That's more like it...!

Daytime cost is the same anywhere at €90 during the day and then €120 at nighttime. This doesn’t include a tip.

Make it an event of the day - it’s going to cost, but consider just a couple of you doing it in style, rather than trying to cram loads of travellers into the same boat to reduce the price.

As well as the gondolieri clothes noted above, Consider visiting one of the four remaining forcula workshops in the city for a bit of authentic Venice - here’s the links:

• Paolo Brandolisio
• Le Forcole
• Remi e Forcole
• Il Forcolaio Matto 

Chat away to your gondolier, he will be a font of knowledge for the local area and you’ll learn loads about the real Venice.

"Taxi Rank"

So next time you’re in Venice, take a moment to appreciate the gondolas and their gondoliers. They’re symbols of a city that has lived through centuries of change, yet help it to continue to sail forward, one oar stroke at a time.

Tied up for the night

So this is my last post for now about La Serenissima (Venice’s stylish and suitably romantic name of old). We’ll go onto somewhere else in the world for my next post, I reckon. 

I'm excited to share some more places with you in the months to come, some will be familiar and some perhaps less so. So here's till next time.... Oh and by the way - all but one of these images were iPhone photos.

All the best,

Colin 

Welcome back, fellow wanderers and photography enthusiasts!

In this blog post, let’s both take a dive into the vibrant and enchanting world of Venice, a stunning city that offers a sensational opportunity for travellers and photographers. Whilst a photograph can capture a moment of “light”, I feel that it can be fun to look at things differently and so I’ve been reading about how we can use a wider sense awareness, beyond solely light and vision, in order to enrich our travelling experience and deepen our connection to the "captured" moment. 

Oh, by the way, I know I had said that this was to be an iPhone photography post, but please excuse me, I thought Venice was more interesting. For what it's worth though, all the pictures in this article were taken with my iPhone….

San Giorgio Maggiore across the lagoon  from the Doge's Palace at sunrise

So let me suggest ways in which we can use our five basic senses of sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch to explore and enhance our journeying and inspire.

Sense 1 - Sight: The Visual Symphony of Venice

Let’s start with the obvious sense of sight. After all, Venice is a city that is truly unique and engages the eyes at every canal turn. 

1. Architecture: What a melting pot…! East has met West for almost 2000 years now (The 5th century CE seems to be the time the city was founded.) It’s fascinating to think that this place was the interface between East and West with all of the styles / foods / spices / materiel that was exchanged between different cultures and challenged societal norms!

Detail from The Doge's Palace  - the ultimate in architectural fusion

Architecturally, there’s so many influences here from 

• Byzantine… to…
• Islamic… to…
• Venetian Renaissance… to…
• Baroque… to…
• Gothic…

The Columns of San Marco ....See postscript for further historical detail*

2. Canals - they meander and constantly surprise - one never looks quite the same as the other. Added to this, each canal needs a multitude of bridges (all 435 of them) each of which are similarly unique.

3. Clarity of light - The light here is different. Perhaps it’s the lack of car and industrial pollution that we now sadly take for granted, but the air clarity is stunning. To believe this, you need to experience the view!

4. Colour - to me Venice is a palette of pastel, with the high saturation and luminance of buildings on the island of Burano pushing the scale! 

See what I mean about the pastel....?

Sense 2 - Sound: The Melodic Echos of Venice

The auditory landscape of Venice is rich and varied, creating an atmosphere that photographers can hope to suggest within their story.

1. Shouting - Whilst the gondolieri don’t sing - they do shout sonorously as they approach canal corners!

A gondola ride is expensive but well worth it - more about gondola tradition next post

2. The gondoliers’ oars create a very distinctive auditory swish in the water.

3. The sirens of emergency boats (not vehicles) - and yup - the Casualty loading bay is on the water’s edge!

4. The constant lapping of water on stone

Sense 3 - Smell: The Aromatic Essence of Venice

Venice's scent palette is a mix of fresh maritime air and the earthy aroma of old stone and wood. There’s some smell of decay, but it’s limited (and for me, on a more recent visit it was enormously better than decades ago when I visited as a teenager and there was a horribly frequent smell of sewage!)

1. It’s what you don’t smell - no car fumes - it’s great!

The light is awesome

2. Coffee - The aroma of coffee coming from the bars and tabacchi as you walk along the streets.  So with this in mind let me digress to say a little about Venice and coffee…..

a. In 1591 there is mention of the beneficial effects of coffee by a doctor working for the Venetian consul in Cairo. The Eastern trade via the Ottomans made coffee available for trade and Venice was the filter (if you’ll excuse the pun) for European coffee trading.

b. Venice was the first western city to sell coffee in bars. There is record that this required an edict from the Pope (Clement VIII to be exact) to allow for the “foreign” concoction of coffee to be drinkable by the masses as it was considered sinful (as were most things that were new) by the uneducated.

c. In 1638 the first bar / coffee house opened in Piazza San Marco (that’s where we get the term barista by the way!) and a hundred years later, there was a law passed limiting the number of bars selling coffee. By 1758 there were 206 coffee houses and 34 in Piazza San Marco alone.

d. In 1720, Florian’s Coffee House in San Marco was opened and it is still as busy (and expensive) as it was 300 years ago. Have a coffee there and you’ll be drinking in Casanova’s 1720’s favourite coffee place!

3. Seafood - Venice is part of the Italy formed in the 19th century, but it’s not what may be considered archetypal Italian food as it’s more seafood than pasta and pizza. So if you’re a seafood afficionado, this is the place for you, it's the mainstay in the small tabacchi / bars with their cicchetti. (Snacks served as lunch / aperitif / snacks - so very liberally and enormously tastefully!)

4. What better than a restaurant aroma - food is done so well in this city that the mixtures of fragrances and aromas in the restaurants is just wonderful.

Sense 4 - Taste: The Food of Venice

Venice offers a true culinary adventure that can elevate your experience as a travelling photographer. It will engage your taste buds and inspire your storytelling.

I've got to recommend this place, Birraria La Corte, Campo San Polo, the food is awesome & everybody is heading towards - a good sign

It's a mild evening, there's chatter from those outside, the food aroma gets stronger the closer you get - what a way to anticipate a meal!

1. Cicchetti - the variations are endless. This is finger food that is exquisite. Seafood / meat / vegetarian variations that change by the day. 
2. Beer - take with above!
3. April / Campari Spritzes - they’re all over Italy but the Venice options seem special….
4. The quality of all the food even snacks at the railway station, puts many other countries to shame.

Sense 5 - Touch: The Textural Tapestry of Venice

Venice is a city that invites touch—whether it's the smooth marble and glass mosaic of the basilica or the wood of a gondola. However, for my beautiful wife and I, - touch was…

1. Wet feet in the Aqua Alta: 

The Aqua Alta is the name given to autumnal / winter high tides that flood some of the city (Piazza San Marco is the lowest lying part of the city so if Aqua Alta’s going to be anywhere, it’ll be here.

The start of an  Aqua Alta in San Marco

My beautiful wife and I came out of the Basilica and were going to Museo Correr in the far corner for lunch (the sandwiches are fab and the view of the Piazza and Campanile is stunning! 

There was a very mild aqua alta and the crowds were going very slowly around the edge of the square, so slowly in fact, that we just “went for it” and ploughed through the water to the stunned amazement of all the dry footed people at the edges. We laughed and had so much fun - OK perhaps not the cleanest of water - but do you remember jumping in puddles, just for the hell of it when you were a kid….! 

2. The condensation and coolness of a beer glass sitting in the bar at the Rialto Bridge,

Seeing Venice is a walking game. So you get hot. Beers are earned and Venetian bars excel with the coldness of their pours, which means that the touch of the condensation on the outside of that first glass of beer after a busy morning getting lost Is second to none! (Trust me, if you haven’t got lost in Venice - you haven’t explored Venice!)

3. The touch of using some bread to soak up the olive oil and herbs from your plate at the restaurant.

4. The feel of sea spray being thrown onto your face by passing boats as you travel in a vaporetto to the city from the airport is one of the most bracing preparations for entering any city!

Other Senses Peculiar to Venice

There’s a lot more senses that I could comment upon, but I’ll just make a few suggestions…..

Unique - a vierw of San Giorgio and the lagoon from the Doge's Palace Ballroom - I challenge you to get this with no people in sight!

1. A sense of absolute personal safety (pretty unique!).

2. A sense of complete uniqueness and individuality. (It seems the people are Venetians first then Italians…)

3. A sense of relaxed style. (Go beyond the “cruise ship area” and you’ll see what I mean.)

4. A sense of artistry. (Whether it’s Murano glass or architecture or the Venice Carnival every February - this place has great style!)

Conclusion: A Sensory Symphony

By engaging our senses, we can transform our photography into a richer, more immersive experience. My experiences will be different to yours even when we visit the same places, but that’s the fun of it!

There’s no right or wrong here, so I invite you to share your own 5 senses+ experiences and photographs of Venice (and anywhere else for that matter), in the comments below. 

All too often, we limit ourselves to the obvious. I’m hoping that this article may provoke a different viewpoint or two. Let’s inspire each other to use our senses to see beyond the obvious and capture the heart of the places we explore.

Until next time, happy shooting!

Warm regards,

Colin

All the gondoliers know each other - they have chats as they float by....

P.S. Just for the record, the classic “five senses” is now pretty much outdated. Thousands of years ago, Aristotle started us with five, but there’s definitely more …(perhaps we have another topic for us to explore).

P.P.S. as promised - here's some more info about the Columns of San Marco

*We see two columns - but there should have been three - one was dropped in the water! Somebody was employed for many years to try to locate and recover but their lack of success is evident...

Napoleon stole the lion on top of the right hand column - it was returned in 1815 and was promptly dropped and broken into 20 pieces, replaced in 1816 and then removed again during WW2 and not replaced until 25 April 1991.

The left hand column originally held up a statue of St Theodore, the original Saint of Venice - until Mark usurped him. His legend as a martyred Roman soldier grew as a dragon slayer - so the dragon was symbolised by the crocodile that we now see. 

Prisoners were tied between the two columns before their execution - facing the clock on the other sign of the square to remind them of their limited time left in the world. (Venetians are said to refuse to walk between the columns for this very reason.)

An angry looking sky overhanging Florence in late summer

I’m thrilled to have you join me for our second blog post. Today’s offering looks at our first broadening of the fortnightly blog horizon to explore some fun thoughts about the philosophy of photography that might ring true with some of you. Other posts will look at more conventional subjects perhaps, but I'm keen to make this adventure just slightly different, perhaps thoughtful  in the hope it may provoke some fun discussions.

Photography has the fantastic potential to be far more than just a means of recording some pretty views seen on a holiday. It can be considered as an art form that serves as both an external creative outlet to share with the big, bad world and at the same time an internal pathway for mindfulness and equanimity for the inner self. 

There are countless talented photographers out there, so I’m suggesting starting our journey by focusing on the powerful, personally transformative aspects of photography, where success is subjective, not objective, and is better measured by those “WOW” photographs that cause us to pause, enjoy and wonder.

Photography as a Mindful Escape

In the frenetic pace of modern life, photography can offer the possibility of a much-needed escape into a world of focus, observation, and presence. One of the ways I can best take this thought further is to suggest we have some fun by drawing an analogy between food and photography…

Spices in the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul 

On the one hand there’s the photography equivalent of fast food - when we just pick up our camera/phone and take a snapshot. In foodie terms, when hasn’t there been an occasion when some fish & chips, or a burger and chips has been the perfect meal during a day that has been going at 1000mph or perhaps when we’re just tired and want something simple and fast that involves no washing up. (Oh and by the way, didn’t it taste GREAT!)

Then there’s the other end of the spectrum. To me, this is epitomised by the concept of Slow Food.

Slow Food was started when the opening of a very well known fast food outlet at The Spanish Steps in Rome caused an uproar that, in turn, saw the start of Slow Food © - an organisation that wants to promote more than just the speed of food-to-plate.

Hot air baloon ride in Morocco - doesn't get much slower than this... 

For me this food comparison parallels taking snapshots and the enjoyment of photography. Don’t get me wrong, I have taken, and still take, many snapshots, but I love my photography more (just as I love making dough for home made pizzas or cooking a curry from scratch better than going to a fast food outlet) and it's this that I like to feel is an artful pursuit.

The Art of Being Present

Artful photography insists on our presence. Regardless of what we put in our frame, we learn to concentrate ... and observe ...and appreciate ...the details of everything that our images contain. This practice of intense focus can allow us to anchor ourselves in the present, embodying mindfulness with every shutter click.

Landscapes: Nature’s Tranquility

Landscape photography in particular, I feel stands as a testament to nature’s calming influence. The grandeur of mountains, the stillness of lakes, and the serenity of forests invite us to slow down and immerse ourselves in their beauty.

The Healing Power of Nature

Research indicates that spending time in nature, reduces stress and boosts well-being. By photographing these landscapes, we can extend these benefits, creating visual reminders of tranquility that we can return to whenever life feels overwhelming. Each landscape photo is more than a picture - it's a mental sanctuary that unfailingly offers peace and reflection.

Cityscapes: Harmony in the Hustle

Walking from the train station to the Leaning Tower, somebody with a great sense of humour decided to warn us....!

On first encounter, cityscapes might seem at odds with the concept of mindfulness, but urban photography teaches us to find order, fun and beauty amidst chaos. It’s about capturing the underlying soul of a city - the amazing architecture, the light and shadow and in doing so, lets us see with a different set of eyes, seeing things that most people overlook in their daily rush.

Cultivating Equanimity

... and on that day it seemed they were correct or do I just need to crop a little bit more realistically...? 

By seeking out the calm within this chaos, we can also nurture equanimity—the ability to maintain mental and emotional balance even in challenging environments. Cityscape photography fosters an appreciation for the moment, no matter how hectic the urban atmosphere happens to be.

The Photographic Journey

My journey through photography isn’t solely about technical mastery or competition (Just as well!). It’s a personal journey, where success is not defined by the number of competitions I can win or images that I can sell, but success to me is creating “WOW” pictures - those breathtaking shots that makes the viewer pause, enjoy the uniqueness of the moment, and feel….. good.

There's not many places better than Venice that can give pause for thought...

For what it’s worth, here’s my thoughts on some of the key features that make photography fun for me. You may agree or disagree. Either way - please let me know what features matter most to you, on your own personal photographic quest.

1. Embracing a Positive Philosophy

• Photography isn’t just about the final product; it’s about the process and the experience and the people you meet on the way. Appreciating the act of exploring new places, meeting new people, and discovering beauty in unexpected moments - what could be better.

2. Practicing Mindful Shooting

• Taking time with each shot. There’s no rush. Notice the uniqueness of light and textures. Being present and aware enhances not only the photographs being taken but also the overall experience.

3. Celebrate Your Progress

• Success isn’t about having the most followers or the fanciest equipment. Instead, it’s celebrating those WOW moments.

4. Share and Inspire

• By sharing photographs and the journey, we can inspire others to embark on their own quests and in doing so, promote values such as mindfulness, creativity and equanimity.

Barcelona moped - tI'm a mug for taking photographs of motorcycles and vespas... 

Join a Community

As we continue this journey together, let’s build a space that transcends mere photography tips (although they are important!), focusing more on the enriching, mindful experiences that photography can provide. Let’s inspire each other to see the world that celebrates those “WOW…!” moments.

Feel free to share your own experiences, insights, and photographs in the comments below. I would be delighted if we could support one another in cultivating a positive philosophy and enjoy that elusive quality of equanimity.

Let's travel together - slowly is just fine..! 

What’s next…?

I have enjoyed this post. So what’s next…? Currently, I’m in the process of planning a journey with my fantastic wife and it has given me hope that there’ll be lots of images and experiences that will furnish a few posts and will take us away from philosophy and more towards travel tips and some fun photographs.

Before then, I’m keen to put some thoughts together about iPhone photography, discussing the use of what has fast become my regular backup and on one recent holiday, my main, camera. I’m hoping the comparisons will be positive! So that’s for next week…..

Until then, happy traveling and happy shooting!

Warm regards,

Colin

The Scottish Highlands (feat. Suilven) 

Hello, fellow travellers and photo enthusiasts!

I'm thrilled to welcome you to a community where landscapes and cityscapes are more than just images—they're stories, emotions, and memories. My name is Colin Scott, and my journey here has been anything but ordinary. In years gone by, I wore an Army uniform and a stethoscope together, before navigating and enjoying the complex world of civilian UK General Practice. I then wanted (needed) to do something different, so to the surprise of most people, I chose an entirely different path — distilling gin. However, the twists and turns of that venture under influences beyond my control (i.e. COVID-19 - which shredded the business plan only 72 hours after the still was commissioned), set the stage for my rebirth into another passion: travel and landscape photography.

Florence

[An image taken whilst doctoring but rescued  for display here by new-found skills]

The Call to Adventure

My work as a doctor was truly rewarding. The clinical challenges posed by General Practice and my love of training junior doctors gave me a job that was second to none. At the same time, it was personally draining with the ever mounting administrative pressures imposed  in tandem with relentless budget cuts. So, although this was my hard-won profession, deep within, a different call beckoned to do something creative. This call led me to launch a gin business, a dream driven by a desire to craft a classic London Dry Gin that would stand against all comers as well as wanting to enjoy the challenge of developing modern flavours that would give joy to people in a completely new way. By virtue of winning two European medals, we seemed to be making good progress.

The Brandenburg Gate

[We would visit Germany at Christmas time for the Markets - Berlin or Köln - after our time in (West) Germany as it was then]

Trials and Tribulations

As exhilarating as it was to dive into the world of gin, the journey was fraught with challenges. The difficulties imposed by COVID-19 created previously unmet complexities in the spirits market and our new businesses endured financial and marketing pressures greater than established ones. It gradually became clear that I was fighting an uphill battle in a turbulent industry. The struggle left me contemplating my path, searching for a way to reclaim my passion for life and purpose.

The Aga Khan Mausoleum at the First Cataract of the Nile

[Taken just days after having to leave the Gin business - the solitude of The Nile was enormously comforting at a difficult time]

The Rescue: A Lens for a New Life

It was during this turbulent time that my old love for photography rekindled. I had been captivated from childhood by the magic of photography, seeing my Dad enjoy capturing images and although he always seemed to be 100 yards behind us, (tour guides and family both going bananas!) he always seemed laser focused and even as a youngster I could somehow understand his equanimity and the need to create his own pace.

By now it wasn’t just a hobby—it became something special. Choosing to invest in some serious training, I pushed myself to increase two things - firstly to improve my "keeper ratio" (the number of “keeper” photos compared to the number of photos taken on any one shoot) and secondly developing a photography style that gave my images the “WOW…!" factor. (I now have three photography heroes from the past 10 years and I will give them a shout out very soon.)

So photography turned things around and gave me a new sense of purpose, a way to express myself and connect with the world.

New York skyline with the Brooklyn Bridge

[This was the make or break trip - could I get  some WOW...! photographs and significantly "up my keeper ratio"]

Time Travel

Through my lens, I discovered another way to be creative having enjoyed the thrill of creating gin flavours. Landscapes and cityscapes have always been my thing. Even looking at the photos I took as a child, my subjects were always vistas and rarely people! My Dad had taught me a lot about taking photographs, but the most important thing I learnt from him was that a photograph should never require an explanation, it should talk on its own.

No explanation needed here....!

[Another rescue image from holidays of old]

So with my newfound skills, I started to look through my viewfinder in a different way as well as using my newly discovered post-processing skills to look at previously taken images with new eyes. The old images I took of the mountains in the Scottish Highlands a few years ago started to come to life, whilst the recent hustle and bustle of New York in 2023 came to life through my lens like never before. Recently too, standing in the glorious golden hour of sunset on the idyllic Santorini cliffs, I felt an excitement never felt previously. 

To me this is the essence of "The Highlands" 

[Taken in October 2017 - Story to follow in a blog post of its own!]

Crossing the Threshold

This transformative journey from military medicine to civilian life to gin and finally to photography, continues to be an incredible adventure. I created this website not just to share my ongoing evolution, but in the hope of inviting you to embark on a photographic adventure with me. Whether you're a seasoned photographer or a curious beginner, I hope to humbly share a small number of photographic tips, techniques, and inspiration that come from taking images in some fun places and finding beauty in the world anew. However I also hope to share more useful and practical non-photographic tips and ideas about the places to which I have travelled, from food to public transport and everything in between!

[One of hundreds taken in the golden hour and blue hour - all different.....]

Share Your Stories

This space isn’t just about my journey; it’s about ours. I encourage you to join me to share your own photos, stories, and experiences. Let’s build a community that inspires and supports each other in our quest to capture the world’s beauty, one photo at a time.

Thank you for being here at the start of something special. Let’s embark on this visual journey together and see the world through many different lenses.

Happy traveling and happy shooting!

Warm regards,

Colin

Jet-lagged and desperate not to miss the sunset after landing just 3 hours previously, I pretty much ran from W24th Street to  the water, choosing to aim for the Manhattan Bridge for no other reason than it was closer - I made it just in time...!