A weekend in Venice gave me the opportunity to create one of my favorite street portraits so far:
Rialto Committed
On a vaporetto (bus boat) riding down the Grand Canal, I spot a bride having her picture taken beside the iconic Rialto bridge. As the area is one of the most atrociously touristic in Venice, a small horde promptly packed around the pro photographer. Arms extended, they are all vying to grab a snapshot with their phones. I hop off the boat pronto and, shunning the crowd, I rush to the next dock, looking for a clean yet evocative background and a clear angle between the wooden poles. For a fraction of a second, the bride diverts her attention away from the mass and turns toward me, offering this deep and melancholic look – and a beautiful pose. Click. One frame. Next second, she’s working the lens again for her own photographer. But the moment I got was authentic.
Technical analysis: in this shot, I like that she appears caged and overpowered by the wooden poles (in multiple planes, including an optical illusion at her right hand) and the bridge. Although her overall pose is a typical flattering S curve, her sad and resigned looking attitude seems to project a deeper ambivalence about her situation. The rest of the elements contribute to both the composition and the context setting. The Rialto bridge in the background, although immediately recognizable, remains subtle enough to not overpower the beautiful bride. Likewise, enough details of the gondolas are present to clearly establish the location, without being distracting.
More to come, stay tuned !
Didier.
Leave A Comment