Tips/Rules for using a Tripod in Venice & Italy in general

Buon giorno tutti;

I've been given a 1 week + solo pass prior to the birth of our little one in April & think I'm going to Venice next month. I was shooting hand held last time I went so this never came up. What is the general rule for putting down a tripod on the ancient streets of Italy ? Any tips, experiences, etc would be appreciated. That last thing I need is a $500 euro fine for not having an 'easily' secured permit.

Thanks,

Victor

Ciao Vic,
there will be no problems in Venice if you will place your tripod in the ancient and NARROW streets until you will block the passages of pedestrians, cats and pigeons, at that time you will have complains from the Venexiani, gatti e piccioni and at the end from Municipal Guards. :confused:
If you will be in the main place of Venezia you have to be careful of tourists flux and not to be an obstacle, in doubt ask to the security force.
It is forbidden to put down the tripod in churches, museums and others interiors, except for a private house in which you can ask the permission.
Last suggestions try to avoid the main touristic places they are crowded, best to visit them at the dawn or the dusk of a grey and foggy day. Some interesting places are in the islands surraunding the town: Torcello, Burano, Lido with the Jewish cemetery and Malamocco.
I invite you to ask for Venetian foods and dishes you will be satisfied......
If you need some specifications ask.

Jersey Vic said:

Buon giorno tutti;

I've been given a 1 week + solo pass prior to the birth of our little one in April & think I'm going to Venice next month. I was shooting hand held last time I went so this never came up. What is the general rule for putting down a tripod on the ancient streets of Italy ? Any tips, experiences, etc would be appreciated. That last thing I need is a $500 euro fine for not having an 'easily' secured permit.

Thanks,

Victor

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Send an email to Jeff Curto through his website: www.jeffcurto.com

Or through his blog: www.cameraposition.com

His blog is wonderful, and he photographs in Italy every year. His blog is filled with experiences of shooting in Italy. I'm sure he'll be more than willing to help you with advice and experience tidbits.

Good luck.

No problem at all outdoors- just don't get in the way.

When you're on private land bear in mind that the owners/ managers can decide to allow photography or not, or tripods or not at their discretion- just like in the US. I've been refused entry to a private gardens - open to the public paying an admission- because I was carrying a tripod. But thats just once in many weeks of photographing in Italy and probably twenty days in the last ten years in Venice alone.

Right now I'm more worried about the hunters then fines-)

Grazie mille tutti. This is great and welcome information. I'll be using a light and quick tripod for medium format work (Holga, Pinhole, Rollei) and may shoot my speed graphic a bit but probably will use it hand held. I'll probably stay in northern Cannaregio close to the market and Santa Lucia Station (I like the sandwiches and prices there & may also visit family in Zagreb).
The long hike to San Marco is a great early eye opener and being 1/2 Dalmatian (as well as 1/4 venetian 1/4 lombard), the trip towards the Riva Dei Schiavoni feels like I'm walking home Does anyone know a good place to stay or restaurants they can recommend? I speak some italian and welcome non touristy places/areas.

Try this web-site www.cross-pollinate.com
My wife and I stayed at Ca' Riccio. It was very nice and clean with a great breakfast and nice views from the room. It is in Venice but off the beaten path. Early mornings were fantastic with really no tourists around. The streets were all mine. At $106 US a night it is a steal for Venice or anywhere. You will not be disappointed.
Arthur,NYC

Thanks for Jeff Curto's site.

Alternate tripod suggestions: 1. Monopod; 2. Tabletop tripod (mine is an old Leitz).

As for hotels, when we went in 1982 we stayed at the Hotel Bocassini, on the back side of Venice from San Marco. It was inexpensive, quiet, and quaint. We loved it. I was pleasantly surprised recently to find it on Google Earth, still under the same name!

Jersey Vic said:

The long hike to San Marco is a great early eye opener and being 1/2 Dalmatian (as well as 1/4 venetian 1/4 lombard), the trip towards the Riva Dei Schiavoni feels like I'm walking home Does anyone know a good place to stay or restaurants they can recommend? I speak some italian and welcome non touristy places/areas.

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Ciao Vic,
from which part of Dalmazia your ancestors coming from?
Venezia had many contacts in the past centuries with parts of actually Slovenia and Croazia......
I will post in these days a list of places to visit, to stay and to eat/drink that could be useful for visitors of Venexia.

We're from Zadar (formerly Zara) on the Dalmatian coast. I'm sure the information would be welcome by more than me. Thanks Again.

Using a monopod is a good suggestion. It works well for me in very crowded streets in Firenze or New York City.

I was in venice in 2006. I took my Mamiya 645 on a carbon fiber monopod. It was so much easier than a tripod.
When I was there, I saw one 4x5 on a tripod and one or 2 35mm camera on tripods. It also depends on the time of year.
If you go when its slow, i dont think anyone will really mind.
IIRC there is a tourist help line that could confirm if there are any new regulations.

I too hope to have this figured out when I go there. I hope I don't have to take two cameras with me just to able to use a tripod and larger format sometimes. I wanted to go before now but it will be a year before I can go, it's the economy. I had my 645 in Paris and every time I used it I wished I was using a larger format and on a tripod. There just wasn't the chance to use a tripod there. Maybe a 4x5 Graphic type?

Curt

I took a Benbo trekker with my Bronica ETRSi. I found it much less hassle using a tripod in Italy than an the UK these days. Just be aware that many of the streets of Venice are very narrow. Early morning in February is to be highly recommended!

Enjoy the trip!

Rob

I'm booked for mid-Feb. Basically I'm the only person staying in Venice based on the responses I received from every discount joint I tried.
very excited about going 'home' "..torno a serenissima .."

btw : This place looks great for the cheap photographer looking for bright open views, clean rooms, and a place near neighborhoods and stations; they offered me a room with private bath for 30/35 euro:

http://www.casagerottocalderan.com/

Thanks again,
Victor

You might consider the following as an alternative to a tripod: whenever I know that I will be shooting in crowded or tripod-unfriendly places (churches, museums, busy streets,etc) I only carry my Rolleicord, a short cable release and a large sock not quite filled with rice that has -obviously- been sewn up. I use the sock to level the Rolleicord on pews, benches, stones -whatever. And if I want a higher point on which to steady the camera I look for a wall, place the sock on it and press the camera onto the sock (since the image is square it does not matter whether the camera is held vertically or horizontally); once I have focused I shoot with the cable release, still pressing the camera tightly against the wall. You can shoot at practically any speed this way. Both the sock and the Rollei travel easily in a winter coat's pocket.

Jersey Vic;btw : This place looks great for the cheap photographer looking for bright open views said:

http://www.casagerottocalderan.com/[/url]

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Looks great for the price. And they offer "clean and comforting rooms"

Sestiere di Castello I part is dedicated to Vic and his feeling, as Dalmata, to going home when walking in the Riva degli Schiavoni, he is right: the Riva is dedicated from the Venetian to all the towns, villages and people who lived on the east coast of the Adriatic sea, la Dalmazia e i Dalmati.
Benvenuto nella Serenissima Repubblica di Venezia.
This is a tour in one part of Venice not too much see by tourists and with a real life (how long I’m unable to say). Have a detailled map in your hands to avoid lost.
Battello Linea 1 Fermata Giardini if you arrive by sea.
Riva degli Schiavoni that became riva dei Sette Martiri if you arrive by feet.
In front of the boat stop take the calle to Chiesa di San Iseppo, interesting altar on the left dedicated to the Lepanto Battle with a pronunced Arab influence. Bridge in front of the church arrive in Secco Marina turn on left and take first road right Calle delle Furlane where all the people coming from Venezia Giulia most east region in Itally immigrated in Venice when capital. You will see this tipical houses from that part of Italy. At the end of this calle you will turn to right until a wooden bridge that led you on the island of S. Pietro in Castello, take a look from the bridge to the view of ancient boatyards. You can enter in the Basilica di San Pietro, on your left you will see the cattedra of S. Pietro, interesting the use of incripted Arab marble. Take the steel bridge in front of you and will arrive in one of the most real Venexia part. Calle Larga and on the left Campo Ruga passing in Calle and Fondamenta Riello and then you will cross Calle S. Gioacchino and then in the same Fondamenta until you will arrive in Via Garibaldi, this is a very active (one of the last) part of Venexia.
Along Via Garibaldi you will find many palces to drink or eat (Osterie e Bacari) at the end on right the trattoria “Sottoprova” where you could have Venetian dishes. In front of you there is an ancient house of prow shape, it is the house of the Caboto family ancient navigators. You will take now Riva degli Shiavoni here you could visit the Museo Navale where there are many memories of sea story of Venexia, after that take on your right Fondamenta Arsenale until ponte del Paradiso before you can visit with the same ticket, if I remember well, the Ships section of the Museo Navale. Then you will see the magnificient Arsenale, take a close view of the entrance of Arsenale and good photos.
May be you want to rest and eat, two suggestions: Corte Sconta in Calle del Pestrin (looking at the lions take on left and at the end of the Fondamenta you will cross a small iron bridge and you are arrived) Al Covo in campiello della Pescheria near the above. They are not cheap, but they will serve excellent fish in Venetian recipes.

Hello,

Here are some articles about shooting in Venice.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/galleries/essays/010223.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/galleries/essays/010302.htm
maybe you can get some inspiration from the writer Frank van Riper

Sestiere di Castello II part
You can now feel the silence in Campiello del Piovan…turn back and take the ponte del Pestrin and bridge to Campo Gorme and take first road to the left, than the second street on your left and the first right, you will cross a bridge, turn left and you will arrive to the church dei Cavalieri di Malta. It was completely robbed by French troops (Napoleon era) and you can visit it only the day when it is open for the Mass, keep informations on the door, but the cloister will worth a visit. Then you must enter in the Scuola degli Schiavoni.
This was the heart of the Dalmatian community in Venice, it was builded in the first years of 1500 and the facade was from architect Giovanni De Zan. Inside you could find the histories of the three Patron Saints (Gerolamo, Trifone and Giorgio) for the Dalmatian, painted between 1502 and 1507 by Vittore (Scarpazza) Carpaccio (seven paintings), one of my favorite painter. If you enjoy his painting you will find more in the Accademia. Turn back and go along the canal in front of you in Fondamenta dei Furlani, take the ponte S. Antonin on your right, you will be in Salizada dei Greci, go until the bridge, do not cross it, go on your right you will arrive in another place to feel the silence. There you will find a Greek-Orthodox church dedicated to S. Giorgio, it was after the 1453 the main center for Greeks outside their land conquered by Turks, near the church that will worth a visit there is the only Istituto Ellenico di studi Bizantini e post-Bizantini outside the Greekland. Turn back to the Scuola degli Schiavoni, you will have it on your left, take the first road after the Scuola and then the first on your right, go ahead until you will find Ponte del Cristo, then Campo Celestia , in front of you two narrow roads, take the one more left, you will arrive in a while on a canal, first road on left and suddendly right……look in front of you!
This is one day in Venexia not for common tourists places.
Maybe after this long walk you will be able to discover other secret Venexia.
This is the initiation.
The boat stop is Celestia (right name for a place like this)
You can go (direction right) with boat number 52 cross out or 23 inside the Arsenale and have your dreams, the boats will stops in San Zaccaria or others mains stop.

Ongarine,

Thank you for a quick guide of "Schiavonese" Venezia

I might as well join Vic in Venice for this "slavic" tour, being a Croat myself.

Interestingly, I'm just reading a longer version of your tour, with illustrations, in my edition of "Corto Sconto: itinerari fantastici e nascosti di Corto Maltese a Venezia" (Lizard edizioni 1998).

Being a big fan of Hugo Pratt and Corto Maltese, I was lucky to find this nice booklet during my visit to Rome in 1998 (I bought it at Libreria Feltrinelli on Piazza dell Torre Argentina when i visited Rome in 1998). It's been on a prominent place on my bookshelf at home all these years, and finally, I just might use it as a "Corto Maltese Itinerary" tour guide when I visit - with a little luck, this could be the year I'll finally visit Venezia.

Sory for the ramblings... Are you a fan of Corto Maltese, by any chance?

If this comes through, I'll try to find a few of the gardens illustrated in "Corto Maltese: Favola di Venezia"...

Denis

Denis, you are right about the Corto Maltese tour in small edition!
I used my knoledge of Venexia with a track of Corto very well illustrated itinerary.
This is a very interesting book to have a more real vision of the town avoiding the very common places that tourists love so much.
You will find many places in this Venexia strange guide that Hugo Pratt used as background for Corto.
Yes a true fan (mant years ago) as many of my age.
Ciao

ongarine said:

You will find many places in this Venexia strange guide that Hugo Pratt used as background for Corto.
Yes a true fan (mant years ago) as many of my age.
Ciao

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Well, I don't think that I'll be lugging a large format camera like Vic intends to, but I sincerely hope to find a couple of those "magic" places. I'm just afraid that my poor photographic skills won't be able to reproduce that magic. I think I'd rather stick to a Rolleiflex and a Leica with 2-3 lenses and hope for a good light...

Denis

Denis: Theres no way I'm hauling a large format this trip I'm thinking:Holga (surprise) Rolleicord, 8 Banners MB (pinhole 6x12). Ongarine: The Castello itinenary is perfect and I'm very grateful for this and all of the excellent information. I'm very much looking forward to having so much time in this city where I've already seen the major tourist attractions (Accademia, San Rocco, I Friari, San Marco, the Doges palace-all VERY worthwhile) so I can just BE there and see what life is like. That being said, I'm reading "City of Fallen Angels" and I'm heartbroken I will never see La Fenice. The idea of a loss that great to have happened so recently just boggles ones imagination.