"You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved".

Ansel Adams

 Venetian Adventure                                                                                                    When I worked as a cruise ship photographer, for nearly a year on my first ship, Venice was my home port, so I got to know it quite well. On a more recent visit there with my wife, I packed the pinhole camera and managed to shoot several rolls of film which isn’t difficult as there are photographic opportunities at every turn. I also thought that the look of the zone plate worked particularly well for this series and the other aspect is the movement of the water in some pictures, which worked well with the longer exposures that pinhole photography requires. The light of that region is just wonderful, and many parts of the city remain unchanged from when Venice was one of the leading centres of trade in the world. It is totally unique and I love the place.

 Bridge of Sighs                                                                                                                          This small altar was set into the wall within sight of the Bridge of Sighs. History tells us that the bridge became the path by which the prisoners were transported from the New Prison, Prigioni Nuove, to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. Its name stems from the popular belief of sadness and the sighs of condemned prisoners as they had their last view of Venice before they were led through it to the executioner. The red candle was the focal point of the composition for me.

 St Mark’s Square                                                                                                                          I took this picture of the covered colonnade which surrounds the square itself and wanted to convey the energy of the area which has some of the most expensive shops to be found anywhere. Just a short distance from the famous Harry’s Bar. Harrys Bar became the place where writers, artists, painters, aristocrats, kings and queens would meet, and it was a favourite of Ernest Hemingway.  The movement of the crowds contrasts nicely with the textures and shadows of the scene.

 Rialto Bridge                                                                                                              From the time I worked on the ships, my favourite cafe in Venice was a small one at the end of the Rialto Bridge and I usually met up with my friends there at some point in our day ashore. The best part was watching the sun set over the Grand Canal literally resting against the wall of the Rialto Bridge. The detail in the picture is of St Mark.

 Rush Hour                                                                                                                        I took this picture early one morning as the sun was rising and the locals were on their way to work. The constant passage of people past my camera position created a blurred shape against the sunlight. I was initially attracted to the wonderful texture of the brick wall lit by the sunrise as well as the movement.

 Waterway                                                                                                                    The graceful lines of the small boat tied up down a small side canal were exaggerated due to the gentle rocking backward and forwards of the boat against the building.

 The Ponte dei Pugni                                                                                               When we stayed in Venice our hotel was in the Dorsoduro area just yards from the Ponte dei Pugni, or Bridge of Fists. It is famous because back in history many rival clans in Venice, particularly the Nicolotti and the Castellani, would meet in the middle of the bridge and fight with their fists. The tradition was for the winner to throw his opponent into the cold and dirty canal, since the bridge didn’t have railings. It is the location for a small boat that unusually sells fruit and vegetables still lit by its small lanterns in the early morning light.