Timing Your Photos in Italy

Best Photo-Snapping Hours in Italy, by Cecil Lee

Posted on: Jun 17, 2010

Good photography and travel go together like fava beans and a good Chianti (try not to think Hannibal Lecter here, ok?)

But it is true. Travelers want strong, memorable photos in Italy and while I like to dish out tips on helping you make the most of your trip-taking the best photos is not in my repertoire.

So today, I invited my photo-snapping friend, Cecil, to share some tips.

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What are some tips can I share when traveling to Italy?

Hmm … tough question.

Cherrye has covered many general travel tips here on My Bella Vita, but since my experience-and passion-are in travel photos, that’s what I’d like to talk about today.

For a travel snapper like me who takes as many photos as possible when traveling, planning well-and planning ahead!-is critical.

If you are traveling independently in Italy, ie., you have control over when you visit various attractions and cities, then I recommend the following times for visiting and photographing some of Italy’s most photogenic icons.

1) River Arno

River Arno is the most scenic river cutting the old city of Florence, with the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) crossing overhead. This is a favourite for photo snappers. The best time of day to capture this scene is in the late afternoon when the evening sun is shining onto the row of buildings along the Arno.

2) The Duomo

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore or the Duomo is the fourth largest cathedral in Europe and is the highest iconic architecture in Florence. You should avoid going there in the morning if you want to capture the magnificent white marble main facade of the Duomo on your memory card.

3) Piazza Signoria and David (replica)

If you couldn’t beat the long queue into the Academia Gallery to view the original David statue, then head to Piazza Signoria in the afternoon-after 3 PM-when the sun will be at the ideal angle.

4) St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City

The most iconic Vatican landmark is St. Peter’s Square. The best time of day to visit the square is in the morning when the sun is behind you and shining onto the more than 140 statues that top the pillars. Remember to bring along your long zoom lens as well!

5) Trevi Fountain

If you haven’t snapped photos of the Trevi Fountain, you can’t even say you’ve been to Rome! If you want to capture the best lighting of the fountain and surrounding scene, go in the afternoon, around 3 PM. Get your wide angle lens ready so you can stand in front of the crowd and still capture the entire fountain in your photo.

6) Colosseum

Though you can snap the Colosseum from any angle, the best location is from the west side, inside the small field, where you can see the dividing sections of the building. The best time to photograph the Colosseum is in the evening.

The above photo was taken in the morning when the sun was in front, so I had to make some adjustments to my camera to compensate for the direct sunlight.

Good luck with your next set of photos in Italy, or as they say there in that beautiful country … in bocca al lupo!

Cecil Lee is an avid traveler who is also a passionate travel blogger and travel photographer living in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He writes about travel for MNUI travel insurance and on his own travel photo blog, Travel Feeder.

* Italy Photos property of Cecil Lee.

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Traveling south? Click here to see how I can help you plan your trip to Calabria or southern Italy.

Bridge Results

Sunday News Lancaster, PA July 26, 2009 | Bridge Results All bridge clubs meet at the Maple Grove Community Building, 1420 Columbia Ave., unless otherwise noted.

The Maple Grove Players meets at 12:15 p.m. Mondays. Call Andie Sheaffer, 581-1003.

Section A North-South – 1. Ann Silverstein and Ray Adelizzi; 2. Bob Larkin and Greg Larkin; 3. Toby Frame and Betty Warfel; 4. Bonnie Heilig and Charlie Wooten; 5. Karen Patterson and Marv Burkhart; 5B. Mary Gehman and Ann Wright; 2C. Lee and Joyce Addie.

East-West – 1. Rich and Roz Braunstein; 2. Vernon Hester and Ed Jones; 3. Karen Diffenbach and Alice Lafferty; 4. John and Libby Kamp; 5/6. (tie) Jo Good and Gwen Landis, Dorie Van Antwerp and Pat Landis; 2C. Marylou Givens and Sally Patterson.

Section B North-South – 1. Bill and Marge Keppler; 2. Ed and Kathy Schoenberger; 3. Herb Karlip and Fred Long; 4. Ruth Jacobus and Connie McMullin; 1C. Fran and Barbara McCaffrey; 2C. Carol Feifer and Steve Rementer. see here maple grove community center

East-West – 1. Su-Su Sadler and Deb Zimmer; 2. Martha Lewis and Martha Verity; 3. Jane Church and Barbara Zook; 4. Betty Robinson and Ann Scheetz; 1C. Pat Levin and Barbara Sturgis; 2C. Pat Farmer and Frank Papso.

Newcomers – 1. Deborah Linder and Follin Smith; 2. Sharon Sherban and Kendall Stonerook; 2C. April Thornton and Karen West.

The Tuesday Night Duplicate Bridge Club meets at 7:15. Call John Klinger, 394-0171.

1. Kurt Kilhefner and Travis Crump; 2. Roy Grube and Gerry Weiss; 3/4. (tie) Tom Coxey and John Klinger, Bonnie Heilig and Sally Buckwalter; 1C. Dian Wise and Steve Elinsky.

The Daytime Duplicate Bridge Club meets at 12:15 Wednesdays. Call Rich Braunstein, 823-6608.

North and South – 1. Kurt Kilhefner and Charlie Wooten; 2. Phyllis Davin and George Knedeisen; 3. Ann Silverstein and Henry Stouffer; 4. Marylou Givens and Judy Deichert; 5. Sally Simeral and Gerry Weiss; 6. Dorothy Mariner and Marv Burkhart; 2C. Marge and Bill Keppler. site maple grove community center

East-West – 1. Carole and Bruce Silverstein; 2. Marianne Kintner and Karen Patterson; 3. Jane and Bob Larkin; 4. Sally Buckwalter and Karen Diffenbach; 5. Becky Brown and Carole Campbell; 6. Jim Watson and Wayne Radcliffe; 2C. Bev Wagaman and Livy Eck; 4C. Martha Lewis and Barbara Sturgis.

The Thursday Afternoon Ace of Clubs meets at 12:15. Call Gerry Weiss, 299-4830.

North and South – 1. Karen Patterson and Bruce MacHatton; 2. Eleanor Alboum and Ann Silverstein; 3. Justine Rogevich and Ray Adelizzi; 4. Becky Weiss and Dian Wise; 5. Mary Anne Ominski and Ed Pederson; 6. Shirley Holmes and Ernie Coleman; 4B. Livy and Tim Eck; 2C. Lois and Dave Walczyk.

East-West – 1. Gwen Landis and Wade Schaeffer; 2. Jo Good and Bev Wagaman; 3. Jane and Bob Larkin; 4. Sally Buckwalter and Charlie Wooten; 5. Debbie Hershey and Nancy Kaley; 6. Marianne Kintner and Nancy Blechschmidt; 2C. Su and Su Sadler and Vernon Hester.

The Friday Night Duplicate Bridge Club meets at 7:15 at Grandview United Methodist Church, 888 Pleasure Road. Call John Klinger, 394- 0171.

North-South – 1. Kurt Kilhefner and Mel Lubart; 2. Toby Frame and Mary Schlotzhauer; 3. Eleanor Alboum and Dorie VanAntwerp; 4. Bill and Etta DeCesare; 1C. Grace Georgiadis and Steve Volker.

East-West – 1. John and Andie Sheaffer; 2. Bill Sedlis and Al Crump; 3. Gwen Landis and Marv Burkhart; 4. Chari Keddy and Dave Smith; 1C. Colette Meyer and Gayle Spicer; 2C. Beth Schultz and Steve Rementer.

The Ace of Clubs will host a two and section game, one for life masters and one for non and life masters, Thursday, July 30, at Maple Grove Community Center. To register, contact Gerry Weiss at 299-4830, or gerry.weiss@comcast.net.

Bridge Results