THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO YOUR
VENICE ITALY PHOTOSHOOT
Here you can find everything you need to know in order to get ready for your photoshoot in Venice:
- What kind of photography sessions you can have in Venice
- My style as a photographer in Venice
- Best time to take photographs in Venice
- Best places to take photos in Venice
- How to create a photoshoot that tells your story
- Photoshoot props and extras: gondola, taxi, coffee and more
- Photoshoot in Venice Info: all the details, pricing and how to book
1. What kind of photography sessions you can have in Venice
Couple photoshoot in Venice and Anniversary Photoshoot
If you are typing on Google: “Venice Italy photoshoot” there are plenty of reasons you might be looking for a photo session. As a photographer in Venice Italy, I offer a variety of photoshoots. A couple photoshoot for example. Venice is one of the most romantic cities in the world, and there are plenty of activities for couples in love. A couple can travel to Venice with the idea of exploring, celebrating an anniversary, and having a romantic weekend getaway.
– Couple photoshoot exploring Venice before heading to the Opera
– Romantic autumn day in Venice for a couple in love
Anniversary, Marriage Proposal and Engagement Photoshoot in Venice
Venice is one of the most romantic city in the world, so of course a lot of couples plan a surprise marriage proposal in Venice. With its opulent palaces, the gondolas and the dramatic views, the city offers so many possibilities. I am happy to assist you in the engagement planning if this is what you are looking for.
– Marriage proposal on a gondola ride in Venice
– Surprise gondola marriage proposal in Venice
– Engagement photoshoot in Burano on a summer day
Honeymoon Photoshoot in Venice
A couple photoshoot in Venice is also perfect if you are celebrating your honeymoon and you want a honeymoon photoshoot. On some occasions, couples like to repurpose their wedding attire and have a photoshoot here, in Italy, something extra as a treat after the traditional wedding portraits taken on the wedding day.
– Rainy honeymoon in Venice for a happy couple
– Belated honeymoon in Europe for this elegant couple traveling from Thailand
Pre Wedding Photoshoot in Venice
Having a pre-wedding or a honeymoon / post-wedding photoshoot is a great idea because wedding days can be incredibly intense and packed with activities. A Venice Italy photoshoot on a different and more relaxed day can become more of a playful and fun experience, just the two of you, away from the crowds.
– Pre wedding photos in Venice at sunrise
Portraits and Travel Photoshoot in Venice
I also photograph solo travelers, celebrating their time in Venice, and happy to bring home amazing portraits from Italy. Travel photographs take by a professional are great to have, especially if you are traveling on your own. Travel photographs are great if you travel in a group as well, to keep memories of the fun time in Venice.
– Stylish couple on holiday in Venice
Maternity, Pregnancy Announcement and Babymoon Photoshoot in Venice
A maternity photoshoot, a pregnancy announcement photoshoot in Venice are a great idea to share the news with people you love and might not know the big news yet. I once photographed actress, model and tv personality Whulandary Herman in Venice as she was taking a babymoon with her husband: a babymoon is the equivalent of a honeymoon you take before a baby is born.
– Babymoon in Venice for Miss Universe Indonesia Whulandary Herman
– Venice maternity photoshoot on a sunny October sunrise
Family Photoshoot in Venice
A family photoshoot is usually a lot of fun, as families come together for celebrations, anniversaries or birthdays in Venice. The occasion can also be a sacred one: a christening, for example. Children of all ages are a pleasure to photograph, even newborn!
– Family photoshoot in the summer in Venice
Editorial Photoshoot in Venice
And finally, what keeps me engaged and inspired as a photographer are editorial photo sessions: with a model and different outfits I can work on the storytelling and experiment. Some couples want to add the editorial touch to their couple photoshoot. In this case we take more time and choose more locations to build a storytelling and showcase your styling.
2. My style as a photographer in Venice
As a fine art photographer with a passion for editorial photoshoots, I am always looking to tell a story, and to tell it with a sparkle of magic. Or as I like to say: with visual poetry. Storytelling is a mix of emotions, details, locations and intimacy.
In order for me to tell your story in a way that is unique to you, I need to get to know you a little. Knowing your story helps the creation process. I will always offer to have a coffee together before or after our photo session, if we don’t have time to talk before you come to Venice.
What is it that makes you uniquely you? And what are your struggles and your strengths? What are your passions and what are you looking to find in Venice?
Photography is an extraordinary medium to evoke and ignite emotions. A combination of images communicates even more than one single photo. Everything you tell me will be used as a starting point to build a visual storytelling that is cinematic, intense, and emotional. This is my editorial approach: I use all of the elements (your dress, a guitar, a book, a special location…anything that makes sense) to build a story that feels like you.
I will guide you and help you interact with the camera at all times. My promise is that I will never deliver a photograph if I feel that the photo didn’t capture you at your best.
3. Best time to take photographs in Venice
The best time of the year to take photographs in Venice is…anytime!
- Winter in Venice: you have incredible colors both at sunset and sunrise: orange, pink, intense yellow. It is also a less touristic time of the year, so the city feels like it is yours to experience. The fog creates incredible landscapes and a soft light that feels magical in pictures.
- Spring in Venice: spring has a variable weather, but the light is softer and the colors are vivid. You could have a magical rainy day or the strongest Italian sunshine to enjoy with your Aperol spritz in Piazza San Marco.
- Summer in Venice: summer gives you the best options and when you wake up early for a shoot, you know you will have the best light possible.
- Autumn in Venice: I personally love the warm colors of Autumn in Venice, and the good temperatures that usually include all of October.
The best time of the day to take photographs in Venice is either at sunrise or sunset.
It is better to avoid the central hours of the day, when the sun is high in the sky. Even if this is way more relevant during summer days, it is still true most of the times. In order to create that magical feel you can see in most of my photographs, it is necessary to schedule your photoshoot with this in mind.
The bright light of the midday sun creates harsh shadows on any subject. At sunrise or sunset the sun’s rays are coming from a more horizontal angle. This means that the rays have to pass through a lot more of the earth’s atmosphere before reaching you. That makes the light more diffused, soft, magical.
When it comes to choosing between sunrise and sunset, there is another important point
Venice is a very crowded city: all year round you will see Piazza San Marco packed with tourists. From 9 am until the end of the day, there is no chance to find a quiet spot anywhere in the city. With some exceptions, such as the lesser known neighborhoods of Castello and Cannareggio. Sunset is aperitivo time in Venice, so you’ll have even less chances to have the city to yourself.
I find that the ideal time is always sunrise. The main reasons are the gorgeous soft light and the incredible silence and freedom to use any background. If that is not possible, I will suggest different ways to avoid the crowds and still get amazing photographs. One option, for example, is to meet at San Giorgio island. If budget is not a problem, I can recommend to plan some truly unique activities. These special private locations and activities will keep you away from the crowds. And they will let you enjoy Venice at sunset like you are the only person in the world.
You can check on Google for sunrise and sunset time relative to the date of the year. (For example “Venice sunset May 4th”)
Sunrise photoshoot in Venice
- If you choose a sunrise photoshoot, I recommend meeting as soon as the sun starts to rise, or a little later if that is way too early.
For example sunrise in Venice on May 4th is 5:55 am, but meeting at 6:30 works perfectly.
A sunrise photoshoot in Venice means that the light is soft and dreamy, and the city is empty. Silence, peace. The streets are quiet. It will feel like living in a dream where the city of Venice is ours. We wander around the city enjoying every moment. And we easily take photographs at the most iconic locations. Then we can end our Venice Italy photoshoot in the most Italian way: a typical Venetian morning breakfast with a croissant and a cappuccino. I love to take a little extra time to get to know you, your story and your thoughts on Venice. I will be then able to tell your story both with pictures and words on my website (if you are happy with it, of course).
Sunset Photoshoot in Venice
- For sunset sessions, I advise we meet 2 hours before the sun completely sets. Once the sun really sets, it is too dark to photograph well both you and the landscape around you. The best photographs are taken a couple of hours before sunset time, with very oblique rays of light, giving a magical sense of softness and warmth.
A sunset photoshoot in Venice showcases Venice as a city full of life and colors. The warm sunlight lights up the marble palaces on the Grand Canal, creating magical reflections on the water. This is a perfect time to take a moment alone with a gondola ride within the smaller canals. The warm glow will soothe you and make you feel like you are part of all the magic. Sunset in Venice means end of the day relax, aperitivo time, Aperol Spritz al fresco cuddled by some of the best views in the world.
4. Best places to take photos in Venice
The best places to take photos in Venice depend on your taste and your personal take on a city that is small but feels infinite. Venice has a lot of history, and means something different to each person visiting. Wandering down the alleys, you’ll discover that there’s a different side to Venice tucked away in each of the island’s neighbourhoods.
There are six main neighborhoods in Venice, called sestieri. Each of them has a distinctive personality. Once I know your story and your preferences, it is easier for me to recommend a neighborhood for our Venice Italy photoshoot. Here is a list of them and the main reasons to choose each.
Sestiere San Marco: Piazza San Marco, Riva degli Schiavoni, Bridge of Sighs, Palazzo Ducale
The starting point for most of my photoshoots in Venice is Piazza San Marco. First of all because it is the easiest spot for most of my clients. The best spot is close to Cafè Florian, right in the center of St. Mark’s Square in front of the Basilica. It offers an amazing view of the square and its famous landmarks like the bell tower and the Doge’s Palace.
The cafe was founded in 1720 and used to be a meeting point for Venetian writers, poets and artists. Today it still serves as a meeting place for locals and tourists alike. It is a great spot for photographs, because of the refined golden interiors, and the view if you decide to sit outside.
Piazza San Marco offers a lot of hidden spots that look amazing as a background for pictures. The iconic line of gondolas with San Giorgio Maggiore Island in the background, on Riva degli Schiavoni. The Brige of Sighs, that can be photographed in three very different ways. Then there is Palazzo Ducale, the Doge’s Palace, with all of its incredible architectural details. We could easily take one hour just in this small area.
Sestiere Cannareggio: Strada Nova, Fondamenta dei Ormesini e della Misericordia, the Jewish ghetto
Cannaregio is Venice at its most real. This is where most Venetians live, work, enjoy life. The neighborhood sits in the northwest part of the city, starting from the train station and going into the shopping street Strada Nova and the city’s Jewish ghetto. Cannareggio is great for anyone looking for the Venetian nightlife, in Fondamenta dei Ormesini and Fondamenta della Misericordia.
This is not the only reason to visit, though. The area is just magical when it comes to planning a Venice Italy photoshoot. This is the right sestiere for anyone looking for a photoshoot that exhudes local vibes: narrow streets, very few tourists, a lot of bars, and quite a few magical views for your photos.
Sestiere Dorsoduro: Ponte dell’Accademia, Basilica di Santa Maria della Salute, the Art neighborhood
Dorsoduro includes some of the most interesting spots in Venice. When you book a longer photoshoot, or if you decide to include a taxi ride, we can easily have a photoshoot between San Marco and Dorsoduro. When it comes to experiencing the city life, Campo Santa Margherita is a charming little square and the best place for breakfast, aperitivo, and anything in between. Close to Venice’s University, it is packed with students, but very few tourists.
As a photographer in Venice, I love the artistic vibe of the Dorsoduro neighborhood.
Gallerie dell’Accademia, Galleria di Palazzo Cini, the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, and Palazzo Grassi – Punta della Dogana are connected in the Dorsoduro Museum Mile, a unique cultural itinerary along eight centuries of art. Accademia is both a museum and the name of the Academy of Fine Arts in Venice. Around the Accademia Museum you have the iconic Accademia bridge and that magical view over La Salute Church. Dorsoduro is a magnet for art lovers, students and creatives who choose to live here.
Sestiere San Polo: Ponte di Rialto, Rialto Market
The smallest sestiere in Venice is also the oldest in the city: San Polo. The area is home to the biggest market in Venice, the famous Rialto Market. It is also a great place for cicchetti, and great restaurants. The area is full of stunning spots for photographs. Its proximity with San Marco makes it easy to include it in a photoshoot in Venice.
The neighbourhood’s namesake, Campo San Polo, is the second-largest square in Venice after San Marco and is full of bars and restaurants. This neighborhood is unpretentious, and full of great surprises. The Frari Church is stunning and the area around is filled with picturesques cafés and gelatierie.
Sestiere Santa Croce: Campo San Giacomo
Santa Croce is a lovely neighborhood that include Campo San Giacomo and a lot of little spots perfect for a Venetian vibe photoshoot. The area is also home to some great museums such as Ca’ Pesaro International Gallery of Modern Art, the Oriental Art Museum, the Natural History Museum and the Fondazione Prada.
Sestiere Castello: Arsenale, Art and Architecture Biennale
Castello is right behind San Marco and it feels like a world apart. The area includes the magnificent Arsenale, a location that is just perfect for a photoshoot. Not far there is the Venice Art and Architecture Biennale, a magical location for a photoshoot in Venice Italy, as well.
A walk through this neighbourhood is festooned with colourful, freshly laundered washing hanging out across the canals and alleys, scented with wafts of fresh pastries from small bakeries.
Islands: Giudecca, San Giorgio Maggiore Island, Murano and Burano
Each island of Venice has a unique personality. Murano is the island of glass making and it has a more industrial, yet colorful feel. Burano is the pastels island, because of the color of its houses, and it is extremely remote yet absolutely magical to visit. San Giorgio Maggiore is in front of San Marco, a short waterbus ride away and it gives you the best view over the square. Giudecca is a lively island, full of exceptional hotels such as Belmond Hotel Cipriani and Molino Stucky Hilton.
5. How to create a photoshoot that tells your story with magazine-worthy photos
Photoshoots in Venice, especially couple photoshoots, can sometimes feel contrived, cookie-cutter, and uninspired. Same poses, same locations – you sometimes feel like no photographer really gets under the surface.
As an editorial photographer, I work creatively to inspire and evoke emotions. I know that photoshoots could be so much more than what I see around. I dreamt bigger.
Hiring me for your Venice Italy photoshoot means abandoning the crowd, trying a different approach, and going further and deeper into your own feelings, your story, creating something artful, inspired, something that feels like you.
You have the starting elements: Venice as your background and your story – be it a love story, a family story, a personal adventure. To create an unforgettable photography session made of magazine-worthy images you need something more.
– Getting to know you
Knowing who you are and what brings you to Venice is essential for me to capture a deeper level and give intimacy to the photographs. We can chat on a video call when you book me, we can chat the same day. Once you share something about you, I can more easily plan where to bring you and what elements of Venice and Italian life you want to include in the pictures – maybe you are a coffee expert and we’ll make sure to stop and photograph you in the oldest café in the whole world (yes, it is in Venice!). With a little preparation beforehand, you are able to truly be in the moment, and the photographs will show it.
– Styling
One of the most important elements in a photography session is fashion.This is a unique occasion and you want to feel at your best. Hair and make-up, as much as choosing the perfect dress (or dresses) can be an incredibly creative experience. Everyday life is great, and you have an iPhone to photograph that. A photoshoot in Venice is an out-of-the-ordinary experience, a treat to yourself, so let’s do our best to create something special. Expressing yourselves with a special and coordinated wardrobe brings an editorial look to your images. If you choose the editorial style photoshoot we can change outfits and play with the fashion.
– Authenticity
During your photoshoot in Venice Italy I go out of my way to ensure you’re comfortable. Because when you’re comfortable, you can just be yourselves. And that’s when the real photography magic happens. The images feel full of life and adventure, and you feel like living in a dream.
– Props
Although not absolutely necessary, props can really enhance and breathe life into a photoshoot in Venice Italy. Make sure they relate to your interests or are meaningful in some way to you. Props in Venice can be: gondola, water taxi, special locations such as a museum. Additional ideas can be activities such as making pasta in Venice…the possibilities are endless. Check out the next section to learn more.
The moments we share in Venice will be transformed into purposeful art. I want our photos to mean something to me, to you as my client, and even to those who are not there.
6. Photoshoot props and extras
Gondola Ride
A romantic gondola ride in Venice is arguably the best way to experience this city built on water. You and your partner are dressed up, with a prosecco in your hand, navigating the canal and watching the sun set over the marbled palaces.
The softness of the breeze, the salty smell of the water, the sweet happiness of this moment. You will laugh thinking about the funny communication system gondoliers use when they are rowing through the canals. And you will wonder what they are talking about, while you share the moment with the person you love the most.
These memories will come home with you, as pictures, framed in your living room or preserved in a precious fine art photo book. Having a gondola ride with me as your photographer is the perfect addition to a couple photoshoot in Venice Italy.
Gondola Faqs
- gondola service starts at 9 am each day;
- the standard price for a 30 minute ride is 80 €, if you wish to have a 1 hour ride the price is 120 €;
- the gondola ride is usually paid in cash directly to the gondolier;
- whatever part of Venice we decide to explore, there are more than 400 gondoliers, so we will easily find one.
- if you plan a sunrise photoshoot, keep in mind that the gondola service starts at 9 am so we have to decide our schedule accordingly;
- riding on the Giudecca Canal (which means riding in front of Palazzo Ducale, Bridge of Sighs and San Giorgio Maggiore) can be very shaky so if you think you might feel seasick, we can plan other routes.
Water Taxi Ride
A water taxi ride is a fun and stylish addition to your Venice Italy photoshoot. While the gondola ride has a quiet romantic feel to it, the water taxi makes you think of movie stars coming to Venice for the film festival Mostra del Cinema. It is fun, it is faster and it can take you anywhere.
A taxi ride adds possible locations to your photoshoot in Venice: you are able to explore different neighborhoods and easily get to San Giorgio Maggiore for the most stunning portraits with a view over Piazza San Marco. You can also ride under the Bridge of Sighs and create unique portraits among the smaller canals.
You will be kissed by the sun reflecting on the Grand Canal, and cruise through the palaces. Knowing that you want to add a water taxi ride to your Venice Italy photoshoot will give us the chance to plan an adventurous and complete photo session in Venice, in all of the best places.
Water Taxi Faqs
- water taxis are available all day long;
- night service starts at 10 pm and ends at 6 am;
- the price when you take the water taxi at taxi stands starts at 15 € + 2 € per minute, which amounts to about 75 € for 30 minutes;
- the taxi ride can usually be paid in cash but sometimes with card too;
- water taxi stands are mostly located on the Grand Canal;
- water taxis can take you on the smaller canals, but, as it happens with land traffic, smaller canals are usually one way only, so to reach a certain location they could have to take a longer detour;
- a water taxi ride in the summer is extremely refreshing, while it can be very chilly in Spring, Autumn and Winter time, so dress accordingly;
- riding on the Giudecca Canal (which means riding in front of Palazzo Ducale, Bridge of Sighs and San Giorgio Maggiore) can be very shaky so if you think you might feel seasick, we can plan other routes.
Activities in Venice
Planning an activity in Venice can be the best way to infuse some action into our photographs. There are so many things you can plan in Venice.
A private boat ride with a private chef, a pool or the beach
This could be the most chic and romantic proposal option there is: check out this intimate event planned on a vintage boat by wedding planner Angel Lion or this historical sailing boat that allows you to explore the Venetian Lagoon with a private chef.
If you are more into sports than fancy boats, you try Venetian rowing inside the canals. A summer photoshoot at the beach or in the pool (a few selected hotels in Venice feature a pool) can be extremely fun.
Food and wine activities
Another option is food: there are many food and wine tasting tours, as well as Italian food classes if you are ready to get dirty. We can include the activity in the photoshoot and capture the most intense and complete day together.
Cultural activities: mask making, concerts, museums
A traditional activity you might want to try is a mask making class, to create or decorate a traditional Venetian mask. Cultural activities can include also going to the opera at La Fenice or a music concert. I might not be able to photograph you inside the theater, but I can definitely capture your getting ready and the walk towards the location.
With the quantity and quality of museums Venice offers, it is so easy to include a shoot within a museum. Locations such as the Venice Biennale, Palazzo Grassi, Punta della Dogana and the Accademia Galleries are an incredibily unique background for pictures. Especially if you love art and architecture.
