A little from Florence, Italy

Basilica of Santa Croce - using the dynamic range of the 4/3 sensor to its full

Ponte Vecchio - HDR merge

The Lumix 7-14 with a Wratten 2A filter for the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore shot

Nice set!

It's on my to-visit-again list next summer.  Last time was in 1992

OT: how's the pickpocket situation these days?

1,2, & 4 are great shots that capture the place well.

I'm lesss sure about 3. I think it's taken from somewhere around Ponta Alla Carraia so you have Ponta Santa Trinata in front of and obscuring the Ponte Vecchio, and to me it does not bring out either bridge as the subject. Rather it's just buildings along the Arno, albeit in good "blue hour" light and with effective use of HDR.

addlightness wrote:

Nice set!

It's on my to-visit-again list next summer. Last time was in 1992

OT: how's the pickpocket situation these days?

I spent a few days each in Roma and Firenze just before Xmas and was back in Roma early last month for a week. No pickpockets I could see. There are warning signs.

Just stay alert and take a few precautions. Don't carry things in back pockets (I always carry a money clip and a couple of credit cards in my front pocket, that's it). In crowds, swing your bag in front. If you feel a weird vibe walking down a street, avoid it. They're good rules for anywhere, really.

Relax, get a nice bottle of Vermentino from the north of Sardegna and have a great time! Firenze is great! The Uffizi Gallery is amazing!

addlightness wrote:

Nice set!

It's on my to-visit-again list next summer. Last time was in 1992

OT: how's the pickpocket situation these days?

Thank you

We spent 5 days and despite the Easter vacation crowds did not have a problem although I would guess that pickpockets are bound to be around ANY crowded city with many people uncertain of their way around...

Tip for visits to the great Italian cities - avoid the summer. We went to Venice once in July and another in November - the latter period was just so much more enjoyable despite the shorter days and colder nights. Same again Verona and Rome. The crowds are just massive in those months.

hampshirejohn wrote:

1,2, & 4 are great shots that capture the place well.

I'm lesss sure about 3. I think it's taken from somewhere around Ponta Alla Carraia so you have Ponta Santa Trinata in front of and obscuring the Ponte Vecchio, and to me it does not bring out either bridge as the subject. Rather it's just buildings along the Arno, albeit in good "blue hour" light and with effective use of HDR.

Thank you. I agree shot 3 in not from the usual point as I wanted the green bank to show. There is much less green bank from Ponte Santa Trinita.

Beautuful. They really don’t make them like they used to ☹️

daedalusflies wrote:

addlightness wrote:

Nice set!

It's on my to-visit-again list next summer. Last time was in 1992

OT: how's the pickpocket situation these days?

Thank you

We spent 5 days and despite the Easter vacation crowds did not have a problem although I would guess that pickpockets are bound to be around ANY crowded city with many people uncertain of their way around...

Tip for visits to the great Italian cities - avoid the summer. We went to Venice once in July and another in November - the latter period was just so much more enjoyable despite the shorter days and colder nights. Same again Verona and Rome. The crowds are just massive in those months.

Summer, forget it. My girlfriend was in Firenze in July a number of years back and the heat was unbearable. The crowds were horrific, but the heat was worse.

We were there before Xmas and March and the weather was chilly, but nice. A little light rain. Very few tourists, except for the avoidable tourist spots… the Colliseum (we came, we saw, we walked past), Vatican, etc..

Florence is one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. Sometimes hard to capture in photos though. The Duomo is unique and amazing.

Boss of Sony wrote:

Florence is one of the most beautiful cities on Earth. Sometimes hard to capture in photos though. The Duomo is unique and amazing.

You are right about the city and the Duomo. I found it difficult to capture the Duomo without the classic angle - I suppose it is all about vantage points. My shot is like every other of the place...sadly 

Here is one of the Duomo I took that I do not  think much of at all but another of Ponte Vecchio I like because it shows a series of bridges across the River Arno with the P.Vecchio in the foreground.

Typical tourist shot - a better vantage point may have helped.

A better vantage point of the much photographed Ponte Vecchio

Albert Valentino wrote:

Beautuful. They really don’t make them like they used to ☹️

Thank you. And yes, there is much to admire of cities with a Renaissance period in their architecture.

There are no doubt many who can say "been there, looked out of that window at the Ponte Vecchio" but it's your version, and much better than many - you've caught the light well.

If I had to pick one view of the Duomo, it's from Piazzale Michaelangleo at dusk.

Duoma Florence from Piazzale Michaelangelo

And yes it's yet another tourist cliche. These days we have to accept that in most European cities it is extremely difficult to produce something new of any of the major sites. But that's no reason not to keep trying!

hampshirejohn wrote:

There are no doubt many who can say "been there, looked out of that window at the Ponte Vecchio" but it's your version, and much better than many - you've caught the light well.

If I had to pick one view of the Duomo, it's from Piazzale Michaelangleo at dusk.

Duoma Florence from Piazzale Michaelangelo

And yes it's yet another tourist cliche. These days we have to accept that in most European cities it is extremely difficult to produce something new of any of the major sites. But that's no reason not to keep trying!

Thank you for your kind comments. Like your shot very much - also captured in that golden hour or two - and note you have used a zoom, which may I ask?

It was the Panasonic 45-200, back in my days with the G1 and the original 2 kit lenses. The longer lens tended to be soft above 150 but below that it ( and the 14-45) could produce some good results.