Italy in a few weeks...recommendations, please!

As has been already suggested, I would spend minimum time in Milan. Its a pleasant, urbane business city but expensive by Italian standards and not very photogenic. Its very easy to get the wrong impression of Venice - you really need to stay there for a few days and be out and about early morning and late evening when the tourists are gone. The top of the Island where the bienniale is held is pleasantly different. Desduoro and the Guetto are good too. The only downside is that accommodation and food is horrendously expensive by Italian standards. If there, don't shell out for any private water taxis - the ordinary public water buses are just as good and with a day tickey you can tour all around the canals on them. Venice is a surprisingly difficult city to photograph without lapsing into cliche. Verona has already been mentioned, but I would strongly recommend Vicenza - a walk up Monte Berico past the Villa Valmarana al Nani to the Villa Capra - La Rotonda is absolutely magical. And go into both if they are open. And the Teatro Olympico is a must. The hotel Due Mori in the city centre (well its really a big town) is quirky and pleasant. Sorry if some of that seems negative. I love Italy and spend time there - a lot if it in the regions and places you are going to - nearly every year. Lastly, if you do have personal transport, consider going to Modena and Maranello - if you have any interest in cars at all. The Galleria Ferrari is a must.
 
Are you from the US?

If so, buy and bring a lot of film from home. I find film in Italy to be quite expensive by US standards.

PS-Don't eat in any restaurant where the menu is translated into English, or god-forbid, German.
 
Fascinating thread. Lots of good advice. I visited Lucca and stayed over a week, part of a month in Italy nearly thirty years ago. I have never driven on the right hand side of the road and probably never will now (over 50.) Melbourne is one of the safest places in the history of civilization, and I would not be driven in a car in Bali or visit there, and would not drive in Italy. Train travel is fun anyway.

I agree with taking a 21 or 25 for the narrow streets of those beautiful towns. I went to the South of France recently with just one Leica, 28 and 50, and the X100. Carried all of it with me all the time and didn't find it too much. One more lens or one more camera and it would have been a different story I suspect.
 
Never been to Italy (and would like to), but have traveled enough through Europe to have learned a couple of things:

1) Wide-angles and standard lenses will get used. Long focal length glass... leave it home.

2) Don't carry your inventory with. You'll never use it because you'll never have time to change lenses or assess which lens is good for what. Unless you're going to be at the same location more than 2 days, just travel light: one camera, one lens (for film gear).

3) As advised above, get your film at home. Prices for film are outrageous in Europe and so is developing(compared to prices in the US at least). If you're shooting B&W, take with the type of film that can be easily push-processed (just in case you feel like taking night shots), and never make a fuss with the people at security in the airport. I have traveled with Arista II, which can be push-processed nicely and because of its ISO (400), won't be at risk of getting ruined by the X-ray machines.

4) Regarding eating places, my wife's rule of thumb is to eat wherever the locals eat, and avoid places that shamelessly cater to tourists. If it's necessary to leave the familiar path, it's surely worth it.

I hope you enjoy the trip as much as we have enjoyed showering you with advice! :)
 
In a foreign city I spend two days or more in I look for two things: a supermarket or equivalent ; and the university. In one I buy shaving cream and cheese and dry biscuits. And near the other will be bookshops and cheap good food where the students eat.
 
I concur with SolaresLarrave, and having travelled extensively in Italy, I would drop the 90mm in favour of a 21mm if you have one.

The fast f2 50mm will be fine for night shots and gives you a bit of flexibility at the longer range.

For myself I tend to use 35mm more often than other focal lengths, followed by 21mm when shooting 35mm film in Italy.

Having a backup camera, even for peace of mind is a good idea.
 
SolaresLarrave said:
Never been to Italy (and would like to), but have traveled enough through Europe to have learned a couple of things:

1) Wide-angles and standard lenses will get used. Long focal length glass... leave it home. . . .
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Dear Francisco,

Well, I've travelled a lot in Europe too -- I live here! -- and what I've learned and what you've learned are a bit different. Outside the cities, longer lenses can be invaluable for landscapes, villages on hills, coastlines, architectural details... A 90mm can be pretty small and light, though my 135/2,8 is generally more than I want to carry on a motorcycle, but if I'm travelling by car, I'll often carry Nikon F and a 200/3 Vivitar Series 1 as well as my Leicas. They're not terribly valuable so I'm happy to leave them locked in a trunk in the back of the Land Rover.

Cheers,

R.
 
I agree with Roger on the usefulness of a short tele on trips. I have been using the M9 side by side with a M4/3 camera, which allows me to double the FOV simply by switching from FF to M 4/3 without having to carry a real tele on tne trip. My 50 1.4 on the EP2 shows me a 100mm perspective with DOF of a 50mm 1.4 and the lens size of a compact 50mm lens . When I use this lens on the M9, it switches back to a 50mm lens.
Street photography can be overvalued in travel. There are many things to admire besides strangers on the street. I may next trip take with me the tiny Canon 100 3.5 too.
 
Following Closely

Following Closely

I am following this thread closely. My daughter and I finish our 3 month European trip with twelve days in Italy. We fly out of Rome to return to the US on 12 Nov. Presently we are in Istanbul heading to Athens in a couple days.

I have been traveling with an M9 with 21/35/90. And I suspect the 35 has been used for 90 percent of the photos with the remaining photos being split equally between the 21 and 90.

Next trip is motorcycling in SE Asis about February. Am thinking X100 and perhaps M2 with 50mm and TriX.
 
I used the 35 1.4 most of the time during our last two trips to Europe. It is a general purpose lens that is very useful in many situations.
 
Great Recommendations!

Great Recommendations!

Thanks , everyone for your responses. Regarding travel tips, I have driven in Italy before and try to avoid the historic city centres, but don't really have a problem with driving on the autostrada etcetera. However, it's great advice to get full insurance and to drive defensively. I will be the designated driver with 3 other adults, and we will use a combination of public transit and driving. The driving will mainly be done in Tuscany with a bit more open space. Regarding what sort of kit to bring, I really appreciate the varied opinions. There seems to be a consensus of comments that I need to bring a bit wider of a lens for the film camera, and perhaps not bring the 90mm. I'm going to think another day or so about this, & I will update the blog post with what I finally decide to take.

This trip is purely for pleasure, so I don't want to get too focused on just being a photographer. Italy is just a great place to wander arm in arm with your sweetie. The scenery is so beautiful and the architectural history is so rich, I will definitely be taking the role of both tourist and photographer.

Thanks for all the comments thus far. ( Barnack...Rollei....hmmmmm.)

SW
 
Dear Roger, I know where you live! :)

I guess I should have added that it was my opinion and experience, based on my own style or vision. It just happens that, while I shoot landscapes (seldom) sometimes with long lenses, I simply haven't found any use for a lens over 50mm while traveling in Europe. Then, again, that's my preference. Last summer in Spain I took my 90mm lens, and it only left the bag once. BTW, I was in Toledo, Spain.
 
SolaresLarrave said:
Dear Roger, I know where you live! :)

I guess I should have added that it was my opinion and experience, based on my own style or vision. It just happens that, while I shoot landscapes (seldom) sometimes with long lenses, I simply haven't found any use for a lens over 50mm while traveling in Europe. Then, again, that's my preference. Last summer in Spain I took my 90mm lens, and it only left the bag once. BTW, I was in Toledo, Spain.
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Dear Francisco,

Of course! We can only give advice based on no more (and no less) than our own experience. My sole intention was to alert the OP to other points of view: it was not meant to diminish your advice at all, but merely to complement it.

Cheers,

R.
 
Richard G said:
In a foreign city I spend two days or more in I look for two things: a supermarket or equivalent ; and the university. In one I buy shaving cream and cheese and dry biscuits. And near the other will be bookshops and cheap good food where the students eat.
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Same all over.
Eat where the locals eat. Usually 2 streets back from the hoi polloi.
Got to speak the lingo tho.
Or show willing at the very least!
Drink lots of house wine, you will be fine.

Camera...... Hmmmmm.
Leica p & s guy has a point.
X100?
If you must take the tank. 25/28 or even wider if its your bag?

Notbintitaly.
 
taemo said:
any suggestion on what to see in Milan, all I know so far is il duomo and maybe the old castle, will be visiting Motta Visconti since that's where I grew up and might check Lago di Como out.
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In Milan, I would check quickly the Duomo and skip il Castello (unless you are into old armours). You should spend time on Leonardo: Biblioteca Ambrosiana with the Codice Atlantico, but also worth visiting for magnificent halls with old books, San Satiro (optical illusion of a round chapel....my non native English failing me on this description) and The Last Supper.
Worth visiting is also the Cloister of Univrsità Statale and the nearby Santo Stefano Church.
Finally, San Simpliciano.
You can manage that reasonably quickly.

If you have time in Italy, cemeteries are worth visiting as rich families used to have the best artists of their times build rel monumental chapels with neo-classical statues. They are also beautiful to take black and white pictures, if you like that type of contemplating style for your images. The "monumental" cemetery in Italy with the highest artistical content is Staglieno in Genova, but Milano (with other notable ones in Rome, Bologna and Messina) is not a too far second.

Looking at how we look after our dead ones is also a way to explore a country.

Lake Como to me is really a George Clooney buying a house there side-effect. If you go to Tuscany and Cinque Terre, I would not be worried about missing out on the Italian lakes, unless you plan to go drive north, up to to the Swiss Alps. Also arguably, Maggiore and Orta lakes might have better views.
 
I was in Milan last week for a company meeting and stayed a few more days so I could look around. Since it was a business trip I wasn't prepared for shooting so only had an M7 with a 35mm Summilux. The weather report said rain all day so I thought it would be perfect for shooting in Venice. I took the 7:05am train from Centrale and got to Venezia St. Lucia around 9:30am and took the 7:50pm which was the last train back. Well it did rain all day sometime heavily and made the streets nice and slick. Perfect for some fine b/w photography. Instead of a 35mm I really needed a 28mm or 24mm. Venice was full of tourists but once you start walking away from the usual sites you will find yourself alone with the canals. If I could do the same again I would have a wider lens as mention and most importantly a tripod so I can stop down to f/16. I think a Hasselblad SWC on a tripod would have been perfect. I only use Leicas for people/street but Venice is made for big cameras with movements though probably not in the rain.
 
mretina said:
In Milan, I would check quickly the Duomo and skip il Castello (unless you are into old armours). You should spend time on Leonardo: Biblioteca Ambrosiana with the Codice Atlantico, but also worth visiting for magnificent halls with old books, San Satiro (optical illusion of a round chapel....my non native English failing me on this description) and The Last Supper.
Worth visiting is also the Cloister of Univrsità Statale and the nearby Santo Stefano Church.
Finally, San Simpliciano.
You can manage that reasonably quickly.

If you have time in Italy, cemeteries are worth visiting as rich families used to have the best artists of their times build rel monumental chapels with neo-classical statues. They are also beautiful to take black and white pictures, if you like that type of contemplating style for your images. The "monumental" cemetery in Italy with the highest artistical content is Staglieno in Genova, but Milano (with other notable ones in Rome, Bologna and Messina) is not a too far second.

Looking at how we look after our dead ones is also a way to explore a country.

Lake Como to me is really a George Clooney buying a house there side-effect. If you go to Tuscany and Cinque Terre, I would not be worried about missing out on the Italian lakes, unless you plan to go drive north, up to to the Swiss Alps. Also arguably, Maggiore and Orta lakes might have better views.
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Thank you for the tip in Milano, been to Maggiore and Orta once as a kid and we still have relatives in Como, depending on the weather and time we might skip the lakes then, would love to drive up to Lucerne or Zurigo though.

Rayt said:
I was in Milan last week for a company meeting and stayed a few more days so I could look around. Since it was a business trip I wasn't prepared for shooting so only had an M7 with a 35mm Summilux. The weather report said rain all day so I thought it would be perfect for shooting in Venice. I took the 7:05am train from Centrale and got to Venezia St. Lucia around 9:30am and took the 7:50pm which was the last train back. Well it did rain all day sometime heavily and made the streets nice and slick. Perfect for some fine b/w photography. Instead of a 35mm I really needed a 28mm or 24mm. Venice was full of tourists but once you start walking away from the usual sites you will find yourself alone with the canals. If I could do the same again I would have a wider lens as mention and most importantly a tripod so I can stop down to f/16. I think a Hasselblad SWC on a tripod would have been perfect. I only use Leicas for people/street but Venice is made for big cameras with movements though probably not in the rain.
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thanks for the info, still a good 11 months before our euro trip but my travel gear is sounding like
GR
GF670
Xpan

or maybe
GR
M3
A7
25, 50 and 90 lens
 
Italy Kit - Almost ready to go!

Italy Kit - Almost ready to go!

Well, the departure date is next Tuesday. Besides getting caught up on work, I have decided on the following equipment for Italy.

It is:

Digital - Lumix GH-1 with 14-140 lens. (All purpose, wide and tele.) 20mm 1.8 lens.

Film - Leica M2 35, 50, 90 (little meter, lens hoods)

All this fits in the LowePro hip bag. Very small with room for daily amount of film.

Link to image:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6eq5e81gtzh2cfw/_DSC0109.JPG?dl=0

My rationale: The digital will be great for my standard travel type pictures. Good for stills, and some video...although I am not a big video devotee. The standard wide apeture is great for dark spaces and cathedrals.

If I just took one camera, it would probably be my Nikon D90 with a nice zoom and wide aperature normal lens, but I want to take some film equipment as well.

Regarding the film camera, it really is a bit more about the look of film images and the nostalgia and reverence for shooting in Europe with a vintage camera and lenses. I am sure I will regret hauling this around, at some point.....like the trails between towns on the Cinque-Terre, but it will be worth it having images to develop and print when I return. Perhaps a bit like Atget using decades old equipment and processes when he took his photographs of Paris.

Regarding the 90mm lens, I like to take shots of architectural details and think the 90mm will be used more than a little.

My mind is made up........well, mostly.

Then there is the Lumix, Minolta AFC kit option (forget the Leica stuff). Still shoot some B+W, but the AFC is just like an Olympus XA, except with auto-focus. Really nice for snapping street and candid restaurant shots. That would fit in a small holster-type bag.

Thanks everyone for your comments, I will post some of the shots when I return.

Ciao!!

SW
 
Italy Street Shots - FINALLY

Italy Street Shots - FINALLY

Dear RFF Community,

Early in October, I got some great advice and comments about my trip to Italy with my wife and a couple of friends. I ended taking my Lumix GH1 and the Leica M2 with three lenses. The trip went well, but I have have been very busy with business before and after the trip until this weekend. I captured about 1000 with my digital camera, and about 3 rolls (only) with my M2. Out of all the "tourista" pictures, I have about a dozen that I feel are worthy of more work, printing, etc. I have compiled just under a dozen at this link for your review and comments. These are from the digital camera only. I have not processed the film as of yet. When I do, I will post the results.

Link:

http://furnituredesigner-gmail-com.cld.bz/Italian-Street-Shots-10-2014

A few observations - The kit that I chose was fine to carry in my LowePro hip pack. Not too heavy, and I had all the equipment that I needed. The digital camera was a joy to use, fast when shooting from the hip, and although the Lumix seems to clip the highlights a bit in auto mode, the tones and fidelity are great. The images in the link are adjusted slightly in contrast and a bit of vignette was added, but they are pretty much straight from the camera. (I really like the shot of the lady in the doorway.) The M2 is a classic, and I had one bloke stop me to admire it. Not the same for the GH1.

Overall we had a great time, my creative spirit was renewed, we ate some great local Italian food......loved the anchovies in the Cinque Terra.....and saw all the art, cathedrals, and Tuscan countryside and wines we could fit into two weeks! I recommend a trip to all of you.

Best Regards.

SW
 
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