Shooting the Leaning Tower!

[DwF]

Recently, my son and I bicycled from Lucca to Pisa. This is a ride that I strongly recommend. It follows the Rhone River out of Lucca, then through some quaint villages, opening on to fields of sunflowers and finally along the Roman Aquaduct right into town. Once there, we found the tower (on my son's directive, refusing to ask for directions 🙂

Amid the crowds, and the stature of this iconic subject, not to mention the light high in the sky, I decided to keep my camera stowed. I'd clicked a couple obligatory snaps of my son with the iPhone. My son wandered to the Basilica leaving me to watch the bikes. I took shelter in what little shade I could find and began to make friends with this horse.... I think found my shot, so I wanted to share it here.

M9 21 SEM

 

[raid]

Thanks for the memory-flash to this place. Lucca used to be a very quiet place for a visit (about 15 years ago), but now it is a tourist trap on the outskirt of Florence. Still, it is charming.

I used my SWC for the Pisa photos.

 

[DwF]

Thanks Raid.

Yes most of those places are tourist traps- of course traveling to them in summer is not ideal 🙂 I've figured out that staying on outskirts of the old cities can be very good in getting to see the local color and meet people who grew up there. I was able to do that in several places this trip including the Côte d'Azur. I found some nice quieter places.

David

 

[ferider]

Beautiful. Your photo - and the area ....

But it's not the Rhone River.

 

[daveleo]

Like your photo. Love your exposure.
We set camp in Lucca for a week last October. Touristy, yes it is (inside the wall, anyway) but hey WE were tourists too !
But we found it easy to mentally erase the others and "get into" that town and its history (very interesting to read).
Very happy that Lucca was our base camp for a week (we stayed in an excellent apartment outside the wall)
The only thing I regret is not making it to Volterra and wasting a day touring Cinque Terra (you want tourists !!! ..... Jees !).
Sorry for the travel report .... I do like your picture.)

 

[DwF]

Serchio River!

Serchio River!

My bad, Rhone was another part of my trip toward Avignon, and I never made it that far, but that's another story.

Thank you gentlemen. Had to expose for my friend in foreground and not blow highlights, so I saw the PP as I clicked the shutter 🙂

Cinque Terre was touristy as it promised to be but I'm glad I had a chance to get there. My son hiked the highest of the trails and said that he saw no one for the entire hike from Monterossa to Vernazza. Our trail was not too bad (9AMish) at all but the tourists in Vernazza drove me back to Monterossa quickly. The beach is lovely in Monterossa and the town is a bit better equipped for throngs of people.

 

[helen.HH]

Brings back memories... Such a Lovely shot, Beautiful Light

 

[raid]

Our RFF member Nico lives in Lucca, and he was a great host at a pizza party in his home when we visited Lucca and Pisa a few years ago.

 

[DwF]

Thank you Helen. I appreciate your comment. Photos, almost like sense of smell can quickly bring us back. I hope to get back there in a less traveled season and see more of the area. I also want to see Naples.

Raid, I had no idea there was that connection here and sounds like you had a good time there. I just found the thread where you discussed your going there...but no pics in the thread 🙂 😉

 

[raid]

Here are some pics from the trip.

Robert-I-Nico

Rasha and I in Lucca

Lina and Dana in Lucca

Lina took this photo in Pisa (she was 9)

 

[DwF]

Raid, You obviously had a wonderful time there. All show great colors and warmth. Makes me want to be back in Lucca.

David

 

[robert blu]

DwF: I like your photo from Lucca, even being in a touristic spot you managed to get a personal view! Yes, Lucca is a beautiful town with an historical feeling.
robert

 

[raid]

I agree with Robert that your B&W photo captures very well the spirit of being in Pisa, David.

 

[raid]

Raid, You obviously had a wonderful time there. All show great colors and warmth. Makes me want to be back in Lucca.

David

Thank you, David. We had a wonderful time in Pisa and in Lucca, with Robert and his wife touring with us then. Nico and his wife welcomed us to their home, and we had a nice evening, eating pizza and chatting. Time flies by quickly, and memories are there to remind us of such good times in past years.

 

[______]

I like how the person on the left is leaning in sympathy with the tower.

 

[DwF]

Connecting dots

Connecting dots

Ah, so Robert, I've admired your photos and for some reason thought you were here in the States. Nice seeing all of you guys in Lucca at the table! And Raid you must be the catalyst in bringing everyone together there 🙂 And thank you for your comment. There are so many reasons we carry a camera and take pictures, and celebrating that personal view or connection to capturing a moment is one I know I often lose sight of when I am out there.

I didn't see much Leica or rangefinder presence in the time I was in Italy this trip but while grabbing a quick lunch between trains in Genova, there was a guy who 'd just gotten off a ferry or cruise ship, with a Leica SL and looking very determined as he passed by marching toward the streets.

Faberryman- No doubt the Tower has affected the posture of the carriage operator!

 

[raid]

Robert and I are co-catalysts, David.
Did you enjoy your stay in Genova?

 

[DwF]

Raid,

A catalyst is one, you guys have to be partners in crime 😉

I was only there for about two hours between trains and happy to have had my eyes opened to what looks like a very cool city to explore. I did get to the Basilica just down from the train station. It was pretty stunning for a relatively uncelebrated cathedral. I made a couple of exposures and here is one.

We met some locals who suggested a couple of places to visit but we'd have needed the day. Have you spent time there?

 

[Highway 61]

Thanks for the memory-flash to this place. Lucca used to be a very quiet place for a visit (about 15 years ago), but now it is a tourist trap on the outskirt of Florence. Still, it is charming.

Raid, I'm not too sure about Lucca having become a tourist trap already (went there several times). Of course there are many foreign people lurking there especially in the summer but in the spring the city still looks quiet and authentic, with its streets filled with locals.

Lucca, spring 2013, passeggiata hour [Nikon S2, Nikkor-H-C 50mm f/2, T-Max 100].

Pisa on the other hand is a nightmare for sure, and not a very interesting place overall (by comparison with everything else you can see and discover in Tuscany).

DwF, I like the Leaning Tower and horse photo. 🙂

 

[robert blu]

Looking in my archive for a couple of pictures of that tuscan holiday I just realized that it was already three years ago...wow time flies!

Tuscany can be very interesting and attractive, of course in summer time many touristy are around but you can anyway spot beautiful corners

And do not forget it never rains in Tuscany, ok sometimes it does !

and you also can experience meeting with interesting people...do you know these two enjoying such gorgeous icecreams?

I take opportunity to thank Raid and his family for the nice time we spent together 🙂

robert

PS: photos taken with my Leica X1, still working...