Venice Carnival 2024

I took the photographic vacation of a lifetime, a one-week photo workshop in Venice with Bobbi and Lee's Photo Adventures. The Carnival of Venice is the 10 days leading up to Lent and Ash Wednesday, ending on Shrove Tuesday (aka Mardi Gras). We were there Sunday to Sunday for the last week of Carnival, focused on pictures of all the fabulous costumes.

The Workshop

This is not a vacation for someone who wants to spend their time relaxing in a cafe and sipping an espresso. Bobbi is a taskmaster who strongly suggests you get out every morning at 6:15 AM, to be at St. Mark's Square before sunrise. Why? Because you want to get pictures of the costumers before the crowds descend on the square. And, if you're lucky, you can get a fantastic shot of sunrise over the lagoon behind the amazing costumes of the Carnival of Venice, followed by gentle golden hour light. Breakfast can wait until you get back to the hotel at 8 or 9.

Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate for sunrises. I saw the sun on the first day of the trip, and it was gray and (usually) foggy the rest of the time. Also, the last few days had a 100% chance of rain, so Bobbi sprung into action and packed seven days of photo tour into five days of the trip. (The elaborate Carnival costumes can cost thousands of dollars, and the costumers are NOT taking them out in the rain to get destroyed.)

And beating the crowds? Bobbi and Lee were not kidding. Venice was busy on my previous visit, but that did not prepare me for Carnival. We'd get to St. Mark's Square around 6:30 AM, with a bunch of costumers lined up along the waterfront. The first day I was amazed at how many photographers were out that early in the morning; every costumer had a handful of photographers taking pictures. I jumped in and got wrapped up in taking my own pictures. Then I'd look up after a few minutes to find the photographers multiplying around me, from a handful to a dozen, and then to a swarm, like paparazzi at a red carpet event.

The Costumers

I'm not used to being in a crowd of photographers, and I'm really not used to people expecting there to be a crowd of photographers. The costumers, especially, were there to get their pictures taken. (Costumer = the person wearing a costume). They obviously love what they do, spending huge amounts of time and money making beautiful, elaborate costumes just to show off at Carnival.

As a comic book nerd from way back, I think of Venice Carnival costumers like I do ComiCon cosplayers. Both have intricate outfits and a fanatic attention to detail. The only difference is costumers are cosplaying the 1700s.

Venice

Now, while the trip was mainly focused on the costumes, I did get to spend some time wandering around Venice. I ate a lot of fantastic seafood and sipped my share of espressos in cafes. Our hotel was in the Rialto market area, surrounded by chicchetti bars, so I had a lot of Venice's small bites. (A LOT.) Usually with a glass of prosecco or an Aperol spritz. It was a great trip. And, on the last day, the mist lifted, visibility improved, and I was able to get sweeping vistas of the city.

The Participants

Bobbi and Lee worked hard to make sure we were getting our money's worth. We took side trips to:

• Burano, the island of colorful pastel houses and lace-making
• Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo, with its famous spiral staircase
• The Ca' Sagredo Hotel, a converted palace on the Grand Canal
• And, of course, a gondola ride on the Grand Canal

...and we took costumers with us on all these side trips so we could get pictures with them in the epic architecture of Venice. (I feel like I'm forgetting one or two side trips as well...it was a full week!)

And then, when we couldn't go out due to the weather, Lee ran Lightroom and Photoshop classes. Lee is a wizard with both of those tools, and I learned a whole lot about editing.

What made this great trip even better was the other participants. It was a great group of photographers: friendly, open, and glad to be in Venice taking pictures. (There were even a few non-photography spouses and partners who came along to see Venice.) I loved spending time with all of you:

• Yair and Noga
• Dennis and Melissa
• Vin, Brian, and Cathy
• Chris
• Terry and Gerald

Thank you for all the tips, tricks, and dinner conversations!

And, especially, thank you to the other members of the Four Amicos. We came without partners, so we grouped up together for "solo" meals (which became side trips for chiccetti, and Negronis, and Spritzes, and...). You guys made the trip amazing for me:

• Bob
• Chris
• Isabella

All of these people are fabulous photographers, and you should really follow them:

• Bobbi Lane and Lee Varis: Bobbi and Lee'ss Photo Adventures, BobbiLane.com, Varis.com

Visit Venice!

I guess what I'm saying is: I love Venice, and if you ever get a chance to go, take it. (Especially if it's on a trip led by Bobbi and Lee. Thanks, guys!)