no gondolas

morning © kjm

Part of what makes travel so compelling is how new landscapes differ from our own. And Venice, Italy might as well be Mars when coming from Milwaukee, or anywhere else for that matter. Its simply one of the easiest places on earth to make beautiful photographs.

This was my third visit to Venice, a last-minute, frequent flyer miles-enabled trip, to meet up with Marilu, who would be there to see artwork at the Venice Biennale. I did no fishing for an accompanying editorial gig, and carried only a small man bag with one camera and an iPad. I've never been abroad with so little gear.

I felt like I've made beautiful pictures of Venice before, of the Grand Canal and gondoliers and the city's narrow passageways. So while the city's unique beauty still made an impression, I focused my camera on everything else - the minutiae of travel, of walking and looking.

Which makes for thousands fewer files, no sellable stock imagery and 18 small, simple photographs, which frankly don't tell a story specifically about Venice. Such is the vacation album of a photographer, I suppose.