Venice Through the Square Frame.

Venice Through the Square Frame: My Sixth Return

This was my sixth visit to Venice, and yet the city continues to reveal itself in new ways. Four days of early mornings, atmospheric mist, and the distinctive click of my Hasselblad—this time, I was determined to see La Serenissima through the square format's unique perspective.

A City Built on Water and Dreams

Venice has enchanted visitors for over a millennium. Built across 118 islands in a shallow lagoon, this architectural marvel emerged in the 5th century as refugees fled barbarian invasions. What began as a cluster of wooden huts on muddy islands became the most serene republic, a maritime empire that ruled the Mediterranean for centuries. Today, the city's timeless beauty continues to captivate, even as it slowly sinks into the very waters that give it life.

The Square Format Revelation

Shooting with the Hasselblad's 1:1 format transformed how I saw Venice. The square frame demands a different kind of composition—more balanced, more considered. It strips away the excess and forces you to focus on what matters: the interplay of architecture and water, the geometry of weathered mooring posts, the symmetry of arched colonnades.

Bridges in the Night

As darkness fell, I found myself drawn to Venice's bridges. There's something intimate about them at night, when the day-trippers have departed and the city exhales. The Ponte de le Bande near San Marco, its stone steps worn smooth by centuries of footfalls, glowing under a single streetlamp. Another bridge elsewhere, its white arches framing a moored gondola and the turquoise water beyond.

Each bridge became a stage set, lit by golden lanterns that pushed back against the blue hour. The square format captured these scenes perfectly—architectural elements balanced against water, light against shadow, the eternal dance of Venice.