Simply Florence
Florence is a historic city. It’s commonly thought to be the center of culture and art. It’s also a tourist destination for millions each year. Last year, I became on of those millions.
The city has a lot of offer, obviously. Cathedral of Santa Mario del Fiore, Galleria dell’Accademia and Gallerie degli Uffizi — just to name a few. These are all amazing, memorable and very much worth the visit. But I also wanted a little more authenticity from capital city of Tuscany. So I woke up early, packed my camera bag and walked the streets, watching as the Fiorentini commuted, opened their shops and began their day.
It was a small choice but it allowed me to see a vibrant city without the crowds. No tourists. No street performers. Semplicemente Firenze.
Between my departing train and the opening of most of the tourism hot spots, I didn’t have a ton of time to explore so I decided to walk to Ponte Vecchio. This bridge is the oldest in the city and the only bridge in Florence that survived World World II. To my knowledge, it now serves as a place for commerce with many shops built right into the bridge.
With fewer crowds, taking photos was a lot more relaxed. It also allowed to fully experience the little localisms that are characteristic of an Italian city like Firenze. Scooters lining the alleyways; gelatarias that were open far too early in the morning — It all felt quintessentially Italian.
Even though I wanted to avoid the “tourist” feeling, I had to stop at the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore. Typically, Duomo di Firenze is packed with tourist and street performers — you can’t get a clear shot not matter what tricks you have up your sleeve. At 7AM the situation is better, but still surprisingly difficult. While there were barely any tourists in the square, there were still plenty of city workers and vehicles zipping through the area, cleaning the streets.
A long exposure shot using a 3-Stop ND filter at 17MM took quite a bit of patience but I was finally able to capture a few shots with no one in it. I didn’t have the best setup and it was made far more difficult because of the trucks passing through the frame, leaving light trails, I was happy to get something. After all, it was more about the experience and being able to stand in front of the duomo with few other people is an experience I won’t soon forget.
