Carnevale & Venice

Carnevale in Venice starts two weeks before Ash Wednesday and lasts until Fat Tuesday aka Mardi Gras.  I was going through some old photos, and since Carnevale is right now I thought I would post some of the images I was able to take when I was there for this amazing event back in 2005.  I remember arriving into Venice from the train around 4 a.m.  The streets and canals were almost completely empty, besides just a few people trying to make it to their beds after a fun night.  Found a bar open to get an early cappuccino and a really fresh cornetti.  After my reward next on the agenda was to find a good spot to catch the sunrise.  I found a bridge that looked directly onto the famous church Santa Maria Della Salute.  It was perfect.  I was the only one, but within an hour the paparazzi of famous landmarks came out from every direction all crowding as close to me as they could, all trying to get the same shot I had been waiting for.  I remember looking down the now full bridge drooling over the plethora of really amazing camera equipment. I felt like I was on the side lines of the Super Bowl with all the photographers and their lenses so big they could almost touch the church, and then there's me with my mini camera in comparison.  Holding my camera against the bridge I let the sun rise and the silhouette of the church to expose itself. It was a magical moment.  This first image was my result.