Cinque Terre Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WE BOARDED The Celebrity Apex on Friday and hit the ground running. We stopped in 4 ports before we had an at-sea day. Given that we had a pretty ambitious 3 days in Rome beforehand, it was a formula for exhaustion. We found ourselves looking forward to the coming at sea day, just for some R&R.
I knew before we started that Cinque Terre would be the highlight of the entire trip for me
BUT I must confess that I knew even before we started that the first stop, the first day, would be the highlight of the trip for me. La Spezia is an interesting location. There are options, but few seemed enticing. Pisa is some 40 miles away. Florence is about twice that distance. Doable, but a few hours of riding in a vehicle. And Livorno, which some cruises stop at (notably, Princess), is much closer to both (12 miles to Pisa and 45 miles to Florence). We did that in 2015 on a Princess Ship, which stopped in Livorno. We still felt a bit shortchanged in Florence (which is a city I think one should visit for a day or two – at least an overnight). It was also possible to go into the country in Tuscany, where you could sample wines or just view the countryside. Again, that would involve hours in a vehicle. We have walked around the city of La Spezia a couple times. Frankly: not much going on there. So the one that seemed to make the most sense was Cinque Terre.
there is no better landscape photographer’s destination in the world, in my opinion
I REALLYwanted to revisit this amazing place (it is, after all, mainly about me 🙂 ). But seriously, this is supposed to be a photography – related blog, and there is no better landscape photographer’s destination in the world, in my opinion. Less than 5 miles from the cruise port, the first of the 5 villages of Cinque Terre, Riomaggiore, can be reached by commuter rail in just minutes. It involves a brief taxi ride to the train station in La Spezia, and the purchase of an all day, on and off, 18-euro, train pass on the trains that travel between La Spezia and Levanto to the north. In between these two cities lie 5 small fishing villages and the train stops at each one. The time between stops is just minutes.
Riomaggiore Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]LITERALLY “FIVE lands,” Cinque Terre consists of 5 historic villages in the Province of Liguria, built into the mountains above the Ligurian Sea. The 5 small villages thrived from the 11th – 16th centuries, mostly producing fish, wine and olives. Most of the agricultural cultivation took place on man-made terraces built into the steep mountainside. After the 16th century, the area experienced a period of economic decline, until repurposed mainly for tourism during the 1970s. It is difficult to reach by car, and most travel to and between the 5 villages is by train, boat, or on foot. There is a hiking path that runs between the 5 villages that is very popular with hikers.
Manarola Cinque Terre, Italy Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved
FOR ME, the primary draw to this region is photographic. In 2019 we took an Italian Riviera cruise that stopped in La Spezia. That was when I first “discovered” Cinque Terre (though I am sure I had seen the photographs at some previous time), and knew I had to go there to photograph it. Prior to this trip, I did a fair amount of research. Cinque Terre’s 5 villages, from south to north, are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monterroso Al Mare (“Al Mare,” means “by the sea”). My research (primarily commentary from other photographers) suggested to me that of the 5 towns, 3 were very much on my horizon: Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Vernazza. The others – for a number of reasons were not so much. The main reason has been time. Both visits were one day cruise stops, substantially limiting both my time and shooting conditions. Corniglia is up in the mountains and does not have a seaport. I am sure it is photogenic in its own right, and my next time through there, I will probably visit it. For now, I was particularly drawn by the fishing village/seaport aspects. Monterroso is flatter and appears to be more of a beach community these days. While the beaches look fabulous and I am certain it is photogenic, I again wanted to focus on the more rustic seaports. I have had a few other beach opportunities. Given another trip, I am likely to visit both Monterroso and Corniglia. But not this time.
Riomaggiore Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]YOU ONLY need to look at the colorful and iconic images from the 3 villages I did photograph to understand the draw. Centuries old, the buildings built into the mountainsides are a feat of architecture. I was interested to learn that the colorful paint jobs which make the images so romantically iconic are not really historically accurate. I wonder what the landscape looked like before they were painted. My “processed” version here might be semi-accurate? If so, not near as colorful, and though still photogenic, not in my favorite way: with color! But in the 1970’s, seeking tourism, the locals came up with the idea for the brightly painted buildings that are really Cinque Terre’s photographic signature today.
Manarola Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]MY FIRST trip in 2019 was nice, but somewhat of a “bust.” We joined a group of new friends we had met on the cruise and took a taxi all the way to Manarola (a mistake not to repeat – take the train). My research had indicated that of the 5 villages, Manarola was the most popular and photogenic. The day was kind of rainy and drizzly, and we did not get a very early start off the ship. We didn’t know about the 18 Euro all day train pass, nor just how quick and convenient the train was. But what we also didn’t know was that there is no car access to any of the 5 villages. There is a large parking area well up the mountain, above Manarola, where cars and busses could park ( I suspect the other villages had similar parking accommodations). We walked down a very steep, though well paved pathway. It was hard on the knees. While it seemed longer, it was about 1/2 mile down to the level where the train station is. We learned later about the train setup and ended up going back to La Spezia on the train. Everyone else was more or less sightseeing, but I was on a mission to photograph at least this one village. I walked on ahead, all the way down to the seaport, which I knew was where the path to the photographic viewpoint began. Fortunately, it was not a long, nor steep walk out the pathway, and turning around to see the village, it was immediately apparent where the photo was! I blogged about that village and posted my photos from back in 2019here. The lighting conditions were not very good, and looking back, I am not happy with my post-processing (colors look odd – I will go back and re-work those), but they give the viewer an idea about the potential.
Riomaggiore Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THIS TIME I planned differently. We had all pretty much decided (there were six of us) to do at least parts of Cinque Terre. But I made it known to the group that I was going to be off the ship at the earliest possible opportunity and on my way to Cinque Terre. We had texting capability and asked them to let me know when and where and I would meet them in one of the villages. Ironically, that turned out to be Manarola. In the meantime, my first stop was the southernmost village: Riomaggiore. I was a bit surprised at how much of a downhill climb the base of the village was from the train station. Having done 3 of them, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the steepest (not sure about Cornigilia). I took some back stairs down part of the way and the image near the top of the blog post shows where I exited onto the seaport area. As previously noted, my reading indicated that Manarola was the “preferred” photographic venue (not that the others weren’t also great). Now having been to both, I am not sure I agree. They both have their charm. But I really like the color and the setting in Riomaggiore.
Riomaggiore – Popular Tourist perspective Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]ANOTHER CONCLUSION I have come to is that – at least for Riomaggiore and Manarola, the best photographic vantage points are actually the most popular tourist spots (maybe there is some logic to that). 🙂 In Riomaggiore, that meant up the hill on the south side of the harbor, where the tour boat offices are. I did venture a way out onto the rocks, but really not very far as it is a bit steep and slippery and requires some exertion. But my short look said to me that the viewpoint wasn’t going to my best perspective. Importantly to me, both “standard” spots (Manarola and Riomaggiore) get me at building level, where the tilt factor of my wide lens was the least problematic. It is partly why I believe they are the best photo ops in these two villages.
Riomaggiore Village from the rocky seawall Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]EVEN THOUGH I had already shot Manarola and wanted to make sure I had time to do Vernazza (the third of my chosen spots), I felt the desire to stop again at Manarola, and take another look. Not only did I have time, but the rest of the party had texted me by then that they would meet me there. My research told me that there were 3 or 4 different viewpoints from which to photograph the Manarola Village. One was the primary tourist spot which was the trail on the way to Corniglia, to the north. Another was on a terrace above that trail, where there were a couple restaurants. I had climbed up there in 2019 and concluded that it wasn’t enough different a vantage point to be worth it. I had also shot from down at the water. The final spot was in the cemetery, “just a ways up the hill.” OMG! My question to the writers who recommended the cemetery: are you serious? The dirt trail up to the cemetery is a rugged and strenuous uphill walk, for anyone but the most robust hiker. And it is a long way, all uphill steeply. Once you reach the cemetery, which is neither well marked, nor obviously a cemetery, you then must walk on through it out to a trail that finally opens up above the village. Having gotten there, the photo viewpoint is (I think) underwhelming! As others have noted, the foreground is challenging, as it is grasses, scrub brush, and some ugly fencing. Perhaps during a time of year where there might be some bright flowers, or foliage, it might be pleasing. But as you can see from my shot from here, the foreground (in my opinion) detracts from the image. Then there is the factor of distance and perspective. The angle of the foreground partially obscures both the village and the harbor, even at fairly wide-angle viewing. My two cents in 5 words or less: it’s just not worth it. I will admit that it is a very high up view and pretty spectacular. But the hike is not for the faint of heart, and it certainly isn’t the best photographic spot. Again, for both Manarola and Riomaggiore, I would direct a photographer to the two popular tourist spots. You will get a good shot from them.
Manarola; From “the cemetery” Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]AFTER COMING back down the mountain, our party had encountered some issues with their train ride and were still not at the meeting spot, so I sat in the cafe and had an espresso and some water. Once they arrived, I and showed them the photo spot and we walked around the small town, a bit, wandering in an out the shops and having a snack. When the time came to decide what the next move was, two of the group decided to return to the ship. I was determined to go on to Vernazza, eitheralone or with whoever wanted to come along. Four of us ultimately continued on to Vernazza. Though seemingly more touristy, and in my view slightly less photogenic, Vernazza was also less hilly. But like the other two villages, it had a very nice harbor, with lots of small fishing boats. Unlike the other two villages, Vernazza also had a small “beach” at the harbor. I found my best photographic perspective from out on the wide and easily navigated seawall/walkway.
Vernazza Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THERE WERE some nice close up “studies” of the moored boats. Also, the rocky breakwall in Vernazza afforded probably the best opportunity to shoot the Ligurian see out away from the villages. All in all I was very happy with my day in Cinque Terre. Someday, I would really like to go back there and spend a couple nights in one or more of the little villages (Probably Manarola) and take some nighttime images, with the buildings lit and reflections in the water below. But for now, I was satisfied to add some nice, colorful, classic images to my portfolio.
Vernazza Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]
Venice, Italy 2022 [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]NOVEMBER MARKED our 3rd Celebrity Cruise for 2022, and our 4th trip to Europe. Following up on a brief Western Caribbean cruise, then Portugal by land, and then the Baltic region, this one was a relatively familiar trip covering (important) parts of Italy, France and Spain. We had visited the majority of our destinations over the years, mostly with previous cruises on Celebrity and Princess. This one was a bit extended, as we were traveling with some folks who had not done most of the spots and wanted to spend time in a couple of major places in Italy (Rome and Venice). So, we started in Rome, spending three nights in a VRBO, and covering some of Rome’s coolest features.
Roman Colosseum Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]YOU CANNOT really “see” any major city in 2-3 days (much less a one-day port stop). So, we (they) chose their most important destinations, beginning with a 3-hour drive around by our airport pickup service and driver. This part was fun for us as the driver actually took us to a few points of interest that we had not seen before in our other couple visits to Rome. This was the first time we had spent more than a day there. The first place he took us was to one of Rome’s many fountains, the Fontana Del’ Acquia Paola. We learned that Rome is a city of fountains which were – generally – built at the terminus of an aqueduct. Rome’s most world-famous fountain is the Trevi Fountain, in the center of the old city. But the Fontana Del’ Acquia Paola was built more than 100 years earlier, and according to our driver, is considered by the Romans to be the most beautiful and impressive of all the fountains of Rome. I have read that it is colorfully lit at night, but we did not get there except during the daylight hours. Named for Pope Paul V, the fountain was built in 1612. Built on a hill on the west side of the Tiber River, there is a steep drop and wall just across the cobblestone street in front of the fountain, making photographic perspective a real challenge. I stood on a bench on the wall to get additional height, by you can see by the image that I still needed to do substantial “work” in Photoshop’s Perspective correction tools.
Fontana Del’ Acquia Paula Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]FOR PERSPECTIVE, our driver did take us to the Trevi Fountain. The contrast was remarkable. As you can see from the image above, the Fontana Del’ Acquia was nearly devoid of people. The Trevi fountain, on the other hand, was totally mobbed. We have been there twice before. The first trip in 2013 was nearly as crowded. On our second trip in 2015, the fountain was closed for refurbishing. Even then, there was a pretty good crowd of viewers. Getting a shot of the Trevi during the day is virtually impossible. All my images either show close up views of parts of the fountain, or the large crowds in front of it. I did not even bother to make a shot this trip. We essentially did a drive-by of the Colosseum, letting our driver know that we had a Colosseum tour scheduled for the next day.
Piazza Del Popolo Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]ABOUT MID-afternoon, our driver made his way to our VRBO, which was just a short walk off of the very popular and beautiful, Piazza del Popolo (which our driver said translates in English roughly to “People’s Square”). The piazza essentially faces south, and there are 3 streets that fan out in a trident from the twin churches as the south end of the plaza and head south. Down each of those streets are restaurants, hotels, and shopping. It was pretty bustling about a block south. But our street was comparatively quiet. We weren’t able to get into the VRBO for about another hour, so our driver found us a small restaurant just a few steps away that would allow us to bring our luggage in and have some lunch. There, I started my pasta odyssey. For each of the nights in Rome, I had pasta for my main meal. In each case it was the best pasta I can remember. This first afternoon, we were in a restaurant called Dal Pollarolo 1936. On the Google map is shows moderate pricing ($$). The carbonara was the best I have ever had. Everybody who tried a taste agreed. One of our travel mates – Bobbie – was a bit of a carbonara afficionado (I am told she makes a very good carbonara herself) and tried (unsuccessfully) to duplicate it in other restaurants. The second day, we walked over to another restaurant near the southeast edge of the piazza: Canova Piazza Del Popolo (no cost information on Google, but equivalent to the first day), I had a pepper/cheese pasta that was “to die for.” Perhaps my favorite meal of the entire 18-day trip! The next day, in the same spot, we were somewhere in the city, having visited some of the catacombs, and stopped on the street. I don’t remember the name of the place. I had Pesto pasta. Very good, but not as good as the first two. I was so “on a pasta roll,” that I had pasta the first night on the ship, too. Again, though good, not even close to those first two dishes!
The Twin Churches of Santa Maria dei Miracola and Santa Maria in Montesanto Piazza Del Popolo Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE VRBO was great except for one feature. There were three bedrooms and 3 baths – which was just right for our group. There was a very nice balcony, which gave Clay and me a nice place to smoke cigars in the afternoon/evenings. We found a nice little liquor store and a great little deli type store (selling meats, cheeses and bread), both just steps away from the VRBO. I would give it 5 stars, except for one design feature. In the two ensuite bathrooms, the showers were small to the extreme. It was like showering in a wardrobe closet. You could hardly turn around and seemed wedged up against the wall or the shower door. That is a design feature. I know they are noted for less ostentatious and smaller rooms in Europe, and we are o.k. with that. But these were the smallest showers we have ever experienced. Coupled with the lack of any shelves in either the shower or around the sink areas, this would cause me to lower by a star. Oh well. “First World problems.” 🙂
Piazza Del Popolo Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]AS IS my custom, I was up early the next morning, and out on the Piazza Del Popolo, with my camera. When our driver dropped us off the day before, he gave us a brief rundown on the twin churches, which I believe are the only ones like it in the world. I tried to get a lower, wide-angle perspective, with the twilight sun just beginning to rise in the background, coloring the sky nicely. In the middle of the piazza there is an obelisk, surrounded by some pretty fountains. The piazza is very large and open, and as you can see, already popular even early in the morning. This was said to be the first thing travelers to Rome saw as they approached the city. Even with my 9-18m (18-36 35mm equivalent) lens, the height of the obelisk and the ground-level shooting position, leaves perspective challenges. The churches were originally planned to be identical (apparently in the neoclassic style). They were started in the late 1600’s by architect Carlo Rainaldi, but ultimately completed by Bernini and Carlo Fontana. Ultimately, the two churches are not identical in their details, though both similar and symmetrical in Baroque style. In any event, an impressive sight and a wonderful photographic opportunity. I think it might ultimately photograph well as dusk, also, with the sun lighting the churches.
The Vatican Grand Hallway; 2015 [Copyright Andy Richards 2015 All Rights Reserved]FOR THIS day, we had a private, early Vatican Tour scheduled. In 2015, with our friends Paul and Linda, we had a similar tour during the day we were on shore in Rome. Logistics for that tour meant getting off our ship and getting transportation the hour plus to Rome. This made the tour time later in the day. The result was some very large crowds in parts of the Vatican, which was not optimal for either photography or viewing. You can see what we faced in the image above. At the time, I asked our guide if there was a “better” time to come. Her response wasn’t encouraging. She noted that any time the Vatican is open, this was more or less what you got. Remember, this was pre-Pandemic. Fast forward to 2022, a relatively early morning appointment, and (my opinion) a world still coming to grips with a worldwide shutdown less than 2 years behind us, and the photo below is the result. While not the best of reasons, it certainly made for a much more meaningful, leisurely, and photographically conducive experience. As the image of the artwork below demonstrates, we had a clear view to the walls, with art, tapestry, sculptures and frescos. These shots wouldn’t have been possible in 2015.
Vatican Grand Hallway – 2022 [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WE ALSO were able to walk right into the Sistine Chapel (contrasted with a 30-minute standing wait on the stairway down in 2015). It was still fairly crowded in the chapel but we had the cool experience of having one of the resident priests come in and say a prayer while we were in there.
Artwork in the Vatican [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]OUR FINAL piece of the Vatican was St. Peter’s Basilica. It is impressive, with mosaics, tile floors, artistry on the walls and ceilings, stained glass and more. The altar in the center of the cathedral was perhaps the most impressive to me. Build with 4 uniquely shaped columns, it stands many feet tall. The columns are made from solid brass (the exterior surfaces) and filled with solid metal in the centers. We didn’t really spend any time outdoors this trip, as it was a rainy, drizzly day. All in all, though, I thought a better experience than our prior visit. I was glad we did it.
St. Peter’s Cathedral Vatican [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]IOFTEN mention churches, cathedrals, and basilicas, on the blog. More than once while writing I have wondered about the differences. Each is the designation of a Christian house of worship. In Ancient times, we are mainly speaking of Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican churches. In very much lay terms, here is a quick primer. “Church,” is really a generic term for house of worship. It encompasses all of the other terms. A Cathedral is a Christian Church that is the seat of the bishop. A church can be famous, very important, even a basilica, and not be a Cathedral, if it is not the Bishop’s seat. A Basilica is a church that is so designated by the Pope, generally as an important church for various purposes and reasons. Once the “basilica” designation has been made, it is permanent cannot be removed, perhaps making the designation the highest hierarchical designation.
St. Peter’s Cathedral Vatican [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]PARTLY EXPECTING the same crowds, and knowing it was rainy, I did not carry my Olympus rig with me that day but opted to carry just my smartphone. All the images from that day at the Vatican are made with my Samsung, S21. I continue to be impressed by its ability to make indoor photographs.
Roman Forum from Palatine Hill Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2015 All Rights Reserved]THE FOLLOWING day we had a 4-hour tour of the Roman Forum and the Colosseum scheduled. We had seen the forum from the high distance somewhere on Palatine Hill during our driving tour of Rome in 2015. This morning, our driver picked us up and then dropped us off at the beginning of the Forum, in the center of the city of ancient Rome, where we walked the entire length, on our way to the entrance to the Colosseum. In context, “forum” means the same thing as “square.” A space about 3 football fields long and about 550 feet wide, the Roman Forum was essentially the center of early Roman civilization and housed political bodies, churches, triumphal arches and courts. Unlike most other classic Roman fora, which were built to a plan of sorts, (and much like many of our modern U.S. cities), there wasn’t a grand design for the city center of ancient Rome. Named for Rome’s first king, Romulus, the forum developed naturally over several centuries. There is evidence predating Roman presence as far back as 1200 B.C. The center of everyday life in Rome for centuries, the site is a valley between two hills (Capitolene and Velian Hills). Originally a swampy low area, the site was drained in the 7th Century, B.C., and building commenced there. But because of this geographic setting, over the centuries, silts seeped back in from the Tiber River, creating many layers of ancient ruins that were excavated in later years. During many of its up and down periods, much of the construction materials used in original construction were “scavenged,” taken away and used to build other sites, often by plunderers over the years. This means that unfortunately, a lot of the original materials that in modern days we try to so carefully preserve, are no longer there.
Temple of Romulus Roman Forum Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]RELENTLESS AND ongoing silt deposits also means that excavation reveals several different levels or layers of development over the centuries. I especially liked the Temple of Romulus, where our guide told us that at one time, the green door was just a few steps about street level, with a small set of steps up to it – the entrance to the Temple. That is a lot of silt. 🙂
Site of the original Senate Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE ORIGINAL Senate and Republican form of government originated here, in this center of Roman civilization. It was also the place where triumphal marches were held as the Romans conquered other places. It was traditional to construct a triumphal arch for each conquest. You can see the arch at the entrance of what was the original Senate. There is also another well-preserved arch toward the southern part of the forum, just before leaving the area and approaching the Colosseum.
Triumphal Arch Roman Forum Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]OUR LAST venue for the tour was the Roman Colosseum. We had been there before in 2015, but our travel mates had not – and it was high on their desired list. And every visit to one of these locations is a bit different, often with different information. In in my case, a different camera and lens, allowing me to make wider angle images of the massive facility. We learned a lot about the construction of the facility, as well as the activities therein. Their “civilized” activity was much more violent and unforgiving than our society today. At least the part that is authorized. What a different world we live in today. But we do, have some pretty uncivilized and violent things that happen in our world that the inhabitants of those time could not imagine.
Seats of the Noblemen Roman Colosseum Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights ReservedCONSTRUCTION OF the Roman Colosseum is impressive and detailed. The large, outside walls, (more than 3 stories high) are stabilized by “flying buttresses.” There were “box” type areas (similar to the current sky boxes in today’s modern sports stadiums), and specially marked seating for people of “noble” status (the alternating white and brown stone). Completed in about 80 A.D., it is said to be the largest amphitheater ever built (and the largest still standing today). Its maximum capacity was 80,000. For comparison, the largest U.S. football stadium is the University of Michigan Stadium, with a seating capacity of just over 107,000. Several others are very close to that. Saying the largest ever built might be taking some liberty, but remember, this was a couple thousand years ago. And there is a (however nuanced) difference between an amphitheater (an open-air theater which can be viewed from all around) and a stadium, which appears to limit its meaning to an arena dedicated to sports (in ancient times, a stadium was a horse racing track). Modern stadiums, of course, can also be roofed or enclosed. “Amphitheater,” by the way, is roughly translated “both sides,” and therefore differs from “theater,” in that the viewing can be all around the action, versus a front-on only view in a theater.
Buttressed Walls Roman Colosseum Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]SURE ENOUGH, there is a Triumphal Arch at the entrance to the Colosseum. We finished our tour, and went to lunch back near the Piazza Popolo. Later that afternoon, after a rest, I walked down to the deli store and bought an assortment of meats, cheese and bread. We had picked up a bottle of wine earlier, and some bourbon. We pretty much stayed-in this night. The next day we would be transported to Civitavecchia, the seaport for Rome, about an hour and 15 minutes away, to board the Celebrity Edge cruise ship.
[Copyright Andy Richards 2022]O N THIS last day of 2022, it seemed fitting to reflect on this incredible photographic year, as well as looking forward to what 2023 will bring. When I wrote this same year-in-review post 12 months ago, I could hardly have imagined it could be an even more eventful year. But as good as 2021 was, 2022 has been amazing. It seems like I always used to do some kind of a wrap-up/thanks type piece. Last week, I posted my “favorites.” This is more of a revisit of some of my experiences in this eventful year – both traveling and at home.
FIRST THOUGH, I want to say not only HAPPY NEW YEAR!, but also THANK YOU to all that read this blog. Looking back, we have had some big travel years. And we have had some that, though they were not so big, were very fulfilling, photographically. 2022 was full and fulfilling. May 2023 only be better! I think maybe 2022 yielded some of my best ever images.
Messina, Sicily [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]TRAVEL INSPIRES most of my shooting these days. A quick look at my portfolio over 40-plus years has revealed to me that a high percentage of my images were made during our recent travel years; and are travel-oriented. I have been revamping my archival tagging system and was surprised (though not shocked) to see that my digital archives number just under 50,000 images. My lifetime count is certainly higher than that. My “tracking” is not completely accurate. I began the more serious endeavor of photography in 1977 and for the first 25 of those years, I had a less than optimal archiving system. Since moving to digital, I have archived everything. By my calculations, I have made an average of about 2,000 images per year over the past 21 or so years. Part of that increase was no doubt the fact that we could shoot with relative impunity, once we no longer had to purchase film and processing (I have actually tried to make a concerted effort over the past few years to make fewer images and be more thoughtful in the field about what I shoot). I once had file boxes of color transparency slides, of which I only scanned and saved a few. And, sadly, that was mainly only from the mid-1990’s on (I know I made some nice photographs in the earlier years – 1978-1982, especially. I didn’t do a good job of archiving. I have only one or two of my slides from the 70’s – 80’s, and virtually none of the work – mainly B&W – I did while on the college newspaper and yearbook staff). I think they call that “young and dumb.” 🙂
EVEN when I am out around home these days, I am spending more time on street shooting and cityscapes these days. So, it stands to reason that my roundup of this year will be mostly those subjects. Still, I did get some time behind the lens for just landscape shooting, and those opportunities were pretty special. A combination of increased travel (4 trips outside the U.S. and one dedicated trip in the U.S.), playing with some new photographic gear (purposed for travel), and perhaps some pent-up, post-Covid attitude, mean more images for me than usual this year (just under 7.000 images). This year’s take was by far the second biggest number I have accumulated over the past 20 years. The biggest (just over 8,000) was the year of our first cruise and our trip to Alaska. I had just acquired my first “full frame” Nikon DSLR, and I took many photos during the Alaska trip (too many).
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved
THE COVID Pandemic of 2020-2021 put a serious damper on things for all of us. I don’t think we are alone in our sentiment that we could not wait to get back out there. We started “gently” in October-November of 2021. This year we hit the ground running, with 3 cruises, a 20-day land-based trip to Portugal; and I made a week-long trip to Maine in April to photograph lighthouses. I also spent some time kicking around my “backyard,” here in the Tampa Area. I will post some “highlight” photos of each trip. There were so many. As always, they can all be seen at my photo website,LightCentricPhotography.com.
JANUARY
IN JANUARY, we took a cruise in the western Caribbean. This one wasn’t a long cruise, but it marked our first time in the Caribbean in several years. It was also our 4th trip on what has become a favorite ship: The Celebrity Reflection. It was fun, and relaxing. We made stops in Nassau, Bahamas; Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Belize City, Belize. Interestingly, all but one (Belize City) were on small islands off the mainland of these countries.
From our Cruise Ship, we could see the familiar sight of the Atlantis Resort Nassau, Bahamas [Copyright Andy Richards 2022] All Rights Reserved]OUR FIRST port of call was Nassau, Bahamas. I didn’t do a huge amount of photography during this cruise, but I was trying out a new “travel” camera system, so I did carry it around and make a few images. My expectations were not high. I was mostly checking it out for usability and image quality (more on that later). There were at least 5 cruise ships in the port, including The Disney Fantasy, Royal Caribbean’s Fantasy of the Seas, and two Carnival Cruise Line ships. Busy port.
We were in “heady” company while docked at Nassau [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE NEXT stop was Cozumel, Mexico. A place I had never been to. We did not plan any excursions at all on this cruise (a bit unusual for us, but perhaps less so in the Caribbean). Our “plan” was to get off the ship at each port, walk around a bit, and then re-board. This cruise was really more for the cruise ship atmosphere than anything else. I am sure the beaches, snorkeling, diving and those kinds of beach-sports activities are wonderful in Cozumel. As far as the cruise port and immediate vicinity is concerned, I don’t care if I never see it again. There are vendors in every port in the Caribbean, both in the port area itself, and usually in other parts of the city. I have been to many ports in the Caribbean. The vendors are pretty forward and vocal. But usually if you politely say: “no thanks,” they move on. Not in Cozumel. They were aggressive to the point of harassment. They just would not leave us alone. I couldn’t wait to get away. Ironically, I did buy a T-shirt in Cozumel (one of the few times I have bought anything on any cruise other than food). 🙂
Cozumel, Mexico [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]BELIZE WAS just kind of underwhelming. I think I only processed two shots from there (one of which, it shouldn’t shock you, was the local Sen’or Frog “monument”). In Roatan we didn’t even get off the ship (that is probably the first and only time we haven’t at least walked off and looked at the onshore activity. I was able to make some shots from the ship and with some cropping, make them look a bit “nicer.” I am really not trying to be elitist here. I think there is plenty to do there, if you do your homework before you leave (and we really didn’t on this one). I also think getting to know the people, island and culture would be interesting and fun. But it looked very run-down where we docked, and I don’t think just getting off and walking around was really going to gain us anything. If we ever went back, I would certainly want to find some kind of tour. I really would have liked to do something related to the cigar-making industry, but I think that is mostly done on the mainland of Honduras. My take-away from all of the western Caribbean stops was that they were very beach, snorkel or diving-oriented. I have a friend (who is apparently more adventurous than me) who did Roatan’s version of “Hop-on-hop-off busses” (by his description, “ancient, recycled Toyota mini-vans with doors removed”) and took a river boat to a Mayan Ruin in Belize. Maybe we should have planned a little better. 🙂
Belize City, Belize [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]Roatan, Honduras [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]
MARCH
IN MARCH, one of my sisters (one of 5 sisters and a brother) and her husband came to Florida to “thaw out” (they live in Traverse City, Michigan, where we all grew up) for about a week. They did their own thing part of the time, but we did a few things together, too. Have you ever noticed that when people visit, you tend to go places and see things locally that you either do not do, or never have done? St. Petersburg, Florida has a small, but very cool glass/glass-blowing art museum. We visited it one day, and because I knew it was inside, I took only my Samsung S21 Smartphone. I have remarked numerous times here that – for myriad reasons – smartphone cameras are “not ready for prime time” for most serious photographers. But I have also noted that I am impressed with them and for me they work particularly well in an indoor setting with challenging lighting. I made a few images I liked. I even had some fun playing with a couple to make a composite.
Composite from Images made at St. Petersburg “Imagine” Glass Gallery [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]
APRIL
IHAVE had coastal Maine on my horizon for years now. In 2009, my buddy, Rich and I and our wives spent a week in October in Bar Harbor. Our primary destination was Acadia National Park, but we spent a fair amount of time driving to other spots in the area. I got my first glimpse of the Maine Coast that year, as we photographed several Lobster Fishing harbors and the Bass Harbor Lighthouse. These are my kinds of landscape scenes and I really wanted to get back. Having now finally done it in 2022, I want to go back again soon. I have posted only a couple here. There are many more images, including 5 lighthouses and several lobster harbors on my Maine Galleries,here.
Portland Head Light Cape Elizabeth, Maine [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]TIMING IS everything. Rich works for a company in Michigan that owns a subsidiary company based out of Freeport, Maine (very near Portland). He travels there frequently, and I “piggybacked” on one of his trips (he worked earlier in the week and then took a few days off) and our base of operation was in Portland. But the only time we could mesh schedules was in April (May or October would have been preferred, because of Spring blooms and/or foliage). But we made the most of it. Because of the time of year, we knew our best bet would be to concentrate on lighthouses. And fortunately, there are some really picturesque light houses along mid-coast Maine. We also knew there would be some limited opportunities to shoot lobster harbors.
Lobster Boats Southport, Maine [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WEATHER WAS not our friend that week, for the most part. That is unusual for me. I seem to be blessed with good weather most of the time. This trip yielded mostly overcast to cloudy skies, which make photography much more challenging. But there was really only about one half-day complete rainout, and so we got out and took advantage of what we did get. And with what I think is the most photogenic light of the group, at Pemaquid Point Light, we lucked out one afternoon. It had rained all morning and had been cloudy with some showers the balance of the day. We had planned to head back to Pemaquid just to see what happened. Our weather apps predicted partly sunny by late afternoon to early evening. Eventually, we could see signs of clearing to our west. But temperatures were also dropping. This created fog at the seashore, which is a double-edged sword. We could either get some “cool” foggy images, or it would be completely “socked” in. We would see. As we pulled into the parking lot, we could hear the waves pounding (which was quite different from the still, but cloudy morning when we were there a day or two before). And then, almost suddenly, the cloud cover broke and late afternoon blue sky and sun pierced through. We got some great images of the lighthouse and reflection. I also made some nice images of the violent wave break, down on rocks we had climbed on the prior morning.
Pemaquid Point Light Bristol, Maine [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]
MAY
JUST BEFORE I left for my Maine Trip, our friends and neighbors, Bruce and Joyce, invited us to join them on a 20-day trip to Portugal later that Spring. Portugal was one of the few significant countries in Mediterranean Europe that we had never been to, and with our love for travel, we jumped at the opportunity. Flying into Lisbon on May 18, we spent the next 4 days there. Our hotel was right in the center of the Baixa (a low, flat part of Lisbon – probably the only flat part, LOL – kind of a valley between two mountains). Our hotel was a perfect location, within easy walking distance to many of Lisbon’s popular spots. Out our front door was a grid of walking-only streets. During the afternoon and evenings, there was outdoor restaurant seating, which we frequently availed ourselves of. During the day and at night, the streets were busy. In the mornings, they were often nearly deserted. Nearby, there were plazas and fountains, and the riverfront. Of course, I was out every morning. Again, so many images. Shots of intimate small street settings, Towers. And the Jacaranda Trees were in their glorious purple bloom everywhere. See many more very cool Lisbon images on my LightCentricPhotography photo site, here.
Lisbon, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]LIKE MANY European cities, Lisbon is very mass-transit oriented. Probably the most popular of their public transportation vehicles is their well-developed tram system. This includes the rather well-known “Tram 28” which makes its circuit through many of the city’s most popular areas. All-day and multiple day (often combined with other transportation forms like subway and bus) fares are available at really reasonable cost. It is a good way to see central Lisbon. The only downside is that if you do so during the main hours of the day, it may be very difficult to get back on if you get off. We waited in line for about 4 trams before we were able to get on one at the beginning. Then, they fill them up. But a fun and interesting ride, anyway.
Tram; Lisbon, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]DURING OUR stay in Lisbon, one day we traveled out into the eastern part of Portugal, to Sintra. It is best known for its two famous Castles, Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle. Unfortunately, our tour did not include (and we did not know better) the Moorish Castle. I have vowed that on the next trip to Portugal we will go back there. But Pena Palace is pretty spectacular and very colorful. Again, my one image here does not do it – or the area – justice. To see the rest of the Sintra and Pena Palace shots, gohere.
Pena Palace Sintra, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]FROM LISBON, we traveled North to Porto, (probably the “namesake” of Portugal, and one of the most photogenic cities in Europe, in my view). This city is special to me on a number of levels. First, I fell in love with “old city” feel. I also loved the food. But most of all: the photographic spots there! Because we were there for so long, I felt comfortable going off and doing something just for me on this trip. 🙂 I found a nighttime photo walk in Lisbon and signed up for it. It was a good outing and we did some pretty nice photography. It was very reasonable in cost. But probably the best thing that came from it was our guide’s suggestion that I contact another photo-tour guide in Porto and spend a day with him. It was my good fortune that he had a time available for me – and that I was his only customer that day! He took me to spots that I may never have found on my own, and certainly not within the time frame of a couple days. What a day. Perhaps my best city photographs ever. I think that, among other things, has convinced me That Porto is perhaps my favorite European city (maybe tied with Barcelona). Choosing a favorite is impossible. So again, I encourage you to look at allmy Porto Photographson my LightCentricPhotography photo site.
Porto, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WE MADE a couple side-trips from Porto, including the Douro River Valley, and Aveiro.
Aveiro, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE SECOND night we were in Porto, I walked down to a researched site about 10 minutes from our hotel, to set up and shoot a nighttime image of Porto, along the Douro River, with one of its prominent bridges. I would like to get back there someday earlier and try to make a sunset image. But this one will have to do for now.
Porto, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WE SPENT another 4 days there, before heading south. On one of those days, we traveled out to the famed, Douro River Valley, where Port Wine was originally made, and where many of the grapes are still grown. The large, famous Port makers have mostly moved closer to Porto. As you can see from my gallery, The Douro Valley is spectacular.
Douro Valley Scenic Overlook Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]MY WIFE and I also traveled by train one day to nearby Aveiro. Once known for its fishing industry, and its unique and colorful, gondola-style boats, which were used to gather seaweed brought in for fertilizer for its farm fields, Aveiro today thrives primarily on tourist trade and the local university. Down near the waterfront you can take one of the above boats for a cruise around the canal. The waterfront itself is fronted by some wonderful, art nouveau buildings. It was a short walk from the very modern railway station and there were some very colorful photographic sites. You can a few more of my Aveiro shotshere.
WITH A stop in the ancient walled city of Evora for two nights, we then finished our amazing time there in the Algarve (a pretty popular and even famous ocean beach area) in Lagos, Portugal. Evora was once the center of Roman and then later, Ottoman control of the region which eventually became Portugal. There are ancient castles, churches, a wall surrounding the old city (our hotel was inside the walled city), a huge aqueduct, and many examples of the architecture of the times. See more Evora pictureshere.
Evora, Portugal [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE ALGARVE is a region in the south of Portugal, that mostly borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. Particularly along the southern tip of the peninsula, there are several very popular beach communities. Tourism and summer residents are a large part of the economy there, but there is also fishing, agriculture and other related vocations that contribute to the economy. It is so very different from what we saw in Lisbon and Portugal. But picturesque, if not touristy, and very fun. And the seafood was wonderful. The rest of my Algarve Pictures are inthis gallery.
Lagos, Portugal The Algarve [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE PHOTOGRAPHIC opportunities in Portugal (especially Porto, in my opinion) were as good as I have ever experienced. We haven’t done a lot of extensive land-based trips, so this was an uncommon experience for us. And for me, a welcome change to the travel routine. The one real negative for me with cruising – as a photographer – is that you only very rarely get to experience a location in the best light (early morning, late afternoon-evening) and almost never at night. Shooting cities at night can be pretty fun for a photographer. Here, I knew there would be several such opportunities, and some pretty nice landscape shots. I was not disappointed, and I am certain there will be another visit to Portugal in my future!
JULY
AS WE have customarily done since moving to Florida, we spent 2 weeks back in Michigan visiting family and friends during the 4th of July holiday. I don’t usually spend much time “behind the lens” on these trips. But this year, my sister and brother-in-law took us on a drive to the Lake Michigan Lakeshore – some of Northern Michigan’s prettiest scenery along Lake Michigan and some inland lakes. One of our stops that day was the Point Betsie Lighthouse on Lake Michigan. In my view, not one of the most photogenic of lighthouses, which we were at in rather harsh lighting conditions, I still made a few images.
Point Betsie Lighhouse Frankfort, Michigan [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]
AUGUST
WE WEREN’T done yet. Not by a long shot. At the beginning of September, we left for Amsterdam. We were scheduled to cruise the Baltic Sea on the Celebrity Apex. A “makeup” cruise of sorts. In 2020 we were scheduled for a cruise in Iceland, Ireland and the U.K. Covid shot that one down and we then went through a series of 3 or 4 “re-bookings,” one after another, they cancelled as Covid hung on longer and stronger than the world had anticipated. This one finally “took.” It actually had me kind of excited because the overnight stop was St. Petersburg, Russia. What photographer wouldn’t be excited at that prospect? [Warning: soapbox speech 🙂 ] In the past century, we have had two narcissist, power-hungry, and just downright insane characters who fancied themselves “world leaders.” Both obsessed with nothing but their own power. Neither had any common sense, sense of morals or decency. One of them was the prime mover in perhaps the worst and least – justified war in the world’s history (certainly modern history). Thankfully, (though only after much horrible death and destruction, including the attempted extermination of a whole race of people), the first one is dead (presumably at his own hand in the face of defeat in WWII). The other one is – to the world’s detriment – still alive. Much of the world saw, after the fact, the horrible atrocities Hitler wrought, but confoundingly we either cannot see history repeating itself, or we are just too complacent to address it. Vladimir Putin is, in my (ever so 🙂 ) humble opinion, Hitler reincarnated. The parallels are stunning. I ask myself every day how one man can have so much evil influence worldwide? [O.k. I’ll climb down off the soapbox]. Needless to say, St. Petersburg was scratched from the agenda after Putin’s War began.
Wind Turbines Amsterdam, Netherlands [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WE WENT anyway, even though nearly 50% of cruisers on this one cancelled. Yeah, St. Petersburg was a big deal. But not enough to cancel a cruise that turned out to be a pretty interesting part of the world. We spent a couple days in Amsterdam, and then cruised up into the Baltic, stopping in Germany, Finland, Sweden, Estonia, and Denmark, before returning to Amsterdam. Amsterdam had a kind of “been there, done that” feeling to me as far as photography was concerned. We did some really interesting historical tours though. One of the most impressive parts of the beginning of that cruise was the sail away through the northern passage from Amsterdam out to the Atlantic. I expect to see windmills in Amsterdam. The old-fashioned kind. But I was surprised at the number of modern wind turbines around the Netherlands (and other parts of the Baltic).
Warnemunde, Germany [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]O
UR FIRST stop was in the northern part of Germany, in a seaside, beach-vacation town of Warnemunde. We had no high expectations from this stop, and I think the best photos were right from the top deck of the cruise ship. There are just a few other “Warnemunde” imageshere. We cruised northeast across the Baltic over the next couple days, and landed next in Helsinki. One of the really fun aspects of cruising for us has been meeting new friends from all around the world. In 2019, before the world shut down, we met two fun couples from the northern part of England. We spent some time with them during the week, both on and off shore, and have kept in touch. This time, we met several more couples from the U.S. and Canada. One of the really fun couples is Mike and Elaine, from upstate New York. We spent a fair amount of time with them, also. I had breakfast nearly every morning with Mike. We actually have plans to cruise with them again in February, 2023 in the Caribbean. In Helsinki, neither of us had hard plans, so we got off the ship together and boarded the Helsinki “Hop on – Hop Off” bus (which stopped right in the cruise port, just steps away from the ship). We had a fun day. Helsinki is geographically fairly small and I think we probably saw most of it from the bus. We only got off right down in the downtown area, where most of the historical sights were. In my research, I learned that Helsinki was probably going to be the closest we would get to a St. Petersburg experience. Czar Alexander had a fondness for Helsinki after the Russian occupation and authorized some pretty extensive building, including Senate Square and the Helsinki Cathedral. There is also a beautiful Russian Orthodox Cathedral nearby. The waterfront is fun and impressive. I made just a few nice Helsinki images, which can be seenhere.
Helsinki Cathedral Senate Square Helsinki, Finland [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE REPLACEMENT port for St. Petersburg was the medieval town of Visby, on a small island which is part of Sweden, called Gottland. We took a walking tour through the old walled city, learning some history, and seeing some very old buildings. It is a pretty and photogenic city, as can be seen in my Visby Gallery.
Visby, Sweden [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WE NEXT sailed to Tallin, Estonia. Tallin is a small, walled medieval city. It is known as the oldest such city in the Baltic. It is unique in that it was at one time two separate walled cities that abutted each other so closely that the walls formed a narrow walkway between them. The inhabitants did not trust each other, and gates were closed during the night. Estonia was occupied by Russia (and later the USSR) for many years, and the Russian influence can be seen there. Estonian Citizens are also very independent and proud of their own heritage. Tallin was once an important and strategic port on the trade routes (an important part of The Hanseatic League). Today, it is a favorite vacation and nightlife spot – especially for the Finns and Swedes. There was a lot to photograph there, as you can see from the Estonia gallery here, on my website. The Russian Orthodox Church is probably the most impressive church I have ever photographed. There were many other good photographic opportunities here, as you can see from my Estonia Gallery.
Russian Orthodox Cathedral Tallin, Estonia [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]IN PLACE of the overnight in St. Petersburgh, Stockholm became our overnight destination. But even that changed, as, during our stay in port, the ship captain announced that we would be leaving port in the early evening the night before to avoid some bad weather conditions (so we missed our overnight – and our visit to the ABBA museum). One thing I didn’t realize prior to the cruise was that the sail into Stockholm from the Baltic involves a narrow waterway that it takes several hours to navigate. I think that was the highlight of Sweden! We got to see much of rural Sweden with some pretty nice landscape opportunities from high up vantage point of the upper ship deck. As you might guess, I spent a good amount of time on the upper deck for the sail in and back out. My numerous shots can be seen in mySweden Gallery.
Sweden [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]STOCKHOLM ITSELF is a major city, with very large, impressive municipal buildings and an old medieval part of the city that was very touristy and crowded. My favorite photographic subject in the city was the Riddarholmen Cathedral.
Riddarholmen Cathedral Stockholm, Sweden [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE FINAL port was Copenhagen, Denmark. If I were “king of the (Celebrity) world,” I would have made Copenhagen the overnight stop. A bit like Helsinki, Copenhagen is a compact and very walkable city. And it has some wonderfully photogenic buildings, as well as a great waterfront. We had arranged a walking tour with our friends Mike and Elaine. It started fairly early in the morning, so we took a taxi from the ship into the downtown area, where we met our guide. After spending a few hours with her, we did a bit more walking and exploring on our own, including climbing (thankfully mostly by elevator) into a tower that gave us a great panoramic view, including the cruiseport and our ship. I thought the port area was also very photogenic and made a few images from the ship as we came into the harbor in the nice morning light. You can see my Copenhagen images here. There was a great Royal Palace Compound, the Government Palace, a University and Churches. I went there with one spot high on my agenda: Nyhavn. You can see from the photo why. I would love to go back there at night.
Nyhavn Copenhagen, Denmark [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]
OCTOBER
WE STILL weren’t done. 🙂 We had made plans earlier in the year to go on a cruise with some family members. Some of them had never been in Europe, or parts of the Mediterranean before. Some had been some places, but not others. Having been to the area at least three other times, there was a lot of familiarity for us. But there is always something different; a different spin; a different agenda, and different photographic opportunities. We made the best of some pretty great spots. We started in Rome, where we spent a few days before boarding the Celebrity Edge in Civitavecchia. We then cruised to La Spezia, Cannes, Toulon (Provence), Barcelona, Sardinia, Sicily, and Naples. On our return to Civitavecchia, we flew to Venice for a few more days, before returning home. Whew! Long, and at points exhausting trip. Photographically, there were some really high points!
Piazza del Popolo Rome, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]ROME IS a city we had been to two times before. But each time, only for the day. Having the luxury to stay for 3 nights in a VRBO right in Rome was special. And it meant I would get out in the morning light. I did not get any nighttime shooting in there, though. But during the days we got to see the Vatican (perhaps because of post-Covid and maybe the early morning tour, we got a much more intimate view of the place – on our last visit there were shoulder to shoulder crowds everywhere we were in Vatican City). We also had a much more thorough tour than our previous walk-through on our own, of the Roman Forum and the Coloseum. On the day we arrived, our driver took us to a couple impressive spots, including a fountain we had never seen before. And, of course, the Trevi Fountain (that was every bit as crowded as it was on our first visit). Having spent 3 plus days there, it would be impossible for me to choose a photo or two that would be “representative.” And everyone has seen the Colosseum, The Vatican, The Trevi Fountain, the Royal Palace, and the Roman Forum. All my images of Rome, including a number of new ones from this trip are inthe Rome, and Vatican Galleries, on my photo website. The image here is just a very short walk from our VRBO, taken just after sunrise one of the mornings we stayed there. It is probably my favorite Rome image.
Riomaggiore Cinque Terre, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]IWAS “laying in the weeds” for La Spezia. On our Mediterranean cruise in 2019, we had stopped in La Spezia. I knew about Cinque Terre back then, but I really wasn’t prepared to do it justice. And to add to that, we had a mostly rainy day. I got to just one of the 5 villages (Manarola). But it was a learning experience. Among other things, we learned about the commuter train from La Spezia through Cinque Terre, stopping at all 5 of the villages. There is an all-day ticket for 18 Euros. The time between stops is between 5 and 15 minutes. It is possible to do several (maybe all) of the villages in a long day. With a large group (we had 6) it is not always easy to get organized and going. Especially without a tour or specific plan. And especially when all in the group aren’t especially early risers. So, I made it known to everyone that I would be off the ship as soon as we were cleared and would meet them in one of the villages once they got going. That worked for me. I got to photograph what I wanted of 3 of the 5 villages, which I had concluded were the most photogenic of all: Riomaggiore, Manarola, and Vernazza. Those images can all be seen inmy Cinque Terre Gallery. The consensus of photographers whose accounts I read was that Manarola was the best of the 3 to photograph. I don’t know that I would agree. It is certainly photogenic. It is also, by far, the easiest of the three to get to, with the train station being very close to “the action.” And I do think it would be the village of choice to stay in for an overnight or two. But I really likedRiomaggiore!
Monaco [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]CANNES, OUR next port, is supposed to be a playground for the rich and famous. It seems like that is a common theme along this stretch of the Mediterranean known as the French Riveria. But we didn’t spend any time in Cannes, but instead 4 of us took a train to Monaco, where we walked to the Monte Carlo Casino. We had been in the Casino before, but it was still interesting to walk around, though we did not gamble. In the end I think we all mostly enjoyed strolling along the avenue leading up the casino and along the waterfront. We stopped for probably the nicest lunch we had during the entire trip.
Monte Carlo Casino Monaco [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE NEXT day, we docked at the port of La Seyne-sur-Mer in Toulon, France. About the only thing memorable about Toulon is that it is in the heart of Provence. Our private guide that day said that he was one of only two who would drive all the way to La Seyne-sur-Mer, because it was so out of the way. We were fortunate that he would, because he took us on a really great tour. Years back we had docked at Marseilles (no doubt a more convenient port for passengers and guides). We started out in a nearby National Park with some stunning views from up in the mountains, down over the riviera. We went to Aix-en-Provence (we had been there before in 2014, but the others had not). It is another beautiful old city with fountains, piazzas, churches and majestic buildings. We had lunch there and then headed back toward our ship. On the way we stopped at the medieval village of LeCastellet, a quiet, charming little village tucked up into the mountains. My Provence Gallery showcases a few of the images I have made in the Provence Region, including Aix-enProvence and LeCastellet. Perhaps the coolest photo-op I had in 2022 was the “right time – right place” shot of rock climbers preparing for their rappel down the mountains in the National Park.
Rock Climbers Provence, France [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]OUR NEXT stop was Barcelona, Spain. We have been to Barcelona a handful of times now, staying a few days each time. It is one of my favorite European cities (Porto, Portugal, being the other). But we had seen much of the city already. On our last visit, we had a tour to the nearby Montserrat Monastery and a winery that was cut short because of a Catalonian demonstration. We wanted to finish it, so my wife and I left the others to their own designs in Barcelona and returned to Montserrat: mountains northeast of Barcelona. It was a nice day. It started out quite foggy, but as our morning progressed, the sun broke through and I made what I think is a very nice photograph of the mountains behind the monastery.Montserrathas its own gallery on my website.
Montserrat Barcelona, Spain [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]AFTER BARCELONA, we went to a place we had never been to; Sardinia. A part of Italy, it, like so many of the European distinctive regions, has its own history, language and culture. It seemed to us that food was a big regional thing in this part of Italy. The next day we would be in Messina, Sicily and my wife and I took a food tour on our own. I didn’t make any real memorable images in either place this time, though I did post a few photos in the Sardinia Gallery on my website.
Pompei Naples, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]THE FINAL stop on our cruise was Naples, Italy. Again, we have been in port at Naples multiple times. One of the reasons it is a very popular cruise ship stop is its proximity to so many sought after sites in the area. From Naples we have been to the Amalfi Coast two times, and to the Isle of Capri. But the other big event is the ruins of Pompei and Herculaneum. We had not been to either and this was a long, but fun day visiting them. Each has its own gallery with many photographs in myItaly Galleries. I included the Pompei image here because of the classic clouds in front of Mount Vesuvius. These ancient, but sophisticated, civilizations are spectacular, and the preserved ruins include homes, shops, restaurants, displaying impressive stonework and mosaics. They are rivaled only – in my experience – by the ruins of Ancient Ephesus, in Turkey.
Doge’s Palace Venice, Italy [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]VENICE IS another incredible European city that we have been to multiple times. I have often described Venice as “eye-candy” for the photographer. On this trip, I concentrated less on shooting everything in front of me and more on some of the little things – as well as enjoying the city with our friends who had not been there. As always, I made a few images. You can see all my Venice images in the Venice Gallery on my photo website.
DECEMBER
YOU WOULD think that would have been enough. But there would be one more fun and successful adventure. When we moved from Michigan to Florida, in stages, over the last 10 years, I learned that an old high school classmate was an avid photographer, and a 30-plus year resident of Tampa. We touched based a couple times and vowed to get together to do some photography. Finally in early December, knowing the city would be dressed up for the holidays, I reached out to Mark, and we ultimately got together – him being my local guide – to make some really good images of the Miami Skyline. It was fun, and we plan to do it again soon – somewhere in our area. I just set up aTampa Galleryin the past few days, with many more of these nighttime skyline images. Hope you’ll check them out and enjoy them. And I would also encourage you to check out Mark’s work here.
Tampa Skyline and Bridge over The Hillsborough River Tampa, Florida [Copyright Andy Richards 2022 All Rights Reserved]WELL. THAT’s my year in pictures. The images shown here are not necessarily my “best” nor by any stretch of the imagination, all of my take for 2022. They are meant to show what I had to work with. I would be honored if you will go to my LightCentricPhotography photo site, peruse some of the galleries, and leave a comment or two. I am very thankful for a robust, healthy (in spite of the Pandemic), and very full year of travel and photography. I wish all a successful and Happy New Year!Good shooting to all you photographers out there.
Best Regards,
[On Monday, we begin 2023, flying to Cape Town, South Africa, for a few days and then boarding the Oceania Nautica, for a cruise “around the horn,” so to speak. On returning later this month, I will resume our 2022 experiences, with the Baltic Cruise series. Hope you will hang on. Stay tuned.]
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