Night photography Archives - Richard Spurdens Photography

Photographing Rome at night was the only real option I had during a recent visit to the city.

A visit to the city of Rome had been on our list of places we wanted to visit for a while now and when the chance came up to combine it with a fashion shoot and masterclass organised by Valentina Feula, founder of Fashion Artwise Productions we planned a short visit.

As we arrived on the Friday afternoon and given that I would be shooting all weekend at a location outside the main city centre, I decided to go out and photograph the city at night.

Photographing Rome at night gives you some different images to the normal and gives you different challenges too. You really need a tripod once the sun has set. I had my trusty travel tripod the 3 Legged Thing Brian with me so that came out to help with the longer exposure times. After sunset, the colours from the lights at the locations offer an opportunity to make some different images of some of the iconic locations available, but the exposure times drop and hand holding becomes an issue.

Going into the city centre and exploring the locations, involved taking the metro into town and choosing a station from where to explore the popular locations on foot to see what night photography was possible

travel photography - travel photographer - Image of the eculator lines on the rome metro system — Richard Spurdens Photogaphy – Rome visit series – Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R 1/60sec @ f 2.0

The Spanish steps covered by the tourist crowds

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome this one from the spanish steps with the crowds of tourists covering the majority of the steps — Richard Spurdens Photography – rome series – the crowded Spainish steps – Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R 1/60 secs @ f / 8.0

Photographing Rome at night I expected that there would be fewer people around at the popular locations, that was certainly a wrong assumption as you can see at the Spanish steps.

The side street gave a few opportunities for some street photography too. This lady was certainly not interested in anything but her phone !

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome this one a street image spotted on a side street a lady sitting on a chainlink fence lost in here phone (february images) — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome visit series – a instagram moment – Model: Fuji X-T2 Lens: XF18mm F2R 1/125 secs @ f / 8.0

The crazy Piazza Venezia roundabout, with cars appearing to come at you from all directions yet it seems to work.

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome this one taken a the piazza roundabout howing cars negociating the roundabout in the evening light — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome series – the piazza roundabout at night – Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

When the Piazza Venezia roundabout is almost free from cars you get the chance to see the impressive Monumento Nazionale building

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome this one across the piazza venezia roundabout showing the impressive Monumento Nazionale building lit up by the buildings lights photographing rome at night — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome series – venezia roundabout with the Nazionale flood – Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

Crossing the Piazza gets you up close to the Monumento Nazionale building – to its impressive and imposing statue and the carving around its base. The blue lights made this for me.

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome showing the impressive Monumento Nazionale building lit up by the buildings lights photographing rome at night — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome series – Monumento Nazionale building – Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

A short walk took me to the Trevi Fountain square which contains the wonderful fountain and even bigger crowds considering this was around 20:00. Here I chose to include the visitors in my shots. Very difficult to exclude them really.

image from the trevi fountain square shoot around 20:00 still lots of tourists stood in front of the fountain (february images) — Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome this one from the trevi fountain square shoot around 20:00 still lots of tourists stood in front of the fountain — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome series images – Trevi fountaino crowds I – Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R.

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome this one from the trevi fountain square shot around 20:00 still lots of tourist and on lady is standing out as she poses for a picture in front of the great fountain. — Richard Spurdens Photography – rome visit series – Trevi fountain II – Camera Data. Model:X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome this one from the trevi fountain square shot around 20:00 in the bottom are three tourist one is taking a phone picture the other two are looking at the results of the self they took in the back ground is the fountain lit by the flood lights — Richard Spurdens Photography – visit to rome series – Trevi-fountain crowds-III -Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mm F2 R

A sign of the times with a very obvious police presence at this popular tourist spot, and other places too.

travel photography - travel photogarpher - image from the trevi fountain square shoot around 20:00 still lots of tourists stood in front of the fountain showing the crowds and the police keeping a watchful presence — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome visit series – The trevi fountain and its crowds – Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

image from one of the main shopping streets showing a couple walking hand in hand against the on coming cars (februay images) — Image from a visit to Rome in Center, on February 162018. Photo: Richard Spurdens …………Camera Data……….. Model:X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

Some of the side streets had good colours and the street lights gave them a different feel.

travel photography - travel photographer - image showing interesting colours of the walls in the side streets of rome shot at night and illuminated be the street lamps — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome visit series – Model: X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

Spotted the orange coloured windows and the arrow and then the guy went out into the middle of the road for some reason.

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome shot from behind a street food seller he is selling warm chestnuts and is illuminated by his stands lights in the back ground shopper walk be with there warm coats and shopping bags — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome visit series – ..Camera Data……….. Model:X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome this one shot at night shows a set of columns illuminated by the flood lights surrounded be the modern building of rome — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome series images – …………Camera Data……….. Model:X-T2 Lens: XF18mmF2 R

The Rome columns and ruins gives an interesting foreground to the iconic building lit by the flood lights.

travel photography - travel photograher - colour image from a visit to rome a night shoot of the rome building lit by flood lights against the dark night sky. — Richard Spurdens Photography – Rome visit series ruins be flood light Model:X-T2, Lens: XF18mmF2 R

The orange glow from the flood lights gives this set of building a different look.

Final image for this blog is of a street artist working with spray paint to produce fantasy type art images