Summer photo shooting in Florence
We can do good photos even on the summer
Sometimes the intense heat doesn't let us think very well. It was a hot summer day in Florence and I needed to drive a couple of Americans for a photo shoot with good views of the city.
Doing this in the early afternoon carrying a backpack with about 6kg of equipment made things a bit more complicated.
But one of the coolest things when you work with photos of couples in love and in a city that is all about love, art and history, is that once you start making beautiful photos in such iconic places you get a good dose of encouragement to keep going no matter what the weather conditions are.
And as soon as I introduced myself to the couple and we started the photo shooting in Florence everything flowed very naturally and in the end they really liked the result: being driven by a local photographer with explaining a bit of the main points of the Renaissance city along the way and having your passionate record in this scenario is something that customers value a lot.
Milan is fashion
A fashion photo shoot for an NYC blogger on Instagram
Among the largest and best-known cities in Italy, each has its own peculiarities. If Rome, Florence and Venice preserve an atmosphere that harks back centuries of history, Milan has a touch of modernity. The business centre is also one of the world's leading cities for fashion.
Near the Cathedral of Milan is the Fashion Quad, a set of streets that concentrate the most famous brands in Italy and the world.
On a cloudy day I met the New Yorker Jenn Notaro, for a photo session whose photos would illustrate the launch of her fashion blog on Instagram.
Honeymoon photo shoot in Venice
Honeymoon 1 hour shooting in Venice
With a consistent reduction in cases of covid-19 across the country, Italy is once again re-establishing tourism by allowing travellers from some countries, including the United States, Canada and Australia. The most popular destinations remain Venice, Florence and Rome, with the Veneto Capital seemingly the favourite for honeymooners.
Alyssa and Lucian came from California to spend their honeymoon in Venice, and we had the pleasure to photograph them. They chose the 1 hour photo package, which is enough to cover most of the major sights of this beautiful city. When we schedule the photo shooting I try to identify with the clients the kind of photos they are looking for, if they are more fun or romantic, posed or spontaneous, and so the travel photographer in Venice can define the best route and times to suggest and make the experience as pleasant as possible without giving up a beautiful photo gallery to remember the dream trip.
Welcome to Europe - PLF!
Welcome to the web-based application for the European Digital Passenger Locator Form (dPLF).
Cinque Terre photo shooting
Important information
At the moment only passengers entering Italy are currently needed to complete a Passenger Locator Form via the EUdPLF application (https://app.euplf.eu/).
Travelers to other destinations should follow national entry requirements.
Information for travelers with Italy as destination country:
All passengers wishing to enter Italy, via all means of transportation, will be required to complete the digital PLF (https://app.euplf.eu), prior to entering the country.
Domestic flights do not need dPLF
One form must be completed for each adult passenger; accompanied minors can be registered on the form of the accompanying adult. In the case of unaccompanied minors, the dPLF must be completed by the parent or legal guardian before departure.
Check the Italian Ministry of Health for further information: https://www.salute.gov.it/portale/nuovocoronavirus/dettaglioContenutiNuovoCoronavirus.jsp?lingua=italiano&id=5411&area=nuovoCoronavirus&menu=vuoto&tab=10
For entry related requirements (and not for platform questions), only if the information cannot be found in the website, please email at coordinamento.usmafsasn@sanita.it (Only for travelers with Italy as destination country)
EUROPEAN DIGITAL PASSENGER LOCATOR FORM (dPLF)
Welcome to the web-based application for the European Digital Passenger Locator Form (dPLF).
The European Digital Passenger Locator Form (dPLF)
Passenger Locator Forms (PLFs) are used by public health authorities to facilitate contact tracing in case travellers are exposed to an infectious disease during their travel by plane, ship (cruise/ferry), rail, bus or automobile. Information that travellers provide in PLFs can be used by public health authorities in destination countries to rapidly contact travellers, with the goal of protecting the health of travellers’ and their contacts, as well as preventing further disease spread.
Countries that require completion of PLF are currently using paper-based passenger locator forms or have developed national online systems. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a web application for a European Digital Passenger Locator Form (dPLF) was developed to facilitate the use of PLFs during cross-border health threats. This digital format will allow for easier and more rapid data collection and exchange between stakeholders, making contact tracing more effective and efficient.
In the future, travelers entering a country that choose to use the European dPLF web application through air, maritime (cruise or ferry), or land (train, bus, car) transport means may be asked to complete a digital Passenger Locator Form for their travel using the European dPLF web application.
Who has to complete the digital Passenger Locator Form?
In case a family is traveling together, only one member of the family will have to complete the PLF. The details of the rest of the family members should then be included in this PLF. The same applies to groups travelling together. Only one person from the group should complete the PLF and the details of the rest of the group members should then be included in this PLF. Note that this applies only to families and groups of people that will take part in the same activities and stay at the same place during their visit to the destination country.
Processing of personal data
Before you fill in your PLF, you will be asked to read the Destination’s Country Privacy Policy for you to be informed about the collection and processing of your personal data for the purposes related to the European dPLF.
For any further information or questions related to the European dPLF system, please contact: eudplf@healthygateways.eu
Are you coming to Italy? The best memories of your travel deserves memorable and lovely photos.
Book your Photo Shooting here!
Surprise Proposal shootings are back!
Surprise photographer for proposal in Italy
We are getting requests for surprise proposal photos again. This kind of photo is always a challenge because it is, in fact, a surprise and we need to be close without giving the impression that we are photographers. To be present in front of these kind reactions is a great gift for our work.
I can't remember exactly when was the first time I photographed a surprise marriage proposal. But I remember that as soon as I received the request, I loved the idea and days before the photos I was already anxious. I was a Secret Photographer for Proposal.
It was an idea that came naturally, to suggest being close to the scene as a tourist (and not as a photographer). Thus, the couple would position themselves in the place that I had previously indicated and the groom would ask me to take a picture of them with his phone.
I would readily accept and ask them to take a photo looking at each other. That was the "key" for the groom to get down on one knee and propose.
Over the years there have been more challenging situations than others, but the result is always surprising, and fortunately until today all requests have been accepted! :0)
If you are thinking of making a surprise proposal in any city in Italy or Europe in general we are at your disposal to discuss the details and choose the best scenarios with you and keep the occasion a surprise until the moment of unveiling.
Italy about to liberate wedding receptions
On the ministers' agenda a date for the wedding and tourism sectors
"Many future spouses and wedding operators have written to me and I reassure them: the government is working on it and based on the trend of contagions we will soon give a date for the resumption because weddings must be planned in time. And the same goes for sport. Already in the week there will be meetings with the CTS (Technical Scientific Committee) to give dates to these areas”.
Thus the Minister for Regional Affairs and Autonomies, Mariastella Gelmini, to 'Domenica in' on Rai 1 TV Channel.
Minister of Tourism: curfew reviewed soon
Tour operators rejoice at the words of the Prime Minister, to which must be added the reassurances of Minister of Tourism Massimo Garavaglia on the green pass ("I have asked EU Commissioner Thierry Breton to extend the European pass to third countries"), on the curfew ("I am reasonably confident that the measure in the short term can be favorably reviewed") and on vaccines ("once the fragile population has been vaccinated, it may be appropriate to make assessments also for tourism operators").
From: Ansa and Quotidiano Nazionale
Pic Space & Art - Our Gallery
Organizing the portfolio and enjoying images that were hidden in HD, we designed a project to bring these compositions to life.
Hello my friends!
Most of you know that I work here in Italy mainly with photoshootings for travellers and weddings. I love to travel and get to know new cities, new sceneries and different cultures.
In these last months with the travel restrictions, I was organizing the portfolio and enjoying images that were hidden in HD, so we designed a project to bring these compositions to life.
All these images represent a particular moment, of contemplation and appreciation of scenes in their different manifestations that change with the angle, with the season and the sensitivity we have in capturing them. So, I present to you our gallery in a virtual release.
It will be a space on my website that many of you already know. Just go to raulsantos.net and click on the "store" menu.
To make it easier to publish new images and updates, I created a profile in Instagram and a page on facebook.
I would like to invite you to visit this space and, for those who identify themselves, to consider exposing this little piece of Italy in their homes or offices.
For now we are offering 3 printing formats: photographic paper, Fine Art printing on Hahnemühle paper and Canvas 100% cotton. The canvas comes ready to hang, no frame needed. All values are shipping included.
Thanks again to everyone, I see you there!
Theaters closed? Stage moves to the countryside
In Alghero (Sardinia) shows in the green and sitting on hay bales
ALGHERO - Is Ignazio Chessa here or is he here? Where does the fiction, the staging, the performance begin? Impossible to say. Algherese, 58 years old, is an artist in permanent service. Fears, fears, disappointments and bad moods - sadness, even - belong to him as to anyone, especially to those like him who have a civil and political conscience, especially to those who live on art and culture, all the more so now that everything is still, distances complicate live performances and musicians, theatres and artists in general are last among those who are waiting for a real return to normality.
Ignazio gets up in the morning, wears the best smile, rolls up his tongue, trains his incessant fabula and devotes himself body and soul to projects that, in their simplicity, are always extraordinary. The last one is called "AgriTeatrí. Theatre, music, food and arts", a series of events between theatre, music, poetry and fairytale. The stage that hosts it is an agritourism. The armchairs? Bales of hay "numbered, sanitized anatomical", jokes the creator of the shows - the first two were sold out - which will go on until mid-July. The company that has taken up the challenge of the actor, director, author, auctioneer, ringleader, presenter, comedian and more is "I vigneti". Municipality of Olmedo, formally, but in fact it is in the great countryside of Alghero.
With the generosity of those who believe in what he does, the determination of those who do not bend their knees in the face of difficulties, with the obstinacy of those who are dreamers beyond all reasonable limits, he moved to the open countryside the activity that, after an artistic life without a fixed abode, had condensed in his penultimate genius: Lo Teatrì, a 25-seat wedding favors obtained practically in a garage, at most a small business, at 85 Via Manzoni, in Alghero, the city where he lives and loves without reserve.
"Lo Teatrì now moves outdoors", says Ignazio Chessa at ANSA. In addition to the "I vigneti" company, there are the many who participate to get the local entertainment industry moving again. And there was a crowdfunding with good results. "Many people with a common effort put their professional skills to work to offer an honest, generous and special product, wishing to recover serenity and cultivating the hope of succeeding," he explains. For 20 euros you get the show, a glass of wine to welcome you, and the final tasting of some typical Sardinian cuisine. "Participating you have fun and help to distribute small savings among the professionals, artists and technicians, who participate in this experience," says the man who can not stand still. More than wanting to, sometimes things just need to be done. (ANSA). Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)
Di Gian Mario Sias, ANSA Agency
Capalbio (Tuscany) relaunches with a rich program of events
Small borgo in Tuscany prepares cultural activities for July
CAPALBIO (GROSSETO) - Music, cinema, books, theater, art: this is the content of Capalbio's summer program, promoted by the Capalbio Foundation and under the patronage of the Municipality.
The event starts on 11 July with the Karima concert and ends with 'Arte & vino', wine and food itineraries of the cultural association 'Il Frantoio' and 'Capalbioèvino'. Among the events, there is also space for poetry with an evening - July 18th - dedicated to Dante and curated by Stefano De Sando.
There will be traditional appointments with 'Capalbio books the pleasure of reading' (from 4 to 8 August) and the 'Capalbio international prize piazza Magenta', scheduled for 29 August. Visitors will then be able to admire artistic (for example, the 'Augmented liberty' exhibition) and cinematographic (with the screening of films in the context of the Lux prize, of the European Parliament) on 24 July.
All events are free admission: to participate you must respect the social distancing and use the mask. "This summer poster represents the debut of the Capalbio Foundation activity - explained the president Maria Concetta Monaci - which was born on the eve of the lockdown and which therefore could not work on some projects that we had put in the pipeline. summer calendar that we propose, and which is created in collaboration with the many people active in the area, however, wants to be a signal for the community ".
According to the mayor Settimio Bianciardi, with this initiative "the season of events represent an important result not only because they are able to put together a quality offer that can enhance existing experiences and new appointments, but also because in this moment of health emergency that we are experiencing was not so obvious to be able to define a summer billboard ".
Information from Ansa.it
Rome by Night
Sometimes we have the nice opportunity to photograph Rome at night
Rome is one of my favorite cities for night photography. Most of the monuments are lit up. And if during the day we are astonished by so much information or looking for the directions on GPS, in the evening some landscapes change and leave these monuments, or part of them in evidence. The Trevi Fountain, one of my favorite spots, is a must-see at night.
Some narrowest streets in Trastevere or around the Pantheon, increase their charm with the restaurant lights. There are many of them that only open for dinner, and with the tables outside, some streets are completely transformed. Of course, the flavors of the pasta and pizza dishes contributes a lot to this very inviting atmosphere.
I don't live in the city. So, when I have a photo shoot in Rome scheduled in the morning, I usually go the day before and take the opportunity to go out for dinner to take some pictures.
A visit to the Rocchetta Mattei Palace
160 years of history, Moorish architecture and alternative medicine
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of visiting the Rocchetta Mattei Palace, in the Emilia-Romagna region. I saw that it was possible to arrive by train from Bologna. So, I made the reservation a week in advance and hoped for a sunny day. The road from the Riola Station to the Palace is very pleasant, it is about 1km, which you can do in just over 10 min. At the beginning there is a bridge with a beautiful landscape with the river and trees. The Palace is over 160 years old, has been neglect for decades, and was recently opened to the public, after a long and thorough restoration. The complex's creator, Count Cesare Mattei (1809-1896) started Rocchetta's work in 1850 while developing a new technique in medicine called “electromyopathy”. Still unfinished in 1896, when the Count died, the works would only be completed in 1920. The most evident architectural style is the details in Moorish art inspired by the Alhambra Palace and the Mosque of Cordoba, Spain. It is an invitation for those who appreciate architecture, with many contrasts, colorful rooms , many details of Hispanic art. Visits to the Palace only take place on weekends and it is necessary to buy tickets in advance on the official website at a cost of € 10 (full ticket). All visits are guided in Italian and organized in small groups of up to 6 people. The train ride (Bologna-Riola) lasts 57 minutes and costs € 4.75.
https://www.rocchetta-mattei.it/
L'importanza della fotografia e del marketing immobiliare
Una buona strategia di fotografia e marketing è un pezzo molto importante del ruolo immobiliare
Una buona strategia di fotografia e marketing è un pezzo molto importante del ruolo immobiliare. La maggior parte degli acquirenti cerca su Internet, e avere foto / video eccellenti è il modo migliore per mostrare la tua casa o il tuo appartamento e generare interesse.
Con i prezzi degli immobili in vendita nelle principali città italiane relativamente alti, come Milano, Firenze, Roma e Venezia, è opportuno che venditori e agenti utilizzino un fotografo immobiliare professionista e una strategia di marketing ben ponderata e pianificata. Gli agenti generalmente considerano le spese fotografiche solo una parte dei molti costi di marketing associati alla vendita o affitto di proprietà.
La prima foto che gli acquirenti vedono sulla vetrina dovrebbe essere una fantastica immagine esterna o uno splendido scatto interno che attirerà la loro attenzione.
Catturare la cucina ristrutturata o l'elegante pietra intorno al camino attirerà un acquirente a cercare maggiori informazioni sulla tua proprietà. È altrettanto importante scattare foto al momento giusto in modo da non creare ombre sulla stanza o altri difetti.
I migliori fotografi sono sempre disposti ad accogliere gli agenti e i loro venditori e fare la fotografia al momento ottimale per ogni proprietà
È importante che le proprietà vengano fotografate, sia ripresa di interno o esterno, ogni stagione. Se una casa ha foto scattate in inverno con la neve a terra e vedi ancora quelle foto invernali nella lista della proprietà in estate, non è una buona impressione sui potenziali acquirenti che la proprietà non sia desiderabile o sia stata sul mercato troppo lungo.
Ogni proprietà ha una storia da raccontare che è il componente chiave della sua presenza online. Quando assumi un agente, assicurati di assumere professionisti che fanno molto di più che scattare foto verticali su iPhone a casa tua. Gli agenti dovrebbero collaborare con professionisti del marketing e fotografi per posizionare la tua casa per ottenere la massima esposizione, venduta al massimo valore, nel minor tempo possibile.
Quarantine days
This quarantine due to the coronavirus has been quite a complicated period. An isolation that seems to have no end.
Cinque Terre, April 2019
Last November, after almost two years of steady growth in work here in Italy, I returned to Brazil for vacation. I was happy to see my family and some friends and recharge my batteries for a 2020 that promised to be even better. My return to Italy was scheduled for the beginning of February.
Since January, the news about the new coronavirus in China has started to increase and there was a concern as most of the customers come from Asian countries. There would probably be a reduction on the part of this audience. When I arrived at Bologna airport and all the passengers had their temperature checked, I realized that the issue was more serious than I imagined. Luckily I managed to do some jobs that were already scheduled for February, but at the end of the month the increase in cases of contagion in Italy already gave a notion that the epidemic was out of control. Since then, all communications related to my work were cancellation requests. I had 2 clients who wrote saying that if the borders were open they would like to keep the sessions and would do everything possible to make this happen. It was undoubtedly an encouragement, but unfortunately it was not confirmed.
At the beginning of the pandemic, probably in a phase of denial, I no longer watched the news, whose content was 100% coronavirus. Then I started to get information and look for news that gave a little hope. We still don't know how far this goes. Here in Italy, the numbers seem to be starting to give way. Even so, April will probably be another month with no funding. The feeling of these days is to be a little depressed, missing my family and worrying about the lack of work. I take the opportunity to study some English, in which I am still very limited and will certainly help me when we go through all of this. Meanwhile, we continue to hope for a cure and the well-being of all!
Catriona Gray in her "Little Venice"
Catriona Grey in her “Little Venice” in Milan
This week we had the pleasure of photographing the very kind Catriona Gray - Miss Universe 2018 representing the Philippines.
She would like to visit the Navigli district in Milan, also known as "little Venice".
We walked along the canal and chose some nice spots for the photos, during Milan Fashion Week 2020, in collaboration with Sweet Escape.
Thank you Catriona!
A lovely surprise from US
I had dealt with the photo shooting with a client named Michelle. It was a family shooting through the streets of Florence. Then on the day of the photos she sent me a message saying there would be a surprise proposal from her son, Patton, for his girlfriend. It was a lovely surprise that I am pleased to present to you.
Caroline hen party
Caroline and friends, a hen party in Rome
12 Parisian friends in Rome to celebrate Caroline's hen party. A Rome different from the main touristic itineraries, walking through the streets of the Trastevere district and Jewish Ghetto.
Best places to photograph in Florence
My selection of places to photograph in Florence in Vacation Portraits, Surprise Proposal and Honeymonn sessions
When we think of a destination in Italy, Florence can not be left out. The capital of Tuscany could be simply recognized for its cultural richness associated with the Renaissance. But it is much more than that. Most attractions are nearby and the city is flat, being possible to do everything on foot. A little out of this rule is the Piazzale Michelangelo, a must see to appreciate the city from above. Even so, with a bit of disposition it is possible to walk up the hill leading there, or use some public means or taxi. The other points are all at the Arno River level.
I do not like to think about fixed routes. I prefer to have the points that I must see and follow a more dynamic, free path, according to the flow that the movement of the city offers.
What I usually do in the Photo Sessions and Surprise Pproposals is to ask if customers prefer the monuments closest to the Duomo to Ponte Vecchio or start from the top, and go to river, always with views that have the Ponte Vecchio as background.
Thinking in terms of Tourist Photography we will not delve into the significance of each monument. Each person has different criteria to define what is most important and can not miss in his collection of images in each city. Michelangelo's David, at the Galleria dell'Accademia, is one of my favorite monuments in Florence. But it is not an issue addressed as it is an enclosed museum. Although it is possible to photograph inside, I can not imagine how to compose portraits with clients.
This is a selection of mine, probably very similar to many others offered by route suggestions in Florence, but which I assembled from photographic work with clients and walks around the city at different times and seasons of the year. Let's go to them!
Duomo, Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore
An american couple at the Florence Duomo
Due the great proportions of the Cathedral, we can create innumerable positions next to it. The three colors of marble, the large entrance door, the dome of Bruneleschi allow us to produce a wide range of images. For those who make a point of capturing the piazza del Duomo without tourists it is necessary to arrive very early, like 6am in the morning.
Santa Croce Basilica
Silvia and Eduardo, from Brazil, at Santa Croce square
Besides being a beautiful church, it is an excellent option for those who want to avoid large crowds and get angles more remote with the whole church in the background, because there is a large piazza in front of. It is worth to follow the events of the city because the space is used for local fairs and is the stage for the famous and contested "Calcio Storico Fiorentino".
San Miniato al Monte
It is also a beautiful marble façade. Getting there can be a bit tiring for walkers. You need to climb the hill that leads to Piazzale Michelangelo, walk a little further to the right and still climb the entire staircase of the basilica. All the effort is rewarded by the view, more "clean" and higher than the one we have at Piazzale. It is the preferred point of the clients for the Surprise Proposal sessions.
The view from San Miniato al Monte
Ponte Vecchio
One of the classic postcards of Florence, can be pictured with walks along the bridge, capturing a small piece of Bruneleschi dome in the background, and is also great for photos with the river. Leaving a little of the bridge and walking the side streets we can explore angles with the bridge in the background, one of my favorite photos.
Sunset at Ponte Vecchio
Ponte alle Grazie
Outside of the traditional tourist circuits, it allows views of the river and centralizing the Ponte Vecchio in the background. If you're lucky, depending on the cloud formations, it's great to insert more "sky" into the photos, especially at sunrise and sunset.
Ponte alle Grazie view
Santa Trinita Bridge
Worth the same mention in Ponte alle Grazie, but on the opposite side of the Ponte Vecchio.
Piazzale Michelangelo
The most traditional point to see the city from above is also the most crowded. If you just want to have a top view and do not care about the crowd this is a great option. And since it's not all photography, after a few clicks, if you have time to contemplate the sunset, it's really fantastic!
Piazzale Michelangelo
Piazza della Signoria
Maybe it's the best "open air museum" that you will have the opportunity to visit. The large statues are an invitation to mount portraits of the most varied points of view. As it is one of the most touristic places in the city, here creativity must speak louder. One tip I would give is to photograph in half body, from the bottom up.
Piazza della Signoria
Galleria degli Uffizi
The central space, a kind of "patio" formed by the design of the building in "U", is great for those who like to photograph architecture and geometric shapes. Columns and exterior corridors also offer good possibilities.
Florence is much more. These are some points that easily come to mind when customers ask for suggestions. But what makes a collection of photos really special is to "live" a little the Fiorentine atmosphere. Stop to enjoy a spritz, a glass of Chianti or a delicious homemade gelato. Many façades of small shops are true movie sets. Allow yourself to walk quietly and you will certainly be rewarded with the best memories of the Tuscan capital.
Photoshoot in Milan
Our first photoshoot in Milan, at the Duomo
A few days ago we did the first photo shooting in Milan. Last year we had photographed a wedding. And it was very different from the other cities here in Italy. Undoubtedly, Milan is the least "rustic" city, comparing in terms of architecture with Venice, Florence and Rome. Not less attractive for a vacation photographer who seeks a good background on every wall whatever the city. The Arch of Peace is a very imposing monument, and a few steps from Sempione Park, great for those who like photos with a bit of green, nature, lake ...
Going towards the Duomo, we pass by the charming quarter of Brera, with shops and restaurants that lend some of the picturesque Italian air away from the modernity around. If we are lucky or have time to wait for one of the classic yellow buses on the rails we will have a very iconic photo.
After all this there are still two of the main points of the city, the Duomo and the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery. In those hours it is good to let the imagination work to obtain original photos and that show the greatness and majesty of this cathedral.
Photoshoot in Milan, at the Duomo
Honeymoon Photo Session in Florence
An american couple in honeymoon on the streets of Florence
Portraying people on travelloing was not an idea when I started working with photography. But really, being in a Country that holds much of Unesco's world heritage, and in a city that breathes the Renaissance, it was not surprising the tourist appeal that has Florence. Then the requests for travel photos began to appear, and it was amazing from the outset to imagine the compositions that could make with this wealth of scenarios.
The biggest challenge for anyone who had never studied English was the language. And it still is, as you can see by the failures of my text. Fortunately, photography has its own language and does not need to be fully narrated. And Emilee and Mark, a couple of Americans, collaborated a lot for their honeymoon session. We walked through the streets of Florence without pretension of obligatory places and monuments, we just defined some points along the way to take as a sweet memory of your trip.
