Florentine Fog

It’s hard to find motivation to get out and shoot these days. The energy I have for creativity – or really anything at all – is pretty low, but opportunities like this to shoot Florence when it’s this foggy only happen once or twice a year, so if I know it’s this foggy outside I try to take some photos. There’s a certain eeriness to it all, a shroud of mystery, a hovering silence that flows throughout the city – in particular along the arno that is unmistakable and it’s rather fitting considering the circumstances to be honest. From where I live in Santa Croce you can’t really tell that there is a dense fog in the city because of how narrow the streets are here. From my windows it could just be a typical rainy or overcast day.

Usually on days like this I see the fog when I’m out walking Banksy – or just happen to be out for another reason. When I see it’s a foggy day I’ll usually either adjust my plans to include some shooting time, or hurry home to get my gear so I don’t miss the opportunity. Rush to slow down, as it were – as moments like this are also just really unique and interesting to experience all on their own – with or without the accompanying creative photographs I’m able to capture.

During a foggy Day in Florence I typically start walking from San Niccolò, and I walk along the river until ponte alla carraia before crossing over and heading back. For whatever reason it seems to me like this is where the fog is the most dense, and there’s also the highest concentration of interesting subjects to capture along the way. Notice in this image that you can barely make out anything on the water, but if you look hard enough you can actually see two people on a small boat paddling through the dense white air.

There is actually only one work of art that I’ve created so far that captures the beauty of a foggy day in Florence, which I called Florentine Fog. It’s actually the first work of art that my Mom purchased from me, and to this day it’s hanging in her office. It’s also the largest print I’ve ever created, as I used this image in particular as a test to find the limits of the resolution my camera could produce. That print proof in particular is also mounted on the wall of my studio since getting rid of it seemed like a waste since it’s such a cool image – and also the first of its kind.

Florentine Fog

Florence, Italy

Continuing to walk along the river I ran into one of my friends and stopped to take her photo while she admired the seagulls flying by. It’s so peaceful here – just watching the birds, barely being able to see very far into the distance also makes you more aware of what surrounds you. Walking through the dense fog makes me feel grounded and free of the distractions and weight that life can bring. I do not fear the unknown, and for a moment everything just disappears and I’m just left with purity, space, and possibility.

Later that night I decided to take my camera into the city center and captured some scenes around the Uffizi Gallery and Piazza della Repubblica. Not even chilly nights filled with fog and mystery can calm the spirits of youth. Here are some hand-held long-exposure snaps for your viewing pleasure.

Cheers until next time- Scott