Rome !

Ok, I have never been to Rome, I am staying in a central location.

Looking for advice regarding locations to shoot, I will mainly be on foot but am happy to grab a taxi to any locations.

 

Any ideas of where to shoot ?

 

I know its a very open ended question but as mentioned its my first time in the city and any help would be very much

appreciated..

 

Sunny.

There are some no brainer locations (Vatican, fountains, coliseum, etc) but how long will you be there? If you have time, there are also some nice locations outside the city. BTW, it's a stunning city to photograph at night, too.

Rome is a very photogenic city. My advice: get out and walk around. Photograph what you see.

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Any guidebook could tell you about places like the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps, and a host of other monuments. Rome has a rich history of monuments, plazas, and churches, perhaps unmatched anywhere else in the world. It's darn near impossible to walk more than a couple of blocks in the city center without running into a major tourist attraction. You could rent the movie "Roman Holiday" and photograph all the locations where the movie was filmed. The problem is, you're not likely to come back with much original work if you follow that strategy.

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So what's your goal? Postcard views? Then go to a postcard rack and either buy the postcards or just look at how they were shot and go to those places. You can get some beautiful pictures that way. But if you want originality, you'll have to go out on your own.<div></div>

I am only there for 2 nights..

I want "my take" on the postcard images, no laughting at that remark ;)

 

Are taxi cabs cheap ?

Well, "cheap" is relative so I don't know how to answer that. I wouldn't call cab rides in Rome cheap but I have certainly seen less expensive.

 

Speaking of cabs, don't expect your driver to be a tour guide (though there are cabs you can hire for that purpose). Their English is usually limited and they are focused on one purpose....... getting you from point A to point B. Sit back, relax, and get some quick snaps from the cab as you get around the city.

That is the plan, use cabs from A to B.. :)

I was there recently for only a couple of days too, and it's nearly visual overload

 

Would advise tying onto a tour of the Vatican, people go around the square asking "who speaks English", the guides are authorized, and they give you lots of good info, as well as "jumping" the line. Ditto the Coliseum, and Palatine Hill and the Forum

 

Get a good map and a guide book, lots of places are moderately close to each other. Take a water bottle: any spigot or drinking type fountain you see is potable water, and you'll need it.

 

You'll probably miss plenty, but don't worry, you'll hit more, it's a feast

Ah, Roma! It is very difficult to photograph the well-known sites and not produce 'postcards,' but it can be done. I was there in March and shot this at the Coliseum (flickr link; <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/jacobelianaphotography/2335945589/" title="Coliseum Screams by ByRachel, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3233/2335945589_49d0d49b8f.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="Coliseum Screams" /></a>

 

Now, many don't like this shot, and I only post it to show that you can shoot the well known in an unusual way.

 

 

You might try Ostia Antica (a short train ride from Rome near the airport). There are wonderful ancient ruins there as well as a medeival burg (the hotel Rodrigo de Vivar is there).

 

Enjoy!

On my list <p>

<ul>

<li>Pantheon - incredible. You might as well take in the Spanish steps while you are at it...

<li>the Bernini fountain in Piazzo Navona (The 2 others are cool too!)

<li>The little church in the Piazza Venezia across the street from the ruins of the Trajan Forum (San Marco?). This is sort of overwhelmed by the 'typewriter' (Victor Emmanual Memorial) but has cool mosaics.

<li>The ancient Roman city walls (all over the city- usually in the middle of a road.)

<li>St Peters Square and Basillica

<li>The forum. - I particularly like it when it is raining.

</uL>

Paraphrasing an article in the NYT:

 

http://frugaltraveler.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/wandering-beyond-classic-rome/index.html

 

How could you see even half of Rome's sights in just a few days and on relatively little money?

Decide not even to try - and be liberated. Simply wander, heeding only the whims of your feet, the dictates of your budget and the call of your stomach. Accomplish three things every day, be content. If you missed something big, well, you could always go back in a year or 10. There's a reason they call it the Eternal City.

 

Good advice. I had only two days, once.

Cheers everyone,

Andrew, the list is great cheers. and thanks for all the info its really great and helping me to focus..

 

I have only 2 days.. so its up early and late to bed I think !

@Andrew - is the Pantheon close to the Spanish Steps? If it is, I can't believe I missed it.

Don't forget St. Peter of the Chains! An easy walk from the Coliseum, this dumpy little cathedral houses Michelangelo's Moses. And then a very short walk to Moses' bar.

I suggest doing what most of the world does-

 

Get a DK (Dorling Kindersley) Guide to Rome. It is profusely illustrated in color with good advice on access, etc.

 

Decide what you are interested in, and go to it.

 

There are lots of wonderful hotels, often in old palaces, near the Vatican, etc.

Get a DK (Dorling Kindersley) Guide to Rome.

Do you know where he can get one from 14 years ago so he can be current? :):):)

Do you know where he can get one from 14 years ago so he can be current?

True. But perhaps somebody from after 2008 will find this thread (as MTC somehow did).

https://www.amazon.com/DK-Eyewitness-Rome-Travel-Guide-dp-0241510635/dp/0241510635/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

 

The OP can go to :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Insider's Guide to Rome

 

Time distortion has degraded my shot from ca 450 CE

Edited May 4, 2022 by JDMvW