Tag Archives: urban

Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Santo Spirito Toilet

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Santo Spirito Toilet
Two Florence doorways, one leading to the “Santo Spirito Toilet.”

Santo Spirito Toilet. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Two Florence doorways, one leading to the “Santo Spirito Toilet.”

To arrive in this area of Florence you could cross the Ponte Vecchio (or other convenient bridge across the Arno) and walk a few more blocks. It is still a busy area, but the further you get from the Arno the more the tourist traffic diminishes. It was certainly not gone in this spot, but it was not the crowded scene that you encounter north of the Arno in the old part of the city. We were exploring a small square when I noticed the strange and seemingly-unfortunate name of the doorway on the right…

I think the the area is known by the “Santo spirito” name because of a nearby church. Logically I can understand how that name ended up being applied to other features in the area. But “Santo Spirito Toilet?!” Since people here likely know that they are in the Santo Spirito are, perhaps it would have been sufficient to erect a sign that just said “toilet?” Ah, well, who am I to say?

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Photographs: Croatia, Photographs: Europe, Photographs: People, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Woman Crossing The Square

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Woman Crossing The Square
A woman crosses a square early in the morning, Trogir, Croaita.

Woman Crossing The Square. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

A woman crosses a square early in the morning, Trogir, Croaita.

This past August I had the double good fortune to be able to photograph in Trogir, Croatia and to spend a morning photographing there with my friend Franka Gabler, who was brought up there. This town was all new to me in most ways, but it was familiar to her. We started photographing around sunrise and spent a few hours wandering narrow streets and visiting the waterfront… until we finally stopped for coffee and to sit out a brief rain shower.

The stone construction is typical of Trogir and other places we visited in Croatia. (It is not secret that the architecture and colors of European regions often reflects that the occupants had available for construction — and here it was stone.) The two of us paused near this entrance to this small square, hoping to have just the right figure move through the scene. Things often happen quickly in street photography, and I had just a brief moment to squeeze off three exposures as this woman walked through the square.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

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Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Italy, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Bike Rack and Wall

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Bike Rack and Wall
“Bike Rack and Wall” — A bike rack in front of a wall covered with graffiti and street art, Bologna.

This photograph comes from a less-traveled (at least by tourists) back street in Bologna, Italy, in a neighborhood of narrow streets and walkways that seems like it might be where some of the locals actually live. There was, indeed, more street art and graffiti in this neighborhood, though this is perhaps an extreme example.

Several things drew me to this scene. Oddly, one of them was the connection between the light here and light that I have photographed in the narrow sandstone canyons of the American Southwest, where light bounces back and forth between reddish walls and acquires a warm softness. But the rest of the scene is, obviously, nothing like those natural landscape. a phalanx of bicycles crowds a wide rack, and the wall behind and above is plastered with a wild array of posters and graffiti.

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G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him. Blog | Bluesky | Mastodon | Substack Notes | Flickr | Email

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Photographs: Europe, Photographs: Night, Photographs: Portugal, Photographs: Travel, Photographs: Urban/Street

Elevador de Santa Justa, Night

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Elevador de Santa Justa, Night
Upper entrance to the Elevador de Santa Justa at night, Lisbon.

Elevador de Santa Justa, Night. © Copyright 2023 G Dan Mitchell.

Upper entrance to the Elevador de Santa Justa at night, Lisbon.

Every city has its particular, unique thing that tourists are supposed to visit, and the Elevador de Santa Justa is on the short list in Lisbon. It is a striking structure, originally built to ease the passage of Lisbon citizens from the city’s lowlands to neighborhoods in the hills. While it was a technological marvel back then, today is is more of a visual icon than a practical way to get around. Word on the street is that the wait to ride it is probably not worth it. Rather than stand in those lines, we simply walked to the upper level in the evening when it wasn’t crowded at all.

I made the photograph at night from the walkway that goes to the top of the elevator structure. The actual elevator lies just beyond the lit area and the ticket machine. You may notice that there are not only fences along the sides of the walkway, but that the area is entirely enclosed. If you visit you will understand… and if you have a fear of high, exposed places you may not want to visit! On the other hand, the panoramic views from the top are remarkable, especially in the evening and at night.

G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” is available from Heyday Books, Amazon, and directly from G Dan Mitchell.

Blog | About | Twitter | Flickr | Facebook | Email

Links to Articles, Sales and Licensing, my Sierra Nevada Fall Color book, Contact Information.

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All media © Copyright G Dan Mitchell and others as indicated. Any use requires advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.