Approaching Burano Italy

This picture of a small ferry boat, laden with tourists, is about to reach and land on Burano, a small island in the Venice Lagoon in north-east Italy. My picture was taken with a Leica Digilux 2, nearly 20 years ago, though there are few hints of its age. (See if you can spot any).

The Burano skyline has been unchanged for years. Traditional fishing folk live in painted houses beside canals criss-crossing the island. Tourism is their lifeline. It is claimed that the house colours aid recognition when the fishermen return in inclement weather. Whatever the reason, they make for colourful photographs.

The leaning church bell tower is due to ground settlement and goes unnoticed by many tourists. It is more evident from afar and is claimed to be no risk to human life.

A wide-angle lens setting was used in order to include a hint of the camera's position. By including a few of the passengers it helped tell the story of the trip to this highly picturesque Italian island. Vestiges of boat maintenance add to the authenticity of life on the island. A good zoom lens, like the Leica Vario-Summicron 28-90 mm equivalent, was perfect for travel photography. It is able to cope quickly when alternative viewpoints are severely curtailed.

Did you spot the clues which rather date this rediscovered photograph from the early days of digital photography? Well the most striking clue is the total absence of smartphone cameras. They had not entered the field. Second, only one conventional compact camera is evident. Its boxy shape is a hint of an earlier age. But only to the eyes of a keen photographer. I expect there are also clues in the tourists’ attire. Fashions change subtly.

For those interested in my journey back in time, see my original article here