The Masks of Venice
They glide silently through the crowds at San Marco, remain for a moment, adjust position and then move on, like glimmering colorful appearances from a different time and world. One source says the masks in Venice started at plague times, when doctors wore long beaked masks with herbs in them, to protect themselves from the pestilence. Another sources says that masks were introduced to help young noblewomen cheat at Carnevale on their, usually, much older husbands. Whatever the truth might be, masks are the signature of the Venice carnival. They are easy to spot, and that is meant to be, because, like a flock of pigeons, they are followed by crowds of camera snapping tourists. Masks are everywhere during Carnevale in Venice. You can see them in the streets, courtyards, and even on the vaporettos, the city’s public boat buses.
Masks on the vapretto
But the surest way to run into a mask is on San Marco. If you hoped, that you would snap this excellent once-in-a-lifetime picture of a mask on an empty San Marco square in front of the ducal palace, well so did roughly 10.000 other tourists that day. That’s just to manage expectations. But there are things you can do, to make your mask photos so much better. Here are a few tips:
Know your camera: the light conditions on San Marco change from light to shadow, the masks move between those conditions. If you have to fiddle awkwardly with your ISO settings, if you don’t know how to change your AF points, you will be lost. Like in any changing condition, you will have to adjust your camera fast. Look up shortcuts to the most important settings and use them.
Use a zoom lens: Prime lenses are great, but you will not have the time to back up or go closer to get the perfect shot. Especially coming closer is a problem. I saw a guy get his camera in a mask’s face until he was almost at a two noses’ length. Don’t be that guy!
Bokeh is your friend: You cannot get rid of the crowds, but if you shoot with a wide open aperture, you can blur them out.
Be polite: Remind yourself that you are not the only one wanting to take good pictures of the masks. Don’t push, just move in a different position, and when you have taken your shot, move out of the way that other people have a chance as well. And don’t run into their line of sight, while moving away!
Be patient: the masks will do what the masks will do. They move when they want to move, they stop when they want to stop. They are NOT your personal model! Don’t block them. Don’t yell at them to look your way. If you follow a mask, they might even go on a dock at the waterway, and THEN you are hitting the jackpot, because you will not have any people in the background.
The masks of Venice are unique in this city. They are to be enjoyed by all, regardless of number. I am grateful to the men and women who are wearing them the opportunity to see them and put them on picture.
