A Day at Venice Carnevale

Venice banned its Carnival, or Carnevale, as Venetians say, in 1797 and went almost two centuries without it. Since the revival in 1979, the masqueraders have come back every winter, and as Marco Secchi puts it, Carnival runs on habits and routes that repeat each year. Marco, a photojournalist and the author of a book on the Venice Carnival, knows where the costumed figures gather at each hour, and which arcades and bridges turn a costume into a scene. This private, eight-hour day starts in the dark, before first light, at a place where the first masqueraders arrive. From there, Marco follows the Carnival across the city, photographing the costumes and masks and the human scenes around them, and explaining the history and social life of the festival as you go. You also catch the Carnival between locations, such as baroque figures riding the vaporetto or a gondolier in work clothes rowing a masked couple. Short stops for cicchetti and a glass of Prosecco break up the day.

Carnevale rewards photographers who show up at the right moments, and most visitors arrive at the wrong ones, at midday, in the thickest crowds. Marco has photographed it for years and works with the masqueraders, making eye contact and asking for permission when needed. In his words, the best Carnival portraits come from collaboration, not conquest. There is also the fun of being part of centuries of tradition as it evolves today, and of seeing how Venice’s architecture is made for Carnival, as the masqueraders long ago discovered. On your own, you’d likely come home with the catalog shot, a mask centered against a busy background. Marco looks for what he calls the story shot, a gesture or reflection that says something about the moment. “Timing beats speed,” he says. His guidance suits any camera, phones included, and any level. For a curious traveler, a day with a photojournalist of his standing is rare, and Marco is good company, full of stories.

Marco Secchi is a Venice-born photojournalist who began his career in 1980 and has worked on assignments from papal visits to royal events. His book The Venice Carnival (2011) collects his photographs of the festival, and he writes about Carnival and street photography in various publications. His approach is documentary: he is as interested in the Venetians going about their day during Carnival as in the costumes themselves. In the rare event that Marco is unavailable, one of his experienced associates leads the day, following the same route and approach.

A DSLR or mirrorless camera, or the equivalent, with one or two lenses, ideally a fast prime for low light; a phone works too. No tripod is needed. Spare batteries and memory cards. Warm, waterproof layers and hand warmers for the cold, damp hours by the water. Comfortable walking shoes since you'll be on your feet all day. ** If you already have a 7-day vaporetto (water bus) pass, let Marco know in Fernwayer Chat so he doesn’t buy duplicate tickets.