The Eye Is Your Guide

If asked by a viewer of fine art what to focus on or notice about a photograph such is this one I made in Venice, I say, “Whatever you’re drawn to. Let your eye guide you. There is a pull you will experience and if you allow the waterway’s sway or the man ushering the gondola or the overall scene or any other compelling element to prevail, this image will belong to you.”

Each viewer will have a different response. Some people will find it sad and haunting, others will find it inspiring. The response is everything, plus being curious about how we came to an understanding. For the viewer interested in learning information about the location’s history, I provide context on my website. This photo, for example, shows the Bridge of Sighs spanning the Rio Palazzo waterway. Hand-crafted in the 1600s from white limestone, the small expanse connects the Prigioni Nuove, the “New Prison” to the Doge’s Palace, in which are the interrogation rooms of the prison. The bridge’s name, “Ponte dei sospiri,” refers to the soul’s sigh, which can be mournful and weary or romantic and satisfied.

Venice is so beautiful. It seems imaginary but is not. How amazing is that? I am returning in May and will likely find new areas to explore. One of my practices is to just walk, to head out without any agenda. Inevitably, I find remarkable things. Much like the viewer “recommendations” I make, I simply look and find I am drawn by something that sparks a response. I can’t say what it is ahead of time, but I know it when I see it.