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Vicenza II
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Vicenza II

(Intro from Vicenza I)

Most of the times I went to Italy, I went on my own because I’d always wanted to see for myself what all the raving was about.

When I went to Vicenza in 1994, it was to do a calendar for Bank of Vicenza. 

I was very excited about it because they picked one photographer each year and I was told they gave the photographer a free hand.

I was to do two shoots, six months apart so we could have different seasons.

Now, Palladio was a very famous Renaissance architect in Vicenza and the surrounding areas. They we’re very proud of him.

I shot the first shoot, went home to edit the pictures. I didn’t send them anything but told them I’d bring them myself the next time I came back to Italy to shoot. (I don’t trust the mail and I’d heard particularly bad horror stories about the Italian mail.)

When I returned six months later and made my tightly edited presentation, there was quiet in the room.

Finally Mr. Big in the group explained (very gently) that all the pictures were excellent but there were no Palladio buildings in there anywhere.

Time for me to explain (very gently) that they were know to give their photographers a free hand and I found that the whole area of Vicenza was exciting to me. It was a vibrant area full of life, not a historical repository of Palladio buildings, but a living, breathing place and anyway you’ve had Palladio buildings in your previous calendars and this would break new ground.

I sat down. He got up and said, "Va bene", which basically means alright, it’s OK.

I breathed again.

I did the second part of the shoot. I photographed people, landscapes, details, farmland, churches, whatever I felt like shooting.

At some point I was photographing a house reflected in a river with water weeds as an integral element. Alberto Gasparotti, who was accompanying me on some of the shoots was watching me. I stopped and asked him, “Is it OK to shoot this or is there any problem ecologically with my showing all the reeds in the water?”

He looked at me and said, “You like it, you think it’s beautiful, so you shoot it. Va bene.”

At that point I realized that for all my protests of independence, all my commercial work had so socialized me that I was worried about things that I should not have worried about.

This experience did have a big part in influencing me to stop doing commercial work soon after that.

The calendar worked out well and they liked it so much I made a third trip for the exhibition of the photographs in a museum.

Overhead at Market, Flowers, Vicenza
Overhead at Market, Flowers, Vicenza
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Field, Farm, Trees Through Fence, Vicenza
Field, Farm, Trees Through Fence, Vicenza
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Red and White Markers on Sticks, Vicenza
Red and White Markers on Sticks, Vicenza
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Medieval Wall and Buildings, Vicenza
Medieval Wall and Buildings, Vicenza
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Trees and Buildings, Blue, Vicenza
Trees and Buildings, Blue, Vicenza
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Branches and Soft Buildings, Vicenza
Branches and Soft Buildings, Vicenza
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Two Windows Covered with Shade, Vicenza
Two Windows Covered with Shade, Vicenza
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Skull and Crossbones on Red Sign, Vicenza
Skull and Crossbones on Red Sign, Vicenza
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Intercom Buttons, Vicenza
Intercom Buttons, Vicenza
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City Through Trees, Vicenza
City Through Trees, Vicenza
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Golden Lion, Blue Background, Vicenza
Golden Lion, Blue Background, Vicenza
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Winter, Tree, Grey Sky, Vicenza
Winter, Tree, Grey Sky, Vicenza
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Overhead of Valley and Farmland, Vicenza
Overhead of Valley and Farmland, Vicenza
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Tree and Pattern of Farmland, Vicenza
Tree and Pattern of Farmland, Vicenza
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Wide Shot of Farmland, Vicenza
Wide Shot of Farmland, Vicenza
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Aerial Perspective of Bushes, Trees, and Farmland, Vicenza
Aerial Perspective of Bushes, Trees, and Farmland, Vicenza
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Steeples, Haze, Wide Shot, Vicenza
Steeples, Haze, Wide Shot, Vicenza
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Steeples, Haze, Telephoto, Vicenza
Steeples, Haze, Telephoto, Vicenza
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Ivy Wall with Sculptures in Front, Vicenza
Ivy Wall with Sculptures in Front, Vicenza
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View of Empty Street, Low Angle , Vicenza
View of Empty Street, Low Angle , Vicenza
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Overhead at Night of Street, Yellow and Green Lights, Vicenza
Overhead at Night of Street, Yellow and Green Lights, Vicenza
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House and Reeds, Horizontal, Vicenza
House and Reeds, Horizontal, Vicenza
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House and Reeds, Vertical, Vicenza
House and Reeds, Vertical, Vicenza
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Bizarre Sculpture of Man with Animal Head, Vicenza
Bizarre Sculpture of Man with Animal Head, Vicenza
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Nun on Street, Smiling, Vicenza
Nun on Street, Smiling, Vicenza
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Front of Train, Vicenza
Front of Train, Vicenza
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Bridge with City in Background, Vicenza
Bridge with City in Background, Vicenza
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Structure with Reflections, Vicenza
Structure with Reflections, Vicenza
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Overhead View Market Day, Vicenza
Overhead View Market Day, Vicenza
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Trees and Pattern of Farmland, Wide-Angle, Vicenza
Trees and Pattern of Farmland, Wide-Angle, Vicenza
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Aerial Perspective Trees and Farmland, Vicenza
Aerial Perspective Trees and Farmland, Vicenza
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Buildings, Trees with Farmland, Vicenza
Buildings, Trees with Farmland, Vicenza
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Hazy Sun, Buildings on Hillside, Also Hazy, Vicenza
Hazy Sun, Buildings on Hillside, Also Hazy, Vicenza
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Farmland with Setting Sun, Vicenza
Farmland with Setting Sun, Vicenza
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Lake and Reflection with Boats, Vicenza
Lake and Reflection with Boats, Vicenza
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Lake and Reflection with Trees, Vicenza
Lake and Reflection with Trees, Vicenza
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Rolling Hills, Vicenza
Rolling Hills, Vicenza
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Mountains, One Steeple, Vicenza
Mountains, One Steeple, Vicenza
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Soft Light, Buildings, Trees, Reflections, Vicenza
Soft Light, Buildings, Trees, Reflections, Vicenza
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Men Fishing, Vicenza
Men Fishing, Vicenza
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Wheat, Vicenza
Wheat, Vicenza
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Fog, Duomo and Campanile, Vicenza
Fog, Duomo and Campanile, Vicenza
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Sunset Over Mountains, One House, Vicenza
Sunset Over Mountains, One House, Vicenza
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Man in Train Window, Vicenza
Man in Train Window, Vicenza
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Ivey Wall with Two Windows, Vicenza
Ivey Wall with Two Windows, Vicenza
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Hotel Window, Light on Curtain, Vicenza
Hotel Window, Light on Curtain, Vicenza
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Old Wall with City in Background, Vicenza
Old Wall with City in Background, Vicenza
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Mother and Son at Market Fruit Stand
Mother and Son at Market Fruit Stand
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End of Vicenza II_vicenza17Man8Peering8Through8Screen8Vicenza
End of Vicenza II_vicenza17Man8Peering8Through8Screen8Vicenza
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