Masquerade
A short trip to Venice (ostensibly for city/seascape photography) during Carnevale reminded me how much fun it is to photograph people; particularly those who love any excuse to dress-up and step into the magical world of being not only someone else but someone ‘other’ (revealing, perhaps, something of themselves in the process!).
The most memorable were the masque players who clearly thought long and hard about their characters before donning their (metaphorical) masques. They were wonderfully believable and stayed entirely in character. I felt quite paparazzo, which turned out to be relevant as I was informed that these serious players were actors hoping to be noticed by scouts for professional work. It was also the first time I experienced 'photo-bombing' as I was aiming my lens at the Fop (who was in the foreground) and pressing the shutter button as the player in red leapt in front of the camera, amazingly leaving enough of the fop visible for the shot. Great fun!
The most memorable were the masque players who clearly thought long and hard about their characters before donning their (metaphorical) masques. They were wonderfully believable and stayed entirely in character. I felt quite paparazzo, which turned out to be relevant as I was informed that these serious players were actors hoping to be noticed by scouts for professional work. It was also the first time I experienced 'photo-bombing' as I was aiming my lens at the Fop (who was in the foreground) and pressing the shutter button as the player in red leapt in front of the camera, amazingly leaving enough of the fop visible for the shot. Great fun!