Capture the colors of Burano - Raffaele Ferrari

Capturing the vibrant colors of Burano, an island near Venice known for its vividly painted houses, requires a combination of technique, lighting, and composition to do justice to its beauty.

Tips to capture the Burano’s colors:

Timing: Shoot in the Best Light

Burano has becoming a well know spot for tourist as the city of Venice, Murano or other Italian location for photographers as Florence or Val d’orcia. Therefore planning in advance can give you better opportunity to capture this colorful villages. Also try to photograph at best time of the day:

Golden Hour: Early morning or late afternoon when the sun is low creates soft, warm lighting that enhances the colorful houses without casting harsh shadows.
Midday Sun: If you shoot during midday, the colors will appear more saturated and vivid due to the strong sunlight. This works well for Burano’s brightly colored facades.

Play with Reflections

Use the canals to capture reflections of the colorful houses. Calm water will mirror the houses in beautiful distorted patterns, adding depth and texture to your images.
Get low near the water’s edge for a more dramatic reflection.

Use Contrast to Highlight Colors of Burano

Frame your shots to juxtapose different colors of the houses. The alternating hues of blue, green, yellow, pink, and orange houses pop when placed side by side.
Consider using neutral elements like the cobblestone streets or blue skies to contrast with the houses’ vibrancy.

Capture Details of the Colors of Burano

Focus on smaller details like doorways, windows, and flower boxes that stand out against the brightly painted walls.
Look for unique color combinations or textures where peeling paint or shadows add extra layers of interest.

Incorporate the Local Life

Capture the daily life of the island with residents and boats. This adds a human element and provides a storytelling aspect to the colors.
Boats, often painted as vividly as the houses, add to the colorful composition.

Focus on Symmetry and Patterns

The architecture of Burano is simple but structured. Align your compositions with doors, windows, and even laundry lines, creating symmetry and leading lines to draw attention to the color blocks.

What Lens Use Wide-Angle vs Close-Ups

Wide-Angle Shots: Use wide-angle lenses to capture entire rows of houses and the vibrant scene along the canals.
Close-Ups: Switch to closer framing for focusing on individual houses or sections of facades, isolating specific colors to make them pop.

How getting there to photograph Colors of Burano

Getting to Burano from Venice is a relatively straightforward and scenic journey, as the island is located about 7 kilometers (4.3 miles) north of Venice. The most common way to reach Burano is by vaporetto, Venice’s public water bus system. So to get this little island, you’ll typically start from Venice’s Fondamenta Nuove pier, which is on the northern side of Venice. Take the number 12.