Where to Photograph in Rome, Italy — Rome Photo Opportunities
Rome, Italy is an amazing city for photography. There is such incredible architecture and history, the photo opportunities are endless. From the Colosseum to the Pantheon, from the Roman Forum to Vatican City the wealth of beautiful scenes is astounding.
I’ve highlighted a few of the classic Rome photo opportunities for you below. I’ve also included several of my own images as examples.
The Colosseum is one of the quintessential images we often see of Rome, and for good reason. It is a spectacular sight. The Colosseum is pretty central in Rome and you can walk there from almost anywhere. I’ve found the best light for photography to be just after sunset, but your preference may be different. I encourage you to explore the area at different times of the day to see what works best for your style. I decided to do a “light trails” image, and the result is below.

Colosseum, Rome, Italy
St. Peter’s Basilica / Vatican City is another great photo opportunity in Rome. There are a wide variety of vantage points, from up close in St. Peter’s Square to views from a distance. The shot below is taken at dusk from Ponte Umberto over the Tiber River. Ponte Umberto is a short walk from Piazza Navona.

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy
Inside St. Peter’s Basilica is the famous and beautiful dome. Since tripods are not permissible inside, you’ll want to use a high ISO and wide aperture to get a sharp shot handheld.

St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City, Italy
The Pantheon is an ancient and wondrous building, both inside and out. It is located in the Piazza Rotunda, which can be very busy during the day and at night, so I photographed it at dusk in the very early morning.

Pantheon, Rome, Italy
The photo below is also of the Piazza Rotunda, taken at night from a very low viewpoint.

Piazza Rotunda, Rome, Italy
Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo is another great spot at sundown. The photo below was taken at dusk.

Piazza del Campidoglio, Rome, Italy
The Roman Forum provides a glimpse into an ancient world.

Roman Forum, Italy
The Trevi Fountain is one of the most beautiful and famous fountains in the world. A long exposure provides a silky look to the flowing water.

Trevi Fountain, Rome, Italy
In the photo below of majestic Castel Sant'Angelo I used a very long exposure to blur the fast-moving clouds.

Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome, Italy
There are countless photo opportunities in Rome, these are just a few. You should also be sure to visit the Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, and all the other wonderful sights in Rome.
Explore and enjoy!
I've also created an app for iPhone, Android, and iPod Touch which teaches you photography -- more info can be found here:
Photography Trainer for iPhone and Android

Photography Trainer iPhone app
Best,
Paul
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Copyright 2009, Paul Timpa
http://www.timpaphotography.com/