A Day Trip to Bologna
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A Day Trip to Bologna

During my recent travels in Italy, I took a day trip to Bologna from Florence by high-speed train. The journey starts at Santa Maria Novella train station, the main station in Florence. It costs approximately $90 CA and takes about 40 minutes on the high-speed rail. When considering which day would be best for this day trip, I checked the weather for the remaining days.

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Photographs from Florence
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Photographs from Florence

You don’t have to search for too long after arriving in Florence to be greeted with endless photographic opportunities with engaging subjects, compositions, and surroundings. Whether street photography or travel photography is your thing, there is plenty on offer in Florence. The city is renowned for its history and architecture. It draws millions yearly, and numerous landmarks and exciting areas are located here, including Florence Cathedral, Ponte Vecchio, and the Uffizi Gallery.

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5 Days in Florence
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5 Days in Florence

I was happy with my time in Florence. I was booked for six nights in Florence, but one of my flight delays caused me to miss a connecting flight, and the following available flight wasn’t until the following day. Those on that same flight and itinerary could take a bus from Rome to Florence, but I declined. Instead, the airline arranged accommodations at a hotel room for the night. Transportation to and from the hotel and a small welcome meal was included.

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Pre-Travel Prep: Get Familiar with Your Fujifilm Recipe
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Pre-Travel Prep: Get Familiar with Your Fujifilm Recipe

In September, I spent nearly two weeks photographing beautiful Italy. While there, I used two film recipes, one for Matera and one for Florence. I wanted to separate the two locations, creating a different feel while still maintaining my style of photography. With Fujifilm, there are many choices when it comes to shooting modes.

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Matera, Italy: What to Expect and How to Enjoy
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Matera, Italy: What to Expect and How to Enjoy

I spent five days in mid-September in beautiful Matera, Italy, which left a lasting impression. It is a stunning city that is incredible to explore. It’s not as busy as other Italian destinations, so you can find places to relax and take in the scene before you. Materi is most recognizable from the Sassi, the city’s ancient and historic area. The Sassi are stone structures amongst the oldest continuously inhabited settlements in the world. Matera is considered one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back to 10,000 BC.

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The Departure: A Travel Story
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The Departure: A Travel Story

I want to start this story with a note important to the context of what follows: I am very fortunate to have the opportunities I do to travel. I realize that travel requires both the time to do so and the means of making it possible. I am incredibly thankful for this and think about it whenever I get on a plane. I cannot stress enough that I am blessed with these adventures.

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Photographs from Matera
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Photographs from Matera

Matera is an excellent location for photography, and I was surprised by how open it was for exploration. This surprise was very evident after I arrived in Florence, concluding Matera. Florence is one of the most renowned Italian destinations and one that many first-timers to the country choose to visit. However, comparing the number of people in Florence to those in Matera is a stark difference.

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The Paradox of Gear Choice
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The Paradox of Gear Choice

“What should I take on this trip?” I ask myself this question every time, and with this current trip, which lasts 12 days, I weighed on this decision more than usual. I’m halfway through this trip, and it’s my last day in Matera. Tomorrow, I will fly from Bari to Florence. Looking back on my deliberation a week ago, I feel I’ve made the right choice on what to bring regarding gear.

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Florence and Matera: Packing for Italy
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Florence and Matera: Packing for Italy

With some additional free time this month, I have been planning a solo trip these past weeks. When looking at how I could use this time, there were many destinations I was considering. Using Google Docs, I was working on multiple itineraries and flights to consider. What would be the best option?

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How I Photographed Scotland
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How I Photographed Scotland

I’ve been back from Scotland for a few weeks now, and I wanted to take this opportunity to summarize how I photographed the country, including which gear I used most and what film simulation I used. I also want to examine how many final images came from the RAW files and how many were JPEGs. I was heavily debating bringing the Canon 5D Mark II with the 24-105mm and the 70-200mm as I knew I would be taking photos of vast areas and would like to zoom in on details and isolate my framing.

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