Venice being such a popular city location it made perfect sense for me to rise early before even the sunrise itself. This would ensure I captured the magical moment I call the edge of darkness and of course avoid most if not all the crowds.

It was a week before Christmas and Venice was fairly quiet and the morning was bitterly cold with crystal clear skies.

The chill of the winter air and stillness enveloped the square.

The sounds of the city slowly begin to awaken as the dawn light illuminated the iconic basilica and surrounding buildings and across the empty piazza.

It’s a magical time of day, with a quiet energy that sets the tone for a new day in the heart of Venice.

I wanted to capture the stunning historic arches and ornate lights Illuminating the square before the sunbathed its textured warm glow.

Venice was an extremely affluent city in its heyday and I wanted to allow the colors to be opulent to reflect this.