The unmissable sights of Rome (and how to shoot them)
Rome is the perfect city in which to practise architecture and travel photography, but it’s not without its challenges
It might be a cliched view of Rome, but I love this shot from the Ponte Umberto 1 at sunset, looking west towards the Vatican
If I had to pick one city as my favourite in the world — and that would be a hard choice - it would have to be Rome. In most other places I’ve visited, I could tell you exactly what I liked and disliked, and which aspects were most memorable. In Bologna, I marvelled at the endless portici (porticoes) that are the signature feature of the city. In Madrid, the beautiful glasshouse in El Retiro Park and the indoor hothouse at the Atocha Railway Station are burned into my memory. A tropical garden in a station has got to be unique after all; I can’t imagine seeing that at Euston any time soon. In Barcelona, the atmospheric blend of beach resort and bustling city is unlike anywhere else I can recall, to say nothing of the awe-inspiring Gaudí architecture. All of these locations offered specific highlights that I could easily list on an itinerary for return visits.
Rome, on the other hand, is more than the sum of its parts. Rather than just being a collection of individual physical monuments, of which there are plenty across the city, Rome is an atmosphere, a lifestyle. This makes capturing it on camera both a joy and a challenge. How do you freeze a concept in a still image?
I’ve found that, since landmarks are what the viewers of our images are expecting to see, we can use them to our advantage. I tend to visit Rome every year and, before shooting anything, I ask myself what each location says about the Roman brand, based on three categories: light, lifestyle, and history. If my shots can hit at least one of those markers, I know they are telling some kind of story that the average tourist’s camera roll won’t. Here are some of my favourite views of Rome that I believe can distill ‘Roman-ness’ (or ‘Romanity’?) into single frames.
The dome of the pantheon
The incredible Dome of the Pantheon and its oculus is a brilliant representation of the history and architecture of the city through the ages
When you walk through the doors of the Pantheon it’s a breathtaking experience, every time. The scale is mind-blowing, as is the knowledge that something so complex was built so long ago. It’s the best-preserved complete building from antiquity in Rome, and the engineering stats are full of superlatives. From a photographic perspective, it’s a gift. The coffering produces some wonderful patterns and textures, especially in monochrome images. While mesmerising at any time of day, around Noon, the light streaming through the giant oculus produces great contrast. I usually take a meter reading from the highlights cast on the stone and dial in +1EV exposure compensation to prevent the shadows from blocking up and to keep the whites luminous.
Furthermore, the Pantheon is an extremely popular tourist spot so, to remove the crowds while maintaining the sense of the vast space, aim your camera upwards 30 degrees or more. It’s a simple solution to a problem at any busy location. Instantly, you feel like you have the place to yourself; at least that’s how it looks in your photos!
St peter’s before dawn
St Peter’s Square is rarely ever photographed with no people, but early risers can enjoy a view usually only seen by local Romans
If you want your photographs to show Rome as the living artwork that it is, you have to set an early alarm. Head out before sunrise and you’re far more likely to capture an unobstructed view of the most famous landmarks, such as St Peter’s Square and Basilica. Views like this show the city as more than just a tourist trap. For this shot, I stopped down the aperture to f/16 to turn the points of light into starbursts and captured the Basilica from one side of the Piazza, to ensure the obelisk didn’t obscure the face of the building. It is tempting to use a super-wide lens, but this creates too much empty space at the top and bottom of the frame. Instead, use a 70mm or 85mm focal length to compress the scene a little more, bringing the facade of the Church and the Obelisk together.
The residential streets
Springtime in the neighbourhoods of Rome
Take the time to venture away from the honeypot locations and explore what might be described as the ‘real’ Rome. A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be invited to join Fujifilm on a press trip to Rome in the springtime. We were accompanied by a local guide who was enthusiastic about showing us the parts of the city most tourists don’t bother the examine. He showed us his own neighbourhood and I got to capture the everyday lifestyle of the average Roman. This can be an effective idea in any city, but when you have one with the history of the Italian capital, it’s fascinating to see how some aspects of life haven’t changed in thousands of years.
The stone pines
In many ways, the Stone Pine is the unofficial symbol of Rome. While you get them all over Italy, I always associate them with Rome in particular. I love to incorporate them into architectural shots; it’s a great way to show how nature plays a part in shaping the atmosphere of the place. The trees add texture, colour and even smells to the Roman experience.
“the Stone Pine is the unofficial symbol of Rome”
The light
The light in Rome is famous for its unique glow, reminiscent of renaissance art
People often talk about the light in Rome, but it’s hard to know what they mean until you see it for yourself. Due in part to its geographical location, the surrounding topography, and the colour of the stone used across the city, the light adopts a special warm tone. Captured early and late in the day, this is at its maximum intensity, but the great thing about reflected colour is that you can find it all day. I use Cloudy white balance if I want to take the edge off the harsh bleaching of colour that can happen around midday.
In Rome, be sure not to have your camera on auto WB, as the low colour temperature of the building materials will often fool this into introducing too much blue and cyan. The light can be used to give a shot of Roman atmosphere to any subject, from a bike propped up in an alleyway to a cup of coffee on a table.
Shooting at sunset or sunrise will really make the most of the warm-toned buildings. Try shooting into the light with a wider aperture to create a ‘wash’ of colour, for a dreamy look
the view from the Aventine
The best way to see Rome is to get up high. Luckily, there are no shortage of hills, the city famously being built on seven, and one of the best views is from the Aventine Hill. Get off the Metro at Circo Massimo and from here it’s a leisurely stroll up to the Gardens of Sant’ Alessio. These reward you with some fantastic views across the River Tiber to Vatican City, with further panoramic views to Trastevere. These sights are all about history and lifestyle. You get to experience a quieter neighbourhood, with great vistas across buildings of almost every era of Rome. Fewer tourists come up here, so often it’s just you and the locals.
Use a lens of around 150mm to compress perspective and truly give the city view some scale. Keep a UV or Skylight filter on to reduce haze, and ensure a clear view as far as the eye can see.
I’ll be leading a tour to Rome in 2026 with the great people at Light & Land, so stay tuned over there for an announcement shortly!
Read more: