Last November, just before leaving on my solo trip to the Florens2012 conference in Florence, Italy, I got an iPhone 4s. (I actually had the first generation iPhone, which had been my husband’s phone back when iPhones first came out, but the camera was barely usable on that phone.) I was so excited to use the camera on my new iPhone, and I got plenty of use out of it in Florence. I had to learn a lesson, though, about backing photos up because I lost all the photos I had stored on my iPhone and was able to recover only the ones that I had shared through Instagram.
However, having a new small camera during my time in Florence was fun for me. I kept it in my coat pocket or purse pocket or even just in my hand almost all day long. I used it to snap quick photos wherever I was. It felt so much less conspicuous than my usual larger camera, and I enjoyed that freedom coupled with not having to worry about settings.
Yesterday my mom told me that she will be going to Italy this fall and invited me to join her. I can’t go because I can’t get time off to travel during the semester (the trip to Italy last November was an exception because the conference themes were related to my work). I can’t wait to go back to Italy again. In the meantime, here is Florence in photos through some of the images I captured with my iPhone during that one wonderful week .
One of my favorite sculptures in Florence, the Rape of the Sabine Women in front of the Palazzo Vecchio.
The breakfast that we Team Florens members enjoyed every morning:
The Duomo, which I happily walked by a few times a day:
Piazza Santa Croce, the site of a contemporary art installation as part of Florens2012. On my first night in Florence, I enjoyed watching the local people interact with the art.
One of the most delicious dishes I ate during that week filled with great food: an eggplant appetizer at the beautiful J.K. Place. Thank you to my friend Nathalie of Perfect Boutique Hotel for inviting me!
The Palazzo Strozzi Museum, one of the places to be seen in Florence on a Thursday evening:
The inside of the Palazzo Vecchio at night:
Do you take photos with a smart phone? If so, what do you use to share them and retouch them? A couple of these were retouched with Camera+, a fantastic app for editing photos on your smartphone or tablet.
If you use Instagram, please connect with me there (I love it!)!
I loved seeing your instagram photos Jenna. I find I take very different photos with my camera than I do with a DSLR camera. I use Snapseed and camera+ and then love sharing them on Instagram. I also use it a lot when I’m away to update facebook as I travel.
jenny@atasteoftravel recently posted..Sunday Snapshot: Poppy fields in Sicily
Thanks,Jenny! Yes, the photos I took in Florence with the iPhone were generally different from the ones I took with my other camera, but sometimes I try to catch shots with both cameras, one for sharing and Instagramming and the other for blogging, etc. Sometimes the iPhone photos turn out well enough that I opt for those!
Great shots!
Also, solid recommendation on Camera+, I’ll be checking that one out!
Thanks, Erik!
Great photos! How did you lose all of your photos? I would have been so sad!
Christy recently posted..Photogenic Puerto Rico: A Photo Journey Through San Juan
It’s embarrassing what happened…but basically I didn’t know what I was doing when I deleted stuff to make room for my phone to update. The good news is that I found that most of them were also on my iPad.
You’ve really got me pining for Italy with these pictures Jenna. I’m in the same spot as you, I inherited my husband’s crappy old iPhone 3 which barely works… to the point where I haven’t bothered using it for 3 months. Once we start travelling again, I’m going to upgrade so I can get on Instagram and take cute little snaps like these.
Bethaney – Flashpacker Family recently posted..House Sitting in New Zealand: Borrowing a Kiwi Burrow
The 4s has a great camera. It even does well with close-ups. I found that it is quite freeing to have such a convenient camera!
I’ve been to Florence a couple times and it is the kind of place I know I will go back again. These photos bring back great memories.
Ayngelina recently posted..Thriving on uncertainty
There are certain places we can imagine going to over and over. Florence is one of them for me.
I have been in Florence on my honeymoon. I should try to plan and go back. Thanks for the post. It reminded me of great times, and what a great place Florence really is.
Laura @Travelocafe recently posted..Kamandalu Resort, Bali. The Enchanted Village
I love it, too. What a fun and romantic place to spend a honeymoon!