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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Pride on the Leiden Canals. For the 4th time, a #pride week was held in Leiden. The boat parade was a joyful and colorful occasion. #boat #canal #leiden #streetphotography #lgbtq #netherlands

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Man in Gold. Sartorial excellence and a bit of playful theatrics at the Leiden #Pride event last week. #streetphotography #leiden #netherlands

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Man in Gold. The Leiden #Pride event was a good place to encounter sartorial elegance. #streetphotography #people #lgbtq #leiden

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Hardy Souls. A group of students was at the beach to mark the start of a new academic year, I guess. Two brave (or rash?) students ran into the cold sea. #wassenaar #beach #netherlands #endofsummer #people

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Venice Shadows. On a sunny day in #venice the contrast between sunlit areas and shadows is enormous. It can be fun to play with over or under exposure. #streetphotography #travelphotography #underexposure #urbangaze

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Quiet Evening in Venice. In the #Cannareggio district of #Venice, one can find quiet streets and canals far from the crowds that understandably flock to its more spectacular sights. #nightphotography #streetphotography #urbangaze #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Tourism Venice. Despite the sweltering heat, Venice does not lack visitors come from far and wide, eager to see its beauty. #tourism #venice #streetphotography #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Tourist Rush Hour. One might get the impression from my previous posts that Venice was largely abandoned during my visit there or that gondolas were few and far between. Not so. #tourism #travelphotography #streetphotography #urbangaze #gondolas

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Bookstore Cat. In the Acqua Alta bookstore in #venice, a handsome cat keeps a eye on things. #travelphotography #bookstore #urbangaze

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Scorched Piazza. At 1pm in Venice, it was hard to hide from the fierce sun. In the distance a person had the foresight to bring their own shade. #streetphotography #urbangaze #travelphotography #venice

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Venice Postcard. This is one of the better spots to get a view of the Doge Palace and the Campanile. The yellow Alilaguna boat adds a touch of reality to an otherwise unreal beauty. #venice #travelphotography #urbangaze #dogepalace

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Venice Construction. The last cement bags were being delivered under the scorching sun at 1 pm. No shade to be found. #venice #streetphotography #travelphotography #urbangaze

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

Venice Construction. Cement bags were being delivered under an already scorching sun at 10 am. #venice #streetphotography #travelphotography #urbangaze

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Venice Pooch. There seemed to be a lot of pet dogs about for a city that does not seem to have a lot of public green spaces, Fortunately people clean up after their dog. #venice #dogs #streetphotography #travelphotography #urbangaze

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Red Umbrella Venice. The sun in Venice can be fierce. Best to carry your own shade. #venice #travelphotography #streetphotography #urbangaze #red

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Market Accessories. Venice is magical and beautiful but it is also a living city with all the real stuff that residents need in real life.#venice #streetphotography #travelphotography #behindthescenes

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Disgruntled. A seagull seems disgusted that the fishmongers did such a thorough job of cleaning up after the market closed. What’s a bird to eat? #birds #gull #streetphotography #venice #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

A Pause From the Heat. Even though it was still early, the oppressive heat in Venice was making a lot of people’s jobs even more difficult. #summerheat #venice #urbangaze #travelphotography #streetphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Keeping Venice Clean. The market place in Venice is an important collection point for household trash and recyclables. #venice #urbangaze #streetphotography #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Keeping Venice Clean. A small army heads out every morning to collect household trash and recycling. #venice #urbangaze #streetphotography #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Biennale Bloom. When visiting Venice during the Biennale, a person will stumble upon lovely surprises. #biennale #venice #streetphotography #emptyvenice #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Tern Up Close. The hide at Starrevaart Plas sometimes leads to close encounters. This individual was far more interested in what swam below it than in us #tern #netherlandswildlife #birds

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Spoonbill Above. The spoonbills that nest in Cronesteyn have moved on. I suspect they are the ones I see hanging out now in Starrevaart Plas. In the water they are too far to get a decent photo but as a cycled home again, a few flew overhead. #spoonbill #leiden #birds #netherlandswildlife #wetlands

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Venice Postcard Fail. Yet another personal favorite in an ongoing series of almost-picture-postcard-perfect shots. Of course one could digitally erase the offending arm but where is the fun in that? #venice #postcard #streetphotography #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Behind the Scenes. Venice is breathtakingly beautiful but just like any other place in the world it requires regular maintenance. Perhaps much more so. #maintenancework #streetphotography #venice #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Too Many Tourists. And yet not a soul in sight for few precious seconds. Part of a series of empty #venice alleys. #lightandshadow #streetphotography #graffiti #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Which Way? Venice can defeat even the best street navigators. I found a detailed paper map works much better. #streetphotography #travelphotography #people #venice

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Venice as a Stage. #Venice often feels like a stage. Here the actors advance to take a bow. #streetphotography #travelphotography #nightphotography #traghetto

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Too Funny. Her partner’s sandwich had just been stolen by a greedy winged thief with a sharp beak. #streetphotography #venice #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Strong Arms. Refuse management in #Venice is a challenge. Early in the morning an army of able bodied men and women navigate the narrow passages and steps to pick up residential waste. #travelphotography #streetphotography #working #wastemanagement

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Nesso Leap. despite it being Vietato!, people can’t resist jumping off the bridge into lake #Como . #nesso #travelphotography #streetphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Black, White and Green. Lakenvelder cows are hard to believe at first. Their black and white coats rhyme nicely with a stork’s feathers #birds #leiden #cronesteyn #urbanwildlife #summer

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Spoonbills in Flight. After nesting in Cronesteyn, #leiden, the spoonbills moved on. I believe these are the #Cronesteyn families in their new location. They are sharing a shallow lake with geese, swans, ducks, grebes, avocets, terns and more #spoonbill #birds #wildlife

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Spoonbills in Flight. After nesting in Cronesteyn, #leiden, the spoonbills moved on. I believe these are the #Cronesteyn families in their new location about 30 mins away on a bicycle. #spoonbill #birds #wildlife

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Venice Painters. While a gondolier passes by, using his leg against the wall to push off, restoration workers go about their important work. #streetphotography #travelphotography #venice #workinprogress #restoration

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Venice Abandoned. It is possible to photograph a passage in Venice with no one in the frame. You just have to be quick. Very quick. #architecture #venice #lightandshadow #travelphotography

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ratherswim.bsky.social @ratherswim.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Burano Selfies. A recent travel article in the NYT said you could hardly take a bad photo in Burano.Does that extend to selfies? #travelphotography #streetphotography #burano #photography #peopletakingselfies

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