Photography has been a constant in my life for as long as I can remember. From the moment I picked up a camera at 16 years old, my world transformed. Long hours in the darkroom during high school and pursuing photography as part of my major in college cemented what would become not just a career, but a way of seeing and interacting with the world. For me, photography has never been about simply taking pictures; it has been about telling stories, capturing emotions, and uncovering hidden beauty. My approach has always revolved around finding a perspective that others might not see, and that philosophy shaped one of my favorite images—an artistic photo of the Pompeii ruins.
This particular photo of Pompeii is a reflection of the way I view life through the lens of my camera. The ruins of Pompeii are a place steeped in history, tragedy, and beauty—a destination that had been on my photography bucket list for years. When I finally found myself walking those ancient streets, I felt an almost overwhelming connection to the past. I was surrounded by textures and patterns aged over centuries, by light falling in ways that seemed poetically, even imperceptibly, intentional. My goal was to capture Pompeii in a way that wasn't just beautiful but evocative, a frame that would transcend the typical tourist's eye.
The Journey to Pompeii
Every photographer has a way of preparing for a shoot, even one as spontaneous as travel photography. For me, the process starts with observation. Walking through Pompeii, I wasn’t just sightseeing—I was calculating. My eyes darted to every stone, every shadow, every archway with the curiosity of someone who sees the world less as a tourist and more as a potential canvas. Pompeii challenged me to slow down, to breathe in the atmosphere and think carefully about composition. The sprawling ruins, with their intricate layouts and remnants of everyday Roman life, offered no shortage of subjects. Yet, I didn’t want to take just any photo—I wanted to create a photo that told its own story.
Walking through the cobbled streets, I looked for textures created by the layers of cracked brick and weathered stone. The warm sunlight streaming through broken doorways and archways fascinated me, and I couldn’t stop considering how to frame it all, how to turn the visual poetry of this historic site into a personal interpretation. And then I saw it—one particular brick archway that curved with precision but carried the imperfections of time. It was sturdy yet worn, symmetrical yet organic, and there was a brilliance in the way the light pooled behind it. The scene seemed to hold both the weight of history and the ethereal quality of a dream. I knew immediately that this would be the centerpiece of my Pompeii photo.
Finding the Perspective
The hallmark of my photography is finding new perspectives. When most people see an archway, they snap a head-on photo, maybe of what’s on the other side. But for me, it’s not just about what’s directly in front of the lens—it’s about how the subject, the angle, and the frame come together to convey something deeper. I’ve trained myself, over years of shooting, to instinctively seek out angles that evoke curiosity or emotion. Sometimes that means climbing, crouching, or stretching the limits of my equipment. It’s this willingness to explore the extremes of perspective that has defined many of my favorite photos.
For the Pompeii photo, I decided to crouch and shoot through the archway itself, framing the scene so that the curved bricks lined the edges of the image. This required some patience—I had to fiddle with placement, focus, and depth to capture the curvature of the arch without losing the natural layers of sunlight and shadow in the background. Shooting through the archway was my way of creating a portal; I wanted the viewer to feel as though they were stepping through time, emerging into another world.
After positioning my camera and adjusting the lens, I finally hit the shutter. That click was incredibly satisfying, like catching a fleeting moment of balance. The balance between light and shadow, order and chaos, the ancient and the eternal.
A Lifelong Passion, Captured in a Frame
The photograph represents more than just the ruins of Pompeii. It’s a summation of the creative approach that I’ve developed over decades of living and working as a photographer. My profession, primarily shooting events like weddings, corporate gatherings, and mitzvahs, has taught me the importance of speed, adaptability, and storytelling—but my personal work, like this image of Pompeii, is where I find the freedom to indulge in experimentation. Whether I'm contorting myself to see a subject from a fresh angle or playing with shutter speed and aperture to create new textures with light, photography has always been about pushing boundaries.
I often remind myself that seeing the world through the lens of a camera comes with a certain joy but also a responsibility. A camera isn’t simply an observer—it’s a participant. Before clicking the shutter, I take a moment to absorb the scene with my eyes, not just to compose but to respect the story within it. This philosophy kept running through my mind as I worked in Pompeii. I thought about the lives lived there, the stories etched into the stones, and how my presence there was adding another tiny piece to its legacy, even in the form of an image.
Textures, Patterns, and Light
If there’s one thing that defines my work, it’s my fascination with textures, patterns, and how light interacts with them. I can’t look at a wall, a fabric, or a natural landscape without thinking about how light plays along its surface or how best to highlight the intricacies with my lens. At Pompeii, I found endless inspiration in the textures left behind by time. The crumbling stone, the uneven tiles, even the faintest carvings on the walls—it all told a story that I needed to capture.
While textures and patterns provide the building blocks, light is the essence of every photograph. At Pompeii, the light had a remarkable quality, constantly changing with the position of the sun. Morning light softened the sharp edges of bricks, running over them in a delicate glow. By midday, the sun cast striking shadows that exaggerated every detail. That particular interplay of light and shadow is what made the brick archway so visually powerful. The sunlight streaming behind it brought the arch alive, giving the impression that it was glowing, almost breathing. The result was otherworldly yet grounded.
The Bigger Picture of Photography as Art
This photo of Pompeii is not just a snapshot of a tourist destination; for me, it embodies what photography is all about—immersion, wonder, and perspective. Photography is an art form that requires technical skill, yes, but more importantly, it demands vision and patience. The camera captures what the eye sees, but it’s the photographer’s decision-making—how to frame, focus, and present a subject—that makes the audience pause, that makes them feel something deeper.
Over the years, my career as a photographer has taught me to approach each shoot with curiosity. My clients often depend on me to create stunning visuals for monumental occasions, but it’s my personal projects, like this Pompeii photo, that remind me why I fell in love with photography in the first place. It’s not only a job; it’s a way to connect with the world, to bring order to chaos, and to show people something they wouldn’t have otherwise noticed.
Reflecting on the Legacy of Pompeii and Photography
The ruins of Pompeii are a stark reminder of how fragile life is, yet they’re also a testament to humanity’s resilience and creativity. Exploring that space with my camera in hand allowed me to participate, in some small way, in its story of preservation. I sometimes think about how photography is, in essence, an act of preservation. We freeze moments, hold onto memories, and immortalize beauty that might otherwise vanish.
When I look at my photograph of the brick archway in Pompeii, I feel a sense of gratitude—not just for having experienced such a magnificent place, but for the opportunity to share that experience with others. Through the bricks, the light, and the perspective, I hope the photo inspires viewers to linger for a moment longer, to reflect, and to imagine stepping through the archway themselves.
Photography, for me, will always be about that universal connection—the ability to take people to places they’ve never been and show them beauty they’ve never seen. And Pompeii, with all its textures, patterns, and light, has given me one of the greatest gifts a photographer can hope for—a story worth sharing, one frame at a time.
Location: Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius.