“A realist, in Venice,” Arthur Symons once remarked, “would become a romantic by mere faithfulness to what he saw before him.” And that romanticism has captured the hearts and imaginations of many poets and artists throughout history. We might well add photographers to that list, too. For the photographer, Venice is a subject that needs no makeup, no styling or fancy lighting tricks to enhance her beauty. But all beauty can be highlighted and drawn out and made to shine brighter, even if it doesn’t need to be. For the latest issue of Marie Claire Turkey photographer Koray Parlak took to the streets of Venice and created a shoot saturated with his own style of rich colouring. Click the thumbnails for full pictures: Model Viola Kowal poses with the watery canals and worn stone buildings as backdrops. The styling by Hakan Ozturk is a sun-drenched holiday in itself, from the opening yellow slit skirt to a fuschia pink mini dress that turns Kowal’s legs into towering skyscrapers. Capturing the warmth of a romantic city holiday, Parlak’s shoot may make you want to pack your bags. You can view it in full at the gallery above.
