Carnevale di Venezia

Venice is a magical place where lions fly and pigeons walk, (Jean Cocteau).

I photographed the Venice Carnivale in winter, February 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. The streets were quiet and the crowds a fraction of their normal size. It was a surreal experience to capture these costumed characters before dawn, mainly around St. Marks Square. A fantasy brought to life for the photographers who became paparazzi and the characters who became instant celebrities. The stars of the carnival every year are the three Rose sisters - Mona, Annette and Inis.