Aliens in Rome

I'm sure Im not the first person to photograph aliens in Rome but the child in me likes to think I was!

I've just spent a weekend with my beautiful wife in the eternal city that is Rome. And believe it or not there is not a pro-camera in sight. Just my old trusty point and push and the camera on my Samsung phone for quick access to social media. I love Instagram and if you enjoy sharing your photographs then Instagram is the ideal outlet for your talents.

The great think about the likes of Twitter, Instagram and even FB is that your pictures do not have to be great quality as the resolution and size is tiny.

Though please, please save your original files just in case you wish to use them from calendars or even an old fashioned photographic reprint!

In fact next year I I want to introduce a 'print a photograph and stick it in your family album day!' Now there's a novel idea and your families will love you for it.

My wife was fully aware that even though we were visiting one of the most romantic cities on the planet,  i'd still have the annoying habit of vanishing from her side take a few pictures.

Yes, there are numerous picturesque places in Rome, such as ST Perter's Basilica, the Pantheon, and my favourite, the Piazza Navona to warrant my attention, but these have been snapped a million times before. What interests me is light, colour and people.

Our weekend has been been blessed with brilliant sunshine and if take to the city streets early in the morning this means wonderfully contrasty light, long dark shadows and surreal silhouettes created by people zig-zagging there way across the piazza.

In the three days we were there I must have taken a thousand pictures but only a few will I share. Rule of thumb being if something catches your eye and choose not to take a picture , it could be a decision that you will always regret. I still can't believe that fifteen years ago I failed to pull over to photograph what appeared to be a car in a tree. It may have been my imagination but now I will never know. It's one of those that got away.

Which leads me to a quirky picture I took at the stunning Pantheon in Rome yesterday. The building from the outside does little to prepare you for the majesty of its interior and its aperture to the stars.

It was around 1pm and the shone bright through the circular skylight, but where all the tourists were pointing the cameras at paintings, sculptures, alters and the ceiling. I was facing totally in the opposite direction. There seemed to be a face caused but the bright light against the dark interior that resembled two eyes and a moustache. On closer inspection and with a smile on my face I decided it was like one of the space invaders from the gaming machines of the 70's.

Now I'm sure I wasn't the only one who's ever seen it or indeed snapped it but the child just wanted to have some fun and share it with everyone on social media.

Photography is too often a little pretentious and self-important so once in a while we should all have a little fun. Remember the truth is definitely out there!