
Remembering Venice, like a page out of an old fairy tale book. The medieval city of Venice, with its cobblestone pathways, fabulous canals, and many bridges - is certainly one of the most beautiful and unique cities in the world.














“I have been coming here every year since 2013. I like to come here most during Carnevale, because weather-wise, I have an intolerance for hot temperatures. The Carnival of Venice is an annual festival held in Venice, Italy. The carnival ends with the Christian celebration of Lent, forty days before Easter, on Shrove Tuesday (Martedì Grasso or Mardi Gras), the day before Ash Wednesday. The festival is world-famous for its elaborate masks.”

Venice (61) by Robin Yong
„The Carnival of Venice is also a great celebration of fantasy and creativity. I have many friends who spend months if not years on their very spectacular and often outrageous costumes and masks.
I meet my costumed models and photographer friends here every year, and usually, I stay for at least 2 to 3 weeks, so I tend to do all my annual shopping here as well. There's always lots of walking - I'm probably out in the streets at least 12 hours a day, doing photography for my model friends, attending secret parties, eating at the best restaurants, and of course all the secret meetings at my Mystery Hotel. Sometimes I assist in a photo workshop or 2 if I can find the time to do so. Plenty of fun amid all the hustle and bustle and glimmering and shimmering of water...
What you see in most of my pictures are actual happenings during my travels. People say, all my trips have this fairy tale element to them - Belgium, Bhutan, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Japan, and of course Venice...that's because all my travel itineraries are carefully researched and I get to hang out with all the world's most beautiful people... Many people adore myths, legends, and lore in books, comics, and films, but for me, I live the real thing.
Every travel needs to be what it is to be in a dream...a beautiful wanderlust...just like a scene out of the movies... After all, life is all about what we allow ourselves to see, what we allow ourselves to have.”

Venice (9) by Robin Yong
„When I went to Venice, I discovered that my dream had become- incredibly, but quite simply- my address.“ – Marcel Proust

Venice (13) by Robin Yong
„Venice is the city of mirrors, the city of mirages, at once solid and liquid, at once air and stone.“ – Erica Jong

Venice (60) by Robin Yong
„When I seek another word for ‘music’, I never find any other word than ‘Venice.“ – Friedrich Nietzsche
Click on an image for full-size mode
Sadly, with the pandemic and all its travel restrictions, there will not be a Venice Carnevale in 2021, and maybe not even 2022 but for sure things will start again when the crisis is more settled. But at least Robin Yong has some of the most memorable travel pictures in history - they are the best souvenirs for him and all the wonderful people Robin Yong has met in his fabulous adventures.
„Venice is the place where I started my photography career. I first encountered the Venice Carnevale as a tourist in 2014, attending my teacher Jim Zuckerman's photo workshop, and then guest-starring as a Masked Costumer for the same photo workshop. Thereafter, I come to Venice every year during the Carnevale to create portraits for some of the most beautiful people and best customers of the world, and of course to help out at my teacher's photo workshop.
Venice has long been a source of inspiration for authors, playwrights, and poets, and at the forefront of the technological development of printing and publishing. Tourism has been a major part of the Venetian economy since the 18th century when Venice—with its beautiful cityscape, uniqueness, and rich musical and artistic cultural heritage—was a stop on the Grand Tour. In the 19th century, Venice became a fashionable center for the "rich and famous", who often stayed and dined at luxury establishments such as the Danieli Hotel and the Caffè Florian, and continued to be a fashionable city into the early 20th century. In the 1980s, the Carnival of Venice was revived; and the city has become a major center of international conferences and festivals, such as the prestigious Venice Biennale and the Venice Film Festival, which attract visitors from all over the world for their theatrical, cultural, cinematic, artistic, and musical productions.“











"If I could live in one city and do every single thing I do there, I would choose Venice. You can’t turn your head without seeing something amazing.” – Nile Rodgers

Venice (33) by Robin Yong
“Venice never quite seems real, but rather an ornate film set suspended on the water.” – Frida Gianni

Venice (37) by Robin Yong
“Venice is a place that is high on reinvention. The kind of place that you can go and be whoever it is you want to be and do whatever it is you want to do, and nobody’s going to ask you a lot of questions about it.” – Will Arnett

Venice (45) by Robin Yong
“Venice, the most touristy place in the world, is still just completely magic to me.” – Frances Mayes
„For a long time, I have been fascinated by the adventures and stories of Marco Polo. So naturally, this is the best birthplace for me as a Travel Photographer. It is not difficult to fall in love with Venice, there is plenty of interesting architecture, cobblestone streets that look exactly like those in fairy tales, great hotels, good food, and beautiful souvenirs. And then the many festivals that provide the perfect photo opportunities.
Nowadays, every trip here is an opportunity to meet up with friends, have a meal together at the local restaurants, enjoy a gondola ride down the canals, and of course to take a couple of memorable photos together.
Pictured here is the very beautiful Jeanne Renee Georjon, one of the most famous Masked Costumers at the Venice Carnevale. She is a professional doll maker by trade and does all her costumes and masks. She is a long-time friend of my teacher Jim Zuckerman and here we are, touring one of the palaces together. The palace interiors were cold for a winter afternoon and the lady stood near the window for some warmth from the sunlight. I called out to Jeanne and snapped a photo. The photo was done using natural lighting only. For me, every photo needs to look like a movie poster or a book cover. And it must have a feel of the place, colors, mood, and time of the venue. Yes, these places are real, and these people are real - welcome to my world...”
Click on an image for full-size mode

Venice (56) by Robin Yong
About

Robin Yong is a multi-award-winning Travel and Commercial Photographer, trained by acclaimed American photographer Jim Zuckerman, the world-famous Venetian Masks Florine House and Danielle Massart, and legendary Hollywood photographer Greg Gorman. He enjoys traveling to exotic destinations to befriend and photograph the locals. He is best known for his fairy tale-esque worldview work on the Omo Valley tribes in Ethiopia, the Venetian Masked models in Venice, the Bokator boxers of Cambodia, and the Maikos of Kyoto. He calls these works his Travel Portraits, his Art of Travel Medicine. For most of his works, he does not use flash, reflectors, or artificial lighting, depending solely on natural lighting alone. The photos are often intense, dramatic, colorful, and extremely beautiful. For Robin, every photo must look like a movie poster...These highly conceptual and thought-provoking Travel Portraits especially are designed to arouse an audience both visually and emotionally.
His orientation towards photography has always been passion before commercial considerations and so his photos have always been a little different from that of many other photographers. His private sessions and assistance in photo workshops are highly sought after, and previous participants included doctors, professors, and even US senators. Despite his fame today, he will still do time for photo collaborations with budding models and artists if the conditions are right.
Over the past few years, Robin has quickly become one of the most popular and influential photographers at the Venice Carnevale and within the past few months, Flowers of Ethiopia alone has gathered numerous awards, finalist status, and honorable mentions in many International photography competitions, including Alfred Fried Awards, Antu Sente Cup, Australia's Top Emerging Photographers, International Photography Awards, Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Photography Award (HIPA), Istanbul Photo Awards, Moscow International Foto Awards, One Eyeland Awards, The Prix de la Photographie Paris, Sienna International Photo Awards, Tokyo International Foto Awards, Travel Photographer of the Year (TPOTY) Awards, Xposure Awards, etc. In just slightly more than 3 years, Robin's travel photos have gathered more than 850 awards worldwide, earning him Grandmaster status within the Australian Photographic Society...
As of June 2018, Robin is now an Accredited Professional Photographer with the AIPP (Australian Institute of Professional Photography) and within a year, an Associate with the same organization. In April 2020, Robin Yong becomes an artist with COCA - Center of Contemporary Artists.
In addition, Robin is represented by Le Dame Art Gallery in London and Rome, Art Limited in France, BlueThumb Gallery, artFido in Australia. iCanvas and Saatchi Art in the USA. And alongside the best artists in the world, Robin's work is available on artsy.net.
AWARDS
(more then 850, shown here the years 2021 and 2020)
2021:
Gold, Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020, Nature, Professional Category
APAS Gold Medal, Evergreen International Photography Circuit 2020, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
APAS Gold Medal, Temasek Photo Circuit 2021, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
Campina Exhibitions Gold Medal, 5th Onyx 2021 International Exhibition of Photography, People Category
ICPE Gold Medal, Evergreen International Photography Circuit 2020, PhotoVivo Salon, Open Color Category
3rd Prize, Global Photo Awards 2021, Nature Category
AAP Bronze Medal, Giraffe Cup 2020, Nature Category
Honorable mention, Giraffe Cup 2020, Monochrome Category
Honorable Mention, Tokyo International Foto Awards 2020, Advertising/ Fashion, Professional Category
APAS Honorable Mention, Evergreen International Photography Circuit 2020, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
ICPE Honorable Mention, Temasek Photo Circuit 2021, DigiRap Salon, Open Color Category
AAP Diploma, Giraffe Cup 2020, Travel Category
Salon Diploma, Exhibition Tikal , Nature Category
Circuit Merit Award, Evergreen International Photography Circuit 2020, Knowledge Bowl Salon, Open Color Category
Circuit Merit Award, Temasek Photo Circuit 2021,DigiRap Salon, Travel Category
Circuit Merit Award, Temasek Photo Circuit 2021, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
Finalist. Global Health 50/50, This is Gender 2021
Nominee, Fine Art Photography Awards 2021, Nudes Category
Nominee, Fine Art Photography Awards 2021, Animals/ Wildlife Category
2020:
APAS Gold Medal, Singapore Photo Circuit 2020, PhotoVivo Salon, Open Monochrome Category
APU Gold Medal, DigiRap International Photography Circuit 2020, DigiRap Salon, Open Color Category
APU Gold Medal, Sandven International Photography Circuit 2020, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
APU Gold Medal, Singapore Photo Circuit, Knowledge Bowl Salon, Open Color Category
APU Gold Medal, Temasek Photo Circuit 2020, Knowledge Bowl Salon, Open Color Category
APU Gold Medal, Temasek Photo Circuit 2020, SAndven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
ICPE Gold Medal, Sandven International Photography Circuit 2020, PhotoVivo Salon, Open Monochrome Category
Gold Medal, Moscow International Foto Awards 2020, Nature/ Pets, Professional Category
PhotoVivo Gold Medal, DigiRap International Photography Circuit 2020, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Monochrome Category
PhotoVivo Gold Medal, Golden Tiger Photo Circuit, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
PhotoVivo Gold Medal, Sandven International Photography Circuit 2020, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Monochrome Category
Salon Gold Medal, Estonia Photo Salon 2020, Open Color Category
1st Place, Umbra International Photography Awards 2019/ 2020, Portfolio - People, Professional Category
1st Place, Umbra International Photography Awards 2019/ 2020, Black, Professional Category
2nd Place, Malta International Photo Awards 2019/2020, Story Telling Category
2nd Place, Vienna International Photo Award 2020, Savoir Vivre "The Art of Living" Section
Campina Exhibitions Silver Medal, 5th Campina Salon 2020, Open Color Category
Silver Award/ Subcategeory Winner- Nature/ Pets, Budapest International Foto Awards 2020
Silver Award, Cosmos Awards 2020, Fine Art Nude Category x 3
Silver Award, Cosmos Awards 2020, Portrait, Individual Category x 3
Silver Award, Rise Photo Awards 2020, Family Category
Silver Award, Rise Photo Awards 2020, Travel Category
3rd Place, Chromatic Photo Awards 2020, Culture, Professional Category
Club Bronze, Laljal Circuit, Laljal Salon, Nature Category
Bronze Award, Rise Photo Awards 2020, Pets and Animals Category
APS Merit Award, APS Australian Digital Photography Awards 2020, Creative Category
Circuit Merit Award, DigiRap International Photography Circuit 2020, DigiRap Salon, Open Color Category
Circuit Merit Award, DigiRap International Photography Circuit 2020, DigiRap Salon, Open Monochrome Category
E-Merit, Laljal Circuit, Kurumbera Salon, Open Color Category
Circuit Merit Award, Sandven International Photography Circuit 2020, Sandven image House Salon, Open Color Category
Circuit Merit Award, Singapore Photo Circuit 2020, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Monochrome Category
Highly Commended, Australasia's TOP Emerging Photographer 2020, Portrait Category
Highly Commended, Australasia's TOP Emerging Photographer 2020, Single Shot Category
APAM Honorable Mention, 1st APAM International Salon, Open Color Category
APU Honorable Mention, DigiRap International Photography Circuit 2020, Sandven House Image Salon, Travel Category
APU Honorable Mention, Sandven International Photography Circuit 2020, PhotoVivo Salon, Open Color Category
Honorable Mention , Annual Photography Awards (APA) 2019, Portrait Category x 5
Honorable Mention, Chromatic Photo Awards 2020, Fine Art, Professional Category
Honorable Mention, Dhaka International Photo Awards 2020, Nature Category
Honorable Mention, Dhaka International Photo Awards 2020, Open Color Category
Honorable Mention, Dhaka International Photo Awards 2020, Travel Category
Honorable Mention, International Photo Awards 2020, People-Traditions/ Culture - Professional Category
Honorable Mention, Monovisions Photography Awards 2020, Single, Nude Category
Honorable Mention, Monovisions Photography Awards 2020, Single, Portrait Category
Honorable Mention, Monovisions Photography Awards 2020, Single, Travel Category
Honorable Mention, Moscow International Foto Awards 2020, Advertising/ Fashion, Professional Category
Honorable Mention, Moscow International Foto Awards 2020, People/ Culture, Professional Category
Honorable Mention, ND Awards 2020, Nude Category
Honorable Mention, PhotoArtMedica, Free Themer Category x2
Honorable Mention, PhotoArtMedica, The World of Water Category x2
Honorable Mention, PX3 Prix de la Photographie Paris, Professional, Advertising/ Fashion
Honorable Mention, Rise of the Earth Photo Contest 2020, Portrait and Body Category x2
Honorable Mention, Vienna International Photo Award 2020, Savoir Vivre "The Art of Living" Section x2
Honorable Mention, Vienna International Photo Award 2020, Black and White Section
ICPE Honorable Mention, Singapore Photo Circuit 2020, DigiRap Salon, Open Color Category
PhotoVivo Honorable Mention, DigiRap International Photography Circuit 2020, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
PhotoVivo Honorable Mention, Singapore Photo Circuit 2020, Sandven Image House Salon, Open Color Category
PhotoVivo Honorable Mention, Temasek Photo Circuit 2020, DigiRap Salon, open Color Category
Jury's Choice, Laljal Circuit, Krumbera Salon, Nature Category
Salon Ribbon, Georgia Photo Salon 2020, People Category
Salon Ribbon, Palanga Photo Salon 2020, Nature Category
Special Mention, Travel Photographer of the Year 2019, People and Culture Category
Winner, Travel Photographer of the Year 2019, People's Choice Award
Winner, Travel Photographer of the Year 2019, Street Life, Single Image Category
Creative Winner, Xpozer Photo Contest, People and Places
Winner, Best Photography, Aphrodite Film Awards, 2019 September- October
Winner, Best Photography, LA Cinefest 2020
Winner, Gold Award, Cosmos Awards 2020, Portrait Group/ Family Category
Winner Still Awards 2020, Portrait Category
Winner, The People's Choice - The Mono Awards 2020 - PEOPLE Category
Winner, 4 Nations Inter-Country Competition, 2020
Official Selection, Ambitus Film Festival
Official Selection, Laurus Film Festival
Official Selection, Visualis Film Festival
《京 カフェコムサ賞》第7回東山フォトコンテストにご応募いただき,"Kyoto Cafe Komsa Award", 7th Higashiyama Photo Contest
Finalist, Australian Photography Awards 2020, Wildlife Category
Finalist, Center of Contemporary Artists COCA Project 2020
Finalist, One Eyeland World's Top 10 Fashion Photographers 2019 x 6
Finalist, Rise Photo Awards 2020, Family Category
Finalist, Rise Photo Awards 2020. Travel Category
Finalist, Silver Lining Awards , Portrait Category
Finalist, 8th Zebra Awards 2020, Nudes
Finalist, 8th Zebra Awards 2020, Portrait and Editorial x 3
Nominee, Fine Art Photography Awards 2020, People Category (Series)
Nominee, Fine Art Photography Awards 2020, Nudes Category (Series)
Nominee, Fine Art Photography Awards 2020, Nudes Category (Single) x 2
Nominee, Fine Art Photography Awards 2020, Portrait Category(Single)
Shortlist, Vienna International Photo Award 2020, Savoir Vivre "The Art of Living" Section
Top 20, Australasia's TOP Emerging Photographer 2020, Animals Category
Top 20, Australasia's TOP Emerging Photographer 2020, Travel Category
Top 30, Australasia's TOP Emerging Photographer 2020, Portrait Category
Top 20, The Mono Awards 2020, People Category
EXHIBITIONS
2020
MONOCHROMERIFIC 1st edition
February 2020
More Art Please Gallery
Brasoc, Romania
2019
W A V Venice Audio-Visual show
1st to 9th February 2019
Palazzo Michiel
Venice, Italy
Travel Photographer of the Year Exhibition
29th March to 30th April 2019
London Bridge City
London,SE1 2DB
United Kingdom
Ethiopian Flowers & other Harmonies
7th March to 22nd June 2019
Le Dame Art Gallery
1 Albany Street, Regent's Park
London NW13UP
United Kingdom
2018
Montana Pico Festival
The World in the Mountains Exhibition
7th January to 7th April 2018,
MiratecArts Foto Galeria
1-2, n29, Mirateca, Azores 9950-153, Portugal
Hollywood Art and Movie Awards
26th January 2018, Alliance Francaise de Pasadena, Pasadena, CA, United States of America
Portraits: Hellerau Photography Award
8th February to 2nd April 2018
Festspielhaus Hellerau
Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 56, 01109 Dresden, Germany
29th Sutherland Shire National Exhibition of Photography 2017
9th February 2018, The Entrance Camera Club, CWA Hall, 1 Pacific St, Long Jetty, NSW, Australia
Talent Factory Annual Event,
2nd May 2018, Two Roads Theatre, Studio City, CA, United States of America
Chinese Opera Showcase:
One Step Closer to Wayang
11th May to 13th May 2018,
Sun Yat Sen Nanyang Memorial Hall, Singapore
12 Tai Gin Road, S327874, Singapore
London Photo Festival
17th to 19th May 2018
The Crypt, Borough High Street, SE1 1JA London, United Kingdom
Noto Fior di Foto
18th May to 20th May 2018,
Teatro Comunale Vittorio Emanuele
Piazza XVI Maggio, 1
96017 Noto
SR, Italy
Chania Photo Festival
28th August to 5th September 2018
Grand Arsenali
Chania, Greece
3rd Perth National Photographic Exhibition
22 September to 29 September 2o18
Perth Royal Show
Clarement Showground,
Photography Pavilion,
1 Graylands Road, Claremont,
WA 6010, Australia
Flowing City – La Città mai ferma,
Trieste Photo Days,
18th October to 9th December 2018
Trieste Airport, Via Aquileia 46, Ronchi dei Legionari (GO) - Italy
Gurushots Exhibition
9th November to 11th November 2018
The Canvas Gallery
158 Mount Pleasant Road, S298349
Singapore
2017
Istanbul Photo Awards 2017 First Exhibition
2nd April to 16th April, Tophane-i Amire Art Museum, Istanbul, Turkey
Travel Photographer Society Exhibition
27th April to 7th May, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Istanbul Photo Awards 2017 Sergi Exhibition
4th May to 30th May, Cer Modern Arts Center, Ankara, Turkey.
4th International Photo Salon Plodiv
30th June to 14th July, Gallery of the Association Society of Plodiv Artists, 32 Gladston Street, Plodiv, Bulgaria.
Blank Wall Gallery, Portraits in B&W,
23rd June to 6th July, 55 Fokionos Negri Street 11361, Athens Greece
16th Donggang International Photo Festival (동강국제사진제)
14th July to 1st October 2017, Donggang Museum of Photography and nearby outdoor exhibition hall, Yeongwol Station, Cultural Art Hall, Large Hall of Yeongwol-gun County Office, Women’s Hall, areas of Yeongwol. 1909-10, Yeongwol-ro, Yeongwol-gun, Gangwon-do, Seoul, South Korea.
Istanbul Photo Awards 2017 Exhibition
7th September to 7th October, FolkArt Gallery, Adalet Mahallesi, Manas Blv. 37-2, 35530 Bayraklı/İzmir, Turkey.
"Out There 2017"
Canberra Photographic Society’s Annual Exhibition, 14th September - 24th September, Watson Arts Centre, 1 Aspinall St, Watson ACT 2602, Australia
Blank Wall Gallery, Travel
22nd September to 5th October, 55 Fokionos Negri Street 11361, Athens Greece
Blank Wall Gallery, Black & White
6th October to 19th October, 55 Fokionos Negri Street 11361, Athens Greece
Istanbul Photo Awards 2017 Exhibition
10th October to 10th November, Sakarya, Turkey.
29th Sutherland Shire National Exhibition of Photography 2017
12th October 2017, St George Photographic Society, St George Leagues Club, 124 Princes Highway, Kogarah, NSW, Australia.
29th Sutherland Shire National Exhibition of Photography 2017
17th October 2017, Cronulla Sharks Photography Club, Cronulla Sharks Leagues Club, 461 Captain Cook Drive, Cronulla, NSW, Australia.
Blank Wall Gallery, Landscapes
20th October to 2nd November, 55 Fokionos Negri Street 11361, Athens Greece
Istanbul Photo Awards 2017 Exhibition
16th October to 27th October, Birlesmis Milletler / United Nations Headquarters, New York 405 East 42nd Street, New York City, NY 10017 USA.
Photo House "On a Journey" Collective Exhibition
2nd November to 2nd December 2017, Le Dame Art Gallery at Melia White House, 1 Albany Street, Regent's Park, London NW13UP, United Kingdom.
Istanbul Photo Awards 2017 Exhibition
9th November to 19th November 2017, Red October Gallery, Bersenevskiy per., 2с1, Moskva, Московская область, 119072 Moscow, Russia.
The Stockholm Diary - "The Essence of Monochrome"
24th November 2017 to 6th January 2018, Haller utca 27.Budapest 1096, Hungary
Vinci Photo Festival 2017. Il viaggio nell'immaginario.
2nd December 2017 to 12th February 2018
Piazza dei Guidi, 50059 Vinci, Italy
2015
Country Holidays 20th Anniversary event, "Stories of the Mekong" Photo exhibition, 14th January 2015, Lapis Thai, Shanghai, China.
PUBLICATIONS
2014
Beginning in Venice
2015
Cambodia
Fairy Tales in Venice
The Secret Garden
2016
Flowers of Ethiopia
Fairy Tales in Annevoie
Fairy Tales in Venice, part II
2017
PDN 2016 Exposure Photography Award Book for Documentary, Travel & Wildlife.
Istanbul Photo Awards 2017 Photobook
African Geographic Yearbook 2017
Best of Photography 2017
Chromatic Photo Book 2017
2018
Trierenberg Super Circuit 2018 Master's Selection
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