Turin Street Photography

The magical light of winter walks

I have visited Turin several times. By coincidence, it was always winter or the beginning of spring, when the sky is clear of frost and the smell of snow is in the air. I miss it so much after moving to warm Italy, so maybe that’s why the city was love at first sight. Additionally, the short winter days beautifully lengthen the shadows and the honey light emphasises the monochromatic colours of the city and highlights the elegant architectural details.

Turin was the capital of Italy in the years 1861–1865 and its history is distinguished by continuous economic and cultural development. This is very visible in the city’s urban planning and architecture. An orthogonal, orderly grid of streets is lined with elegant tenement houses. The architecture of the buildings and the materials used indicate discreet wealth and prosperity. The wide streets are full of shops, restaurants and cafes, but uniform signs and the lack of flashy advertisements introduce an element of effortless elegance. The dynamic development and young spirit of the city deprive it of conservatism. Cultural diversity is visible, among others, in the rich collections of the Egyptian and Oriental Museum. However, my favourite exhibition space is the Gallerie d’Italia.

Turin Travel Palette

Turin street photography helps you get to know the city and observe its colours. The capital of Piedmont is known for chocolate, so this sweet shade of brown is not accidental. What’s more, it is present everywhere, not only in cafes (I especially recommend Caffè Baratti & Milano and Caffè Platti). Staying on the topic of sweets – the next colour in Turin’s palette is caramel. It combines brown shades of old gold with winter, honey light. The bright colour is white and yellow alabaster. This mineral is used as a decorative stone, so it fits perfectly into the elegant character of the city. The final colour is a deep firebrick that adds some temperament to this monochromatic composition.