Venice. However or wherever you look, few if any places on the planet or beyond have such refined, glorious, relentless, soul-enriching beauty as Venice. From the back streets to the grand vistas along the spacious piazzas or the canals, it is always resplendent and encrusted with decorative carvings that evoke and tell tales of its 1,000 year history.

This shot was taken during a week I spent there with my family in late October, roaming the streets, canals, and exploring and absorbing the incredible beauty of this unique city. The weather was changeable, but sometimes this can offer lovely lighting effects, as here, just before the heavens opened for a huge rainstorm.

Amongst my favourite artists are the painters of cityscapes, "vedute", of the 18th century - the greatest of whom to paint Venice and beyond were of course Antonio Canale, known as Canaletto, and his possibly even more talented nephew, Berardo Bellotto. These painters have always been a huge influence on my work, as can be seen in this image of the Canal Grande.