There are dark shadows on the earth, but its lights are stronger in the contrast. ― Charles Dickens
A dark figure cast upon a surface by something intercepting the rays from a source of light
A partial darkness or obscurity
An imperfect and faint representation
An imitation or copy
A shaded or darker portion of a picture
The darkness following sunset
A state of obscurity
Some people seemed to get all sunshine, and some all shadow… ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Women
A pervasive and dominant influence or presence
A remnant, an insignificant amount, an inferior focus
An area near an object
A darkened area of skin under the eye
An incipient growth of beard that makes the skin look darker
An inseparable companion or follower
A nearby or adjoining region
A reflected image
A source of gloom or unhappiness
A shelter for protection
Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you. ― Walt Whitman
Related words: phantom, dusk, umbra, shade, shadiness, blackness, dimness, gloom, murkiness, obscurity, somberness, cloudiness
Enjoy for a day journey with the shadows of Italy. Which are your favorites? Ciao!
Monterosso al Mare for a Late Lunch
Shining Church in Vernozza
Peeking through the shadows in Florence
A Sunny Day in San Gimignano
Falling Shadows in San Gimignano
In the Shadows of San Gimignano
Leaving the Light On in San Gimignano
A University Building in Pisa
Pisa at Dusk
Night Falls in Lucca on the Bascilica of San Frediano
A Frank Angle 
Exquisite, exquisite, exquisite. . !
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E-Tom,
Well thank you, thank you, thank you.
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Frank, you may have another career promoting Italy! Here’s my fav: Night Falls in Lucca
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Elyse,
LOL … interestingly, I’ve tried not only to fit pics around word themes, but I’ve seldom used pics more than once. But I can say that I’m running out of ideas.
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Maybe another trip is in order!
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Oh I wish … especially for pictures because my eyes were learning how to spot things.
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Buy those lottery tickets, Frank!
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I do … well, when it is over $100 million.
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Terrific. My favorite is Pisa at Dusk. You make it clear that “The shadow knows.” Love the quotes.
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Patti,
Love your addition of “The Shadow know.” (which made me smile). Good choice of dusk!
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That shadowed street in Florence would benefit so much with some bright sunshine in it. The buildings are so ornate and decorated. Is that a church, beyond, with the sun on it? 😕
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Archon,
Good eye. Although the space is a gated walkway, the building in the sunshine is the infamous Duomo. In it tastefully ornate, and a few other nearby buildings have the same design. Here’s a pic that I took just before or after the one in the post.
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I love all the images, Frank. If I had to choose just one to save a puppy from death, I’m with Archon’s Den. The shadows in Florence with all that ornate architecture is gorgeous.
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Lame,
Good choice for you because I recall you appreciating an early pic I used.
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Well, I am consistent!
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And who knows why I remembered that!
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You HAD to point that out! Ha! That’s why your followers love you Frank!
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🙂 …. thank you.
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Oh these are stunning, my favourite-Leaving the light on in San Gimignano
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Soma,
Most of my San Gimignano pics had shadows, so I narrowed it down to these. It was my first time there, and I would think that given the tall structures and narrow streets, shadows are easy to find no matter the time of day.
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Beautiful post, Frank. I love to think of all shadows, although not the dark, lurking, scary ones! It’s hard to pick a favorite. I think my favs are the ones in San Gimignano. They’re all stunning.
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Bumble,
I think shadows in San Gimignano are about as easy to find as cars in Los Angeles …. and no matter the time of day! … Nonetheless, they are interesting, and I wasn’t seeking shadows.
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I have always liked the Alcott quote you used. And I find shadowy figures and places very intriguing. It must be very nice to be able to look back on your wonderful trip to Italy and have nice memories to hold onto. I like the Pisa at Dusk. That’s my favorite time of day, and I think the location is just marvelous!
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Debra,
Glad you enjoyed the Pisa pic. Take a close look at the Baptistry’s roof because one side is different than the other … and one can tell in this pic.
Shortly after returning I noticed various collections/themes … and I’ve tried to keep the pics to a reasonable number in the collection.
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Nice job!
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Unfettered,
Many thanks!
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Vernozza was my fave. My comment got cut off. I love traveling on your blog!
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Vernozza is a beautiful village …. one of the Cinque Terra … if you don’t know about them, search on Google Images will give you wonderful pics.
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no shadow: no light, no light: no shadow, or something like that!
As a sea person, I’ll pick the first one!
🙂
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Marina,
Your saying works well. You would love Monterosso and the other villages in the area known as Cinque Terra. Simply wonderful!
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“Night Falls in Lucca” is beautiful. Perfect ending photo. Thank you for stopping by this morning.
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Georgette,
Actually, the idea for arranging them around time came to me yesterday … so I’m glad it worked … well, at least for you.
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My favorite it Florence. I love the perspective!
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Cathy,
That cluster of buildings are beautiful!
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Good morning Frank! I like Pisa at Dusk, but they are all lovely, and I just happen to love sunsets in general. 🙂
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Alex,
Good choice … interesting how others like that pic too for similar reasons!
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(photo #1 is my FAV!) Really enjoyed this post, Frank! When I was growing up, me and my best friend would go EVERYWHERE together – everywhere…and the few times I would be out and about by myself someone ALWAYS would ask me, “Where’s your shadow?” haha. Your post made me smile.
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Hood,
Glad this post was able to remind you of a pleasant memory! Meanwhile, Monterosso is on of the beautiful images of the Cinque Terra – a term which is a great one to see on Google Images.
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Googled and took some peeks! Breathtakingly beautiful.
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My favorite is “A Sunny Day in San Gimignano.” I liked the composition and the colors.
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Tim,
San Gimignano is a wonderful place! Good choice.
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enjoy your trip Frank. Maybe, one day i too will enjoy and marvel at the shadows of San Gimignano 🙂
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Mav,
Welcome first time commenter …. and I too hope you get to spend a day in wonderful San Gimignano. Delightful and interesting. Meanwhile, I hope you return here.
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Good one. Fav pic is Monterosso al Mare, very nice.
And a little bit of trivia. If John was back to commenting again he’d possibly have told you about the Sci Fi TV Series UFO and the Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organization or S.H.A.D.O.
Hang on that’s given me an idea, thanks!
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Fasab,
I imagine John as not only seen the show, but also memorized the script. 😉 Monterosso is a good choice, plus a wonderful place to have lunch.
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The Sea one for me Frank – but they all bring back happy honeymoon memories.
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GVB,
Monterosso is one of the five villages of the Cinque Terra … and wonderful!
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Elegant. Simply elegant.
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Mouse,
Many thanks!
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Monterosso al Mare is my fave. Lovely, Frank.
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Rogue,
Monterosso is one of the five villages of the Cinque Terra … oh that stretch of coast is gorgeous.
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Wonderful theme… and wonderful post. All these photographs beautifully showing us the spirit of Italy, I love to visit this country even in the photographs too. Thank you dear Frank, The sun be with you always, love, nia
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Nia,
And coming from one who knows what to do with a camera beyond point and shoot, many thanks for the kind words.
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Oh I do love these photos Frank… bloody marvelous…
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Bulldog,
Glad you appreciated these … and I narrowed the choices of shadows as I don’t like posts with seemingly endless pics.
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These photos brought back great memories, Frank. Love the San Gimignano ones best. 🙂
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Paradise,
Good choice … and I imagine you have been to San Gimignano. If not, it’s golden for photography!
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Yes, I blogged it last year, and you commented. 😀
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… and I hadn’t been there yet …. and at least now I can say that I have. 🙂 Hope you had a wonderful day in Paradise.
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Yes, today was very nice indeed. Thank you. 🙂
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Plus I hope you get some hammock time soon!
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Excellent post on shadows – a great idea. And excellent shots of shadows in Italy, too. My favourite is Falling Shadows in San Gimignano.
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Otto,
San Gimignano is wonderful … and would seem to be full of photo ops for one like yourself. I didn’t set out to find shadows, just picked the theme once I was home looking at all the pics. FYI: I also did ones on (at least) doors, arches, and windows. If you get bored sometime, see Categories > Words in the sidebar.
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The university building in Pisa is wonderful, and like many of Pisa’s delights is overlooked as most people just visit the tower.
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Debra,
Absolutely … and that entire square is delightful!
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A very well balanced post you have here, Frank. I enjoyed all the different stops – I am a huge Jetsons fan!! (can sing the theme in my sleep). And the handbells – I just wonder where they hide that 600 foot pipe organ that MUST be there somewhere!
My fave pic is “leaving the light on in San G…” a beautiful peek into life inside these ancient buildings!!!
Thanks for the wonderful tour, Frank!!
🙂
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BuddhaKat,
Friday’s OITS have quite the buffet of treats. I picked the Jetson’s out of the blue, and I have NOT yet featured them on my Saturday Morning Classic cartoon posts … so they will be coming up in the future … but unsure when.
LOL regarding the handbells because I too thought of an organ when hearing this with so many ringers. Meanwhile, San Gimignano is a quite the visual feast.
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Shadows are a theme of mine (all the way to a book of shadows – my latest title). The first one is wonderful. I love the sunspot in the center. I also like the dusk picture. Very soothing color palette.
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Red,
Good choices … and to be surrounded by the beauty of those places is also a special treat. Glad you enjoy the joys shadows bring!
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Beautiful. Love this.
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Words,
Very interesting how easy one can find beauty by just looking.
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An excellent collection of thoughts on shadows!
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Guapo,
Just trying to showing some pics with a touch of for the mind.
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“Everyone carries a shadow and the less it is embodied in the individual’s conscious life, the blacker and denser it is” Carl Jung
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Rachel,
Very good addition … many thanks.
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I like “Leaving a Light on . . .” best.
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John,
That pics reminds me of Kincaid art.
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Pisa at dusk, magnifico!
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Victoria,
That was a beautiful night there!
Take a close look at the roof on the round building because it’s two different roofs depending on the half … and this pics shows both.
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These are beautiful, Frank. You should take up photography. 🙂
Favorites:
Peeking through the shadows in Florence
Leaving the Light On in San Gimignano
Pisa at Dusk
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Robin,
I appreciate kind words from a photographer. Fortunately, technology allows me to unknowingly get some good shots. Thanks for sharing your favorites.
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Wonderful, Frank. I really enjoyed this. Well put together. Pensive.
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Noeleen,
Glad you enjoyed this one. From my pics in Italy, I put together similar posts about windows, arches, and probably others. See Words in the Categories group along the right sidebar.
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