The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
One of the best-preserved ancient structures in the Roman Forum, this temple draws the eye with its towering row of monolithic Cipollino marble columns rising above the Via Sacra, with the later Baroque church facade nestled incongruously between them. The contrast between the ancient Roman stonework and the Christian church built into it makes for compelling architectural layering. Shoot from ground level along the Via Sacra to use the column bases as foreground elements and compress the depth with a short telephoto around 70-100mm. The temple faces southeast, so morning light hits the columns directly and brings out the warm tones in the marble. Early morning also means far fewer tourists, giving you clean compositions without crowds. The steps and the deep carved entablature create strong shadow lines that add texture and drama in raking light. Enter the Roman Forum through the Colosseo metro stop entrance for the closest access point. (Rome, Lazio, Italy)
