In the right spot, an AP photographer earned a wave from Bezos and Sanchez as they arrived in Venice

TOKYO, Japan (AP) — Luca Bruno has been a staff photographer for The Associated Press in Northern Italy, based in Milan, since 1989. A versatile shooter, Bruno has covered everything from fashion shows to multiple Olympics to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.

Why this photo?

The particular challenge for this assignment was getting that first BIG picture of the arrival of Jeff Bezos and Laura Sanchez that would be published everywhere.

The days in Venice were very hectic and very hot but also full of satisfactions and details not to be forgotten – for one, Bezos’ staff approached us by boat several times to bring us kinds of comfort such as ice cream and fresh water.

How I made this photo

I had just arrived, just a couple of hours in Venice, and it was not known exactly what time Bezos and Sanchez would show up at the Hotel Aman.

When I saw the scene in front of the Hotel, many photographers were positioned on the quay right in front of the entrance tent. I thought that if the couple arrived, I would end up photographing them from the back, so I decided to walk to the opposite position, hoping to have them in front for their arrival.

A bit of experience and a bit of luck: After a few minutes, a series of security boats appeared in the lagoon channel, and I knew they were coming.

The boat on which the couple stood pointed straight toward me, and when they saw me on the quay they kindly greeted me from behind the tinted glass that was illuminated by the sunlight.

I took a flurry of photos and one of those was satisfactory enough to put on the wire thanks to the immediate remote editing from the Rome office.

Why this photo works

It worked, first and foremost, because it was a document of their arrival for the wedding. Also, competitively, there was only one other photographer next to me.

For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.