A very lively group of workshop students spent a week in the sunny Italian lakes of Como and Maggiore. Our first few days were on Lake Como, photographing in and around the beautiful towns of Menaggio, Bellagio and Varenna. We then made a brief foray into Ticino, an Italian-speaking region in southern Switzerland with charming granite villages and towering waterfalls, after which we finished the week on Lake Maggiore, with a day spent on the famed Borromean Islands and the fantastical Isola Bella, which had been a part of the Grand Tour.
Take a look at the participants’ slideshows below—each link opens in a new tab.
The 2025 Italian Lakes Photography Workshop Group #2
Photos of this great group in action
Gerry lines up a shot in MenaggioSteve in relax modeKathy in SwitzerlandJayn takes in the waterfall viewRob and Steve exploring in SwitzerlandGerry in VarennaThe crew walks the waterfront in VarennaGerry draws a bead on a shotRob in MenaggioWe got to celebrate Gerry’s birthday in MenaggioBirthday dolce!Gerry in SwitzerlandRob in reposeGerryIl CapoThe group at aperitivoGerryRobJaynIl CapoRob
A day or so of off-and-on drizzle gave way to a great week of sunny (if hazy) light for this lovely group of workshoppers. Starting in the lovely town of Menaggio on Lake Como, we used the efficient lake ferry system to make our way across the lake to the towns of Bellagio and Varenna, with their beautiful gardens and steep, angled streets.
After a few days and nights on Lake Como, we moved west to Lake Maggiore, stopping first in Ticino, an Italian-speaking part of Switzerland with towering waterfalls and tiny villages constructed from the plentiful granite of the region. Once on Lake Maggiore, we visited the famed Borromean Islands, once part of the Grand Tour. We ate well, we drank great regional wines and we had a whole lot of fun, all while making photographs that told the story of this beautiful Italian area.
Take a look at the participants’ slideshows below—each link opens in a new tab.
The 2025 Italian Lakes Photography Workshop – Group 1
Photos of this great group in action
Ruth at the edge of Lake ComoDon lining up a shot on Lake ComoNancy in a church in MenaggioDonna resting in the garden in BellagioDon working the lilliesRuth in VarennaNancy in VarennaWorking separately togetherIn VarennaWorkshoppers dwarfed by the waterfallEric photographs a tiny alpine villageDon gets his settings rightMichelle in SwitzerlandRuth in Isola dei PescatoriLunch on Lago Maggiore
The ancient hill town of Cortona was cool and rainy earlier in May, but when this group rolled in at the end of the month, they brought the sun with them. We were treated to a string of warm days and crisp, clear nights—the kind of weather that makes late spring in Tuscany feel like a gift.
It was a phenomenal week filled with photography, food, wine, and the kind of camaraderie that only seems to happen when you’re traveling with other curious, creative people. We photographed our way through Arezzo, Anghiari, Montepulciano, Pienza, San Quirico d’Orcia, and beyond—but Cortona remained our home base. We climbed its steep hills daily and gratefully wandered its one flat street, affectionately called Ruga Piana—the “flat wrinkle.”
The group produced some beautiful photographic work and one participant also brought along a sketchbook and watercolors, blending media and ideas—sometimes letting photographs act as a starting point for painted impressions. All week long, we shared thoughtful conversations about image-making, about how our own lives inform what and how we photograph, and how storytelling weaves itself into every frame.
Take a look at the participants’ slideshows below—each link opens in a new tab.
Eric and Alan in CortonaClark lines up a shot in MontepulcianoDon at Sant’Anna in CamprennaDon shooting in MontepulcianoClark going the distance for an image of San Biagio in MontepulcianoAl at the American cemetery in FlorenceAl at the American Cemetery in FlorenceDon in a sea of travertine Comparing notes in PienzaFlorence’s American CemeteryDon at the American Cemetery in FlorenceDonna sketching in San Quirico d’OrciaOld friend and music professor Al taught me about Guido d’Arezzo and his contributions to musical notationThe most contented woman in CortonaMary Pat at aperitivo hourClark and Al find subjects in MontepulcianoAl in Montepulciano
Warm sun, cool breezes, and a camera in hand — the perfect setup for a week of exploration across the stunning Sicilian landscape. Our small group of photographers dove headfirst into the gritty energy of Catania (including its wonderfully chaotic fish market) and wandered through the elegant, timeworn Baroque beauty of Ragusa, Noto, and Scicli.
With each stop, we looked for stories — in light, in texture, in the rhythm of daily life — working to translate this ancient island into images that speak. A highlight: our visit to the Curto winery in Ispica, where winemaker Francesca Curto shared the rich legacy of her family’s craft. And of course, we ate very well — Pasta alla Norma, caponata, swordfish, tuna — the flavors of Sicily, captured one bite at a time.
Viva Sicilia!
Check out the participants’ slideshows via the links below – each will open in a new tab.
In Ragusa with our guide GiuseppeIn Ragusa with our guide GiuseppeIn Ragusa with our guide GiuseppeAn impromptu home tour and piano concert in Maestro Appiano’s homeAn impromptu home tour and piano concert in Maestro Appiano’s homeNeil at the wedding in ScicliPhotographing the Infiorata in NotoObserving the Infiorata in NotoDelta waiting for the right momentComparing camera settingsWaiting out a little rain in TaorminaWith our guide in CataniaSoaking up the Sicilian sunIn CataniaWith our guide in CataniaAt the Curto winery in IspicaWinemaker Francesca Curto gave us a tourTasting the Curto winesGreat wines!In Scicli
