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.

Slideshow Links

Eric | Clark | Al | Lynn | Don #1 | Don #2