Lake Como Photography Tours and Workshops
A world within the world
Lake Como is one of the most beautiful places in Italy, and also among the most iconic. Intellectuals of every age have visited its shores, from Pliny the Younger to Goethe and Alessandro Manzoni. They were so fascinated that they felt the urge to describe with the written word the otherworldly sweetness of its beauty. A lake, therefore, which is filled with rivers of ink and gives its harmonious slopes and sublime landscapes to the imagination of generations of writers, thus becoming one of the favorite settings for European and world literature. A place out of time, really a world within the world, where the beauty has been preserved untouched thru the centuries to our days.
Shooting Locations
Varenna
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Probably the coziest town of the whole lake, Varenna features an untouched historical centre with old buildings and cobble stones lanes, the fishermen's harbour nestled in a small bay, and some of the best sunset/sunrise views on the lake from the Lover's walkway, a pedestrian path right on the water, connecting the old town to the newer districts of it.
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Villa Monastero
A small group of five vertical peaks in the Nuvolao range, from here it is possible to enjoy and photograph wonderful grand vistas on the Mount Croda da Lago, Antelao, the Tofane and Lagazuoi group, and the Lastoi de Formin.
This area was theater of fierce fightings between Italian and austro-Hungarian troops during World War I; the trenches and shelters are still there nowaday and have been recently restructured to create interesting historical itineararies.
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Bellagio
Bellagio is without any doubt the most iconic town of the lake, it is placed right at the intersection of the three arms of Lake Como, at the "root" of the Y, so to say. This town is a feast for the eye and certainly one of the most fulfilling photographer's paradise.
Villa Melzi
Another beautiful lake, Misurina Lake is the perfect set for photographing the majestic vertical walls of the Sorapiss group. Many animals live In the woods and prairies surrounding the lake, such as deers, chamoises, foxes and also wild horses.
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Nesso
Pordoi is a pass located between the Sella group in the north and the Marmolada group in the south. The pass is at an altitude of 2,239 m (7,346 ft), and the road crossing the pass connects Arabba (Livinallongo del Col di Lana) with Canazei (Fassa Valley). It is the highest surfaced road traversing a pass in the Dolomites.
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Como
Como is a beautiful city on it's own. It's the biggest one on the lake and there is a large park just out of the historical centre which is an amazing playground for photographers: curvy tree alleys, centuries-old oak and pine trees, small bridges, old style lamp posts, cobble stones lanes, stylish park benches, a couple of amazing villas and... even hydroplanes landing and taking off all the time from the nearby airport!
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Pescallo
This pass connects the Funes Valley with the Badia Valley. The place to go for photographing the wonderful massif of Sass de Putia (Peitlerkofel in German).
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Civenna
A wonderful elevated viewpoint from where it is possible to frame all three arms of the lake in a single picture. The perfect sunset spot at Lake Como, I would say
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Example of a typical
day in the field
Sunrise and early morning
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we will leave Bellagio 1 hour before sunrise, heading by car to an elevated vantage point with a beautiful view on the promontory of Bellagio and the 3 branches of Lake Como. We will shoot at this location for a couple of hours and then we will head back to Bellagio for having breakfast at the hotel.
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rest of the morning
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We will leave the hotel after a little rest. We will have a walk in the old lanes downtown Bellagio and will also visit the park of Villa Serbelloni - Rockfeller, as well as the small fishermen's hamlet of Pescallo
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Afternoon
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After a quick lunch we will take the car and drive up to Piano Rancio, a small plateau dominating the lake, with beautiful meadows and woods. We will shoot from the stunning vantage point at Villa Pietraluna, as well as several viewpoints in the woods surrounding the villa.
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Sunset
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We will then drive to what is probably the most famous Belvedere of Lake Como, the Belvedere of Civenna. We will shoot from this location at sunset.
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Night
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If the weather is promising, we could decide to have dinner somewhere in Civenna and then get back to the Belvedere for a night shooting session with the milky way
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About your Photography Instructor
Ciao! My name is Paolo.
I have been a full-time professional landscape, nature, travel and architecture photographer since 2007. Since then, I have planned and led hundreds of private one-to-one and small groups photo workshops and tours in some of the best looking regions and cities of Italy and France.
My pictures have appeared in calendars, books, travel magazines, brochures and as wall art in offices, hotels, restaurants and corporate venues. For more info please click here
More Photo Workshops
Private, one-to-one photo workshops, available year around
