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.

Book This Workshop

Shooting Locations

Varenna

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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).

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

Example of a typical

day in the field

Sunrise and early morning

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.

rest of the morning

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

Afternoon

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.

Sunset

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.

Night

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

Book this workshop

Why should I take an Italy Photography Workshop with Paolo De Faveri?

Simple: because you will learn how to take better photographs. Consider a Paolo De Faveri's Photography Workshop as an invaluable add-on to your gear: a tool that will teach you how to take wonderful photos wherever you go. We make the art and technique of photography simple to understand by breaking it down into easy pieces of information that you will find useful to apply every time you will be in the field.
What will I learn?

Well, a whole lot, you can be sure. Paolo De Faveri's workshops are designed to help take your creativity to a new level. Through a combination of both in-the-field image sessions and class/lecture sessions on many different topics both technical and artistic, I want to get you to start thinking differently as an artist and spark your artistic vision. key features always include: - master the basics of landscape photography - learn how to compose effectively no matter of the subject, from macro to grand vistas - learn how to photograph with challenging lighting, such as at sunrise and sunset - learn about when and how to use filters - explore advanced photography techniques such as long exposures in broad daylight and image stitching for panoramic compositions Check the lessons section in this website for an exhaustive list of topics usually covered in my in-the-field and classroom sessions.
What happens on an Italy Photography Workshop with Paolo De Faveri?

All of my workshops start with a brief Introduction, a presentation of the daily schedule and the technical and artistic goals of each day, followed by questions and answer session for getting to know each other, assessing the level of knowledge of the group, each person's goals and expectations. On average we will spend from 8 to 10 hours a day in the field, every day in a different location, having big fun in chasing the best possible light and scouting the area looking for images that capture the innermost beauty of the amazing world around us. My tours are a mix of adventure and teaching, and they are not intended as only formal teaching and instructions They are more about wandering in some of the best natural or urban environments I know and getting fully immersed in photography. A "learn by doing" kind of education, as I answer questions and solve problems as they arises, completed by a debriefing in the evening when we will thoroughly review and critique together the work done in the day, and we will analyze in details basic and advanced techniques of image processing.
What will I learn in the classroom/webinars?

Check the lessons section in this website for an exhaustive list of topics usually covered in my classroom sessions and webinars.
Does the instructor shoot over the workshop?

Yes, I will be shooting during the tour/workshop, but in a limited capacity as participants needs come first of course. I often take pictures right along with the students inspiring them to learn to see an image the way I do. Much of my shooting over the workshop is meant as direct field demonstrations aimed to improve student's creative vision and technique.
How advanced do I need to be?

Anyone, no matter of how advanced he/she is, will find my workshops to be a great learning experience. The majority of my students are usually somewhere between intermediate to advanced amateur up to semi-pro and pro, but many beginners attend too. You should in anycase be at least familiar with your equipment and its operation. Always bring your camera manual for quick reference in the field.
What kind and how much equipment should I bring?

The essential photo gear you should have with you is listed here below. This gear is highly recommended for taking full advantage of the instructions you will receive in my workshops. - tripod - dslr camera - a good quality zoom lens covering a focal range length of at least 28 to 100 mm - enough storage cards for at least 16 GB - extra camera batteries - camera bag or backpack - camera user's manual
Will weather ever force us to change the workshop's schedule?

Bad weather always provide unusual and harsh conditions that contribute unique drama and mood to our images. So the answer is no, normally. We only stop shooting and/or move elsewhere if an element of danger arises.
Is transportation included?

Usually yes, it's included, unless when stated differently in the workshop description. For group tours we will use vans/small buses for our daily transfers from the hotel to the shooting locations and back. For private/small groups workshops I will drive my own car. Of course, you have to arrive on your own to the hotel/lodging.
How should I dress?

I recommend to come prepared for anything and bring an extra layer of warm clothes with you. Here is a list of clothes/accessories you should always dress/have with you when shooting outdoor: - trekking shoes if you shoot in a natural environment; a pair of very comfortable - and possibly water-proof shoes - if you shoot in a urban context - wind/rain proof jacket - pile pullovers - gloves - headdress - head lamp and batteries
How do I register for a workshop?

Simply use the pre-registration form available in the pages describing each workshop and compile every field of it, letting me know about the workshop of your choice, the number of participants, the desired dates and duration, etc. I will be back to you right away for confirming the availability and with the instruction for booking. To validate your reservation, you will be asked to pay the 35% of the workshop price as a deposit.
What is your cancellation policy?

All my workshops are subject to the following Cancellation Policy: - If you cancel within 30 days before the workshop start, you will be refunded the deposit minus 100,00 € as administrative fee. - No refund will be issued for cancellations received with 30 days or less remaining before the workshop starting date. Please note that there is no exception to this policy. For this reason it is strongly recommended to purchase refundable plane/train tickets only and endow yourself with a trip cancellation insurance. All cancellation request must be in writing.
Details and Requirements - Key Features

Number of students per workshop: minimum 1, maximum 3 students Duration: minimum 3, maximum 7 days 5 or, even better, 6 days is the recommended length, as it is indeed the ideal timeframe for putting together a very effective itinerary, there are long distances to cover as the Ardeche is quite a big region Workshops Availability From March thru November Difficulty Easy. Most of the shooting locations are directly accessible by car. A few of them require short hikings of no more than 1.5 kms one way, on easy trails with moderate elevation gain. The trail along the Ardeche River Gorges is not difficult but long and demanding in terms of stamina required. It can be added as an option, just ask What's included - full time in-the-field tutoring and instructions - at least one image processing class (min. 2 hours) per workshop - all transportation during the workshop will be provided with a rented car/van. included in the price What's not included - Travel costs for reaching the accommodation, hotels/B&B rates, meals and beverages are not included in the cost of admission unless specified. - Excursion boats - Entrance tickets to archelogical sites. museums, etc. - Lodging costs of the instructor Insurance All participants must be in possession of a valid Health and Accident Insurance with repatriation cover.

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