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Our clients had this to say...
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"This tour is the ultimate gift you can give yourself. We booked it through
Expedia - looking for a new and different activity for our trip. Not only will you have an amazing experience - but you will walk away with photography skills that will
make the rest of your travels a lifetime of memories.
Tony does a great job of teaching you some very valuable elements of photography that instantly transform your photos from the generic to fantastic. We had a great time -
seeing Rome with a different set of eyes! Tony is a wonderful guide and teacher! I look forward to being back in Italy and taking another tour!" ~ Don & Niki M. /
Seattle
"Our trip to Rome was one that won’t
ever be forgotten. If our memories should ever fail, we have the most awesome pictures to remember it by. We all enjoyed our classes and learned so much. All of our
friends have enjoyed seeing the pictures and have commented on how spectacular they are. What a wonderful way to enjoy a vacation and share learning and exploring
a new “old” city together as a family and through the eyes of a great photographer and lens of our camera. I feel the results are phenomenal." ~ Debbie,
Chuck & Ashleigh D. / USA
"The couple of hours in Rome that I was with you taught me more
than I could have ever asked for." ~ Miguel P. / Florida
"Thank you so much for the amazing opportunity you gave us. It was one of the highlights of our trip. You
literally did change the way we look at things, both through the camera and "eye". We were able to learn so much more in one afternoon, than in past year since we've had
the camera.
Although we both already loved photography, we had found ourselves frustrated at not knowing how to "get the
right shot". We now both have a renewed passion for photography, and found ourselves 'seeing a photo' and seeking out ways to practice the techniques and tips throughout
the rest of the trip.
The experiences and the overall knowledge that you shared were incredible. We really felt like we had an exceptional, once in a lifetime opportunity getting such an
incredible hands on instruction and guidance." ~Terry & Jeannette D. / Atlanta
"THANK YOU for leading our amazing time in Rome and Tivoli! Our heads have been spinning since we returned. You gave
us exactly what we were looking for. You enabled us to think and see outside of ourselves and inspired us to "make photos" better than
ever. We especially appreciated getting to the best locations in Rome during the best light..." ~
Janet & Kerry /
Colorado
"My wife and I just returned from five weeks of travel in Europe, and the highlight of our trip
was the day we spent with Tony Boccaccio on a private photographic tour of Rome. Tony is an artist, a former National Geographic photographer, and an interesting guy, who
sees the world a little differently than most of us. We started in front of St. Peter’s Basilica, where Tony encouraged us to try some practical examples of what he had
explained. He was patient, critical in a positive way, and urged us on with “mini-assignments” and generous critique. We then continued through the labyrinth of small
streets until we arrived at Campo de’ Fiori. Here we spent an hour exercising our new skills at the marvelous market, followed by a great lunch and lots of discussion
about photography and life. After lunch we continued to photograph around and in the Pantheon, the piazza Minerva and exquisite church of Santa Maria there, the “turtle”
fountain, Teatro di Marcello, and finally ended up at the Capitoline Hill. We walked through the forum when the shadows were long and the lighting extraordinary.
We finished this perfect day at the rooftop bar of Il Foro hotel overlooking the Forum, with snacks a glass of terrific wine, and a wrap-up of the day. The tour more than
fulfilled my expectations, and made me a better photographer. My wife is less into photography than I am, but also found the day enlightening and most enjoyable. To
anyone with more than a passing interest in photography, this is an experience not to be missed. We would recommend it highly." ~ Perry S. /Hawaii
"Your knowledge, love of Rome and enthusiasm was endless and in the short time together you
have definitely transformed the way in which my eyes see."~ Pete W. / UK
"I went on a great walking tour of Rome with a retired National Geographic Photographer, Tony
Boccaccio. He doesn't care what kind of camera you have. It can be point and shoot, disposable, SLR, whatever. Tony focuses on teaching you how to make a great photograph
by looking at things in a different way. The day I went I was the only person booked. He still spent the full 4 hours with me. Then we had lunch together and ended up
snapping a few more photos after lunch.
I highly recommend spending some time with Tony if you want to move from snapshots to photographs. He knows Rome like the back of his hand and you'll see some things that
are off the beaten path. Two thumbs, way up!!" ~ Kevin /Toronto Canada
"As a keen photographer, Rome is a dream location for a holiday – inherently beautiful, full of
colour and contrast, bustling with life, history, culture, art... It’s impossible to walk around with a camera and not take hundreds of photos. However, after an
afternoon spent with Tony Baccaccio on his “Rome through a lens” walking tour, the quality and interest-levels of my photos instantly went up several notches. Looking
back through the holiday photos, it’s almost embarrassingly easy to tell which were taken ‘post Tony’.
Those few hours spent frantically trying to keep up with this extraordinary, friendly, energetic and motivational National Geographic photographer, desperately trying to
remember and put into practice the wealth of tips and advice he passed on from his great experience and expertise – gathered from many years (sorry Tony!) at the height
of his profession – stick firmly in my memory as a highlight of the holiday. His enthusiasm and confidence and his obvious love for the city and for photography are
infectious and inspiring. In the days after the tour, bursting with new ideas and new ways of ‘seeing a photo’, making photographs was once again as fun and exciting as
it was when I first started out.
If you like photography and are keen to learn from one of the best around, then I recommend getting yourself a place on one of Tony’s tours. If you’re a beginner, you
couldn’t get a better grounding in the art (and joy) of photography. If you’re already an experienced photographer, you’ll be surprised how much you can learn in such a
short time. And besides, where else can you get such attention from a top-league professional?" ~ Matt & Helms, Germany
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Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival in Rome
Day 2 - Rome
We'll begin the tour at
St. Peter's Square. This is one of Rome’s greatest sites, visited by millions of tourists and faithful. The splendid square and colonnade, Bernini's
finest work, form a superb entryway to the greatest church of Christendom, dominated by the magnificent Dome of Michelangelo.
It's a short walk from
the St. Peter's Basilica to Castel Sant'Angelo. Constructed by the Emperor Hadrian (117-138) as a mausoleum for himself and his successors, the
Emperor Aurelia rebuilt the ruins into a fortress that was eventually connected to the Vatican by a safety passage that runs along the top of the
encircling wall of the Vatican. Henceforth, it remained under the control of the Popes who used it as a fortress until modern times. Now it is a
museum.
Next, we'll cross the Bridge of Angels to the other side of the Tiber River. This
bridge is adorned by some of Bernini’s most beautiful and interesting statues, and leads to the true Centro Storico - The Historic Center of Rome. We'll
wind our way through cobblestone streets to Piazza Navona. A marvel of light and sculpture, it is exceptionally long and owes its shape to the
ruins that formed it, for under the buildings that surround Piazza Navona are the remains of the Circus Domitianus, Domitian's stadium - a part of which
can still be seen. The piazza features many fine old buildings, a beautiful church and three stunning fountains. In the center of the piazza is
Bernini's most spectacular fountain, la Fontana dei Fiumi (Four Rivers) erected in 1651. Piazza Navona is an extremely lively place with open-air
cafes around it. During the summer, numerous artists draw or paint members of the public for a fee. The place is crowded each day and there are often
buskers and sometimes mimes to entertain.
Time to enjoy a fabulous Italian meal! We have reserved a special place at one of Rome's
finest and quaintest trattorias, Antica Taverna. Your host, Paolo, will serve you a bubbly prosseco champagne even before you find your table.
Get ready for the treat of a lifetime! Paolo and his chefs have a very special meal planned for you, complete with the finishing touches of espresso or
the Italian specialty, grappa. You'll be talking about this feast for months to come!
After lunch,
we'll take a long stroll through Campo dei Fiori and Trastevere, just
across the Tiber River. The Campo dei Firoi, or Field of Flowers, gets its name from the open flower market that adorns the piazza everyday.
In the middle of the piazza is a statue of Bruno, the infamous "heretic" who was burned to the stake for inciting riots among the youth of his time.
Across the Tiber River is one of the oldest and quaintest sections of Rome, known as Trastevere. In ancient
times, all non-citizens of Rome (mainly Jews and foreigners) were required to live "Across the Tiber", outside of the then city limits. Today it
is becoming a popular artistic and cultural center, and offers a great opportunity to photograph one of Rome's oldest and most photogenic locales.
The evening is yours to wander and explore Rome. Tony can suggest several excellent places to have dinner in one of
Rome's many good restaurants and trattorias.
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Day 3 - Rome We'll start the
day early to catch the morning light at the Coliseum.
The Coliseum is one of the world’s most famous landmarks and tourist attractions. Although it survives only as a
ruin, it still rates as one of the finest examples of Roman architecture and engineering. Although it is said that Christians were put to death
here, this is doubtful. The arena was used for sports, gladiatorial events, and re-enactments of famous Roman sea battles – indeed, it was
designed to be flooded into a small lake. It could seat 35,000 spectators (50,000 standing) and was covered by a huge canopy that could be
retracted by ropes.
Then into the Roman Forum, the focal point of the city in ancient Rome. It
was the center for commercial, political, and civil activities and contained markets, prisons, statues, entertainment areas, temples and monuments built
by various emperors. Perhaps more than any other Roman ruin, the Forum with its great temples and arches gives us a glimpse into both the architectural
and political power of Rome during the time of the emperors and is the perfect outdoor classroom to make exciting and memorable photographs of one of
the world's greatest historic sites. Photographing the forum will surely be one of the highlights of your tour.
The Campidoglio sits at the end of the Roman Forum, a truly remarkable square and an urban masterpiece designed by
Michelangelo. At the center of the square stands the great bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius. From there, we'll walk down the great
steps, across the Piazza Vittorio Emanuele II and down the famous Corso to
the famous Trevi Fountain.
The Trevi Fountain is known the world over as the fountain where Anita Ekberg
cooled off at night in Fellini's film "La Dolce Vita." The Trevi Fountain is also famous as the setting for the popular romantic film "Three Coins in a
Fountain." Located in the heart of Rome’s historic center, the Trevi Fountain derives its name from its position at the intersection of three roads (tre
vie). It is one of the world’s most photographed monuments in Rome and many visitors agree that, among the many ancient buildings of Baroque Rome, the
Trevi Fountain is unrivalled as a spectacular aquatic structure. It is a popular meeting or gathering spot for Romans and visitors alike.
Finally, we'll end the afternoon at the Pantheon, which was begun in 27 BC by the
statesman Marcus Vispanius Agrippa. It fell into ruins but was completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian sometime between AD 118 and 128. Its dome was
the largest built until modern times. It was dedicated in AD 609 as the Church of the Santa Maria Rotonda, or ad Martyrs, which it remains today. The
tomb of Raphael is found inside.
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Twilight Tour in Rome
Rome after sunset is magical and we would be remiss if we didn't include a special
Twilight Photo Session, not only because the light is magical, but also to learn new techniques required to capture this special kind of light.
We will begin again at St. Peter’s Square, giving you the opportunity to return to make photos under completely different lighting conditions.
Twilight in the piazza is the perfect time to capture the beauty of natural and artificial lighting that
will come on just at dusk. The sky will still be deep blue and you will capture extraordinary images of the façade and dome of St. Peter’s Basilica, and
the artfully lit fountains in the square. Then, we’ll head up the Tiber River toward Castel Sant’Angelo. We’ll move around a bit, from one side
of the Tiber River to the other, capturing the fleeting light as it gives way to the artfully designed artificial lights that bathe the "Castelo", as
well as the Bridge of Angels adorned with more than a dozen famous statues by Bernini.
Although large tripods are generally forbidden in Rome, a small table-top tripod will be
just perfect for this session, so be sure to bring one along. But don't worry if you forget, Rome is full of “perfectly placed” tripods. We'll show you an easy way to shoot at night without
the use of a tripod.
Day 4 - Tivoli Today, we'll get up early
and travel by train outside of Rome to the charming mountain town of Tivoli, the favorite holiday resort for the Romans of the past. Here, you
will visit Hadrian's Villa, where natural beauty, architectural creativity, art and history blend together in a magic place which has no equal in
Europe. The largest country villa of the Imperial age, this complex exemplifies the genius of Hadrian and the skillful way his architects planned this
fascinating place. The Island Villa, the Piazza d'Oro, the Small Baths, and the Canopus are the highlights of the villa, constructed in the
beginning of the 2nd century A.D. on an area twice the size of Pompeii and larger than Nero’s famous Domus Aurea. The entire complex was built to remind
Hadrian of the places he most loved during his many voyages to Greece and the Near East, and has influenced many artists from the Renaissance onwards.
We'll have lunch in Tivoli at the famous Antica Ristorante La Sibilla, where the "cognoscenti" have
dined. Who knows, maybe you'll sit at the same table that the King of Prussia, Gabriele D'annunzio, the Emperor of Japan Hirohito, or Neil Armstrong
once dined. Nestled below the Temple of Vesta and Sibilla, and overlooking the deep ravine where water cascades from the hillside, this was
once a Hotel-Restaurant built in 1703 by Francesco Coccanari.
Tonight, we'll celebrate together with a special dinner at one of Tony’s favorite Roman trattorias. This will be a time to relax, enjoy
and do what the Romans do best - "mangiare e ciacchiare" - eat and talk!
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Day 5 - Florence (Optional)
We'll take an early morning train to arrive in
Florence in time to catch the Tuscan morning light that makes this city so romantic. We'll photograph the cathedral of Il Duomo, with
Brunelleschi's cupola, an architectural masterpiece that has become the symbol of Tuscany. Nearby we'll see the Baptistery adorned with
Giotto's Doors of Paradise - intricately carved in bronze by the great Renaissance genius. Then, we'll visit Piazza Signoria, dominated by
Palazzo Vecchio with its commanding view of Florence and the Arno River that winds lazily through city. We'll walk across the famous
Ponte Vecchio, lined with miniature jewelry stores and curio shops.
Along the way we'll have a light lunch at The Golden View Ristorante, with a fabulous panorama of the Ponte Vecchio and Arno River, just across
from the great Ufizi Museum. Don't eat too much, because in the afternoon, we'll walk upward to the magnificent Boboli Gardens, offering
spectacular panoramas of Florence, the Arno River, Il Duomo, and the towers of the Bargello and Palazzo Vecchio. Our train returns in time to get us
back to Rome in the early evening.
This is not the end of your journey - but only the beginning. What you have seen and learned in the Imaging In Italy tour
will last a lifetime and continue to enrich your photography in new and unexpected ways. We won't say good-by, rather,
"Ci Vediamo" - Farewell, until next time!
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 *Please note that we reserve the right to alter the itinerary,
the price per person and the choice of restaurants if necessary due to currency fluctuations or
circumstance beyond our control.
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