Paolo Lazzarotti

 Paolo Lazzarotti is an Italian photographer known for his evocative landscapes and intimate portraiture, deeply influenced by the natural world and the emotional presence of his subjects. Born in 1973 in Massa, a small Tuscan city nestled near the Cinque Terre National Park, the Gulf of Poets, and the rugged Tuscan coastline, Lazzarotti grew up surrounded by some of Italy’s most striking scenery.

He began photographing at the age of sixteen with a compact film camera gifted by his father—a gesture that sparked a lifelong fascination with capturing the world through a lens. Entirely self-taught, Lazzarotti developed his practice independently, driven by an instinctive curiosity and a profound sensitivity to light, form, and mood.

His early focus on landscapes and natural phenomena, particularly sea storms, reflects a fascination with nature’s grandeur and volatility. Often photographing in dangerous conditions, Lazzarotti seeks moments when nature reveals its most powerful and awe-inspiring self.

This sense of reverence and intensity also informs his approach to female portraiture. Rather than static poses, he favors moments of genuine expression, engaging his models in conversation to reveal sensuality, passion, and inner complexity. For Lazzarotti, photographing a model is as stirring as standing before a storm—both evoke wonder, vulnerability, and the elemental force of beauty.