Sara Canonici Photographer and Visual Designer Cinque Terre

Casa
Italia
La Spezia, Liguria
Sara Canonici Photographer and Visual Designer Cinque Terre

I help people and brands tell their stories in an authentic and elegant way through photography and visual design.

Cinque Terre & Italy Photographer and Visual Designer
• I help people photograph with emotion, aesthetic sensitivity, and creative freedom.
• Photography • Coaching • Photography Tours
Unsplash+ Contributor Photographer I mainly work between Tuscany and Liguria, from the Cinque Terre to Florence, while following projects throughout Italy. I create bespoke photo shoots, develop visual content for social media, and design visual identities and websites crafted to express, with coherence and style, the true essence of those who live them. Whether enhancing a business, telling an experience, or celebrating a special moment, my work is about shaping authentic, refined, and recognizable visual stories. A thoughtful and discreet approach, for those who value quality, time, and a timeless aesthetic.

24/09/2026

Cinque Terre Photography Tour with a Professional Local Photographer: Much More Than a Photography Workshop

Among the experiences I offer, bringing together two of my greatest passions — the Cinque Terre and photography — is my photography tour.

It is a private and exclusive experience for a maximum of six people from the same booking. Over the course of a full day or just a few hours, I personally guide you through the Cinque Terre, helping you refine your photography along the way.

Riomaggiore, Manarola, Vernazza, Corniglia and Monterosso, in Liguria, become the setting where participants learn what it truly means to be present when taking a photograph, regardless of their level of experience or the equipment they use.

The tour is open to anyone, whether you shoot with a smartphone or a professional camera. As I always say, it is not the equipment that makes the photographer, but presence, passion and feeling.

During the tour, I also take 35mm film photographs with a vintage feel, so that you can take home an additional memory of the experience, something authentic, tangible and slightly nostalgic.

When we are truly present and something moves us, we inevitably pour that feeling into the photographs we create. Technique completes the process, something we continue to refine over time. The goal is not to take “perfect” photographs, but to create images capable of evoking emotion and becoming timeless memories.

A few days ago, during their vacation in Italy, Kevin and Kelly joined me for an afternoon photography tour, exploring Riomaggiore, the Via dell’Amore and Manarola. Kevin, who shares my passion for photography and music, brought his professional camera equipment, while Kelly enthusiastically joined the experience with her smartphone.

Kevin’s goal was to improve his visual storytelling. Throughout the tour, I personally guided him step by step, helping him create a photographic story of his holiday while also learning how to shoot in manual mode — an essential skill for developing his technique further and making the most of the quality his camera can offer.

Kelly, who joined her husband on the experience, experimented with compositions ranging from dramatic landscapes to the textures and details of the sea, learning to observe each place from a new perspective.

With a completely slow, personalised approach built around connection and feeling, they finished their tour full of enthusiasm. They took home not only an experience that will stay in their hearts, but also a collection of photographs and new knowledge of technique and composition that will continue to influence the way they photograph in the future.

Once again, it was an immense pleasure for me to introduce other people to the beauty of Italy — surrounded by enchanting landscapes and the scent of the sea, stopping for a coffee at a local bar while chatting along the way, and feeling grateful for the opportunity to bring something meaningful to others through my work.

If you would also like to experience this private photography tour — on your own, with a group of friends, as a family or as a couple — in the Cinque Terre, book your experience now or get in touch for more information about the photography tour organised and personally guided by me, Sara Canonici, professional photographer and Unsplash contributor.

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +39 342 01 41 953

06/09/2026

In honor of Freddie Mercury’s 80th birthday, the photographs I took of his statue on Lake Geneva, in Montreux.

We still love you.

05/09/2026

Today, Freddie Mercury would have turned 80.

I grew up with his songs and those of Queen, always watching his live performances with immense admiration: energetic, magnetic, ironic, incredibly talented, and blessed with a truly unique voice.

Music, to me, has never been just a passion. It has always been a constant presence in my life and, over time, it has deeply influenced the way I see and create, both as a photographer and as a visual designer. It influences the way I perceive an image, an atmosphere, a composition, a visual identity.

When I was a child, I remember thinking about what an incredible emotion it would be to visit Montreux, see his statue — the one featured on the cover of The Miracle — and visit the historic recording studios, the Mountain Studios, inside the Casino Barrière. (The very same Casino that caught fire during a Frank Zappa concert, an event later immortalized by Deep Purple in Smoke on the Water.)

This year, Montreaux was actually one of the stops on my travels, and being there was truly indescribable. It gave me an even deeper understanding of why artists like Freddie Mercury, Deep Purple, David Bowie and Led Zeppelin were drawn to this place.

In Montreux, I felt an incredibly powerful energy, alongside the beauty and serenity of the surroundings. I imagined them there, in the 1980s, walking along the lake, talking about music and heading into the recording studio, full of ideas and ready to turn them into music.

Another wonderful experience was visiting the Mountain Studios themselves: seeing the clothes, the handwritten lyrics, and finding myself completely alone in the main recording room where Queen and so many of my other favourite artists recorded the songs that have accompanied my life. As someone who feels music so deeply, it was one of the most beautiful emotions I could ever have experienced.

The things we love, the images that move us, the music that accompanies us, inevitably become part of the way we create.

Here are some of the photographs I took that day, photographs I will always carry in my heart.

Happy birthday, Freddie.
Lover of life, singer of songs.

Photographer • Visual Designer • Unsplash Contributor • Switzerland • Lake Geneva • Music Culture • Rock Band

04/09/2026

Among the reels I’ve created and published recently for Priscila Preussler Personal Chef, I have to say that this one gives me an even greater sense of satisfaction — even more than the video that surpassed 130,000 views.

Because of the most beautiful location?
The best lighting?
The most interesting dish?

No, no and no.

Because of Ivan Graziani playing softly in the background, with his masterpiece Signora Bionda Dei Ciliegi, which reached over 50,000 people on Instagram alone. ❤️

For those who don’t know Ivan Graziani, he was one of Italy’s greatest singer-songwriters — although always somewhat of a cult, niche artist — and an extraordinary guitarist.

Once again, beyond my photography and design courses, I have the opportunity to share and promote Italian musical culture. ✨

(And if you don’t know Ivan Graziani, shame on you. Go and make up for it immediately. Also, his son Filippo Graziani continues to carry his father’s legacy forward with incredible live performances.)

Photographer • Visual Designer • Social Media Manager • Content Creation • Forte dei Marmi • Cinque Terre • Pietrasanta • Portofino • Florence • Tuscany • Liguria

03/09/2026

A little food photography from one of the most beautiful locations I had the pleasure of working at this year: Agriturismo Agriristoro Pociano 1863, nestled in the heart of the Crete Senesi.

For this photoshoot as well, I took care of the entire set styling, from selecting the tableware (including these beautiful Ginori pieces that I instantly fell in love with) to choosing the wine bottle, with the aim of enhancing the location, the dishes, and every single detail.

• Photographer • Tuscany • Siena • Visual Designer • Cinque Terre • Photoshoot • Luxury Hospitality • La Spezia • Forte dei Marmi • Sestri Levante • Pietrasanta

31/08/2026

🤍📷 Why, as a photographer, I often prefer to leave my clients completely alone during their marriage proposal in Italy

When couples ask me to photograph a marriage proposal, one of the first things I talk to them about is not photography, but how they want to experience that moment together.

Every couple has a different sensitivity, and having a photographer present during the proposal is not always the right choice. That’s why, when I plan a surprise in the Cinque Terre or in other destinations across Italy, I often recommend experiencing the proposal completely alone and having the photography session immediately afterwards.

It’s not a rule, and it doesn’t mean that I can’t be there during the proposal. In some situations, it is absolutely possible and may be the best option. But when I feel that my presence could affect the spontaneity of the moment, even in the slightest way, I prefer to suggest an alternative.

A marriage proposal carries a very particular kind of emotion. The person asking the question has already thought about every detail, imagined the scene countless times, and often experiences those minutes — and the days leading up to them — with a certain amount of anticipation and nervousness.

On the other side, there is someone who has no idea what is about to happen, and who should be able to react as naturally as possible.

That’s why I believe that, in certain situations, the most discreet thing I can do is take care of everything that comes before the proposal, and then give them that space.

Choosing the location, studying the light, planning the timing, taking care of the logistics, and anticipating all those little details that allow the surprise to unfold seamlessly are just as much a part of my work as photography itself.

Then the moment comes.

And I step away.

There are no cameras to avoid, no photographs to think about, and no awareness of being watched.

There are simply two people looking at each other, one important question, and an answer that will forever change the meaning of that moment.

Then comes the “yes”.

And that’s when I arrive.

Once the surprise has been revealed and the most intense emotion has made room for happiness, we begin our photography session.

At that point, we no longer need to document the proposal. We can tell the story of everything that proposal has created.

The embraces, the laughter, the looks, the connection, and that particular light in the eyes of two people who have just experienced something truly meaningful.

It is a completely different moment — more relaxed and more conscious — where there is no need to ask a couple to be spontaneous, because spontaneity simply comes naturally.

The session can begin immediately afterwards, or a little later, perhaps by moving to a second location chosen during the planning process.

In both cases, the goal remains the same: to create images that are not simply beautiful, but that genuinely bring back what they felt.

True luxury, and the true value of the experience, is not having someone document every second. It is having someone who knows when to be there — and when to step back.

A marriage proposal, like every meaningful moment in life, should first and foremost be a memory that is fully lived, with presence.

The photographs come afterwards, to preserve it.

If you are looking for a photographer for couples, families, solo travellers or content creators in Liguria and Tuscany, I would love to tell your story in an elegant and authentic way.

I create bespoke photography experiences in some of the most beautiful locations in Italy, creating images that feel as genuine as the moments themselves.

Photographer • Vernazza • Riomaggiore • Manarola • Corniglia • Porto Venere • Pietrasanta • Portofino • Sestri Levante

12/08/2026

When Priscila Preussler, a personal chef, and I first met in Florence, I listened carefully to her needs and, above all, to what she felt she wanted to build.

She wasn’t simply looking for a social media manager, nor someone who would only take care of her photography.

She needed someone who could truly tell her story: through words, images, videos, and an overall vision for her communication.

A 360° approach that requires different skills, but also empathy, sensitivity, and the ability to observe. Before deciding how to tell someone’s story, you first need to get to know them and step into their world.

So, as a professional visual designer and photographer, the very first thing I did was listen to her. Carefully.

To understand who she is, her values, how she works, what she wants to communicate, how she wants to be perceived, and, above all, where she wants to go.

That first meeting marked the beginning of a broader journey, allowing me to further explore the world of food and luxury hospitality, a sector I was already working in, but that this project gave me the opportunity to understand from an even deeper perspective.

Today, I am her personal photographer and social media manager, supporting her in building and defining her visual identity, working on every element to ensure that her image is consistent, recognisable, and, above all, true to who she really is.

Brand photography is not simply about creating beautiful photographs or videos. It means building, over time and on solid foundations, a visual language capable of representing a person, their work, their positioning, and their values.

I am shaping and elevating her image project by project, through authentic images and content, carefully selecting locations, situations, compositions, and details, so that Priscila can recognise herself in every piece of content I bring online: authentic, consistent, and truly representative of who she is.

Priscila Preussler, Personal Chef, photographed among the rolling hills of Monteroni d'Arbia, Tuscany.

10/08/2026

Recently, I introduced you to Maria Luisa. Today, I’d also like to introduce you to her parents, Juliana and Kleidielsom, who chose me as their photographer to capture the memories of their little girl’s first holiday in Italy.

For their session, Lerici early in the morning, during the busy month of August, turned out to be the perfect choice: easy to reach even with a stroller, quiet and peaceful, with plenty of shade and that beautiful view of the sea and colourful houses that makes so many places along the Ligurian coast so special.

With Maria Luisa’s needs and the summer temperatures in mind, I planned and completed the entire photo session in just 20 minutes. This allowed us to avoid long waiting times and gave the family the chance to enjoy the experience calmly and comfortably.

A few days later, I received a message from Juliana telling me how much they had loved the photographs and how wonderful the experience had been. She also thanked me for the patience and gentleness I had shown towards Maria Luisa.

Her words meant a lot to me, especially because photographing a three-month-old baby, in the summer heat and in just twenty minutes, requires, above all, paying close attention to her specific needs. This is something I always try to do with every person I photograph.

Knowing that they returned home with the photographs they had hoped for, to remember their little girl’s first holiday in Italy, was truly wonderful.

And who knows… perhaps one day, a few years from now, they will return to La Spezia, and I’ll have the pleasure of photographing them all together again.

09/08/2026

Riccardo Cocciante in La Spezia.

One of those evenings that, days later, I still haven’t fully realized actually happened. Just thinking about it, or talking about it, still brings tears to my eyes.

I will carry so many emotions and unforgettable moments from this concert in my heart forever. Usually, after concerts, I’m able to put something into words, but this time, I simply can’t.

Seeing you live was a dream. I’ll carry you in my heart forever. ❤️

Indirizzo

La Spezia

Sito Web

https://paa.ge/saracanonici/en

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