Couples, families and surprise proposals photographed above the sea, near Isola Bella and the Greek theatre. I am based in Siracusa and travel up the coast for every session here.
From €450 · photos in 24 to 48 hoursWhy Taormina
Taormina sits on a terrace of rock two hundred metres above the sea, with Etna smoking away in the distance and the small island of Isola Bella just offshore. Almost nowhere else in Sicily gives you that combination in a single frame: mountain, sea and a medieval town, all at once.
It is also the most visited town on the island, which means it gets busy in the middle of the day. The trade-off is worth it. Early morning or the last hour before sunset, with the crowds gone and the light coming in low over the water, it is one of the most photogenic places I work.
Because of the distance from my base in Siracusa, roughly an hour and a quarter up the coast, sessions in Taormina start from €450 for one hour and €550 for two, travel included.
Where we shoot
The terraces along Via Pirandello look straight down onto the little island and its turquoise bay. It is the single most recognisable view in Taormina, and the classic shot for proposals and couples.
Ancient stone arches framing Etna and the sea behind them. It gets crowded fast after opening, so this one is an early-morning spot if you want it without a hundred other visitors in the background.
The main street is beautiful and, by mid-morning, packed. Before nine it is nearly empty, and you get the medieval buildings and the arches without the crowd.
A terrace over the sea with a chessboard floor and Etna visible on a clear day. Best late afternoon, when the light comes in sideways and the piazza starts to empty out.
The public garden just off Corso Umberto, with lawns, exotic trees and a view straight down to the sea and Isola Bella. Quieter than the main viewpoints, and shaded in the middle of the day.
A lot of people stay right on the cliff here with a sea view built in. If you would rather skip the crowds on Corso Umberto altogether, I come to you.
Sessions in Taormina
The viewpoints over Isola Bella are the most requested spot in Sicily for this. We agree the exact place and a signal, and I photograph from a distance so it stays a complete surprise.
An hour along the terraces and side streets as the light drops and Etna turns pink. No posing, just the two of you with one of the best views in the Mediterranean behind you.
Early morning, before Corso Umberto fills up, works best with children. We can also base the whole session around your hotel if you would rather not manage a stroller in the crowd.
Many of the hotels here are built for the view. I come to you, terrace, pool or garden, and we work around whatever your property already has.
Practical
The viewpoint over Isola Bella is the classic shot, especially from the terraces along Via Pirandello. The Greek theatre gives you Etna in the background on a clear day. Corso Umberto is beautiful but busy, so we work it early or use the quieter side streets that branch off it, like Via Teatro Greco. Piazza IX Aprile at golden hour, looking out over the sea, is another favourite.
Early morning, before the day-trip crowds arrive from the coast, or the last hour before sunset, when the light comes in low over the sea and Etna often turns pink. Taormina gets busy in the middle of the day in high season, so we plan around that.
About an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half by car, roughly 110 kilometres up the coast. Because of the distance, sessions in Taormina start from €450 for one hour, which includes the travel, rather than the €300 rate for Siracusa, Ortigia and Noto.
Yes, it is one of the most requested things I do in Taormina. We agree the exact spot, usually a viewpoint over Isola Bella or the sea, and a signal beforehand, and I photograph from a distance so she has no idea until it is over.
Yes, and I also come to your hotel or villa if you would rather not manage children on Corso Umberto in the middle of a busy day. Many families combine an early morning session in town with breakfast, before the crowds arrive.
Yes. Taormina is a popular spot for small destination weddings and elopements, with the Greek theatre, Villa Comunale and the viewpoints over Isola Bella as backdrops. A full wedding day is a different service from the one-hour and two-hour vacation sessions on this page: message me with your date and what you have in mind, and I will send you the details.
Yes, hotel and villa sessions are common in Taormina given how many people stay right on the cliff with a sea view. Tell me the name of your hotel when you book and I will suggest the best spot on the property or nearby.
Keep reading
Photoshoot Prices in Sicily → Photographer in Noto, Sicily → Things to Do in Noto, Sicily → Things to Do in Catania, Sicily → Photographer in Catania, Sicily → Family Photoshoots in Ortigia, Noto & at Your Villa → Photographer for Your Villa in Siracusa & Ortigia → Full-Day Photographer in Sicily → Surprise Proposal Photographer in Ortigia → How a Vacation Photoshoot Works (Prices & FAQ) →One hour, before the crowds arrive
Tell me your dates and where you are staying. I reply within 24 hours, and I will tell you the exact hour to be there.
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