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Vieri’s previously chosen locations were landscape wonders, in all cases representing the interaction between man and nature, giving us the possibility of expressing our visions either keeping this element in mind or not. Let’s not forget our base camp, Comacchio, also a wonderful little city with beautiful canals and bridges, a “small medieval Venice”.
I hope to be lucky and privileged to participate in more wonderful Workshops with you guys, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
Below you will find our MINIMALISM IN COMACCHIO WORKSHOP reports, covering all our Workshops there from 2016 and including our Alumni's Testimonials and photographs. Enjoy!
QUICK JUMP: DECEMBER 2016 | OCTOBER 2018 | DECEMBER 2023 | FEBRUARY 2025 | JANUARY 2026
In January 2026 we returned to Comacchio for our fifth Workshop there, once again a 6-day Workshop with a full group all made of returning Alumni. One of them was on his fifth Workshop with us, one on his third and the last one should have been on his second. Very sadly, he had to cancel due to a medical emergency; we missed having him on this trip with us, and we took off from Venice with just two of our Alumni.
During this Minimalism in Comacchio Workshop I selected a variety of locations, all inspiringly minimalist although in very different ways. This allowed us to study various aspect of minimalist compositions; from ones featuring many elements of the same kind to composition with few elements; from compositions with decay to compositions with a single element; from compositions based on the interplay of shapes and surfaces to ones based on lines; and more. Minimalism works best when paired with careful use of exposure control (an approach I prefer to that of just doing long exposures for the sake of it), and exploring that concept and technique allowed us to start the group on an hopefully long and fruitful journey with minimalist photography.
After 6 days of work together, I was very happy to see our two Alumni enjoying Minimalism and getting more and more comfortable with it; the work shared below will give you a glimpse of what we have done together.
Important as always is the social aspect of the Workshop, and in Comacchio we truly enjoyed our time with the group, be it in the field or during our downtimes. Our conversations on the most varied topics, from photographic gear and art to lifestyle and food, from economics to politics were very enjoyable, and most importantly, we had a lot of fun for a wonderful Workshop together!
One of the participants in our Minimalism in Comacchio January 2026 Workshop kindly sent me a short testimonial together with a selection of images to share with you. See what he had to say about our Workshop together and enjoy the work he did in Italy!
Just returned from an incredible 6-day photography workshop in Comacchio in Italy. The focus was on minimalism, and Vieri’s guidance as a teacher and mentor was as usual invaluable. He has a way of making complex concepts and difficult subject matter feel accessible. A huge thank you to Zeynep and Vieri for the seamless organization; everything was handled perfectly as always, allowing us to focus on our craft. At the same time, the social aspect and atmosphere was very pleasant and relaxed. An unforgettable experience and I highly recommend the workshop!
In February 2025 we returned to Comacchio for our fourth Workshop there, a 6-day Group Workshop with a full group. On this Workshop, we were looking forward to welcome back two returning Alumni, one joining us with his lovely wife and both on their fifth Workshops with us, and we were honoured to have been selected by our third participant for what we learned to be his first Workshop ever.
During this Minimalism in Comacchio Workshop, I selected locations that allowed us to study various aspect of minimalism; compositions with many elements of the same kind, composition with few elements, compositions with decay, compositions with a single element, with lines, and so on - together with careful use of exposure control, these offered a wide range of different challenges and allowed us to start explore with the group the concepts of minimalist photography.
After 6 days of work together, I was very happy to see everyone getting more and more comfortable with this beautiful, inspiring genre of photography, and the Portfolio shared below speak for themselves. Last but not least, the social aspect of the Workshop, something always fundamental for us. Both my wife and I truly enjoyed our social times with the group, our conversations on the most varied topics, from photography and art to lifestyle and food, from equipment to politics were very enjoyable, and most importantly, we had really a lot of fun for a great Workshop together!
The participants in our Minimalism in Comacchio February 2025 Workshop kindly sent me a short testimonial together with a selection of images to share with you. See what they had to say about our Workshop together and enjoy the work they did in Italy!
Vieri’s knowledge of the Comacchio landscape led us to places that most people would never get to experience. His attention to every detail of the workshop meant that we always had several backup locations to go to for times when the weather wasn’t cooperating – or when it presented unique opportunities. As usual, the photography components of the workshop were complemented by great company from Vieri, Zeynep and the other participants, superb accommodation and wonderful food.
This was my 5th workshop with Vieri, and I need to start by saying, they just keep getting better.
The workshop location was ideal, full of photo opportunities and the atmospheric conditions were perfect for the study of minimalism. It was also great to have a daily schedule that allowed for long post processing sessions. These were not just about editing, but also evaluation of the composition, and how it could be improved. It is especially nice, if you have not done a workshop with Vieri, to have the “class size” limited to three photographers. You get a lot of “Vieri time” because he spends more time with students than getting his own shots. I came away from this workshop with more knowledge and capability and am looking forward to the next workshop in Faroe Islands.
This was my first photography workshop at all, and it was a great experience. The small, friendly group, Vieri’s unobtrusive tutorial style and the great locations let me learn a lot.
Beside the huge learning effect, the organization was perfect, very nice hotel and obviously great Italian food.
Already booked my second workshop....
Thank you, Vieri and Zeynep!
In December 2023, we returned to the Comacchio for our third Workshop there, the first fully dedicated to minimalist photography. This time, we run a Private Workshop organised by one of our returning Alumni, a gentleman joining us for the eight time. For this trip, he invited a friend to join him, as he already did before in Iceland - it was a pleasure for us to see his friend again and to work with him once more.
Both my wife and I love doing Private Workshops with returning Alumni. First of all, it's always a great pleasure to see them again! Under a photographic point of view, this is the ideal setting for me. Working together with continuity and on very small groups - or, even better, one-on-one - makes it easier for me to fully customise the Workshop on my Alumni’s level and requirements, choosing the best locations both for great photography and to continue along our path together.
In this particular case, for instance, we started our Workshop in Comacchio, with the idea to end it in Venice. During the Workshop, we readjusted and decided to turn it into what became our first, full Minimalism in Comacchio Workshop. Leaving out Venice is something I was considering for quite some time, and I was very happy to see our Alumnus as excited about keeping working on Comacchio's minimalist landscape as I was - the resulting photographs, as you can see below, speak for themselves!
Last but not least, the social aspect of the Workshop, something truly fundamental for us. Both my wife and I truly enjoyed our social times with the group, starting with our conversations on the most varied topics, from photography and art to lifestyle and food, from equipment to politics; most importantly, we had really a lot of fun, for a great Workshop together!
One of the participants in our Minimalism in Comacchio December 2023 Workshop kindly sent me a short testimonial together with a selection of images to share with you. See what they had to say about our Workshop together and enjoy their work in Italy!
The Comacchio landscape is about minimalism. It encourages you to concentrate on shapes, layouts, and light – the basics of the image. It makes for a totally different kind of workshop compared to the dramatic scenery of many traditional landscape locations; in Comacchio, it is all about simplicity.
Vieri is the perfect guide. He knows the local area, and he knows how to get the best from the conditions. As a result, this was one of the best photography workshops I have ever been on. Thank you, Vieri and Zeynep!
In October 2018, we returned to Comacchio for our second Workshop there, with an add-on to Venice. This time, we run a Private Workshop for three participants, all returning Alumni, two of whom joined us with their wives. The Workshop lasted two weeks, between Cinque Terre & Tuscany and Comacchio & Venice (see CINQUE TERRE & TUSCANY OCTOBER 2018 (2) for that leg of the Workshop), out of which we spent 4 days in Comacchio followed by 2 days in Venice.
Doing a Private Workshop with returning Alumni made it easier for me to fully customise the Workshop on the group's level and requirements, choosing the best locations both for great photography and to continue along our tutoring path together. As always, I have been very pleased to see our Alumni coming back for more, one on his second, one on his third and one on his fourth Workshop with us. Working together again was a fun, inspiring and rewarding experience, and after six days of intense work on a variety of subjects from minimalism to cityscapes everyone’s skills improved greatly.
Last but not least, the social aspect of the Workshop, always very important for us. Both Zeynep and I were really happy to see our Alumni again, two of them after just a few months, the third one after one and a half year. We truly enjoyed our social times with the group, during our transfers, lunches and dinners. Together we had conversations on the most varied topics, from photography to lifestyle & food, from equipment to politics, but most importantly we had really a lot of fun, for a great Workshop together!
In December 2016, we went to Comacchio for our first Workshop there, a 3-day Leica Akademie Italy Workshop with nine participants.
In Comacchio, we really enjoyed meeting our participants and working with a group of people sharing a common passion for photography and for the melancholy landscapes of the lagoon. All participants showed great enthusiasm towards trying new things, be it landscape photography or be it the Leica SL equipment available for them to try during the Workshop.
In Comacchio, I truly appreciated their positive attitude in going out of their comfort zone, and the good results they got in such a short time are a testament to that. I was very proud to see how some participants in this Workshop got passionate about landscape photography following their experience in Comacchio with us, that really meant a lot to me.
Last but not least, the social aspect of the Workshop, always very important for me. In Comacchio we had a great group, for a very friendly and relaxed atmosphere both in and out of the field; interesting conversation and fun made for an enjoyable and productive Workshop!
Six of the participants in our Comacchio December 2016 Workshop kindly sent me a short testimonial together with a selection of images to share with you. See what they had to say about our Workshop together and enjoy their work in Italy!
After seeing Vieri’s images I wanted to learn from the master himself. The workshop in Comacchio was an amazing experience, waking up the landscape photographer in me. I had never used filters and Vieri took away the fear. I came back knowing so much more about landscape photography and the use of my gear. Vieri is very responsive and helpful before, during and even now after the workshop. Back home the learning resonated and I am able to apply what I have learned. Vieri and Zeynep are a great team always attentive to your experience, I highly recommend you take one of his workshops, it will improve your work with big leaps!
The Valli di Comacchio, the Po’s Delta, always fascinated me, I love the plains and the big spaces, and if there is a marriage of sea and skies such as in this case the photographic attraction becomes irresistible.
Three days of intense work from sunrise to sunset, three days shared with a group made of nine apprentices, one great master photographer, a representative of Leica Italy also a photographer and a loving and caring assistant who provided us with hot beverages in the cold and windy mornings of a dark and rainy December.
Vieri Bottazzini, whom I admired as a photographer for his wonderful landscape work, turned out to be a great person as well, kind, friendly, always smiling and, as only a wise man can be, never arrogant, on the contrary! His suggestions, always offered with tact, never made me feel like a student, but like a colleague. What could sound like just an exchange of observation at first, in retrospect revealed itself to be priceless teachings.
Vieri’s previously chosen locations were landscape wonders, in all cases representing the interaction between man and nature, giving us the possibility of expressing our visions either keeping this element in mind or not. Let’s not forget our base camp, Comacchio, also a wonderful little city with beautiful canals and bridges, a “small medieval Venice”.
Leica Akademie’s Workshop’s organization was perfect, we have been cuddled with comfortable transfers in a bus rented just for us and every participant has been given a wonderful Leica SL with the 24-90mm zoom to try for the three days of Workshop. The hotel was comfortable, and the adjacent bar where we had our discussions and meetings warmed us with their delicious cocktails.
I have been very happy to have met in person Vieri, his wonderful and very kind wife Zeynep and our Leica representative Maurizio Beucci who didn’t tell anyone to be a (great) photographer as well until we found him out on the Internet and admired his work.
I hope to be lucky and privileged to participate in more wonderful Workshops with you guys, thank you from the bottom of my heart!
I took part in many Workshops. Some were dedicated to post-production, some to street photography and others to landscape photography. Leica Akademie Workshops are different. At the organisation level, I can certify the great professionality and work behind the preparation of a Workshop such as this. Whether we are in Comacchio, in a hot Milanese square or between Venice’s canals, Leica Akademie is always guarantee of professionality, harmony and a lot, a lot of patience. On the other side, I can say that I knew this Workshop’s tutor, Vieri Bottazzini, only from what my dear friend Ryuichi told me. Even without having ever met, I could see we had many characteristics in common with Vieri when it comes to approaching landscape photography. An approach made of many small steps, tiptoeing to find that necessary connection that a photograph needs to share with the surrounding environment. A connection made of respect, admiration and sensations.
Arriving to Comacchio, my impression has been fully confirmed. Vieri is a really wonderful person, a true professional but with a humility that is rare to find nowadays. During the Workshop, I learned a lot simply by watching Vieri moving around, by looking where he looked, and from the way he interacted with us and with the environment. I particularly appreciated how he was always present, but also how he understood when and how to intervene. Something definitely fundamental in the Workshop’s success has been the presence of Zeynep Paftali Bottazzini, Vieri’s wife, that constantly lavished us with care, both providing us with hot beverages and helping with the group’s management. Overall, a Workshop with a capital W, great organization and a fantastic tutor. We’ll meet again... without a doubt!
I participated with curiosity and high expectations in the Workshop that just ended in Comacchio. Organisation was precise, accurate and overall perfect.
Our tutor Vieri Bottazzini’s teaching is technically perfect, clear in his explanations and always available to answer questions and clarification requests coming from a harmonious group of people with different expectations and levels. Personally, I am very satisfied by this experience, certainly something I’d love to do again; I am particularly satisfied with the suggestions and especially by the “photographic” inspiration that all the Leica Akademie team transmitted me. My expectations have been fully met!
Vieri’s great helpfulness and professionalism in supporting us with the use of filters and of the amazing Leica SL, together with the beauty of the locations, made the days in Comacchio intense and extremely beneficial.
An experience that gave me new motivation and the will to keep going!
I went to a Leica Akademie Workshop with Vieri Bottazzini full of my own insecurities, but I have been given invaluable incentives to take more risks. Thank you!
