In 2011, my sister invited me to visit her in Qatar. I said yes, tears in my eyes. The only way I could get there was working in a bar for a month to save up for my plane ticket. I got on the plane, heart in my mouth because of all the fear — of flying, of not finding what I was meant to do. 

After photographing a wedding with another photographer during peak season for measly pay, I sat in the last pew of the church, gazing up at the stained glass surrounding me. What would I do next? Where would this life lead me? I texted Vic that I would find a real job and stop trying to make money from my passion. Instead of accepting it, he encouraged me to give this one more try in America.

After getting married, we were ready to face a new life and officially start our business, narrowing our focus to photograph only the most passionate couples. They are the reason why we were brave enough to follow our dreams and build this creative life.

Now, we have the best of both worlds, styling wedding photos with editorial vibes. Today, we are international, award-winning photographers who have traveled to more than 25 countries and lived all over the world. We’ve photographed hundreds of weddings, where we’ve crossed paths with influencers and celebrities like Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel and campaigns for brands like Berta. In 2020, I was voted among the best up-and-coming wedding photographers in the world by Rangefinder. 

If a girl like me from a small town without a degree can become the photographer that I have, I have faith that you can, too.

Little did I know I’d meet my other half, an American from San Francisco (my husband Vic, you’ll meet him in a few) who didn’t question me when I said my passion was photography. To my surprise, he found me a role at a studio in Doha working as a photographer’s assistant. That photographer became my mentor, patiently showing me everything I needed to know to capture great photos — something that was entirely new to me. I had never had someone be so generous with their time, sharing their knowledge so I could grow as a photographer, too. I knew that one day, I wanted to be that kind of mentor to others.

Two years down the line, I ended up in San Francisco with Vic with a new set of fears: living in a big city for the first time, with a nine-hour time difference from Italy, still learning English, not sure I could make enough as a photographer. When my visa expired, I went back to Como.