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29 APRIL 2026 | SUBSCRIBE
COFFEE WITH FRANCESCO LASTRUCCI
📍Ben (left) met Francesco (right) in Florence, Italy, where the latter is based.
With travel photographers based all around the world, the chance to meet one in person is few and far between. On a recent trip to Italy, I was lucky enough to catch up with one of our regular photographers, Francesco Lastrucci. Francesco has captured features for National Geographic Traveller (UK) globally, as well as just about every possible corner of Italy. Between slices of pizza and sips of coffee, we got into his process and perspective — explored further in the interview below.
— Ben Rowe, picture editor
📍Rimini, Italy; shot on: Fujifilm X-Pro2; settings: 1/1000, f4, ISO-800
How did you get into travel photography?
As a documentary photographer, I see travel photography as a natural extension of my work. Beyond my endless wanderlust, I’m drawn to travel photography because it allows me to engage with and develop themes that are central to my documentary practice. These include the relationship between people and their environment, conservation and sustainable ways of living, as well as the complexity of culture and daily life.
📍Kochi, India; shot on: Fujifilm X-Pro1; settings: 1/125, f3.6, ISO-200
Which destination shoot stands out as your favourite?
It’s one of the hardest questions to ask a photographer who falls in love with every place they visit and capture! Still, it’s usually places I’ve formed a strong bond with, including the colorful, magical realism of Colombia’s Atlantic coast, the lush and mystical landscapes of South India and the enigmatic heart of inner Sardinia karst plateaus.
📍SHAQLAWA, IRAQ
Shot on: Fujifilm X-Pro1; settings: 1/500, f5.6, ISO-200
“While traveling on the wild mountain roads of northern Iraq, between the Kurdish cities of Erbil and Akre, I stopped my car to photograph a flock of sheep in the beautiful unspoiled mountains near Shaqlawa. Shepherds with tents and vast flocks of sheep are a common sight in the green mountain meadows of Kurdistan. The Kurdish raise karakul sheep mostly for their wool, which they naturally dye and turn into beautiful handwoven rugs.”
📍Petra, Jordan; shot on: Fujifilm X-Pro2; settings: 1/100, f9, ISO-1250
What is your dream location to capture?
My dream location is one that invites you to dig deeper: a layered place that isn’t immediately obvious, but reveals its beauty catching you by surprise as you come to understand it. Some places on my wish list include China’s Sichuan region for the mix of landscapes, modern life and ancient heritage, as well as the dense forests between the Mexican state of Campeche and Guatemala’s Petén department with all its biodiversity.
HOW I GOT THE SHOT: ROME, ITALY
Shot on Fujifilm X-Pro2; Lens: Fuji XF18-55mm 2.8-4; Settings: 1/800, f4.5
It was August, the peak of the Italian summer holidays, and this image was taken on St Angelo Bridge, looking west over the Tiber to the Vatican and Janiculum Hill. The challenge was to match everything in an instant: frame, light, passers-by. It was a very dynamic scene — the bridge was busy despite the apparent stillness of the image, and I looked for the right combination of people in the foreground. Everything eventually fell into place, thanks to a good blend of patience and luck.
MORE STORIES BY FRANCESCO
| See wild beauty in eastern Sardinia, from coast to mountainsCoastal sights are only part of the story on the eastern side of this Italian island, whose near-impregnable interior is a place of untouched beauty.DIP INTO THE OCEAN |
| What it’s like to hike the epic Jordan Trail to the ancient city of PetraThe 50-mile hike from the hamlet of Dana to the ancient ‘Rose City’ of Petra weaves together dramatic ravines and ancient trading routes across the desert.HEAD FOR THE HILLS |
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