Scott Allen Wilson

01/10/2026

Clocks measure time. Photographs stop it.

That idea sits at the heart of my latest essay, a reflection on architecture, photography, permanence, and the strange way a photograph can hold onto a moment long after the place itself has changed.

I started with clock towers, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized the same thing applies to the quieter places too. A doorway in Lucca. A wall in Cremona. A kitchen window above a piazza in Parma.

They may never appear in a guidebook, but they hold time just the same.

Maybe that is part of what photography is for. Not simply to document what is important, but to notice what might otherwise disappear without anyone marking the moment.

Sound interesting? Have a read in my latest post on my blog: An Observance of Time.

Photography and time meet in a reflection on memory, architecture, permanence, and why photographs preserve what the world cannot.

18/09/2026

Every September, Recco becomes something completely different.

The streets fill, the seven Quartieri open their stands, smoke starts rising from the riverbed, and fireworks take over the sky above the town and the sea.

The Sagra del Fuoco is one of the biggest events of the year here, and this was my second time photographing it.

Last year was mostly about figuring everything out. This year, I wanted to get closer.

For the first time, I was able to photograph some of the sparate from inside the riverbed.

The explosions were only meters away. Smoke moved around me. Fire appeared through the darkness. People disappeared and reappeared through the haze, and some photographs existed for only a fraction of a second.

It was one of the most challenging and exhilarating things I’ve ever photographed.
The new story is up now, with photographs from Verzemma, Collodari, San Martino, the daytime fireworks, and both nights of the Sagra.

Inside Recco’s Sagra del Fuoco 2026, photographing fireworks, sparate, smoke, fire and the riverbed from a completely new perspective.

15/09/2026

Mantova had been on my travel list for nearly ten years.

After that long, a place starts to become more than a destination. You build a version of it in your head from photographs, maps, and fragments collected over the years. So when I finally arrived, Mantova had a lot to live up to.
It did just fine.

From the towers and grand piazzas of the historic center to quiet canals, lakeside paths, long lunches, and small details hidden down side streets, Mantova turned out to be exactly the kind of city I had hoped to find.

I’ve shared the full story and photographs from the trip in my latest article:

After nearly ten years of waiting, I finally visit Mantova, Italy, exploring its architecture, lakes, food, quiet streets, and everyday life.

04/09/2026

If you're from Recco, I probably don't need to explain what Il Fondo is.

But I can tell you what it means to me.

I moved here at the end of 2023 knowing almost no one, with no idea that the little birreria I kept walking past would become one of the places I feel most connected to in Recco.

Somewhere along the way, Fondo has become my place to work, write, have a b**r, catch up with familiar faces, or just sit alone for a few hours without ever really feeling alone.

So I wanted to give something back.

The Last Rider, a photograph I made right here in Recco, is now hanging on the wall at Fondo. At 103.7 × 73.7 cm, it's the largest piece I've ever installed in a public space.

But the size isn't really the point.

The photograph is about coming back to something simply because being there feels right.

And in that sense, I can't think of a better place for this particular installation.

I wrote the full story behind the photograph, the installation, and what Il Fondo means to me here.

If Fondo has a place in your Recco story too, I'd love to hear it in the comments

27/08/2026

One of the most meaningful things someone can say to me after I photograph the place they call home is:

“I never realized my city was this beautiful.”

That idea sits at the center of a new piece I’ve just published.

Over time, I’ve realized that my work is about more than travel photography. It is about paying attention to places, understanding how they feel, and finding ways to carry that experience into photographs, fine art, curated spaces, and destination storytelling.

In the new article, I write about how photography can help us see familiar places differently, why the way artwork lives in a space matters, and where I hope to take this work next through collaborations with businesses, tourism boards, cities, and destinations around the world.

Sometimes the most interesting thing a photograph can do is simply make us look again.

Explore Scott Allen Wilson’s approach to travel photography and storytelling, capturing the beauty and feeling of places around the world.

20/08/2026

Every September, Recco gets very loud.

Sagra del Fuoco is one of my favorite things to photograph, but it’s also one of the most challenging. You have a few seconds, sometimes less, to make decisions about shutter speed, ISO, framing, focus, and where you think the next firework is going to explode.

Over the years, I’ve tried a lot of different approaches. Long lenses, wide shots, daytime fireworks, nighttime fireworks, and even my phone.

In my latest post, I’m sharing how I photograph Sagra del Fuoco, what I’ve learned along the way, and some of my favorite images from the last few years.

If you’re interested in photography, fireworks, or just want to see what happens when a small town in Liguria takes fireworks very seriously, have a read.

How I photograph the fireworks of Recco’s Sagra del Fuoco, from preparation and timing to capturing the scale, light, and atmosphere.

19/08/2026

Hey Everyone! Some pretty exciting news from Virginia.

I’m incredibly proud to now have a permanent collection of my fine art photography on display at Star City Center For The Arts in Roanoke.

The exhibition brings together six photographs I’ve made across Italy over the years, from Florence and Rome to Venice, Cinque Terre, and Lucca.

There’s something especially meaningful about seeing this work, created in a country I’ve called home for more than a decade, now hanging permanently in a space back in the US, hosted by my family.

If you’re in or around Roanoke, I hope you'll take your time exploring this multidisciplinary space. It’s a wonderful creative hub built around curiosity and collaboration—be sure to check out their community events and creative programming while you’re there.

Click the link to look at the full details of the exhibition and the stories behind the works on my website.

A permanent fine art photography exhibition by Scott Allen Wilson is now on display at Star City Center for the Arts in Roanoke, Virginia.

14/08/2026

A few years ago, Recco became home.

Since then, I’ve photographed it in just about every way I know how. Quiet mornings on the water. Surfers waiting for the next wave. Trains crossing above town. Colorful facades. Fishermen. Fireworks. And plenty of little moments in between.

The more I photographed it, the more I realized how much of Recco is about contrast. Old and new. Quiet and chaotic. The sea and the town. Everyday life, and traditions that completely transform the place for several days.

That became the idea behind my new fine art collection, The Duality of Recco.

I’ve put together some of the photographs, and the stories behind them, in my latest article.

If you know Recco, you might recognize a few familiar corners. If you don’t, this is my introduction to the place I now call home.

Discover The Duality of Recco, a fine art print collection celebrating Italy's Riviera through coastal landscapes, architecture and surf.

09/08/2026

Last night in Recco, I photographed a creative arts performance filled with dancers, singers, colored spotlights, lasers, smoke, and constant movement.

Going through the photographs afterwards, I found myself thinking about something beyond the performance itself- how dramatically light and color can change the way we perceive human presence and emotion.

The same performer, the same movement, sometimes only a fraction of a second apart- and yet the photograph can feel completely different.

The new post explores that relationship between light, movement, expression, and stage presence, along with some of the challenges of photographing performers who are constantly moving through an equally unpredictable lighting environment.

It was also particularly amazing to learn that roughly 90% of the performers were from Recco itself. A pretty incredible amount of local creativity and talent gathered on one stage.

I hope you enjoy the photographs and the story behind them.

Explore how light, color, movement, and human expression shape performance photography through images captured during a live show in Recco, Italy.

28/07/2026

People ask me for Rome advice constantly. Where to eat, what to skip, what not to miss, what's actually worth the walk. I'd put together a tailored list for one person, or for one group, then do it again for the next, and the next.

Every group is different, everyone has their own specific interests and needs. So it was never a "here's my list." It was always built personally for each ask, which honestly just takes a long time, especially for a place like Rome.

So I finally sat down and put all of it in one place. Everything I've learned across thirty six trips and more than a decade of paying attention to this city, organized so anyone can use it. Neighborhoods, churches, galleries, food, all the stuff that usually doesn't make the standard lists and most popular itineraries.

I tried to keep it current and useful, with links where you need them. If something's missing that you think belongs, incorrect or outdated- tell me. I'll probably add it or fix it. This is a living guide that will get improved over time. Hopefully it will be a useful resource for far more people now

Discover Rome beyond the tourist trail with hidden gems, local neighborhoods, secret viewpoints, unforgettable food, and unique experiences.