Lelia Scarfiotti | Comparison, Storytelling & Artisanry | FloInsider Ep #25

Welcome to the 25th episode of FloInsider – a podcast for photographers and creative business owners who seek inspiration and a fresh perspective on how to run their business, navigate this weird time that we all live in, and find meaning and happiness in their daily routines. 

After premiering FloInsider international with Leonie Cappello’s interview in German, today we are bringing you our first ever Italian episode! Our host, Nadia Meli, interviews the wonderful Lelia Scarfiotti – a destination wedding photographer based in Italy. Lelia’s work and style are mesmerizing visual poems. Her soulful approach and heartwarming personality make working with her a truly memorable and extraordinary experience.  

The topic of this conversation, while focused on the Italian market, is applicable to all wedding photographers, anywhere – because so many of us strive to become “another destination photographer who shoots beautiful couple portraits on the black beach in Iceland” instead of aiming to become “THE BEST photographer in our own country”.

Taking Italy as an example, as that’s where Lelia is based at – there are so many photographers who dream to book a wedding gig in Italy, stroll with their couple through charming Italian streets, capture the marvel of Rome, Tuscany, Venice. A lot of couples choose to bring their own photographer, instead of hiring a local one. Lelia believes that the local photographers need to do a better job at leveraging and blending the historical and cultural heritage of their own country into their work, instead of lusting for the “cool” weddings that are currently trending on Pinterest. 

If you speak Italian and need a good dose of motivation today, do listen to this whole interview with Lelia Scarfiotti! If you don’t – no worries! We’ve prepared an overview and translated the main ideas of the discussion, so you don’t miss a thing!

A few cliff notes from our chat with Lelia:

• We always long to have what others have: that business, that destination wedding, instead of valuing and appreciating what we have in front of us. What if you started to see the beauty in the local weddings you book? There is a deep, rich, and interesting story even in the place you are so familiar and bored with. Why is that place so special to your clients? How can you showcase the beauty of where you are, instead of pursuing a destination wedding? 

• We all want a unique website, a unique Instagram feed – but if we are all taking the same images, what is the point?

• People come from all over the world to get married in Italy – why do they bring photographers with them from other countries? Why don’t Italians specialize in their country? Lelia defines herself as a photographer who lives in, works in, and breaths Tuscany. She often arrives 2 hours earlier to weddings, because she wants to absorb the place. She wants to be able to tell its story and give it back to the couple, through their own story and photos. The light, the location, the sounds, the food, the people, the history – it’s all part of a story that we often tend to erase in order to standardize ourselves and be like everyone else. When we really should do the opposite, because it’s a great way to differentiate ourselves from the rest. 

• We are conditioned to believe only one type of wedding is cool and trendy, like for example weddings in Scotland or Iceland. But what is special about the place you live in?

• Look for inspiration in other places than wedding photography, or even photography in general. There are so many areas that you can explore, from poetry and music to paintings, books, even nature. Unplug from the virtual world and your usual routine.  

To see more of Lelia’s beautiful work visit leliascarfiotti.com or connect with her via Instagram: instagram.com/lscarfiotti

Thank you to our lovely host, Nadia Meli, who navigated through important and inspiring conversations with our wonderful guest speakers from all around the world, throughout the past 16 episodes of FloInsider. We are sad to say goodbye to Nadia, as our podcast host, yet excited to have her focus on other projects inside the Flothemes team.

Follow Nadia’s beautiful work and writing via her Instagram instagram.com/nadiameli and her website: nadiameli.com. Nadia also recorded a beautiful farewell message for you guys. Tune in, enjoy, and stay tuned!