Weekend on the largest island of the Tuscan Archipelago
As an Elba travel photographer, I see the island not just as a destination, but as a living story made of colors, textures, and human moments. Every time I visit, I’m reminded that photography is not only about landscapes — it’s about emotion and presence.
This trip to Elba Island was a long weekend in May. My husband was participating in the Triathlon Road Iron Tour, and I joined him with my camera ready. We took the ferry from Piombino, and even before reaching the island, I felt inspired. Watching the blue horizon slowly reveal Elba’s mountains and coastline was pure magic.
It was my first time taking a car on a ferry — a small adventure that made the journey even more exciting. Once we arrived, the island greeted us with stunning light, crystal-clear water, and endless shades of green. I’ve always loved islands; they feel like tiny worlds of their own — peaceful, enclosed, and full of character.
During the weekend, I explored Portoferraio, where the triathlon took place, and visited Porto Azzurro, Capoliveri, and Rio Marina. Each town had a different energy: from lively marinas to quiet clifs. I was drawn to the contrast between the warm stone houses and the cool tones of the sea.
Through my lens, I wanted to capture Elba’s calm strength — its rhythm of life between sea and sky. For me, that’s what being an Elba travel photographer is all about: telling the story of a place through the light that moves across it, and the feeling it leaves behind.
Elba Travel Palette
Together with my Instagram community, we created the Elba Travel Palette — a tribute to the island’s emotions, light, and natural poetry. The winning tones are sapphire, phthalo green, marigold, and khaki. Sapphire captures the ever-changing blues of Elba’s sea — from turquoise shallows to near-black depths, it’s the island’s heartbeat and soul. Phthalo green, deep and mysterious, mirrors the dense vegetation, the pine-covered hills, and the reflections of the sea where blue meets land. It brings calm and balance — a reminder of Elba’s wild, untouched beauty. Marigold, warm and golden, recalls the sun that kisses the cliffs and lingers in the evening air, a color of joy and serenity. Finally, khaki grounds the palette — sunlit and earthy, like the island’s paths, stones, and the quiet strength that lives in its landscape.
