I have been to Rome probably half a dozen times, but I have only photographed it twice.

The first time I took photos in Rome was when I was lucky enough to be part of Scott Kelby & Mimo Meidany's workshop in Venice in April 2018. It was awesome!! I learned a lot, had fun, and took amazing photos.

““If you want to take beautiful photos get in front of beautiful things”.”

— Scott Kelby

There is a lot of photography in Rome. There is just so much to see in the city.

One of the best things I have experienced from this workshop is the friendships that would develop.

When to Visit?

The best time to visit Rome is from mid-March to May and mid-September to November.

Where to Stay?

There are lots of great hotels in Rome. Selecting a hotel depends on your budget. I recommend booking a hotel near Piazza di Spagna or Piazza Navona. These locations are very centrally located so that you can walk to most of the sites.

Hotel Eden —fabulous hotel with an incredible rooftop bar with views of the Vatican
Portrait Roma - fantastic location and staff
St Regis Rome - this is a nice hotel in a bad location. The problem with the location is that you will need to take a taxi everywhere.
Here is a link to some other great hotels from Conde Naste Traveler.

Where to Eat?

The one thing I cannot resist in Rome is eating Cacio e Pepe Pasta. I have it for lunch or dinner every day. If you have never tried it —try it —you will thank me later.

Here are a few of my favorite restaurants:

Mimi e Coco - this is a small restaurant, so reservations are a must. Highly recommend
Rooftop Bar in Eden Hotel - see above
Ristorante Dillà (Via Mario de' Fiori, 41, 00187 Roma RM, Italy)
Rinascente Food Market
Trattoria Da Danilo

Here is a link to some more recommendations from Conde Naste Traveler

PHOTOGRAPHY GEAR RECOMMENDATIONS

My Canon R5 camera. Any good DSLR or Mirrorless Camera will do Nikon Z7, Fuji, etc.
A wide-angle lens of 15-35mm to be able to photograph the Churches and City Streets
A medium telephoto, such as 70-200mm. This will come in handy when you need to zoom in on the subject.
A good, sturdy tripod so you can take photos at sunrise and sunset.
Neutral-density filters (3, 6, and 10). There are lots of opportunities for long exposures. So, having an ND filter is a good idea.

WHAT TO PHOTOGRAPH IN ROme

My list of the best photography locations in Rome

The Vatican

The Vatican is one of the most photographed sites in Rome (technically its’s not in Rome). The best time to photograph the Vatican is before sunrise. Early in the morning you will have the place to yourself.

There are lots of different angles to photograph. I love the fountains.

VATICAN Spiral Staircase (located in the Vatican Museum Gift shop)

This is a double helix staircase that is simply amazing. It is located at the exit of the Vatican by the bookstore. The only way to photograph it without people is right when the museum opens. You will need a very wide lens at least 15 mm.

inside the Vatican Museum

I would highly recommend taking a tour of the Vatican. Some of the private tours will take you to places that are not open to the general public.

Shots inside St. Peters Basilica (Piazza San Pietro, The Vatican)

The inside of the Basilica is incredible. This is a location that I need to go back and photograph again.

Saint Angelo Bridge

This might be my favorite location in Rome. You can get an incredible image of St. Peters at sunset.

Victor Emmanuel II Monument

This location is often called “The Typewriter”. This is a great location at sunset.

The Pantheon (Piazza della Rotonda)

The Pantheon is a sunrise location before the crowds.

There are some very interesting fountains in this location

The Roman Forum

For centuries, the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome. This is where the Romans gave their public speeches and where the gladiatorial matches took place. This is a sunrise location.

If you go at sunrise, you will have the forum to yourself.

Piazza Navona

Piazza Navona is one of the most beautiful squares in Rome, home to some of its most famous fountains, like the Fountain of the Four Rivers and the Fountain of Neptune.

If you are lucky, you might catch a photo of a priest.

With a wide lens at sunrise, you can photograph the entire piazza without the tourists.

The Spanish Steps (Piazza della Trinità dei Monti)

The Spanish Steps area has all the high-end shops in Rome. For some reason, you are not allowed to sit on the steps.

The Coliseum

The Colosseum is one of the symbols of Rome. The amphitheater is located right next to the Roman Forum. This is a sunrise location.

There is always construction at the Colosseum. So make sure you check it out beforehand so that you do not go at sunrise and find the structure full of scaffolding.

Trevi Fountain

The Trevi Fountain is one of the most famous fountains in the world and one of the best locations in Rome to photograph. Go at sunrise before the crowds.

It is also fun to capture couples in this location

Model Shoot

While I was in the workshop, we had the opportunity to photograph a beautiful model.

If you have been to a Scott Kelby workshop, you will know Willey. Willey is one of the best humans I have ever met. He has become a close friend; we even went to Tanzania together.

During our workshop, I noticed the woman on the left sitting on the bench. Her friend joined her. Then Willey went to sit next to them. More friends joined them, and finally, our model sat with them.