Want authentic and candid memories of your holiday in Puglia?

LIFE IS A JUNGLE is the photo shoot for families who don’t like posed pictures.


You are travelling to Puglia with your family and you would love to have beautiful memories of this new adventure but you know how hard it is to get yourself in the photos too

—as always the pictures with the whole family will be
just selfies!

So you are considering to hire a local photographer but:

👉 you really don’t like posed pictures
👉 you are afraid to feel uncomfortable during the photo shoot
👉 your partner don’t like forced smiles and awkward postures (and you too!)
👉 you know how hard is to be natural in front of a camera with a stranger

And what about the kids?

What if they refuse to cooperate?
What if the whole experience feels staged and uncomfortable?

Well, I’m happy to tell you that you are in the right place!

With LIFE IS A JUNGLE you will have professional, candid, natural, and creative photos of your holiday in Puglia without ever having to pose or feel awkward!


Why choose
LIFE IS A JUNGLE ?

Imagine...

✨A professional photographer capturing your family's most beautiful moments in Puglia

✨Enjoying your family holiday without worrying about taking photos with your smartphone

✨Having precious, heartfelt images to cherish and share with your children for the future.

✨Creating timeless memories of your family’s special time in Puglia to relive forever.

✨Enjoying an experience that allows you to be yourself and feel completely at ease

✨Watching your children play freely, laugh, and truly enjoy the photo session

✨Being finally present in the pictures with your loved ones

Donna che ride all'aperto con occhiali e canottiera beige

Ciao! My name is Martina and I am the only photographer in Puglia specialized in Documentary Family Photography.

Growing up without family memories has shown me the immense value of photography in preserving one’s personal story.

My journey into documentary family photography started with my personal background and a life-changing six months in Australia.

After 10+ years in the wedding photography industry, I decided to dedicate my work entirely to families, with one mission:

Helping today’s children have meaningful family memories for tomorrow.

Gruppo di persone sorridenti in una stanza con decorazioni eleganti; indossano abiti chiari.

I’ve had the honor of creating memories for families from all over the world who choose Puglia as a destination for their holidays, family reunions or special occasions.

During my photo sessions, I’ve witnessed children having fun, smiling, running, and being themselves because my documentary approach allows them the freedom to play and do whatever they want. As a result, I’ve seen parents relaxed and at ease—because their children were.

My talent for noticing the small, invisible details and my ability to emotionally connect with children thanks to high sensitivity ensures that everyone feels seen, relaxed, and comfortable.

I believe in creating an environment where your family can just be themselves, without the pressure of posed photos. My work revolves around capturing candid moments that reveal the true spirit of your family.

I will never ask you to pose during the photo shoots.

I believe in the beauty and magic hidden in small gestures and simple, imperfect moments. I know how essential it is to preserve these moments for the future, so you can one day share them with your children.

Time passes so quickly, and we can’t stop it.

That’s why I want to use my experience to serve families and help them cherish precious moments of their life and their holiday in Puglia forever.

What are your options with LIFE IS A JUNGLE

I offer 1 or 2 hours sessions both with two packages designed to fit different needs, which include high-quality, natural photographs that you’ll cherish forever.

Here all packages details and pricing👇

LIFE IS A JUNGLE
1 hour session

  • STARDUST package - €450

    • 1 hour family photo session

    • A carefully curated selection of the best images from your session

    • Professional color correction and photo editing

    • Access to a private online gallery with 100+ images

    • Unlimited high-resolution downloads of all photos

    (split into two payments of €225)

  • SUPERNOVA Package - €570

    • 1 hour family photo session

    • A carefully curated selection of the best images from your session

    • Professional color correction and photo editing

    • Black & white versions of select images

    • Access to a private online gallery with 200+ images

    • Unlimited high-resolution downloads of all photos

    • A special "Highlights" gallery featuring your most beautiful shots

    • A custom SLIDESHOW video of your favorite moments

    (split into two payments of €285)

Designed for small families (up to 4 people) or couple (maternity).

LIFE IS A JUNGLE
2 hours session

Best solution for families with more than 4 people or for extended families (more than 1 family together).

  • STARDUST package - €550

    • 2 hours family photo session

    • A carefully curated selection of the best images from your session

    • Professional color correction and photo editing

    • Access to a private online gallery with 150+ images

    • Unlimited high-resolution downloads of all photos

    (split into two payments of €275)

  • SUPERNOVA Package - €670

    • 2 hours family photo session

    • A carefully curated selection of the best images from your session

    • Professional color correction and photo editing

    • Black & white versions of select images

    • Access to a private online gallery with 250+ images

    • Unlimited high-resolution downloads of all photos

    • A special "Highlights" gallery featuring your most beautiful shots

    • A custom SLIDESHOW video of your favorite moments

    (split into two payments of €335)

Why a curated selection? I know that families don’t always have the time to sort through hundreds of photos, which is why I do all the work for you. My experience allows me to select only the most meaningful, high-quality images that best tell your family’s story. Each image is carefully edited with a professional color correction to ensure a cohesive and beautiful final collection. You will receive a complete gallery of fully edited photos, ready for download and print.


Where Does the Photoshoot Take Place?

I am ready to reach you wherever you are! You can choose to take a walk in any city you love in Puglia, I will come to you! Alternatively, if you are staying in a beautiful villa, trullo, masseria, or another special location, we can do the photoshoot right there at your accommodation.

I am based in Scorrano (near Otranto), and for locations further than 40 km, there is a travel fee of €1/km (but I am always happy to offer a special rate on travel costs).

Or, If you have a car and can travel, doing the photoshoot in Otranto or Lecce comes with no additional travel fees. I will be happy to guide you during our photoshoot on a mini-exploration tour since I know these cities very well.

Otranto is my hometown, a stunning seaside town that should not be missed when visiting Puglia. Lecce, known as the "Florence of the South," is famous for its unique Baroque architecture and charming old town.

I know the best spots and can also recommend where to get an amazing gelato, the best pizza, and which traditional regional foods you shouldn’t miss!


How to book the photo shoot

You can contact me trough this form and I will contact you back as soon as possible to discuss all the details of the photo session. I will answer all your questions and we will find together the solution that best suits your needs.

We will schedule the date for the photo session according to your travel needs and my availability. I accept only 5 bookings per month to ensure high-quality work and timely delivery.

To officially book your session and secure your date is necessary a 50% deposit and signing the contract online. (Booking requests without these two requirements will be considered void). The balance of the remaining 50% will be paid by the date of the photo shoot.

After the booking, you won’t have to think about anything! A few days before our meeting, I will write to you to confirm the time and place of the photo shoot, sending all the information for our meeting.


Editing and Delivery

I always send a small preview of the photos within a week of the session (I know you can’t wait to see your pictures!)

I will then carefully select the best photos and edit them with my professional color correction. The full editing and delivery process can take between 4 to 12 weeks, depending on various factors such as the creative nature of the work, the package chosen, the uniqueness of each session, and my workload at that time. I always do my best to deliver in the shortest time possible.

If you want your photos delivered the day after the photo session, I’m not the right photographer for you. I like to take the right time to carefully edit your photos so that I can deliver high quality images. High quality is always a priority over fast delivery for me.

When the pictures are ready, I will send you the link to your private gallery where you can browse all the photos and download the digital files without limit in high resolution. The gallery will be online for 3 months so you’ll have plenty of time to download and review them all.

Are the Photos Retouched?

No, I do not use Photoshop. I know this might be an unpopular choice, but I want my photos to express authenticity and the true beauty of reality. The only post-processing included in all packages is professional color correction, which ensures a cohesive and harmonious look for your images.

What Families Love About Working With Me

They love the way I focus on real, raw moments and how I make them feel comfortable during the entire process. Many have told me that they feel like we’ve been friends for years after just a few moments in front of the camera. This is exactly how I want every photoshoot to feel.


KIND WORDS
Parents and Families who chose me for their family memories say:

Frequently Asked Questions

👉How can I book my session?
To book your session just click here and fill out the form with your request and the preference of the dates you would like to schedule your photo shoot. I will contact you back as soon as possible to arrange our photo session.

👉Which outfit should we wear for the photo shoot?
The key is to feel completely comfortable in what you wear. It truly doesn’t matter to me—I love to focus on emotions and expressions rather than outfits. You are free to choose your clothing based on your personal taste and personality.

👉Are there age limits for children?
No age limit for your little ones. You won’t have to do anything more than you do during your everyday life.

👉Will you guide us during the session?
During my photo sessions, your family will be free to do whatever they like. The only guidance I provide is when we're navigating through Otranto and Lecce old town streets, ensuring we take the best routes. I will never ask you to pose or do anything specific—it's always me adapting to you. My aim is to capture your family’s natural interactions and create a comfortable space for everyone to be themselves.

👉What if we feel awkward or shy?
It’s a widespread fear, but from my experience I assure you that once we break the ice you will feel comfortable, and we will spend time together relaxing and having fun. I’ll make sure everyone feels at ease, especially the kids, who always warm up once they realize it’s all about fun! All you need is to be yourself 🙂

👉What happens in case of bad weather?
If there’s heavy rain or a thunderstorm, we can adjust the time of our session or reschedule to another day, depending on my availability and the days you have available. In my experience, I have never had to completely cancel a session due to bad weather. And if an unexpected rainstorm surprises us, we’ll just dance together in the rain! 🤸🏼‍♀️☔️

👉We can’t speak Italian, how we can do that?
No worries, I speak English 🇬🇧. If you don’t speak English or Italian there are no problems. Traveling around the world I realized that sometimes speaking the same language is not necessary to live a beautiful experience. Somehow we’ll make it! All you need is to live your life authentically, and I’ll do the rest with my camera.

👉Can we have some classic family portraits?
Yes, even if mine is a documentary approach, we can take some family portraits too if you want them. Portraits won’t take more than 10 minutes during my sessions (the kids don’t like portraits so I alway try to be as fast as possible!). The goal of the photo session is to capture your real and spontaneous moments together, so portraits are just a quick parenthesis.

👉Can we have a session longer than 2 hours?
Absolutely yes! I designed a 4 hours photo shoot that will allow you to have an even deeper family storytelling and create unforgettable memories of your holiday time in Puglia. The name is PUGLIA FAMILY EXPERIENCE. I only accept 10 reservations per year. More details here

👉How many photos will be delivered with the final gallery?
The number varies from session to session. It is difficult to indicate a precise amount of final pictures because it depends on various factors. My goal is to tell your story regardless of the number of final files. What I can tell you is that I am very generous about this and the galleries I deliver never count less than 100 photos.

👉How many digital photos can I download?
After a long thinking, I chose not to set a limit on the number of files you can download from the gallery. Sometimes it happens that you only have 15-20 files included in the price of the photo shoot, and if you want to have more, you have to pay extra. It is a fair policy, which I also have adopted in the past. All my packages now include downloading the entire photo gallery because I believe a lot in the value of my storytelling and I don’t want to limit your archive to a small number of images.

👉What is NOT included in the photo shoot price?
The price of the photo shoot does not include:

  • TRAVEL (domestic or overseas): for travels longer than 40 km from Scorrano (where I live) the fee is 1€/Km for car travels. For travel by train or plane the fee is equivalent to the cost of the ticket + accommodation

  • PRINTS (albums, prints, photo box, canvas, etc): if you wish, I can provide you with all the information with the respective price list.

  • ALL KINDS OF PHOTO RETOUCHING: I love authenticity, I prefer not to use Photoshop.


LIFE IS A JUNGLE IS NOT FOR YOU IF:

  • You’re looking for retouched and photoshopped images that make you and your children look flawlessly styled, like models in advertisements.

  • You prefer perfectly posed portraits where everyone is looking directly at the camera.

  • You want photos with a fashion blogger aesthetic.

  • You insist on recreating specific backgrounds and poses exactly like the ones you’ve seen on Instagram.

  • You’re not open to spending quality time with your family, playing, laughing, and enjoying the moment.

  • You expect only front-facing photos that showcase your outfit above all else.

If any of this resonates with you, I am not the right photographer for you. My work is about capturing real, raw, and authentic moments, not perfection.


Ready to Book?

If you’re ready to make memories that will last a lifetime, I’d love to hear from you!


Whether you’re coming to Puglia for a family holiday, family reunion, or special celebration, let’s create something magical together.

I can’t wait to be a part of your family’s journey in Puglia!