Hi, I am Gianpaolo La Paglia, a street photographer & photography educator.
Over the last twenty years, I've used photography as a tool to explore places, people and everyday life.
Most of my work sits between street, documentary and travel photography, and some of it appeared in magazines and websites such as The New York Times Lens Blog, National Geographic Italy, la Repubblica and Esquire Russia, and received recognition including an Honourable Mention at the IPA International Photography Awards and a Silver Medal at PX3 Paris.
Alongside my ongoing photography projects, I lead Street Photography Workshops in locations like Sicily, Istanbul and other worldwide destinations I've photographed over the years, teaching photographers how to see stories, frame spontaneous moments, and shoot with clear intention.
If you'd like to know more about the journey behind my workshops and the experiences that shaped how I teach today, you can read more here.
Education
- Documentary Masterclass with Antonín Kratochvíl (VII Photo Agency)
- Documentary Photography Workshop - Gallery of Photography Dublin
Awards & Recognition
2026 - Honourable Mention - Urban Photo Award 2026 - Category: Street
2026 - Highly Commended - Siena International Photo Awards - Category: Street Photography
2026 - Semi-Finalist - Dublin Street Photography Festival - Category: Single Images
2018 - Honourable Mention - Monochrome Photography Awards 2018 - Category: Street
2018 - Honourable Mention - Monochrome Photography Awards 2018 - Category: Fine Art
2018 - Commended - Sony World Photography Awards - Category: Street Photography
2017 - Honourable Mention - PX3 - Prix de La Photographie Paris - Category: Book Proposal / Documentary - with the Project "Always-on"
2017 - Finalist - StreetFoto San Francisco - Category: Best street photograph
2016 - Honourable Mention - MIFA - Moscow International Photo Award - Category: Culture - with the Project "Custodians of Memories"
2013 - Finalist - KLPA, Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award 2013 - Portrait from "Custodians of Memories"
2013 - Honourable Mention - IPA - International Photo Award - Category: Culture - with the Project "Custodians of Memories"
2011 - 2nd Place - PX3 - Prix de La Photographie Paris - Category: Press - Feature Story - with the Project "An Unexpected End"
2011 - Honourable Mention - IPA - International Photo Award - Category: Photo Essay and Feature Story - with the Project "An Unexpected End"
2011 - Finalist - KLPA, Kuala Lumpur International Photo Award 2011 - Portrait
2010 - 2nd Place - Positive Ageing International Photo Award
2008 - 1st Place - Lonely Planet - Encounters on the Road Photo Awards
2007 - 1st Place - Gold Medal - Venice International Photo Awards - Category: Architecture & Urban Sight
2007 - 3rd Place - Bronze Medal - Venice International Photo Awards - Category: Sport & Dynamics
Collective Exhibitions
2026 - URBAN Photo Awards 2026 Winners Exhibition - Sala Xenia, Trieste, Italy
2026 - URBAN Unveils the City and its Secrets - Trieste Photo Days - ITIS, Trieste, Italy
2026 - Siena International Photo Awards - People Sharing all the World - Ex Distilleria Lo Stellino, Siena, Italy
2022 - TriesteEspresso Photo Days - Exhibit Around - Palazzo della Borsa Vecchia, Trieste, Italy
2018 - Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition - Somerset House, London, UK
2017 - StreetFoto San Francisco 2017 - Harvey Milk Photo Centre, San Francisco, California
2014 - ISSP 2014 - Kuldīga Town Library Arts Hall - Kuldīga, Latvia
2013 - KL International Photo Awards - Galeri Petronas, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2011 - Prix de la Photographie Paris 2011 - Espace Dupon, Paris, France
2011 - KL International Photo Awards - White Box Map, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
2010 - Positive Ageing International Photo Award - Dublin, Ireland
2007 - Venice International Photo Contest 07 - Palazzo Franchetti, Venice, Italy
2007 - Dove rifrange l'onda, Photo Project - Palazzo d'Aumale, Terrasini - Palermo, Italy
Selected Publications
- The Guardian UK - online edition
- The Sun - online edition & Magazine N519/p2/p3
- The New York Times - LENS Blog
- Esquire Magazine Russia - online edition & Magazine N°74 2012/p2
- Nationalgeographic.it - online edition
- Repubblica.it - online edition
- Featureshoot.com - online edition
Collective Book Publications
- 2026 - Beyond The Lens 2026 - SIPA, Siena International Photo Awards
- 2026 - URBAN Unveils the City and its Secrets - Vol. 12 - Exhibit Around & dotART
- 2026 - Mythography Vol. VI - Exhibit Around & dotART