Ilaria Mariagiulia Rizzuto (born in Verona, Italy, 1988) has always felt the sea as her true home. Although raised far from the coast, she grew up cultivating a deep fascination with water, practicing various aquatic sports that strengthened her bond with the ocean. In 2019 she became a certified scuba diver and soon after embraced freediving, discovering in the silence of the depths a place of belonging and inspiration.
Her journey into underwater photography began in 2021, guided by her partner and mentor, internationally acclaimed photographer Pietro Formis. With determination and curiosity, Ilaria quickly developed a distinctive style, combining strong technical skills with a sensitive narrative vision. From her very first shots, she received recognition in major international competitions such as Ocean Art, UPY, Mare, Asferico, VIEPA, Memorial Maria Luisa, World Nature Photography Awards, OG. Picoty, among others. In 2024 she was named Emerging Photographer of the Year at the prestigious Og. Picoty Awards, confirming her talent on the global stage.
Her images have been published in several national and international magazines, and in 2024 she was invited as co-presenter at PHIDEX Manila, Asia’s leading underwater photography and diving event. Beyond photography, she has collaborated on underwater film projects: in 2022 she worked as assistant camera operator on Divina, a documentary about Federica Pellegrini, and in 2024 she filmed the paralympic freediving world record under ice.
Ilaria is an ambassador for Marelux and Beuchat, brands that embody her passion for high-quality tools essential to exploring and documenting the underwater world. Since 2025 she has also expanded her photographic language to terrestrial wildlife, achieving recognition in this field as well.
For Ilaria, photography is more than art: it is a means of conservation and awareness. Through her images she seeks to reveal the fragile complexity of ecosystems, whether in the ocean