Five colored gems – the Cinque Terre – are strung like pearls along the arching neckline of the Ligurian Sea, Italy’s northern “riviera” (See map).With color palettes that include melon, kiwi, citron, honeydew, persimmon and apricot, the five towns are visual jewels and favorites of travelers from all over the world. Four of the towns are tight, [...]

It was like a punch in the gut a week ago, (October 25, 2011) when I heard that the Cinque Terre had been devastated by flood waters and mud. I had been in those five towns in 2008. I photographed them with an intensity and passion that yielded a sort of intimate affection for the [...]