Atlantide Phototravel is a Florence based travel photography agency that has been contributing to travel magazines worldwide since 1991. The agency’s name comes from the Italian word for Atlantis and is intended to evoke a sense of mystery, travel and discovery.

The agenc’s main focus is travel and geographic reportage with a collection of about 150.000 images from many exotic and traditional destinations worldwide. Atlantide was founded in Florence, Italy, in 1991 by Stefano Amantini, Massimo Borchi and Guido Cozzi. Amantini met partners Guido Cozzi and Massimo Borchi while all three were working on a book about Tuscany. At the time, they were all breaking into professional photography. Their idea was to collaborate and to share marketing resources and assignment overload. They started their company as equal partners, and they work on egalitariam terms.

This collaboration was a major catalyst for their careers, especially outside of Italy. They continue to collaborate and publish their works in major travel magazines both Italian and foreign: GEO Saison, GEO special, GEO(France and Spain), National Geographic Traveler, The New York Times, Wine Spectator, Gente Viaggi, Bell’Italia, Bell’Europa, Condè Nast Traveller, D-La Repubblica , Airone , Panorama Travel, Rutas del Mundo, Sunday Times Travel…

Due to magazine assignments and their own personal travel projects, they have built a vast and unique photographic archive. In 1998 PDN(Photo District News) the most prestigious magazine for professional photography, published an article about Atlantide and their three photographers:
“Aware of how easy it is for a travel photographer to show up and wait for the right light, Amantini, Cozzi and Borchi use a photojournalistic approach to set themselves apart from the travel photography pack. And all three favour blurred motion, which brings a sense of life and movement to their images. But beyond that, each has his own style. Borchi is more meditative, favouring architecture and found still life and other quiet images, Amantini explains. Cozzi isspectacular and graphic, using off-kilter compositions and large splashes of bold colour. Explaining his own style, Amantini says,I want to forget the beauty of the place. I try to find the atmosphere and approach it as a narrative. I want the reader to feel like they are the traveler. When I find a situation with potential, I spend a lot of time not looking, but feeling, and only then do I look, trying to catch that feeling on film.

“They are three very serious, knowleadgeable, resourceful, good photographers who find assignment exciting. And they have great stock, especially of Europe,” adds Ursula Mahoney, photo editor of The New York Times travel section (PDN September 1998). At the beginning of 2004, Stefano Amantini (www.stefanoamantini.it), Massimo Borchi, Guido Cozzi and another successful photographer Giovanni Simeone, opened a Gallery in the centre of Florence dedicated exclusively to photography of Italy and the Mediterranean, Tethys Gallery (www.tethysgallery.com) to display their personal collections and sell limited editions prints. This establishes a solid base in which to pursue a research of personal creative expression through photography.