I was born in Sardinia in a scorching September in 1982. Raised in Cagliari, I studied in Bologna, where I eventually chose to settle, live, and work. It was precisely among the porticoes and intimate atmosphere of Bologna’s local venues that I discovered photography, finding my natural path by combining my passion for music with my love for taking photos. What started almost as a game—capturing images of musicians—quickly led me to document some of the most important stages in Italy and abroad.
I am a photographer specializing in music, events, and environmental portraits. My style is defined by an expressive use of color, playful backlighting, and a constant pursuit of movement, capturing the true atmosphere and energy of the stage while respecting the authenticity of the moment. In my work—focused on concert and festival reportage, artist promotional portraits, and behind-the-scenes stories—the narrative intent merges with a keen eye for the pop, rock, independent, and underground scenes. Alongside portraiture, which is always set within a narrative context, I document cultural, social, and political events through visual storytelling.
I have been the official photographer for the Beaches Brew Festival since its very first edition, for the Bologna Jazz Festival since 2021, for Cartoline Sonore Sardinia, and for the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Sardinian festival Time in Jazz—a deep and meaningful return to my roots on the island. I have also documented every edition of Dallalto for the Municipality of Bologna, and for several years I served as the official photographer for Mi Ami Fest in Milan and Ferrara Sotto le Stelle.
Since 2011, I have coordinated the entire photography section and team at Sentireascoltare, and I regularly collaborate with the International Museum and Library of Music of Bologna, as well as publications such as Rumore and Rockit. Over the course of my career, I have received several honors, including a special mention at the Fotografare la Musica competition (2010) and the Artistic Innovation Award at the Marte Awards as Best Live Photographer 2012. In 2019, in collaboration with Gallery 16, I curated my solo exhibition She Rocks – Female Musicians Live Beyond Gender, dedicated to the diversity of visual and musical identities among contemporary women artists.
My photographs have been featured in numerous national and international publications, including Rolling Stone Magazine, The Guardian, MOJO, Pitchfork, Il Mucchio Selvaggio, Rockerilla, La Repubblica XL, Il Venerdì di Repubblica, Il Corriere della Sera, Il Resto del Carlino, Touring Club, Lonely Planet, Fotografare, Digital Camera, and the renowned American magazine Popular Photography, for which I also contributed to the book The Complete Portrait Manual.
Contacts & Socials:
Instagram: @la_caulie
Website: www.francescasaracauli.com
Clients:
AIRC
Alce Nero
Antenna Music Factory
Beaches Brew Festival
Berberé
Bologna Jazz Festival
Bronson Produzioni
Cartoline Sonore Sardinia
Comune di Bologna
Ferrara Sotto le Stelle Festival
MiAMI Festival
Micah P Hinson
Cristina Donà
Dente e Guido Catalano
DNA Concerti
Dr. Martens
Ducati Scrambler
Estragon Club
Garricha Dischi
Giovanni Truppi
Hub COMM
Jazz Open Italia
Laurent-Perrier
Lo Stato Sociale
Marco Montemagno
Moto Guzzi
Museo Internazionale e Biblioteca della Musica di Bologna
New Life Promo
Pazza Idea Festival
Ponderosa Music Art
Savana Funk
Sibode DJ
Time in Jazz
Universal Music
