Early in his long career, photographer Leonard Freed discovered Little Italy in New York City and became enchanted with Italians. From then until his death in 2006 he made countless trips to Italy where he produced some of the most memorable images of the people in their environment. He captured the joys of love, childhood, marriage, and the celebration of family and food. Freed’s Italians revel in the poetry of everyday life. Happy or sad, we can’t miss their exuberance. Nor can we overlook their picturesque surroundings.