His passion for photography began when he was 18, first as assistant and studio photographer, then working on ethnological and social reportage. In 1992, he worked at MIFAV, the photography museum at Tor Vergata University in Rome and then studied at the John Kaverdash photography academy in Milan, taking a master’s degree in reportage.
Podavini left studio photography to dedicate himself exclusively to reportage, and is nowadays a freelance photographer, collaborating with a number of NGOs. He has covered issues in Italy, Peru, Kenya, and Ethiopia, where he is currently developing personal photographic projects.
His long term project “MiRelLa”, about Alzheimer's Disease, won him awards in the 2013 World Press Photo contest, Sony, PDN, World Report Award, SDN, Jacob Riis Award and The Fence.
He also received recognition as Reporter for the Earth 2017.
