Tuscany is renowned among photographers for its unique landscape of picturesque atop rolling hills, cypress and pine trees along the roads adding beauty and depth to the ever-changing scenery and last, but not least, great light.
What will you see?
We will visit all the classic places in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany and photograph these at least once in the morning or evening. I will show you the usual, popular locations, and also the places, that not everyone knows. But not only that. We will search for compositions in the landscape and search for the places to capture them. We spend every day traveling through the breathtakingly beautiful countryside, adapting to the constantly changing weather conditions and above all, making the most of the great light.
We will also visit ancient Tuscan towns, enjoy Italian espresso, taste local wines and famous Italian cuisine. We will soak up the tranquil atmosphere of Tuscany and experience slow way of life outside the main tourist season.
And why with me?
I have been traveling to Tuscany to take pictures since 2006, the last year in both Spring and Autumn. Even after so many years I still carefully prepare and research for every photo shoot in Tuscany, looking for new places and new inspiration.
In the theoretical part I will show you how to prepare for photographic expeditions using the Internet. I will show you photos of individual locations and together we will analyze their strengths and possible shortcomings. I'll also show you how to process your photos.
In addition, I am the author of the photo guide 'Tuscany' for the mobile application, Fripito. The preparation of the guide greatly improved my knowledge of Tuscany. I spent hundreds of hours selecting photos, writing texts, searching maps, collecting and verifying information.
Date
October 28 - November 3, 2023
April 27 - Mai 3, 2024
Expected program
1st day: meeting at 3 pm at accommodation, evening photo shoot
2nd - 6th day: morning photo shoot, together exploring Tuscany, evening photo shoot
7th day: morning photo shoot, departure
Recommended equipment
- mirrorless or DSLR with interchangeable lenses
- lenses of virtually any range, we use both wide and long lens (don't forget lens hood(s) at home!)
- proper tripod and cable remote (also IR, BT or wifi remote)
- ND Graduated filters are very necessary, if you do not own them, I recommend rentig them (friends or commercial rental in your city)
- rubber boots and plastic bag to store them in
Price includes: Professional guidance in photography during the workshop, face-to-face consultations, 2 hours of theoretical explanation and demonstration of the lecturer's work.
Price does not include: Workshop transport, accommodation or local fees, meals or insurance. These costs are borne by each participant.
After registration, you will receive a call for payment of CZK 1,000. By making this payment, your registration will be complete and your place at the workshop will be secure. You will be asked to pay the rest to the workshop fee one month before the workshop.
Transport by car
You can travel with your own car, but considering the distance and cost, I recommend carpooling. There are 3 seats in my car and we can arrange a second car. The exact conditions of carpooling must be agreed with the car owner. We travel almost 3.000 km from the Czech Republic and costs up to CZK 4.000 per capita.
If you come with me from Brno: Before departure, I collect CZK 4.000 as a deposit for carpooling. The deposit will be subject to billing.
Transport by air
You can also travel by air to Pisa International Airport. You can rent a car at the airport and travel the last 160 km in less than 3 hours. In this instance, it is recommended that tere are at least two people.
But maybe you don't want to drive at all. Therefore, it is also possible to negotiate picking up a group of a maximum of 7 photographers at the airport in Pisa and throughout the workshop I will carry you in an 8-seater van. The terms and conditions must be agreed individually in advance.
Accommodation
For workshop participants I will arrange accommodation on a farm near the most interesting locations so that it is not necessary to travel for a long time. Most of the best locations are within 15 minutes. On the farm there are usually double rooms, mostly with double beds, and there is an equipped kitchenette. Price per night is up to EUR 45 per night, 6 nights for EUR 270.
The accommodation fee is usually paid in cash in euro upon arrival. You will be informed in advance about the details and the exact price.
Meals
We will eat after the morning shooting from our own supplies and you will also have the opportunity to buy from a baker and in the local shops. Lunch and dinner will be in a restaurant or we will cook something. Everything you need is often cheaper in Italy than in the Czech Republic.
Cancellation
A lot of things can happen in life, so it is important to know the cancellation policy.
The payment of CZK 1,000 for the registration confirmation is non-refundable. But the good news is that if you decide on another of the offered workshop dates in Tuscany or Cinque Terre, I will transfer your registration to the chosen workshop and date free of charge. You will not lose anything.
If you have already paid up to the full price of the workshop on the basis of the second call, i.e. cancellation is made in the last 30 days before departure, I will be forced to deduct the amount for your share of the accommodation (up to 240€) from the workshop price and the remaining amount will be refunded to you. Only if another participant is able to fill the vacancy, I will be able to offer you a re-registration for another date (including the full amount paid) or a full refund of the balance. However, I cannot guarantee this service and you will need to take out commercial insurance in case of cancellation in the last few days before departure.
If you do not respond to the call for payment of the workshop price within the next 10 days and do not make payment of the balance, I will be forced to consider this as a cancellation of your booking and will offer the place in the workshop to another participant. In this case, the amount of CZK 1,000 will be forfeited.
Hopefully these lines will make it easier for you to decide and plan your photo shoot..
Something extra?
I'm open to your suggestions. Plans for the next day are discussed together and we can also visit places you want to see that are not on the agenda. And because in my daily life I cook mostly Italian cuisine, I like to cook for friends in Tuscany. I understand, everyone is a little afraid and does not want to risk it, but so far everyone has been very pleasantly surprised and in the end I always get requests for my recipes. So pick up some courage and leave unnecessary supplies at home. Moreover, cooking time and money is much less demanding than visiting a restaurant. One meal for only EUR 4..
Also if you wish, we can set out one day early in the night so that we can catch a sunrise at some of the interesting locations in Tuscany. We'll be tired all night long, but the morning photo shoot can be very interesting. And so we get almost a whole day. And it is free for you ..
If you arrive or depart on a different day than my workshop, I can give you tips for places of interest and help you find accommodation.
News!
New this season is the possibility to rent photographic equipment to save you time and improve your first experience with landscape photography with telephoto lenses.
More at Photo Gear Rental. If you are interested in the service, the best way to do this is to add a message to the registration note.
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