Tuscany Photography Workshop
- 8 – 14 May 2021 NEW
- 15 – 21 May 2021 NEW
Duration: 7 days / 6 nights
Type of Tour: Landscape photography workshop
Max Participants: 6
Photographers: Marat Stepanoff
Fly-In/Out: Rome (airport Fiumicino)
Price: € 1,500
Introduction
Next spring, join me in a photography seminar in Tuscany. On a trip that offers great opportunities for photography to exceed all expectations. Located in Northern Italy, Tuscany is one of the most photogenic places in the country.
Green hills covered with multicolored wildflowers, old tiny towns, foggy mornings and roads dotted with cypresses. This is one of the most iconic scenes in the landscape photography of Tuscany.
The Val d’Orcia area has attracted photographers and artists for many years and it is easy to understand why. Tuscany is a beautiful landscape and you cannot help but be seduced.
May is the best time to visit Tuscany. The grass is not yet cut, the poppies bloom, and early in the morning the valleys are filled with fog and create a mystical landscape. These are incredibly photogenic images.
I’ll take you to one of the best places and you can shoot a classic Tuscan landscape. During the photo tour I will hold seminars and you will be able to learn how to process this type of landscape.
We will organize our photo tour in the heart of Val d’Orcia, 10 minutes from some of the most iconic places such as Podere Belvedere, Cappella di Vitaleta, Villa Gladiatore, Pienza, San Quirico d’ Orcia and the famous cypress roads.
About our Tuscany photography workshop
Our photo workshop is designed so that you can focus on the photo and we’ll take care of the rest.
We use all our experience and knowledge to take you to the most beautiful places in Tuscany in the best light. We can provide as much support, advice or guidance as you wish.
Additional information
How to get there
The photography workshop of Tuscany started at 12:00 am at Fiumicino International Airport. We meet by the fountain at the airport and take a comfortable bus to our base.
I advise you to arrive at the airport a little earlier or the day before and spend the night in Rome.
You can get to Val d’Orcia on your own, but without a car it’s a little problematic.
The day of arrival is one of the days of the seminar and we have a photo session today.
Do I Need a car
We have an intense photo and cultural program. You’ll have some free time. Watch the tour program. And all workshop transfers are included in the tour price.
What is the temperature in Tuscany in May
May 73 °F (23 °C) 54 °F (12 °C)
The weather in Tuscany is good, mostly sunny days and only a few rainy days. May is the best month to visit in Tuscany.
What clothing to bring
Rubber galoshes or Wellingtons. But I recommend galoshes because they’re easy to take off before you get in the car.
In the morning, the grass is wet from the night dew. The soil in Tuscany is clayey. It’s really very sticky clay.
Comfortable waterproof walking boots
While we are not going to make long hikes, we will definitely walk on the uneven ground and cobbled sidewalks in the city.
Windproof jacket and warm top
It’s a little cold early in the morning before the sun rises.
Waterproof pants
As I said, the grass is wet in the morning. Wearing wet pants to your knees is not very comfortable.
What camera kit and equipment to bring
- SLR or mirrorless camera. Wide angle lens 16-35 mm, medium zoom 24-70 mm and longer zoom 70-200 (300) mm. The most used lens will be 70-200 mm. Wide angle zoom is also widely used. This focal length covers everything you need.
- Tripod. We will often shoot in low light. And the tripod will be an absolutely essential piece of equipment.
- Cable release. Disconnecting the cable allows us to press the camera shutter without touching the camera, which can cause blurring at long shutter speeds.
- Backpack for the camera. A good backpack can really save your back, and a backpack with sturdy padded straps can safely distribute the weight of your gear.
Do I need a computer
I have a laptop, and you will see my workshop on the laptop screen. But I strongly recommend that you bring your laptop with you. We’ll shoot in RAW and you’ll need a computer with LR, PS or similar.
ITINERARY TUSCANY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
The photography workshop in Tuscany has a standard schedule, but it is flexible and on which day we visit each of us, making sure to visit all the places listed below.
At this time of year the sun rises to 6-00 and sunset is around 20:30. I try to rest during the day.
The morning photo session will start around 5:00. All participants should be near the minibus or in the place indicated by the guide. The evening photo shoot will start around 18:00 and end after sunset around 20:30 – 21:30.
10:00 – 11:30 Workshop time.
The time between 11:30 and 18:00 is free time (unless otherwise specified).
Day 1
We will meet you at Rome Fiumicino Airport near the fountain at 12:00. We head to the heart of rural Tuscany to shoot the last light of day and sunset in one of the nearby places, perhaps cypresses or poppy fields overlooking Val d’Orcia.
And then go to check-in at our villa. Right after we have a delicious Tuscan dinner. The Tuscan photography workshop.
Day 2
5:00 – 8:00 This morning we are shooting one of the most famous villas of Tuscany, Podere Belvedere and Cappella di Vitaleta.
We will leave around 5:00 to make sure that we have enough time to prepare and find the perfect composition before the best lighting. Hopefully the valley will be covered in mist.
8:30 – 11:30 Then we go back to the villa for breakfast and have a photo processing seminar.
Our post-processing sessions will be adapted to different levels and requirements of our clients and can range from basic Lightroom to Luminosity masks and more advanced technologies.
12:00 – 16:30 We will head to the medieval town of Montalcino to explore the atmospheric streets and then have lunch in a local restaurant where you are invited to taste the famous Brunello di Montalcino wine.
18:00 in the afternoon we go to the famous Villa Gladiator and before sunset we go to San Quirico and take pictures of interesting landscapes.
Then we return to the villa for a gourmet dinner and a relaxed evening.
Day 3
5:00 – 8:00 Before sunrise we reach the ancient Roman village of Bagno Vignoni and take pictures of ancient streets and terms. Immediately after that we arrive at a new location a few kilometers from Bagno Vignoni. This is the second photo spot this morning.
10:00 – 11:30 After breakfast, we have a traditional processing workshop.
14:00 – 21:30 Today we will visit Sorano and Pitigliano, two tiny but amazing towns in Tuscany.
These Etruscan towns are carved in tuff rocks. We spend the whole day here, eating lunch and shooting the sunset. Finally, come back to our villa for dinner.
Day 4
5:00 – 8:00 Sunrise on the Val d’Orcia in the green hills near Pienza. And then, to shoot in Pienza. It’s a tiny, but very beautiful city. There are streets without tourists and beautiful architecture.
10:00 – 11:30 Processing workshop and rest.
11:30 – 16:00 We go to Monticello and Montepulciano. We will walk around the city and have lunch.
17:30 Start at the villa. Sunset filming on Crete Senesi.
Day 5
5:00 – 8:00 We start the morning on the walls of Pienza. Then we will go down and get to Villa Gladiator.
10:00 After breakfast, we have a processing workshop and rest.
11:30 – 16:30 In the afternoon we’ll go to Radicofani and Abbadia San Salvatore. These are two small towns in Tuscany.
18:30 We’ll go to Cappella di Vitaleta closer.
Day 6
5:00 – 8:00 Sunrise in Val d’Orcia in a place different from the previous days; Belvedere farmhouse, Capella di Vitaleta or another.
During our photography workshop, the weather may not be very good and we will want to take pictures of some places again.
10:00 After breakfast we have our last session. We will pick up the best photos and collect the portfolio. You will get presets and instructions on how to edit your photos at home.
11:30 Tour of one of the wineries in Tuscany and wine tasting.
18:00 In the evening we will shoot near one of the cities and continue our evening photo session in Montepulciano.
Then we will return to our hotel for a farewell dinner.
Day 7
This is the last day of our photo tour.
5:00 – 8:00 This morning we will go to places we like and take photos.
10:00 After breakfast at the hotel, we pack our luggage and go to the airport.
13:00 The workshop will end at Rome Fiumicino Airport.
Summary
Our goal is to introduce you to the most beautiful places in Tuscany and give you the opportunity to get great images, learn new techniques and acquire skills during the workshop.
We will determine your level of photography and what you want to photograph.
Two photo sessions per day mean that participants will be able to see and take pictures of as many beautiful places as possible. We will not only shoot in the field. Shooting medieval architecture will enrich your portfolio.
We carefully select the dates of our seminars to ensure that we are here at the best time of year. In Tuscany, early May gives us the best opportunity to take a picture.
Through the hills lies the lush green grass and the temperature difference between warm days and cold nights, allowing the fog to form in the valleys.
Our schedule is very flexible. We will be in the middle of all these fantastic places. They are very close to each other, which means we can adapt to the weather and find the best time to shoot.
The image editing process is part of our photography workshop. The skills of participants and their knowledge of post-processing techniques vary greatly. But that’s not a problem.
Because we can share our experience with each other and pass it on to novice photographers. At our photography workshop, you will learn the basics of editing a RAW file in programs like Lightroom, more advanced methods such as using brightness layers and masks in Photoshop.
Tuscany is not only about beautiful landscapes and photos. The cuisine is an essential part of any trip to Tuscany. Meals with friends, story sharing and a bottle of wine are an integral part of our seminars.
We strive to make your stay here, in the beautiful landscape of Tuscany, unforgettable. A trip in which, in addition to getting great pictures from amazing places, you can also enjoy great food and great company in a very special place.
WHAT YOU’LL LEARN DURING TUSCANY PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP
In the Field
- Camera basics, buttons, menu, wheels.
- Aperture, Shutter speed, ISO. What are they for, how they affect the photo.
- Camera settings for landscape photography.
- Landscape photography equipment.
- Lenses, focal range.
- Shooting modes (aperture and shutter priority).
- Composition overview.
- Long Exposure Photography Workshop.
- Perspective Blending Workshop.
- Focus Stacking Workshop.
Process
- Raw files processing start to end.
- Blending exposures using Lightroom/ACR.
- Luminosity mask techniques for blending and editing.
- Color and saturation adjustments.
- Panorama stitching.
- Creative effects for added drama (ie. Orton effect, light bleed, etc).
- Sharpening for Web.
Pricing:
- Total price: 1.500 € per person twin share (breakfast, all transfers, workshops, etc.).
- Single supplement: 350 €.
- Registration deposit: 500 €.
- Maximum Number of Participants: 6.
- Payment in Full: 90 days prior to the workshop starting date.
Difficulty:
- Easy
Included in the price:
- All transfers.
- Lodging.
- Breakfast.
- Instruction and master classes by two professional guides.
Not included in the price:
- Airfare.
- Wine and Alcoholic beverages.
- Lunch.
- Visas (if applicable).
- Single supplement (350 €).
- Insurance.
- Excursions with a professional guide.
After you signup, we’ll send you a recommended camera gear and packing list. Please pay special attention to things that we say are absolutely required.
Greater than 90 days from the start date of the Workshop: full refund minus €300 service fee.
75 days or more: 75% refund
60 days or more: 50% refund
Less than 60 days: no refund
Disclaimer
I strongly recommend that you get travel and health insurance if your government health insurance does not cover you while you are abroad.
The tour always depends on the weather, it can really be very unpredictable. I will be taking a photo tour of Tuscany in May. It’s the best time for a photo tour of Tuscany. But I can’t guarantee good weather.
Question, request? I’ll respond as soon as I can.
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