THE SPRINGTIME IN TUSCANY WORKSHOP:
Start date: May 28th, 2013
Everybody benefits from a little coaching, while exploring exciting places.
Welcome everyone to my second “Springtime” photography workshop. As some of you know, last May I brought my “Stretching Your Frame of Mind” workshop to Prague, Czech Republic. It was an incredible success with five days of perfect weather, and wonderful lifetime memories that students of photography will never forget.
This May, I’m bringing my workshop to Tuscany, Italy and I expect everyone to walk away with the same lifetime memories as everyone who was in Prague with me.
Katka Sebkova, who did such a marvelous job producing the “Springtime in Prague” workshop, is onboard again for Tuscany. As my last class can attest to, this year’s workshop in Italy will prove to be as well coordinated as was my workshop in Prague.
The following is an overview of what will be happening during our week in Italy:
DAY 0, MAY 28th: You’ll be picked up in the morning at a hotel in Florence and driven to Siena, Italy, which we will be home base. That evening the class will get together at a local restaurant over wine and appetizers for the traditional workshop “meet and greet”. Siena is a wonderful place to shoot, so we will spend some time shooting there. Here is the link for Siena:
DAY 1, MAY 29th: The day will be spent shooting in Siena starting with photographing early morning locations that will have been scouted out in advance. People can either go together or be on their own to discover Siena on their own.
After everyone has had a chance to relax and have breakfast, we’ll meet at 10:00AM for a classroom discussion where we can look at six of what you consider to be your best photos that you’ve brought with you. After lunch, we will look at the images you shot that morning in Siena.
After reviewing everyone’s work, we’ll brush up on the elements of visual design found on your ‘Artist Palette’. The afternoon will be spent shooting in the Siena Chianti wine region north of the city (http://www.chianti.com/greve-in-chianti) returning to Siena for the evening. Everyone will be on their own for dinner.
DAY 2, MAY 30th: We will leave early in the morning and head to San Gimignano to spend the morning shooting the very famous UNESCO Worlds Architectural Heritage city: http://www.sangimignano.com
Breakfast will be back in Sienna followed by some down time before meeting in the classroom to review everyone’s photos. The afternoon will be spent shooting in and around Asciano, (http://www.abctuscany.com/siena/asciano/photo.cfm) a short drive from Siena, and perhaps going out into the famous Tuscan countryside to shoot as well. It all depends on you.
DAY 3, MAY 31st: In the morning we leave by car to spend one night in either Piombino www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Tuscany/Piombino
Or Etruscan Populonia: http://www.google.com/search?q=etruscan+populonia&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=4o-OUMOCH8G7qQH1sIC4CA&ved=0CCcQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=914
This will give us a change of scenery, putting us in a coastal city, and as a result, offer fantastic photo opportunities. The final decision on where we’ll stay will be based on hotel availability and will be made at a later date. I can tell you that based on Katka’s recommendation, any of the three will be wonderful.
Of course, shooting along the way that morning is always a possibility depending on what we see; we’ll have breakfast either somewhere along the way or upon arriving at our final destination. During the day you’ll be on your own to shop, sightsee, have lunch, scout locations for sunrise the next day whatever you’re interested in. We’ll shoot in the afternoon until after sunset then everyone can either eat together or go out by themselves to discover the local fare.
DAY 4, JUNE 1st: We will shoot during the early morning light in one of the three cities, have breakfast, then head back to Siena to relax until we meet in the classroom.
After a short break for lunch, then class discussion will continue until we head to Volterra (http://www.volterra.net/) for the afternoon shoot.
DAY 5, JUNE 2nd: Plan on an early morning shoot in the countryside and small villages nearby Pienza (http://www.nautilus-mp.com/tuscany/presentazione/pienza/indexing.html) .
After breakfast, the class will meet again to look at everyone’s photos. Following lunch class continues before breaking for an afternoon shoot in or around Siena. After the shoot we will plan to meet for the workshop’s traditional ‘farewell dinner” at one of Siena’s best-known restaurants.
DAY 6, June 3rd: There will be one more brief meeting at 10:00AM to look at the last day’s images, and any that we missed. The workshop officially ends at noon. For anyone needing a ride back to the hotel in Florence, we will plan on leaving after the workshop ends.
The price for the workshop is $995.00. This will include transportation to and from Florence, all transportation between locations, beverages and snacks during the class, wine and appetizers during the “meet and greet”, and the “farewell dinner” with wine on the last night.
All other meals and hotel accommodations (TBD) will be at your expense. If you prefer to rent your own car, the cost of the workshop will be $895.00.
For those of you wanting to bring a guest, you’ll be responsible for their expenses.
This workshop will be limited to ten participants on a first come basis. Anyone interested can e-mail me at: joe@joebaraban.com for more information and to arrange for a deposit on my website through PayPal to reserve a spot.
How’s that for a great week?
I can promise you not only a great ‘learning experience’, but also a vacation you’ll be talking about for years to come. You’ll go home with photographs you’ll be proud to show when you have your friends over for your own “wine and cheese party”.
Come shoot “Springtime in Tuscany” with me.
Ciao,
Joe
