In winter, Venice shows what is probably its genuine face. With most of the noisy crowd of tourist reduced to just a handful of art lovers, the beauties of the Serenissima are more readily appreciated. No noise, no waiting, lower prices, slower paces.
Moreover, you can even meet true Venetians in winter, a people you would consider as extinct in every other period of the year. Which is a blessing, if your aim as a visitor is to try to live the town from its very inside rather than to merely scratch its ready-made-for-tourist gleaming surface.
For photographers, there are a few more advantages.
In winter days the sun seems never to rise, rather it remains low above the horizon line and somewhat its light is scattered in the sky, as if it was shining through a window of polished glass or alabaster, and the shadows are as long as church aisles.
Sunrises last for ages, and so do sunsets. It is breathtaking just staring at this glorious representation, watching the sun while it slowly emerges from or dives into the pale green waters of the lagoon, occasionally peeping through layers of bold rainy clouds at the horizon and casting its faint rays on the facades of palaces and churches.
- Six Days Landscape Photography Workshop with Paolo De Faveri -
Venice and the Venetian Lagoon, Italy - December 10th-15th, 2024
Tour Highlights
• Full time in the field guidance and instructions from a professional landscape and travel photographer with 10+ years of experience in international photography tours and workshops.
• A very small group size (5 people max.) ensuring the necessary tutor’s attention for each guest;
• Public transportation is also included for the length of the tour
• A fulfilling itinerary where you will photograph the stunning iconic views of the Serenissima in the best possible light and discover many of the hidden treasure this amazing floating city and the surrounding lagoon has to offer.
• At least one image processing session, where we will analyze in details basic and advanced techniques of post-processing
• Inspiration, fun and a great time!
Need to Know
Location
Venice, Italy
Dates
December 10th - 16th, 2024
Hotel
Hotel Ca' Marinella or similar
Prices
2'750 EUR tutoring, + 700 EUR for the accommodation, to be paid directly at the hotel's desk when checking out
Difficulty
Easy - We will take many daily walks of a few hundred meters one way. For longer transfers we will use public transportation (water buses). However, due the unpredictable and fast-changing weather conditions typical of the Venetian Lagoon in winter time, a reasonable level of fitness, adaptability and familiarity with outdoor activities in winter time is required.
Gear
Required: DSLR or mirrorless camera, 28-120 mm zoom lens, tripod
Who's for
Open to any photographer interested in landscape and travel photography, whether a beginner or a pro
What's Included
• In the field full time tutoring and instructions
• Reservation of your double room single usagefor 6 nights at the hotel Ca' Marinella (or similar), with continental breakfast included. You will pay the hotel bill (about 700 EUR) when you check out. Or, if you prefer, you are free to book your favourite accommodation, provided that it is in a 5 minutes walking range from San Marco square.
• 7 days pass ticket for the waterbuses
• at least 1 image processing session (a laptop with photo processing software is required)
What's Not Included
• Meals & beverages
• international air travel tickets
• cancellation and travel insurance
• Venice local tourists tax (approx 4,50 EUR/night pax)
• tickets to churches, museums, and gondolas
• Everything not specifically listed as included
Payment Terms
A deposit of 40% of the total amount will be required to hold your space in this workshop. The balance will be due not later than 4 weeks before the start of the tour. You will be provided by email with instructions on how to make the payments.
This workshop is strictly limited to 5 guests, so don't delay. If you've been thinking about a photo workshop in Venice then click the button below, fill the form with all the information required and any other information you wish to communicate. You will be contacted back right away with the instructions on how to pay the deposit and make a reservation.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
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Why should I take an Italy Photography Workshop with Paolo De Faveri?Simple: because you will learn how to take better photographs. Consider a Paolo De Faveri's Photography Workshop as an invaluable add-on to your gear: a tool that will teach you how to take wonderful photos wherever you go. We make the art and technique of photography simple to understand by breaking it down into easy pieces of information that you will find useful to apply every time you will be in the field.
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What will I learn?Well, a whole lot, you can be sure. Paolo De Faveri's workshops are designed to help take your creativity to a new level. Through a combination of both in-the-field image sessions and class/lecture sessions on many different topics both technical and artistic, I want to get you to start thinking differently as an artist and spark your artistic vision. key features always include: - master the basics of landscape photography - learn how to compose effectively no matter of the subject, from macro to grand vistas - learn how to photograph with challenging lighting, such as at sunrise and sunset - learn about when and how to use filters - explore advanced photography techniques such as long exposures in broad daylight and image stitching for panoramic compositions Check the lessons section in this website for an exhaustive list of topics usually covered in my in-the-field and classroom sessions.
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What happens on an Italy Photography Workshop with Paolo De Faveri?All of my workshops start with a brief Introduction, a presentation of the daily schedule and the technical and artistic goals of each day, followed by questions and answer session for getting to know each other, assessing the level of knowledge of the group, each person's goals and expectations. On average we will spend from 8 to 10 hours a day in the field, every day in a different location, having big fun in chasing the best possible light and scouting the area looking for images that capture the innermost beauty of the amazing world around us. My tours are a mix of adventure and teaching, and they are not intended as only formal teaching and instructions They are more about wandering in some of the best natural or urban environments I know and getting fully immersed in photography. A "learn by doing" kind of education, as I answer questions and solve problems as they arises, completed by a debriefing in the evening when we will thoroughly review and critique together the work done in the day, and we will analyze in details basic and advanced techniques of image processing.
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What will I learn in the classroom/webinars?Check the lessons section in this website for an exhaustive list of topics usually covered in my classroom sessions and webinars.
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Does the instructor shoot over the workshop?Yes, I will be shooting during the tour/workshop, but in a limited capacity as participants needs come first of course. I often take pictures right along with the students inspiring them to learn to see an image the way I do. Much of my shooting over the workshop is meant as direct field demonstrations aimed to improve student's creative vision and technique.
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How advanced do I need to be?Anyone, no matter of how advanced he/she is, will find my workshops to be a great learning experience. The majority of my students are usually somewhere between intermediate to advanced amateur up to semi-pro and pro, but many beginners attend too. You should in anycase be at least familiar with your equipment and its operation. Always bring your camera manual for quick reference in the field.
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What kind and how much equipment should I bring?The essential photo gear you should have with you is listed here below. This gear is highly recommended for taking full advantage of the instructions you will receive in my workshops. - tripod - dslr camera - a good quality zoom lens covering a focal range length of at least 28 to 100 mm - enough storage cards for at least 16 GB - extra camera batteries - camera bag or backpack - camera user's manual
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Will weather ever force us to change the workshop's schedule?Bad weather always provide unusual and harsh conditions that contribute unique drama and mood to our images. So the answer is no, normally. We only stop shooting and/or move elsewhere if an element of danger arises.
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Is transportation included?Usually yes, it's included, unless when stated differently in the workshop description. For group tours we will use vans/small buses for our daily transfers from the hotel to the shooting locations and back. For private/small groups workshops I will drive my own car. Of course, you have to arrive on your own to the hotel/lodging.
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How should I dress?I recommend to come prepared for anything and bring an extra layer of warm clothes with you. Here is a list of clothes/accessories you should always dress/have with you when shooting outdoor: - trekking shoes if you shoot in a natural environment; a pair of very comfortable - and possibly water-proof shoes - if you shoot in a urban context - wind/rain proof jacket - pile pullovers - gloves - headdress - head lamp and batteries
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How do I register for a workshop?Simply use the pre-registration form available in the pages describing each workshop and compile every field of it, letting me know about the workshop of your choice, the number of participants, the desired dates and duration, etc. I will be back to you right away for confirming the availability and with the instruction for booking. To validate your reservation, you will be asked to pay the 35% of the workshop price as a deposit.
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What is your cancellation policy?All my workshops are subject to the following Cancellation Policy: - If you cancel within 30 days before the workshop start, you will be refunded the deposit minus 100,00 € as administrative fee. - No refund will be issued for cancellations received with 30 days or less remaining before the workshop starting date. Please note that there is no exception to this policy. For this reason it is strongly recommended to purchase refundable plane/train tickets only and endow yourself with a trip cancellation insurance. All cancellation request must be in writing.
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Details and Requirements - Key FeaturesNumber of students per workshop: minimum 1, maximum 3 students Duration: minimum 3, maximum 7 days 5 or, even better, 6 days is the recommended length, as it is indeed the ideal timeframe for putting together a very effective itinerary, there are long distances to cover as the Ardeche is quite a big region Workshops Availability From March thru November Difficulty Easy. Most of the shooting locations are directly accessible by car. A few of them require short hikings of no more than 1.5 kms one way, on easy trails with moderate elevation gain. The trail along the Ardeche River Gorges is not difficult but long and demanding in terms of stamina required. It can be added as an option, just ask What's included - full time in-the-field tutoring and instructions - at least one image processing class (min. 2 hours) per workshop - all transportation during the workshop will be provided with a rented car/van. included in the price What's not included - Travel costs for reaching the accommodation, hotels/B&B rates, meals and beverages are not included in the cost of admission unless specified. - Excursion boats - Entrance tickets to archelogical sites. museums, etc. - Lodging costs of the instructor Insurance All participants must be in possession of a valid Health and Accident Insurance with repatriation cover.
Equipment
Photo Gear
Required
• Tripod
• Dslr or mirrorless camera
• Enough storage cards for at least 32 GB
• A zoom lens covering at least the 28/120 mm range on a full frame sensor, the equivalent on cropped sensors
• Camera user's manual
Recommended additional/optional items
• A very sturdy tripod with panoramic head
• Wide angle to normal zoom lens, at least 24/70 mm on a full frame sensor, the equivalent on cropped sensors. Ideally one 16/35 mm and a 28/70 mm
• Long tele zoom lens - 70/200mm is enough, 300mm is recommended
• Enough storage cards for at least 64 GB
• Extra Camera batteries
• Photography backpacks come in handy to protect the equipment if it rains and to facilitate transfers from a shooting location to another
• polarizer filter
• a set of Graduated ND filters, at least a 2 and a 3 stops (it is ideal to have all the range from 1 to 4 stops)
• ND filters for long exposures, ideally one 10 stops and one 6 stop
• remote (or cable) switch
• for the image processing session, a laptop with Photoshop CS3 or newer and Lightroom 3.x or newer
Clothes and Accessories
Winter days in Venice are cold, very humid and often foggy, and wind may be strong and chilly cold when blowing from the east and from the Alps. So a full set of warm winter clothes is recommended, including but not limited to:
• pile pullovers
• gloves
• headdress
• wind/water proof jacket
• water proof shoes or gumboots, ideal for shooting at the beach of Lido and in the case o Acqua Alta (high tide)
• Head lamps (the hours of daylight in winter are limited to 8, so we will often shoot in total obscurity)
Image Gallery
A stormy sunset over San Giorgio Maggiore, from Riva degli Schiavoni
A foggy night at Punta della Dogana
A gondola in a canal
A stormy sunset over San Giorgio Maggiore, from Riva degli Schiavoni
Book Now
Got Inspired?
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