top of page

Venice Photography Workshops - Venetian Lagoon Tours

Photographing the Hidden Venice

Venice is doubtlessly one of the most perfect cities in the world to invest in a photographic workshop.
In my photography workshops you will, of course, visit and photograph the world-famous landmarks of the city such as Saint Mark Square and Doge's Palace. But you will also discover the hidden Venice, the one many tourists never see as they are confused about where to go if they leave the beaten path. Through my guidance you will get a real chance to capture the true, most genuine face of the living Venice from behind a lens, and at the same time you will learn new photography skills and experiment with advanced techniques that will help you in developing your vision for creating photos of greater impact and increased artistic content.

Shooting Locations

​

Zattere is the sidewalk on the Giudecca Canal, one of the ideal locations for beautiful twilight and sunrise shoots.

​

From Punta della Dogana you can enjoy an amazing view over the Basin of San Marco.

​

Riva degli Schiavoni, the large waterfront sidewalk besides San Marco, is perfect both at sunrise and sunset.

​

When the "acqua alta" comes in, San Marco square becomes the perfect setting for wonderful mirrored compositions

​

The decorations of the San Marco Basilica work great for close-up, semi-abstract pictures.

​

At the Giudecca island there are many great spots for simple compositions of strong impact, particularly when it’s foggy.

​

​

​

Libreria "Acqua Alta", one of the most unique bookshops in the world, with gondolas used as bookshelves!

 

The Grand Canal, the "main street" of Venice, with its ancient buildings and bridges.

​

Behind the theatre La Fenice there is one of the most tranquil and beautiful corner of the whole city.

​

A Gondola ride is a great way for viewing Venice from "the inside", and for taking some great picture too!

​

Cannaregio is the perfect location for semi-abstract compositions involving water and building facades.

​

Burano with its colorful houses is one of those photographer’s playground where possibilities are simply infinite.

In Burano you can also photograph wonderful reflections in the water at every corner. And when the night fall, the quays at the small harbor works great for simple yet strong compositions.

​

From the top of San Giorgio’s bell tower it is possible to enjoy one of the best view of the whole Venice skyline.

​

The Rialto bridge is among the best spots for some serious night photography.

​

Example of a typical

day in the field

Sunrise shoot

From the Zattere.  We will photograph the sun rising behind the island of Giudecca, with the church of Redentore in the background.   With a short walk we will get then to Punta della Dogana, a perfect vantage point on the Venice skyline. We will photograph the sun rising over the San Marco Basin and behind San Giorgio Maggiore, with a nice, old-style lamp post in the foreground.

 

Morning

Right after breakfast, we will take a walk along the Calles and Canals of downtown Venice, looking for simple subjects with few, powerful elements, which are ideal for producing images of great impact and elegance.

​

Rest of the day

We will visit many locations, including  the island of San Giorgio Maggiore, the Fondamenta of Giudecca, Zattere and Riva degli Schiavoni, San Pietro e Polo Square and Cathedral, looking for any kind of sceneries suitable for effective panoramic compositions.

Sunset shoot

From Riva degli Schiavoni, we will photograph the sun setting behind Punta della Dogana and Giudecca.

​

Evening/night

Before dinner: image processing session at the hotel, where we will review and analyze the pictures taken in the day.

​

Looking for more images?

Check my photo portfolio online for hundreds of images from this and other areas of Italy

Click the image below.

Paolo De Faveri Portfolio Screenshot
Book this workshop
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Details and Requirements - Key Features
    Number 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.

About your Photography Instructor

Paolo De Faveri

Ciao! My name is Paolo.

I have been a full-time professional landscape, nature, travel and architecture photographer since 2007. Since then, I have planned and led hundreds of private one-to-one and small groups photo workshops and tours in some of the best looking regions and cities of Italy and France.


My pictures have appeared in calendars, books, travel magazines, brochures and as wall art in offices, hotels, restaurants and corporate venues. For more info please click here

More Photo Workshops

Private, one-to-one photo workshops, available year around

Dolomites Photography Workshops
Tuscany Photography Workshops
Venice Photography Workshops
Cinque Terre Photography Workshops
Western Alps Photo Workshps
Alps Rocky Giants Aosta Valley France Photo Worskhops
Sardinia Photography Workshops
Langhe Hills Vineyard Castles Piedmont Photo Workshops

Small Groups Photo Workshops

00_Venice_Carnival_2020_night_sanmarco_cover.jpg

2025
VENICE CARNIVAL

Small Group PhotoWorkshop

February 25th-March 3rd, 2025

From 3.850 EUR

bottom of page