TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY FIELD TRIPS & WORKSHOPS
Information

Travel workshops in Portugal, the Provence & Dordogne region of France and in the Umbria countryside in Italy are being planned - please let us know if you are interested.

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Typical Field Trip / Workshop Itinerary
Each day of the workshop can include:

Class instruction on creative and technical photo techniques

Instructor lead photo field trips, at least one each day, thru neighborhoods, villages, markets etc.

Lunch, dinner and cafe breaks with lively discussion - a chance to savour the culinary delights

Museum, gallery or studio visits

Reviews and instructive critiques of the images

A full day of photographic activities - morning to night

Time to enjoy the cuisine, the shopping, the history

Portugal is based in Lisbon with day trips to surrounding towns, villages, beaches and historic sites, along with wine tastings and guided tours of cultural sites.

Provence, the Dordogne and Italy may include a vineyard visits & wine tasting or olive oil tasting

Accomodations are at 3* & 4* properties, from city hotels & appartments to countryside villas

Group travel by mini-van or private car, metro & train.

Restrictions for Pisconeri Destination - Travel Photography Workshops.

All travelers must be at least 18 years of age to travel unaccompanied by an adult. The Workshops are heavy on "adult things" (photography, art, history, architecture, etc.) and very photo-centric, things.

Non-photographer companions find us, our conversation & activities boring, in a very short time.


Travel Luggage & Photo Gear Recommendations***

CAMERA / PHOTO GEAR (always carry-on your camera gear)

1 - Camera bag or rolling case (should be about carry-on size)
Camera 1 or 2 bodies, a few lenses - wide.angle, telephoto; can be zoom or prime - 1 to 3; a travel size tripod*, cable/remote or wireless release, extra camera battery, battery charger, media/memory cards (2 to 3 - 64GB+), filters (UV/skylight & polarizer), small flashlight, lens cleaning cloth, rain cover (from ziplock bag, plastic shower cap, or Op-Tech rain cover), USB cable for camera to computer.

1 - Daybag* / Camera bag to hold your gear for daily photo outings (field trips, photo works, photo explorations), soft wraps for your camera & lenses (from photo-wraps to a soft t-shirt)

Additional Items: Umbrella, rain poncho, a small roll of tape (masking or gaffers)

Check with your airline for their specific restrictions on size & weight.

Include any essentials in your carry-on.

COMPUTER GEAR

Computer - a laptop if you have it (for downloading, processing & backing up your images)
-prefer it to be loaded with Adobe Photoshop - Lightroom (most recent version)
External Harddrive - 1 - 2TB - USB (should work on MAC & Windows)
Media Card Reader (faster than the camera transfer)

PERSONAL LUGGAGE (check** the personal luggage)

There are some luggage restrictions on several workshops - due to the ground transporation vehicles you are asked to only bring 1 piece of personal luggage (medium sized - 9x14x22 approx.) for your clothes and personal items (pack light!). If your luggage is too large and does not fit in our group travel vehicle or you bring more than the 1 piece of personal luggage, you may have to pay for additional shipping or storage. When we travel, we will be moving our own luggage, possibly carrying/wheeling thru village streets, onto trains, etc., so bring what you can keep up with. The workshop ground transportation is not always able to pull up directly in front of the hotel so be prepared to walk up to 15 minutes with your luggage. Whether you are 18 or 80, before you leave for the workshop - get in shape. Walk at least 30 minutes to an hour every day and include stairs.

NOTE: If you have more or larger than the specified luggage restrictions, it will not fit in the transportation van. If will be your responsibility to have it transported, if it doesn't fit in the workshop vehicle.

Contact us with any questions.

This is a casual photography workshop, so comfortable clothes such as jeans, khakis, T-shirts, golf-polo shirts, shorts and similar items are appropriate. One nice outfit (not overaly dressy) is good for dinner events.
{a more detailed list of 'what to pack' will be sent after registration}. Shirts with sleeves (short sleeves) are recommended, since most visits to churches, cathedrals, abbeys, etc, do not admit anyone wearing sleeveless shirts or tank-tops.

Comfortable walking shoes are essential - each workshop involves quite a bit of walking from 2-10 miles (don't worry they are leisurely walking miles), but may be on cobblestones, up and down hills, steps, etc. I wear running/walking shoes, and bring one nice pair of low healed/walking shoes for dinner events.

*put the daybag (regular soft backpack works great) and tripod in the checked luggage

** pack one change of clothes, any perscriptions, eyewear (glasses, contacts), toothbrush,and truly essential items in your carry-on. (I pack lightweight clothes around my camera gear, and bring the smallest containers I can get away with for other personal care items).

***Finally, don't forget to label your bag inside and out with your name as well as the name, address, and phone of your first accommodations & your home address.


Travel Arrangements

Currently all Europe Workshops include the tuition, ground transporation to photo sites, all fees are subject to change based on the fluctuation of the US dollar/Euro.

  • Portugal - Group transportation & tours, breakfasts, 2 dinners
  • Provence - Groups transportation & tours, breakfasts, 2 dinners
  • Dordogne - Groups transportation & tours, breakfasts, 2 dinners
  • Italy/Umbria - Groups transportation & tours, breakfasts, 2 dinners

Travel Companion - It is necessary to fill out a separate registration at the FULL-TUITION rate. FYI-These are photo intensive workshops and most companions will be bored with the activities and discussions.
—any person traveling with you, who will be accompanying you on any of the group outings, tours, field trips, etc., but not taking part in the photography workshop. -all rates and information are the same as for photo participants.

Hotel, House, Appartment or Villa package
3* or 4* hotel - dbl occupancy/ in a village
breakfast, & all taxes, (subject to change & seasonal or dollar/euro fluctuation increases.)
—— group travel to photo sites

Surcharge for single room rates +$950
— available on a first come first servce basis and subject to room availability.

Not included:
—— airfare
—— airport transfers to accommodations
—— telephone
—— lunch
—— incidentals & extras not included

Location

Airfare - on your own - I do not book any air transportation, but can provide guidance. Some locations will require additional transportation, such as: taxi, car service or train to the workshop main location. Additional information will be provided for each workshop, as needed.
(Do not book travel for the trip until you have a workshop confirmation.)

Round trip Airfare varies by season, airline and origination.

Please check with your favorite travel website or travel agent for the best fares and best flight arrangements; we will be glad to give additional travel information on request.

Plan on arriving at the workshop location on the first day listed - as early as possible, and leaving on the last day listed - as late as possible, for each workshop. Arriving late or leaving early is not recommended.

Please check dates and have confirmation of the workshop before booking your flights, contact us if you have questions.

If you are leaving from the US you must leave on the day before the workshop to arrive in Europe on the first day.

Many of our locations in Europe will require connections in Europe, there are no direct flights. Connections can be Paris, Frankfurt, London, Milan, Amsterdam and several others.

Please check your connecting flight info before booking to verify that all flight connections are on the same day and do not require an overnight stay in the connecting city.

Airport choices: *preferred airport
Portugal - Lisbon - Uber or Taxi to accommodations
Provence - Marseilles* or Avignon - TGV train station
Dordogne - Bordeaux or Toulouse - TGV to Bordeaux and then slow train or rental car to Sarlat area.
Tuscany/Umbria - Florence* or Rome* with connections to the train station in Chiusi.

Call or e-mail if you need additional information. Spring, Fall & Winter Workshops generally have lower rates, Summer, holiday & other peak-season travel will be the most expensive.

Additional days may be available at a nearby hotel before and/or after the workshops, please let us know as soon as possible if you would like to book additional days -which may be added to the workshop total. Several time periods are very popular and hotel rooms are not always available.

——Any changes will be quoted before bookings are made.

Travel Comments or Questions: please complete the form or email us, we will be happy to work with you and answer your questions before, during and after registration.