"A Taste Of Italy"

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Announcing “A TASTE OF ITALY” Photo Workshops!

LIMITED TO 15 STUDENTS ONLY

* Sept 21- Oct 2, 2011. $3250 person SOLD OUT!!

2012 DATES:

* May 19 – 28th, 2012: $2,850 – A 10-day, all-inclusive workshop

* Oct 6th – 15th, 2012: $2,850 – A 10-day, all-inclusive workshop

RESERVE YOUR PLACE NOW. CLICK HERE TO MAKE A 50% DEPOSIT.

Learn to capture the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of this magnificent country through the lens of your camera in this delightful 11-day workshop in the heart of Tuscany – Italy’s most cherished landscape. Open to all level photographers but limited to only 15 participants. This will create an intimate setting and permit the instructor to give individual attention as needed. This is about the total experience – amazing locations, magnificent accommodations, incredible food, good friends and the opportunity to create some of the best photographs of your lifetime with the help of award-winning photographer, author Elizabeth Etienne (see her biography below). This will be a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Hurry reservations are limited.

This workshop is in the majestic hilltops of Tuscany in a town called Seggiano. The workshop includes:

Accommodations (single or dbl occupancy in mini apartment-like suites)
Meals
Transportation (to and from the airport in Rome, and all daily shoot locations. No airfare)
Gear demonstrations (cameras, lenses, flashes, reflectors)
Private and group instruction while shooting
Models
Group image review night (with popcorn and everything!)

Locations & Accommodations: The main base for the workshop will be a magnificent, historic estate residence dating back to the 13 century! The estate, once a working olive mill is located in a small, hilltop village in Tuscany approx 30 min from Sienna and about 90 min from Florence. During shooting days we will venture to various picturesque locations. For images of the main base location see bottom or go to: http://www.lecasacce.net/index_uk.htm

The workshop fee is for SHARED apartment-like guest suites. They are located in renovated, historic farmhouses dotted around the estate, amidst the olive trees and meadows. Each suites includes 1-4 private bedrooms. There is one bathroom for every two beds/bedrooms. Larger apartments have 2 bathrooms. You will be randomly assigned an apartment suite or single room on a first-come-first-serve basis. Unless you request to be roommates with a specific friend or mate we will pair people together based on age and gender. Everyone will have their own bed. Occasionally there are a few single, private apartments available for an additional fee of $600 but availability must be confirmed first. The suites are VERY charming—decorated in the rustically elegant Tuscan style, splendidly furnished with antiques and equipped with a fireplace, chairs and couches, dining table, independent heating, satellite TV, mini frig, sink and dishwasher and spectacular panoramic views – many even with private terraces! (I promise you will never want to leave). For more details and images of each unit go to the website and click on the apartments link: http://www.lecasacce.net/uk/appartamenti.htm

Cuisine: The food during this trip will be amazing! The chef at Le Casacce is a true master (and a real character!). He enjoys greeting each guest and explaining what’s in each course and how it was made. Everything is made from scratch from products grown locally if not directly from the estate. Wine, cappuccino and bottle water is not included and can be purchased a la carte at Le Casacce or in town at shop and brought in. During photo excursions lunch is not included. You will be permitted to purchase your own lunch from one of the local restaurants or bakeries. Suggested meal expense approx 25euro pr excursion.

Transportation: We have arranged a 35-passenger air-conditioned bus. We will be sharing this bus and traveling to various destinations with participants from another workshop (for plein-air painters). This should permit a fun eclectic group to mingle amongst.

Before the workshop students will be given an extensive information kit. This kit will include the instructor’s recommendations for a choice of photo equipment and supplies and other important technical information and a suggestion to review and test your equipment before you arrive. They will also be given a questionnaire to enable the instructor to determine their skill level before the workshop. At this time the instructor may offer to schedule a brief telephone meeting or suggest your considering a private coaching session(s) at a special discounted rate. The information kit also includes detailed travel information including: airline flight recommendations, currency converting, attire, insurance, emergency medical, cel phones, contact phone numbers, internet, language, culture and other useful tips useful to prepare and help your trip run smoothly.

At the commencement of the workshop will be a casual “meet and greet” orientation demo. During this time students will be given the workshop information kit that includes suggested shoot assignments. Students will be encouraged to shoot a bit of everything during the course of the workshop. This may include: landscape, architecture, people (both candid journalistic style and editorial posed portraits), food, cuisine, and other details that encompass Italian life.

During the workshop each shoot day the instructor will focus on a different topic. Students will learn about light, composition, directing, timing and their gear. There is also rumor to be a few surprise shoot destinations and subject matter arranged to “WOW” the group (and test their spontaneous shoot skills . . . Ha! Ha!). Upon arrival at each destination students will be encouraged to meander and explore the areas with their cameras, shoot and then break for lunch. After lunch there will be either additional demonstrations or a chance to continue shooting or editing their images before departure at the end of the afternoon. A few days during the workshop will be spent resting on location, editing images or meeting for a late afternoon demo someplace on the grounds of the estate. The “shoot, rest, dine, mingle” atmosphere is intended for people to get to know one another in the group, bond over a glass of wine during dinner and share a few laughs.

At the end of the workshop there may be an optional group image presentation. Students will be encouraged to share 10-20 of their favorite images in a fun-loving atmosphere. This will be the time to relax, enjoy your hard work, share a glass of vino and bid your farewells before departing for the airport the next morning. At the end of the presentation the instructor will give a brief demo on how to create a beautiful hardbound presentation book with your images and the suggestion of a few companies that can print and bind the books. You will also be given a special farewell gift bag rumored to have some great goodies inside….

This workshop is about the total experience – amazing locations, magnificent accommodations, incredible food, good friends and the opportunity to create some of the best photographs of your lifetime with the help of an award-winning photographer. This will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Hurry reservations are limited.