Photography workshop in Italy
Cinque Terre
& Gulf of Poets
A land of light, colour and atmosphere
An exclusive experience along the most beautiful coastline of Italy.
Between the timeless charm of the Gulf of Poets and the dramatic beauty of the Cinque Terre lies one of the most captivating coastlines of Italy, ideal for anyone who wants to capture the soul of the sea.
The workshop is designed not only to take you to the most photogenic locations, but also to train your mind to see the shot before you take it. We want to grow your awareness and your creativity, so that you go home with images to be proud of and, above all, with new techniques and knowledge for your passion.
A photo usually shows what a place looked like. Here we try to capture what it felt like.
Welcome to Liguria
Schedule
We meet in the late morning at La Spezia Centrale station and go together to our hotel in the heart of the Gulf. From there we get to work right away, talking technique and planning the activities in the field.
From arrival to departure we chase the light of sunrise and sunset at the most beautiful locations of the Gulf of Poets and the Cinque Terre.
Between sunrise and sunset there is time for theory, post-production and exploring the area in great company, with plenty of chances to taste the delicacies of Italian cuisine.
Every day we choose the best locations based on the weather, and you take part in the planning. It is how you learn location management, a key skill for any landscape photographer.
The group is small, so you get personal attention: you can work with the instructors in every shooting session.
The last shooting session is the sunrise of the last day. We finish around lunchtime, so that everyone can travel home relaxed.
What you will learn
- Scouting and planning: reading maps, tides and forecasts
- Weather: reading the clouds, and making the most of what the day gives
- Composition, and the discipline of seeing the frame before shooting
- Exposure with the histogram, in light that changes fast
- Filters: graduated, polariser, ND
- Advanced long exposure
- Post-production, on your own files, during the week
- Printing, with a professional printer on site
- Image review, one to one
No day-by-day itinerary.
A rhythm.
We don't publish a fixed day-by-day programme, because the weather decides where we should be. What stays the same every day is the shape below. What changes is where we point the cameras, and we choose that together the evening before.
Dry
High pressure and an empty sky. We lean on the villages and the rocks, work the water with long exposures, and shoot both ends of the day properly.
- SunriseFirst warm light running along the coast
- BreakfastWe go through the morning's files together
- TheoryThe topics of the week, at the table
- Light lunchA quick bite, then some rest
- In the fieldOut on the coast for the sunset
- Sunset, then dinnerEarly on location, side by side, ready for the right moment
Stormy
Showers passing through and a sky that changes every ten minutes: we stay mobile and accept getting wet. This is the light we come for.
- Sunrise under cloudLow clouds can give the moodiest light
- BreakfastDry the gear, look at the files
- TheoryExposure, timing, and knowing when to wait
- LunchIn Italy, good food takes time
- Weather checkWe decide together what to do at sunset
- Sunset where it opens, then dinnerTen good minutes are worth the whole day
Wet
Steady rain and a heavy sea. We wait for a short break to catch the mood, and the rest of the day goes to the files and the theory.
- A later startBreakfast, sensor cleaning, a first look at the frames
- Theory, long sessionLong exposure, and protecting the camera from the rain
- Post-production, forecast or planningThe best day of the week for desk work
- LunchTake your time, with a glass of wine
- Out if it easesA break in the rain or a deep cloudy sky: we will be there
What you will photograph
Getting there
The meeting point is La Spezia Centrale train station. International travellers can fly into Milan, Rome or Genoa, all with fast and frequent trains to La Spezia.
After you sign up, we will help you with personal travel guidance, so that you arrive relaxed and on time.
Your teachers
Francesco Gola
Seascape photographer, educator and engineer
Ambassador for ZEISS, NiSi, BenQ, Calibrite, The Heat Company and f-stop. He works with companies, websites and magazines to spread photographic culture in Italy and around the world.
About me
Alessio Andreani
NiSi ambassador
His work has been published by The Times, Digital Photographer Magazine, Traveler, N-Photo, Digital Photo and many others.
Website
What’s included
- Tuition by two professional photographers
- A double room just for you, with private bathroom
- Transport, tolls and entrance fees
- Photographic and logistic planning
- A professional printer on site
- Fun 🙂
Not included
- Your trip to and from La Spezia
- Food and drinks
- Travel and medical insurance
- Your camera gear (we can lend filters and tripods)
- Anything not listed under Included
- Weather control 😉
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Good to know
Accommodation
Accommodation is included: a double room just for you, with a double bed and a private bathroom, in a wonderful hotel close to our shooting locations. We stay in the real heart of the Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets for all our shooting, and spend our free time surrounded by tradition and charm.
Food and drinks
Food and drinks are not included. Along the way there will be plenty of chances to taste the delicacies of Italian cuisine.
Fitness level
No particular fitness is required: just short walks, some viewpoints with a short climb and a couple of fences to jump 🙂 If you have any limitations or doubts, just ask and we will explain every detail.
Experience required
The workshop suits both beginners and experienced photographers. We suggest a good knowledge of your camera and of the basics of shutter speed and aperture. We do post-production with simple software such as Adobe Lightroom or Capture One.
Photographic equipment
We suggest a mirrorless or DSLR camera, a wide-angle lens, a tripod, a remote shutter release and photographic filters.
Thanks to my sponsors I can lend you filters and tripods. For any question, just write to us.
Weather
We chose a season with unsettled weather on purpose, for a better chance of interesting light. We cannot control the weather, but we can adapt to it: with heavy rain the workshop goes on, with more time for post-production and theory.
October on the Ligurian coast is usually mild, with the chance of dramatic skies after a front.
Payments and cancellation
A 30% deposit confirms your booking. The balance is due 90 days before the workshop.
If you cancel and we fill your place, we refund what you paid for the tuition, minus a €300 service charge. If you cancel and your place is not filled, the penalty is a share of the full workshop fee: 50% within 60 days of the workshop, 100% within 29 days.
The deposit is not refundable, because it books essential services such as transport and accommodation.
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