Venice is one of my favorite places to photograph and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been there. Being there during Carnival is a special experience and I’m thrilled to join with fellow professional photographer Loren Fisher for a magnificent photography workshop as we explore the wonders of Venice, Italy, during the most colorful spectacular of the year.
There will be models wearing masks around every corner waiting to be photographed. Bridges over the canals are lit and make for brilliant color night photos. Amazing Venetian architecture is everywhere, the pillars holding up the Basilica have crazy troglodytes and nomes sculpted into the bases. Throw in the sunrise or sunset over the water toward Giudecca island, add a gondola or two, reflections in the water and, holy moly, you’re going to be on visual overload!
Each day we will go to a different area of Venice where you can shoot landscapes, architecture, vibrant color, macro, street photography, portraits, reflections and more. As the light dims at the end of the day, we’ll shoot the beauty of Venice during blue hour and spend a couple of evenings doing light painting and night photography, so you’ll want to have a tripod. Ron and Loren will show you great locations, many are off the beaten track, and help you improve your photography as you relax and enjoy seven days of photography. If you have questions about your equipment, Ron and Loren have used just about everything out there.
We will go to off-the-chart restaurants as well. There are no fewer than four not-to-be-missed Ron favorites in Venice and they just happen to be right near a few places we will be shooting.
What’s included:
- Two professional photo guides and instruction
- Double occupancy lodging in one of Venice’s nicer hotels, right off St. Mark’s Square
- Breakfast at the hotel
- Dinner the first night
- Tickets for the week on the water taxis
- Ron’s humor
Not included:
- Flight to Venice
- Other meals, snacks and beverages
February 28 through March 6, 2019
Deadline for registration is Dec. 1
Price
$3,200 includes double occupancy lodging, transportation and professional instruction.
$2,700 for returning clients
Rate is for double occupancy. Single supplement: $750.
Maximum group size: 12
Who should Attend
Anyone with an interest in Venice – the beauty, architecture and Carnival! Your photographic experience doesn’t matter, you will come away with some great, memorable photos. Since there are no cars in Venice, we’ll be walking or taking water taxis, so there will be a good deal of walking, it could be 3-4 miles per day. Loren and Ron have led enough workshops to know not to wear people out, so we take breaks throughout the day.
Photo Equipment
You’ll want to have a wide angle, telephoto and possibly a macro lens. Make sure you have lots of memory cards, spare batteries and charger and maybe a polarizer filter. Since we will do some night photography, you’ll want a sturdy tripod, but you may not want to always carry it with you (although Loren and Ron will!). We also suggest bringing a laptop to download your photos and a way to have a backup, either on the original cards or an external hard drive. If you aren’t absolutely sure of everything that your camera does, bring your instruction manual so we can help you fix any problems.
Itinerary (subject to change)
Day 1, Feb. 28, 2019: We’ll meet at the hotel at 4 p.m. and shoot in St. Mark’s Square (Piazza San Marco) until 6 p.m. At 7 p.m. we get together for a relaxed dinner where everyone will get to know each other better and we’ll talk about the week’s fun.
Day 2, March 1: We will start early and catch the morning light spilling across St. Mark’s square. There will be masked models and mimes around every corner. Before the crowds arrive we will see Saint Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace (a masterpiece of Gothic architecture) and the Bridge of Sighs. There will be parked Gondolas with the Giudecca island in the background and morning sun streaming in. Then we’ll move on to the quiet canal streets behind the Basilica. Lunch will be at the amazing Osteria Sepa and then back to the hotel for a midday break. In the afternoon we go near San Marco and shoot toward Palazzo Ducale for golden hour magic and sunset over the lagoon. While here, along the edge of the Riva degli Schiavoni, be sure to take a peak in at the Hotel Danieli and see staircases three floors high lined with mannequins and live masked models.
Day 3, March 2: We’ll start the day using the lovely Vaporetto boat taxi system. We will start the day with an early morning shoot at Rialto bridge and the market. We will also work the the wonderful backwater canals before heading over to the lesser known neighborhood of Cannaregio and the Jewish Ghetto. Here we will see the Ponte dei Tre Archi and the bridge with no parapet (that’s three bridges joined together and then one with no sides or railings). From here by way of the grand canal we can access San Polo on foot and then back to the boats and see the magnificent Santo Maria Glorioso dei Frari and the amazing facade of Scuola Grande di San Rocco.
Day 4, March 3: Early we go for a little walk over the Rialto bridge to the open walkway Fondamenta Nuove leading to the outer lagoon. Then we head to the amazing Burano, the land of lace, fishing boats and pastel houses lining the water. Lunch will be at Trattoria da Romano, one of Ron’s favorite trattorias in all Italy. On the way back, we’ll stop in Murano, famous for its blown glass. We’ll head back to the hotel, since you’ll probably have packages to unload after doing some shopping. You’ll have the afternoon to rest or tour the nearby Saint Mark’s Basilica, the Doge’s Palace or visit the Peggy Guggenheim collection. In the evening we’ll shoot golden hour from Accademia bridge and San Marco square. Later we will do night photography of the beautiful bridges and practice our light painting and long exposures.
Day 5, March 4: Since we are staying up late the night before, you get to sleep in today. We’ll start at 10 a.m. exploring the six Sestri (neighborhoods) of Venice and Giudecca. We’ll see the beautiful church San Giorgio Maggiore and Venice from Giudecca and Punta della Dogana and Santa Maria della Salute with their magnificent views. After a midday break we will explore from Academia to San Polo and photograph Palazzo Balbi, Palazzo Grassi and Museo Fortuny to name a few. While aboard the Vaporetto boats we will shoot from the water of the Grand Canal. We get off at the San Angelo ferry stop and walking south we will see the not-to-be-missed Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo (a miniature leaning tower of Pisa) and several other notable sites such as the Fenice theater before going back to the hotel.
Day 6, March 5: Today we stay a little closer to our home base and explore San Marco, a neighborhood with hidden gems and backwater canals. Starting with churches Chiesa di San Moise and Santa Maria del Giglio, we will weave our way to the square Campo San Stefano then the quiet canals near Sant Angelo square for beautiful reflections. Lunch is at the amazing Trattoria Alla Rivetta (near San Marco). After lunch we’ll shoot a nearby quiet special neighborhood. Then we’ll take a midday break followed by the golden hour then blue hour and night photography in Palazzo San Marco. Carnival ends with the explosive Mardi Gras celebration featuring fireworks over the lagoon, which will make amazing photos.
Day 7, March 6: This is our saddest day as our time together ends but we start the day photographing sunrise in St. Mark’s Plaza. When you are heading to the airport you may want to keep your camera out for the scenic boat ride.
Registration is through my partner Loren Fisher’s website, CLICK HERE to register get more information.