Val D’orcia Photography Workshop

Val d’orcia photography workshop is a journey for photographers of any level to visit and capture the world famous landscape of Tuscany. So, join me with your camera and be ready to enjoy the beauty of the countryside in Tuscany on a photography tour with a local professional. Therefore you will capture the essence of the Val D’orcia Hills as you immortalize the most picturesque location as rolling hills, ancient medieval villages, vineyards, cultivated fields, castles and abbeys.

Highlight of my Val D’orcia photography workshop

Example of typical workshop day

I will take you to photographs the amazing land of Val d’Orcia to truly discover and get to know a territory, a land of rare beauty where man’s activities and nature are blend perfectly. This area is golden photographic triangle is located between San Quirico, Pienza and Monticchiello. A corner of Tuscany where nature, history and art give life to a landscape that is unique in the world. We will start our journey early in the morning to capture the main subject of the area, the countryside. On the way there are different location to capture from rolling hills, to vineyards and cultivated fields. When the sun start to go up we will move to the small villages, full of history and culture, to shooting their beautiful architecture buildings. Back on the roads we will be plenty of opportunities to shooting in countryside with their famous cypress until the end of the day. Before ending, we will finish with sunset session.

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WHY CHOOSE MY VAL D’ORCIA PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP ?

Unlike most companies offering Val D’orcia photography workshop and tour, I’m expert in fine art and landscape Val D’orcia Photography Workshopphotography that grew up in the region. I represent an international standard of quality in terms of photography workshops tuition and tours. I running workshop from many years and my works has been recognize with internationally awards. Also I lived in the city and working here, and in the recent years I have been exposed my work in region. My Photography Workshops in Tuscany are small, mostly private, usually with a maximum of 4 people. Therefore, I will spend time with you individually and mix up the groups regularly, so everyone gets a fair share of my time.

Are my photography workshops in Val D’Orcia worth it?

Sometimes I am asked if it’s beneficial to attend mine photography workshops? Therefore, I am sharing my thoughts on why you should attend and what to look for when searching for the good one! Anyone interested in travel photography should consider attending a photography workshop, especially one that is an expert organises. Indeed these workshops offer an excellent chance to see, learn from, and exchange ideas with professional photographers. A great workshop provides insight and expertise that photographers cannot find elsewhere. Finally, I think the best reasons to attend a photography workshop is that you can learn how to make better photos and have a unique experiences in a great location.

WHAT YOU SHOULD TAKE IN VAL D’ORCIA PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP

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Usefull Information in my Val D’orcia Photography Workshop:

Val D’Orcia is a an amazing, charming and beautiful area and you can capture stunning images in many location, no matter the gear. So even with a phone you would do! Anyway, if you want to make the most of your journey in the region, here is some equipment that you might need.
During your photography trip in Tuscany you will have lots of doubts about what is really useful and what will just be extra weight in your backpack!

Camera

The weather condition are quite plesant and evben in winter, doesn’t get as bad as in many other countries on north Europe and near the Artic. Indeed for landscape photographers usually don’t need a weatherproof camera to visit Tuscany, because most of the times you are going to shoot with acceptable weather conditions. Anyway, this doesn’t mean that you don’t need a good camera though!
Finally, in terms of image quality, that any full-frame camera (DSLR or mirrorless) will be perfect for all the possible situations you might face in Tuscany, but don’t worry if you are used to working with an APS-C or a micro 4/3 camera: they will be more than fine too!

Lenses

In base of my experience, lenses can make a huge difference when shooting in Tuscany. Indeed, to capture landscape photographers here is gonna be great to working with a lot with ultra wide-angle lenses, generally in the 12mm-24mm range. Anyway in springtime, in Tuscany you’ll be better off having a telephoto lens mounted to your camera that cover mpre distance. So my advice is to bring a lens to cover the 70-200mm focal range, possibly another one to cover the standard-tele range (24-70mm) . If you have bring too a super-long telephoto that can arrive up to 400/500mm or even 600mm. In Tuscany, shooting is more about capturing a particular part of the surrounding landscape and less about going wide to include the whole landscape. In conclusion, while it’s a good idea bring a wide angle lens just in case, maybe the lens that i recommend the most is a good 70-200mm or 70-300mm . Indeed, will most likely be your workhorse for most of your trip.

Tripod for my Val D’orcia Photography Workshop

For a landscape photography in Tuscany a good, sturdy tripod is always the first thing you should think about this trip. Anyway, since we don’t have awful weather conditions in Tuscany, you don’t need a huge and heavy tripod. However, you’re going to use it a lot in low light situations, from the sunrise to the blue hour in the evening, and maybe at night to shot some stars or cityscapes in Florence or Siena. So, keep in mind that it still needs to be sturdy!

Filters

If you like to use filters to create particular effects and to play with long exposures, then take all of your filters during a trip to val-dorcia-photography-workshopTuscany. If you never use any kind of filter at all, it is simpe, don’t bother to take them! Indeed, the Neutral Density (ND) filters when traveling to Tuscany are not fundamental in Tuscany, meaning that you will be able to take every possible photo without the use of any kind of filter. This doesn’t mean that they won’t come in handy in certain situations or places like in the Livorno Coast.

Drones

 If you have a drone, Tuscany is an amazing area to fly it. Anyway are many rules to do it and you have to be careful. In the East years you have to follow European recommendation to do it. Generally you can use just only outside if the city, in the old town you need special permit. Although you can looking this map about flying in Tuscany.

When Photograph Tuscany

The best time to doing a Val D’orcia photography workshop is in March and October to November. In this time the light is at the best and you can get really amazing colors at the golden hours. Also the weather is generally nice, the prices are lower and there are fewer tourists. Instead is better to avoid the end of July and August, because it is very hot and the light is strong., Another months to consider are in winter is generally quite cold in the whole region, more than you normally imagine. You can find interesting weather condition to capture. Particularly the hilly areas of the hinterland, such as those of Siena and Cortona, can be cover by fogs.

How reach Tuscany and moving Around

Tuscany is well-connected and is easy to get to by air or land. If you arrive with flight the two main airport are in Pisa and in Florence at Vespucci Airport. From there you can take a bus or train to reach other destination. Also can you take taxi, but are expensive. Indeed the railway network has good connections with the main cities in the north, while to the south Rome is only about an hour and a half away. Maybe is the best public transportation to move around. To reach Val D’orcia and moving around the best way is by the car. You can rent in the Airport ar nearest city like Siena or Arezzo.

Language

The main language spoken in Tuscany is Italian. During the last few years the use of the English language has become more and more widespread. Also thanks to tourism in Tuscany, you will find shops and restaurateurs who speak at least basic English. The hotel staff generally speak fluent English. However, don’t expect to be understood everywhere. Anyway, I will speak and translate for you, don’t worry. Also I can conduct the workshop in Spanish language.

Money / currency

The currency in Italy is the Euro (€). Large shops, restaurants, and hotels will accept credit and debit cards, but in general they prefer cash.

Wi-Fi / Internet coverage

Cell phone coverage is good practically everywhere in Tuscany, but still slow in some areas. In the cities there are no problems and the service is fast enough, however in the countryside the network leaves something to be desired. The costs of SIM card are affordable and you can find them in many shops.

Cancellation of my Val D’Orcia Photography Workshop:

• The fee is fully refundable if cancellation is made 30 days before the start of the workshop.
• Raffaele is not responsible for any reimbursement of travel expenses in case of cancellation of the workshop. It is recommended to buy refundable tickets and travel insurance when it is possible.
• The fees are in Euro but you can pay in Dollars, and all the banktransfer fees are to be covered by the workshop participant.

Sustainable Photography

Sustainable photography should be truly important to a responsible traveler. In this regard I try to do my small part and to follow some guidelines when I travel and do my photo tour in Tuscany. A sustainable model of photographic culture is absolutely necessary right now. So, in the way we pay attention to these things in our daily life, it is possible to include those passages in our photographic activities. Finally will. give you a list of some travel products eco-friendly:

Reusable straw & cleaner
Collapsible cups
Reusable Utensils
Sewing Kit
Reusable bags
Microfiber towel
Natural Insect Repellant

Food and Wine during the Val D’orcia Photographic workshop

The city offers some of the most beautiful renaissance culture, along with their renowned wine production and culinary traditions. During our photography workshop in Val D’orcia you will have the opportunity to learn about and sample authentic regional Italian cuisine while you photograph the beauty of the Tuscany . As local I will bring you to taste in our pauses some authentic food outside of the typical tourist circuit.

More Info about Me

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