GA Photography Workshops

Bill Durrence & Barbara Gatens

October 9 - 19, 2008Venice Extension: October 19 - 24

This departure is limited to a maximum of fourteen participants. It is intended for people of all levels of interest and accomplishment in film, or digital photography. While the emphasis will be on photography, this is also a cultural journey, which we believe will enhance your ability to capture the essence of Tuscany in your images. Your photography expert and leaders, Bill Durrence and Barbara Gatens, have been leading photo tours for many years. Along with the local guides, your photo leaders will take you to photo locations you could not access on your own, including monasteries, churches, and vineyards. In Florence, there will be quiet, pre-dawn photo walks. They will take you to premier photographic locations to capture the Ponte Vecchio, the Uffizi Corridor, and the Duomo. If you are participating in the Venice Extension, early morning shoots will take you along the Grand Canal. While we have specific itineraries, we have the flexibility to take advantage of photographic opportunities we find along the way.

Tuscany has perhaps produced more accomplishments in art and science than any other place in history. It is the birthplace of the Etruscan civilization, the Italian language, and the age that shaped modern history, the Renaissance. Imagine a small region that can claim Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, Dante, and Botticelli as its native sons! The first part of our trip will center on Florence, the capital of Tuscany, the city where the Renaissance began. It is a living museum of art and culture. We will explore its streets, piazzas, and great works of art and architecture in the company of excellent guides.

A short drive from Florence transports us into the beautiful Tuscan countryside. We will stay in Chianti, among the best-preserved landscapes in Italy, some virtually unchanged since artists depicted them five hundred years ago. The region has large areas of woodlands, interspersed with vineyards and dotted with medieval towns high on hills and ridges. The quality of light here has inspired generations of artists. Our journey will explore this glorious land in depth. Everywhere there is something of compelling beauty, curiosity, and interest — brilliant architecture, classic Tuscan landscapes, the daily life of the people themselves, providing continuity between past and present.

Tour Leaders

Bill Durrence is a professional photographer with a bit of wanderlust and curiosity about what things might look like around the next bend. He particularly enjoys travel and location oriented assignments, using photography as a method for exploring the world. Bill has been teaching photography for over thirty years, in both basic and advanced classes, for undergraduate academic programs and various seminar/workshop formats. Bill worked in Nikon Inc.’s Professional and Technical Services Department for over fourteen years prior to his current freelance business, and currently, is teaching the popular Nikon School of Photography program.

Many of you may know Bill’s wife, Barbara Gatens, who shares Bill’s enthusiasm for photography and international travel. She will join Bill on this tour, acting as his photographic assistant, as well as sharing her zest for life with the group. Barbara’s passion for people, learning about different cultures, and her ability to turn strangers into instant friends brings an added dimension to the trip.

An important element of your photographic experience will be critique(s) of your work and evening lectures. You are invited to bring a portfolio with you for this purpose. If you are using digital, your images can be reviewed during evening lectures. http://www.billdurrence.com/

A note from Bill ~

Learning more about photography and learning to be a better photographer are never ending projects. There is a limit to how much information one can absorb meaningfully in any given amount of time. Learning to improve one’s skills—both craft and vision—is a journey with no end. The student should expect each learning opportunity to add to their knowledge and ability, constantly building on the foundation they have previously acquired.

Since each student in a group will have at least slightly different foundations, I try to have a broad framework of ideas and information planned for any program. I keep the program loose enough to adjust to class needs if necessary, and, expect students to take a pro-active position in asking me for specific help they need. I want to build a deeper and broader understanding of the topic so the student can find the answer for him/herself the next time they are in a similar, but different situation.

My programs are conducted with one primary guiding philosophy—Have Fun. That is the most conducive environment to learning, and, besides, life’s too short to behave otherwise.

We always welcome tour companions who are not photographers. There are interesting aspects of Italian life waiting to be explored in every location. In Florence, the countless museums, churches, markets, restaurants, and stores within walking distance of the hotel, make the city a desirable destination for any traveler. The quaint Tuscan villages offer wonderful landscapes, local markets, piazzas, and small shops to be enjoyed by all who might like to sketch, write, or simply appreciate the culture of Italy. The trip’s leisurely pace will provide ample opportunity to wander through medieval hill towns, and feast on the renowned regional foods and wines. Highlights of the TripFlorence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, with its rich tapestry of history depicted in its architecture, sculptures, and paintings

 

A stay in the Tuscan countryside, much of it unchanged over hundreds of years: mile after mile of orderly rows of grapevines, cypress trees piercing the skyline, the village or fortress town that crowns nearly every hilltop

Tuscany’s medieval towns and villages: Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, Volpaia, Radda in Chianti, and others, equally well-preserved.

Departure limited to 14 participants to optimize your photographic experience

Evening photo lectures and slide shows, including discussions on creativity, creating with light and capturing the spirit of the amazing landscape, architecture and culture

An optional extension to the exquisite city of Venice, bounded and crisscrossed by canals with their arching bridges, and the magnificent Piazza San Marco with its Basilica and Campanile

Excellent, knowledgeable local guides who join us on various days through out the tour

General Information

Land Cost: $3895, per person, minimum of 9, maximum of 12, shared accommodations. There will be a small group surcharge of $300 with 7-8 paying participants.

Single room supplement: $695, *single rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. We try to accommodate single travelers who request single accommodations, as well as single travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested and we are unable to find a suitable roommate, or you are in a single for another reason, you will need to pay the single supplement. Note: The land cost is based on current exchange rate between the Euro and US dollar. Should these rates change significantly, there may be an adjustment in the trip price.

Extension Land Cost: $1995, per person, minimum of 10 or more paying participants, shared accommodations; there will be a small group surcharge of $200 if there are only 6-9 participants.

Extension single supplement: $595* see above.

Contact for details:Strabo Photo Tour Collection

Phone 607-756-8676, or toll free 866-218-9215, PIN#2678

Email: info@strabotours.com

http://www.phototc.com/ link to tour specific page:

http://www.phototc.com/tours/tour.php?tour=89