Photography Workshop
Itinerary

September 22  – 27

Day 1 - Sunday, September 22

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UPON ARRIVAL

Settle into your room

Meet and get acquainted with your fellow participants, workshop leader Scott, and your hosts, Roland and Malana.

 

DAY 1 THEME: Getting to know you

Opening day will be a bit of a “getting to know you” journey. We will have some journaling exercises. We’ll talk about our individual goals for the trip. We’ll do some personal exploration about what we’re seeking and likely find insight that will inform each participant how they will dive into the remainder of the vacation.

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AFTERNOON

Group gathering at the Chateau. Bring your pens and journals, and an open mind. We’ll do (as a group) some quiet journaling in response to prompted questions. We’ll go through introductions and team building exercises.

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EVENING

Dinner at Herve Busset in Rodez. A Michelin Star restaurant that focuses on fresh, local ingredients as well as locally forged fruit, foliage, flora, and fungus. 

 

Day 2 — Monday September 23

 

DAY 2 THEME: Getting the camera out of the way

The group’s focus will be on becoming more comfortable with the camera so that it becomes less of a frustration or distraction that gets in the way of creating something special. We will dive into some basic photographic principles, camera settings, shooting manually, and the three elements that create an exposure. By removing the interruptions of the mechanics of the camera, the artist can do their work.

 

MORNING        

Breakfast at the Chateau

 

Morning Session: Getting to know your camera so that the camera can get out of the way.  A fundamental of photography and the camera introduction. Followed by specific exercises using the camera around the property.

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AFTERNOON

Lunch at village restaurant La Grange

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Drive to Belcastel, a well-preserved medieval village with a stunning chateau dominating its skyline, designated one of “the most beautiful villages” in France.

Visit the Chateau de Belcastel and village (tours possible). Stone archways and cobblestone streets offer a myriad of photo closeups. The vistas from the chateau offer wide angle landscapes.

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The afternoon's assignment will be to shoot 100% manual for 2 hours - this will give you the time you need to get very comfortable with your camera.

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Return to the Chateau, relax and choose your photos to share in the evening.

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EVENING          

Dinner at the Chateau

 

After dinner, we will ask questions and discuss what we learned; then share images using a large screen.  

 

Optional:  Photography session on the property or in the village; assignment TBD

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Day 3 — Tuesday September 24

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DAY 3 THEME: Minimalism and seeing through the photographer’s mind, not his lens.

We will work on taking more ownership of the end result. We will work on previsualization. We will be colorblind and work on structure and composition. Minimalism v. Maximalism. Before we leave for our morning visit, we will review the  photographic themes for the day.  I will share a visual presentation to inspire your day's photography.

 

MORNING        

Breakfast at the Chateau

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Drive to Salles le Source and visit it's cascade and picturesque village.  

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AFTERNOON

Lunch at Auberge du Chateau and lunch we will have a Brief visit of village Le Muret La Chateau

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The drive to Conques. For centuries, Conques has been an important way station for pilgrims along the Chemin de St. Jacques or Saint James Way. We’ll explore and take advantage of the afternoon light, walking through the village, cathedral, and surrounding countryside in and around Conques. We’ll take a guided tour of the stained-glass windows created by Pierre Soulages, and of abbey church.

 

Return to the Chateau

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EVENING          

Dinner at the Chateau

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Explore the Chateau de Balsac. Get to know it’s architectural elements and history. See how the building evolved over hundreds of years. This is an opportunity to photograph interior and exterior details, textures, patterns, still life and reflections. 

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Photo review session: Review and edit photos from the day. Upload 3 favorites to the Google folder. 

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Day 4 — Wednesday September 25

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DAY 4 THEME: Street Photography, A Practice That Improves Every Photographer

Leaning on the previous day’s lessons we will continue our evolution through the theme of street photography. Learning to anticipate the moment in order to be in the right place at the right time (with the right settings). How to get to the next level in photography. Getting faster with composition, learning to trust yourself, and work intuitively. Learn how your lens sees, so subsequently your lens learns how your eyes see. Discussion on street photography, do’s and don'ts, ethics, tips and tricks. A review of some of the legends in this genre

 

MORNING        

Breakfast at the Chateau

 

Drive to Rodez. Visit the outdoor market in Rodez. Street photography, delicious food and produce is the focus. 

 

AFTERNOON

Lunch in Rodez at La Maison, a family-run restaurant offering small plates of seasonly fresh ingredients; menu changes weely.

 

Visit Rodez sites (cathedral, old town, other museums, etc.) We’ll explore the old town of Rodez and the cathedral.

 

Return to the Chateau

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EVENING          

Dinner at the Chateau

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Photo sharing; discussion on editing. Discussion on how to read and edit your work. It’s one of the hardest things to do. Most photographers struggle with this challenge. How much can you remove from your work without taking away anything from the message?

 

Day 5 — Thursday September 26

 

DAY 5 THEME: Putting It All Together - Pushing Your Curiosity to Drive Creativity

Oh, to be a kid again. It’s time to play, explore, and continue to push our work. This will be a challenging and rewarding day. Photographic work will be around the property, taking in the pastoral landscapes, textures, and/or create portraits.

 

MORNING        

Breakfast at the Chateau

 

Optional:  Photo walk or hike to Prieuré du Sauvage

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AFTERNOON

Picnic Lunch at Prieure du Sauvage

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Return to the Chateau and continue working on your final photographs

 

EVENING

Dinner at the Chateau

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We’ll have a group review session and share images from the week and some inspirational images too. 

 

Day 6 — Friday September 27

 

MORNING        

Breakfast at the Chateau

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Review and edit photos from the day. Upload 3 favorites to google folder. We’ll have a group review session and share images from Wednesday and Thursday as well as a workshop wrap up.

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Depart

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