Digital Photography and the Tuscan Landscape
Dates: 9/23/2010 - 9/30/2010
Location: Tuscan Renaissance Center
Instructor: Stephen Johnson
Price: $3,600 
workshop details |
Finesse the medium of photography in Tuscany
Spend a week in Italy with renowned landscape photographer/educator Stephen Johnson. Centered in a 12th Century Tuscan monastery, this photography workshop promises to be an extraordinary opportunity to explore the Tuscan landscape and learn from one of the most dynamic educators and talented photographers working today.
Workshop headquarters will be San Fedele, an ex-monastery dating back to the 12th century. It is situated in the Chianti hills, 12 km north of Siena and 45 km south of Florence. The nearest towns are the medieval city of Radda-in-Chianti and the village of Vagliagli. San Fedele was completely restored beginning in 2001 and today has 17 guest rooms and several classrooms and studios.
Stephen Johnson specializes in landscape photography workshops. His workshops are designed to help you finesse the medium of photography. His teaching and programs are about the aspiration to master the medium of photography to your level of satisfaction, and perhaps go even a bit beyond. Stephen designs programs that are intensive photographic experiences that challenge your mind, heart and soul to make art. His workshops discuss technical issues and procedures, but the emphasis remains on content and asking the most of your commitment to photography as art.
Filled with field trips, field help, critiques, in depth discussions, this workshop is designed to be a total immersion in photography, art, problem solving, sensitivity building and sharing a wondrous photographic experience. We will work in the field and in the classroom. We will look at the photographs, ask much of our work and press on to make that work as strong and as sensitive as possible.
Landscapes by Stephen Johnson
This workshop is scheduled during the 3 day Festa dell’Uva, a local celebration of the grape harvest which takes place in the village of Vagliagli, 12 km outside of Siena. Activities associated with the Festa are a costumed parade of wineries, traditional dancing, community dinner outside, kiosks of local products, a photography and painting exhibit, music concerts, a painting contest, and final night fireworks.
Lodging, meals and local transportation provided.
During the week there will be a concurrent plein air painting program. At the end of the week, just before our final dinner, we suggest that each group stage an informal exhibit of their week`s work.
Food: While in Tuscany, the group will have it`s own private chef for the week. At Il Chiostro, the food experience is very important to us. We want everyone to be exposed to the delicious simplicity of authentic Tuscan food, which includes plenty of fresh vegetables, meats, pasta, risotto, fruits, local herbs, and desserts like panforte and tiramisu. Breakfast and dinner are served in the dining room daily. Local wine (Chianti) is included with dinner. Lunches are independent. There are many opportunities for eating in the village, picnics or on excursions.
Festa dell`Uva
This term refers to the "Feast of the Grape", quite a sacred time in the Chianti region of Tuscany. In the little village of Vagliagli near our monastery of San Fedele, they stage their biggest celebration of the year over the last weekend of September. Every year at this time the locals organize a huge fair to honor the harvest which is about to take place. They decorate the piazza with wine barrels and Chianti casks, torches and flags line the road into town and they set up long tables in the soccer field for large community dinners. Just like in a fairy tale, there are booths for games, contests, wine tasting and sampling local food. There are concerts each evening and a parade featuring each area winery with wagons towed by oxen. It is the one time of year when everyone in the town comes together to celebrate the all important grape harvest.
Part of the festivities is a painting and photography exhibit with work by local and visiting artists. On Sunday morning is a "quick draw" painting contest. People from all over the region paint together and then submit their work to be judged for prizes. All of our participants will be eligible to enter the exhibit and this contest to paint with the Tuscans.
On Saturday evening we will join the people of Vagliagli for a huge Tuscan dinner right in the center of town. This is the opportunity to taste all the products the locals make in their own homes, like salami, chestnut cakes and the extra special, Vin Santo - a dessert wine also used for dunking crescent shaped cantucci. There will be music and dancing and all the Chianti you can drink!
Unlike many events in popular areas, this is not a celebration made for tourists. The Festa dell`Uva is completely authentic, done by and for the local population. Our group will be invited to join in the fun, to honor the land and to raise our voices with the rest of the village to ask that this harvest be the best ever.
The village of Vagliagli nestled in its Chianti valley.
Activities:
Our exploration of Tuscany for the week will include some of these highlights:
- Daily photography classes with Stephen
- Authentic Tuscan breakfast and dinners prepared each day for us, using only local and traditional products-wine included (independent lunch)
- Exclusive access to classroom with sufficient electrical outlets
- 2-3 photo shoot excursions to local hill towns like Radda, Monteriggioni, San Gimignano, etc.
- Excursion to the medieval city of Siena
- Wine tour and tasting at a local vineyard
- Optional morning hikes through the Chianti hills and fields surrounding the complex
About Your Il Chiostro Hosts: Linda and Michael, who will be hosting your San Fedele program, have been organizing workshops in Italy since 1995. You can read more about them by following the About Il Chiostro link. The owners of San Fedele, Nicolo and Renata, live on site. They will be available throughout the program to talk about the history of the monastery, the renovation and this area of Tuscany they call home.
Price: $3,600* p/p; ($2,800 for non-participants)
Supplements: $550 for single room; $150 p/p for Jr. suite, if available
Includes:
- 7 nights in the restored monastery San Fedele
- Daily photography classes with critiques
- Authentic Tuscan breakfast and dinners prepared by our personal chef, including wine (independent lunch)
- Excursions to Siena and selected hilltowns
- All local transportation
- Pick up in Florence on first day of workshop
- Optional activities and excursions
Does Not Include:
- Airfare
- Lunch (lite lunch is available for 15 euros on the days we are not on excursions)
- Workshop supplies: photography or computer equipment
- Personal expenses including independent meals and sight-seeing
- Gratuities