Each year in February Venice becomes the most romantic place on earth as hundreds of incredibly skilled artists flood the city to show their colorful masks and the wonderful, sophisticated costumes. However, the colorful scene of carnival goers won’t be the only thing you see. You will be in Venice, so that means canals, gondolas, and beautiful architecture. We may also take a boat trip to the magical island of Burano to photograph the colorful boats and houses that line the Canal. The local flavor is there waiting for you to capture it in amazing images.
Speaking of flavor, of course, the cafes, the food, the wine are all fantastic and a culinary delight! We know wonderful restaurants that fit into a variety of price ranges and they are all delicious.
The magnificent sunrises and sunsets, along with the incredible costumes and masks, are unique experiences. If you love photography, whether you’re a professional, a beginner, or an enthusiast, visiting carnival is a magical experience. We will take in the beautiful architecture of Venice as well as the festive atmosphere during Carnival. When we combine the extraordinary cuisine of Venice you are sure to have an amazing experience!
After spending several days photographing the beauty and pageantry that Carnival in Venice has to offer the group will travel to Florence and Rome to round out our uniquely diverse itinerary.
We are not providing a detailed, day-by-day itinerary, because we want to be flexible and prepared to adapt our schedule to the timing of specific events, the availability of models, and the many varieties of weather that we may experience. However, below we have included a general layout of the rough itinerary for your reference.
Photo Credit: Images from Carnival and Burano belong to Simon Beni
We are offering an Early Bird Special:
$530 off if you sign up before July 31st!
Led by Art Wolfe
Assisted by Simon Beni
Limited to 10 participants
Transportation and Accommodation
All meals, lodging, and transportation specified on the itinerary are included. You will be responsible for your flight into Venice and out of Rome. You are encouraged to arrive one day prior to the workshop so that there is no worry of flight delays causing any problems. We have included a hotel reservation for early arrivals for this reason.
Itinerary
Shooting schedules have the ability to be altered to effectively cater to the photographic desires of the group, as well as to adapt to changeable weather conditions.
Day 1 Feb 6, 2024 Early Arrival in Venice
Arrive Marco Polo International Airport in Venice. At the Venice airport you will be transferred to the Hotel Saturnia by their shuttle service.
This day is incorporated as an early arrival day so that everyone has time to rest before the official tour begins. Lodging is included for this evening. We needed to secure lodging in advance so we could ensure early arrivals have a place to stay during this popular time in Venice. (However, you can arrive a day later if you like.)
Lodging: Hotel Saturnia & International Venice
Day 2 Feb 7 Venice
This day is open for you to explore on your own. The welcome dinner will occur this evening, where you will meet your tour leaders and other participants. We also will discuss plans, goals and objectives for the upcoming week.
This evening there will be a welcome dinner with Art Wolfe and his assistant instructor Gavriel Jecan. (D)
Lodging: Hotel Saturnia & International Venice
Day 3 Feb 8 Venice
We will spend our 3 days exploring Venice and the surrounding islands. Each day will begin with an early morning photo session, so that the group can photograph the elaborate costumes while bathed in beautiful sunrise lighting. The Carnival can be very busy with thousands of costumed characters who are happy to pose for photographs against the iconic architecture of Venice, but we also explore some of the quieter lesser known but no-less stunning areas of Venice.
Following the early morning photo session everyone will return to the hotel for breakfast and a mid day break to download and edit images. After getting a little rest and clearing out your memory cards, the group will head back out to continue photographing the beautiful spectacle that surrounds them. Our shooting schedule will be centered around the best lighting available each day.
Art likes to fill each day so if the lighting is not great he may opt to visit some museums or other sites during times when the lighting is not ideal. These will be optional outings, so if you would prefer to rest in the beautiful hotel room we have provided that is fine as well.
(B, D)
Lodging: Hotel Saturnia & International Venice
Day 4 Feb 9 Venice
On this day we may take the group to the beautifully colorful Islands of Burano and Murano. In order to get to the islands we must take the boat. Burano is a colorful island, filled with brightly colored buildings and warm and friendly residents. It’s a great place to shoot both people and places and the details of their world famous lace. We can also capture the interesting and abstract reflections that ripple in the gentle movement of the water.
(B, D)
Lodging: Hotel Saturnia & International Venice
Day 5 Feb 10 Venice
This day will be similar to the previous days starting with early morning sessions. We will be hiring models as well so we can ensure private photo sessions at the locations of our choosing, including a potential gondola photo session.
During the tour, you’ll have access to exclusive photography locations and get expert guidance on how to capture the perfect shot. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a hobbyist, our tour is tailored to help you improve your skills and take home a stunning collection of photos.
(B, D)
Lodging: Hotel Roma – Firenze
Day 6 Feb 11 Venice – Florence
In the morning, after hotel check out, the group will depart for Florence. The group will take the train from Venice to Florence, which is approximately a 2 hr train ride.
Upon arrival in Florence we will check into our hotel and will spend the rest of the afternoon taking an orientation tour of our surroundings and possibly visit the Uffizi Gallery Museum. The Uffizi Gallery offers some of the most beautiful views over Florence and houses the largest collection of Renaissance paintings in the world that used to belong to the Medici family, who had their old offices here.
(B, D)
Lodging: Hotel Roma – Firenze
Day 7 Feb 12 Florence
Today the group will walk along the most famous streets of Florence to enjoy spectacular views and stop in local artwork shops to experience the city off the beaten path. Potential destinations on our list for this day is the famous Boboli Gardens and Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore.
(B, D)
Lodging: Hotel Roma – Firenze
Day 8 Feb 13 Florence
On this day we will start with an early morning train ride to Pisa to photograph the famous leaning tower. From there the group may go to Viareggio to photograph an amazing parade that is an absolute classic! It is a celebration that is rooted in time, where tradition and art blend perfectly. Throughout this fantastic celebration they bring out amazingly elaborate and large carnival floats, towering over 30 meters high!
(B, D)
Lodging: Hotel Roma – Firenze
Day 9 Feb 14 Florence – Rome
In the morning, after hotel check out, the group will depart for Rome. The group will take the train from Florence to Rome, which is approximately a 1 1/2 hr train ride. Upon arrival they will be transferred to our hotel.
After checking into the hotel and getting settled the group will depart for an orientation tour around the city, and will finish off the day with an afternoon field session when the light gets better.
(B, D)
Lodging: Eitch Borromini
Day 10 Feb 15 Rome
In the morning the group will depart for an early morning photo session. In the “Golden Light”, we will be shooting along the characteristic narrow streets and entering the historic squares, when the sun smoothly brushes the tiled roofs, the beautiful yellowish facades, and the domes of gorgeous churches. There will be a mid day break before the group heads back out into the field for an afternoon session.
(B, D)
Lodging: Eitch Borromini
Day 11 Feb 16 Rome
The first portion of this day will be spent visiting the Vatican Museums. The Vatican Museums are the public museums of the Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the most well-known Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world.
After getting their fill of inspiration from the beautiful artworks the group will head out to photograph in the afternoon.
(B, D)
Lodging: Eitch Borromini
Day 12 Feb 17 Rome
The group will be still riding high on the inspiration from the gallery visit the day before and will head out for an early morning field session. After a mid-day break they will head out again for another afternoon field session, when the light is best.
(B, D)
Lodging: Eitch Borromini
Day 13 Feb 18 Rome – International Flights Home
After a nice breakfast together everyone can depart for their international flights home.
(B)
Services Included
- Accommodations (twin sharing basis) as indicated above in the itinerary. (Very limited single rooms available)
- All meals noted on the itinerary. (Excluding alcoholic beverages)
- Services of English speaking guide escort accompanying the trip
- Entrance fees for museums and monuments
- Train tickets to Florence and Rome
- Water Bus tickets (48hr passes) in Venice for trip to Burano and Murano Islands and transport around Venice
Services Not Included
- Any international Airfare, travel insurance or medical insurance. (health insurance is mandatory and travel insurance is highly recommended)
- Anything not mentioned in inclusion above.
- Tipping to accompanying escort is not included in our quote.
- Any expenditure of personal nature like alcoholic drinks, Fruit shakes, sodas, laundry, telephone calls, or internet
- Anything ordered from room service at any hotel including mineral water (other than what being offered by the hotels on their compliment).
- Any sudden increase in price due to steep hike in fuel cost, change in government tax policy or for any reason beyond our control like acts of god, natural calamity, law and order situation, riots etc and any forced change in itinerary for any unforeseen situation or reason beyond our control.
- Laundry services