Reviews
October 10-17, 2024 | Sunday morning at breakfast through Sunday evening after dinner
(the extra day allows us to settle in to our second location) | Spot just opened up
CANCELLATION opens up a spot, hopefully a couple to replace the friends who had to withdraw, for Lake Garda & the Dolomites
This is the e-mail I sent on costs for the workshop to those who signed up...and if you know someone who might be interested, please pass the word...
Click here for the instructors' galleries.
While the costs are not quite final, it looks as though for our alumni, all of whom are bringing their fun “spousal units,” the cost, including workshop fees and costs per couple will be in the range of $6,275, and for our first-time, solo participants, in the range of $4,750. Please confirm that these approximate fees work for you. I guestimated a bit high to account for the forecasted rising strength of the Euro. As I pay for hotel, bus, etc. and get the final exchange rates, I’ll adjust the total downwards. [All who signed up approved of the costs.]
This includes:
- 9 full days in Italy, arriving in Verona on the morning train from Venice on October 9 and departing from that same Verona train station on the morning of the 18th.
- Our bus and driver, parking fees, and driver’s expenses from the time you arrive in Verona at the train station on October 9 until your departure from the train station in Verona on October 18. Everyone should plan on arriving at the Venice airport on the 8th; there are very reasonable hotels nearby with shuttle service to/from the airport;
- Expenses for our guest instructor, Mattia Zaldini, who is otherwise receiving no compensation for all his expertise and planning;
- 3 nights at our beautiful hotel in the Dolomites, including breakfast and dinner AND our imaging room – check out https://www.xalphotel.it/
- 6 nights at the lovely boutique hotel in Verona, at which I have stayed on several occasions, including breakfast — check out https://www.hotelscalzi.it — we will be doing our imaging and critiques at Mattia’s school a short walk away;
- Entry and gondola fees.
Not included (the usual):
- Wine and spirits;
- Lunches;
- Transportation on either end of the workshop;
- Personal expenses; and
- Tips.
We will let you know which train to take so that the bus can meet you all at the same time before heading directly up to the Dolomites. We will also give you explicit directions for getting from the Venice airport to the train station.
As a reminder, Mattia grew up in these parts. Not only does he live in Verona with Elena, his wife, and two children, a daughter and son, but he grew up as what might well be deemed an extreme skier in the Dolomites. He has a house on Lake Garda, and many of the images that he posts on Social Media are from the Lake Garda area.
I should warn you, that the food and wine can be excellent, and it would be a pity not sample it!
While we travel from location to location, you can be downloading your latest masterpieces onto your computer and hopefully doing an initial cull. The idea is to think more and photograph more effectively. Make each image count rather than shooting tons and hoping there is a winner in there. Also, as my late mentor, Ernst Haas, encouraged, carry less equipment and see more.
I will need a deposit of $2,000 from each of the participants, and $1,000 from each “spousal unit,” with a bus payment coming due soon. As soon as I know the rest of the payment schedule for the hotels and bus, I’ll let you know. A check is much appreciated, as hotels and transportation do not take into account PayPal fees. If you want to pay by credit card, that is fine, but please add 4% to the amount. PayPal allows you to make a payment of any amount you wish.
Mattia and I are really excited about this workshop. A lot of planning on both our parts has gone into making it very special.
Take care, and let me know ASAP.
TBC
