Explore the rugged and stunning Dolomites in Winter. This 7-day photo tour will take you to some of the best locations in the Dolomites. We will spend some nights high up in the mountains in mountain huts (Rifugios) and some nights down in the valleys in Hotels. This will mean that we are close to the locations we plan to photograph and can make the most of the conditions. Every day we will head out early to capture the sunrise in a stunning location. During the day, we will travel to our next location and have time to discuss processing, review our images, and discuss composition and the best techniques to capture the scenes before us.
We will visit some of the most popular locations in the Dolomites, but also some hidden gems that very few people know about!
The Dolomites are a vast and incredibly beautiful mountain range in the North of Italy. We will explore this stunning landscape using a comfortable vehicle and some of the ski infrastructure.
The Dolomites are located in Northern Italy, spread across a huge area on the border between Austria and Italy. They cover more than 300,000 acres and include 18 famous peaks, some of the best big walls for climbing in Europe, and charming mountain villages. The Dolomites were originally known as the Pale Mountains, and you can find some of the most fascinating rocky crags here.
This workshop is designed to cover some of the most photographically impressive locations in the Dolomites. We will not have a fixed base. Every night will be spent at a different location with the aim of shooting sunrise and sunset.
Price: 3200 Euro per person (Single Supplement is available for the nights spent in Hotels, this costs 350 Euros)
Note: A 1000 Euro deposit is required at the time of booking. See terms and conditions for cancellation policy.
Dates: Monday 6th January 2025 to Sunday 12th January 2025 (Last 2 spots available)
Start Point: Venice Marco Polo Airport
End Point: Venice Marco Polo Airport
Group Size: Maximum of 6 participants (I prefer small groups to ensure a more personal experience).
Logistics: The accommodations will be a split of hotels and alpine mountain huts. The sleeping arrangements will vary from Rifugio to Rifugio but they will be mostly shared dormitory-style rooms of different sizes, as is standard in mountain huts. For the nights spent in hotels, we will be staying in twin rooms. We will be leaving our suitcases in the van and carrying only the essentials with us when spending the night in Rifugios.
Highlights:
• Photographing some of the most beautiful mountain landscapes in Europe
• We will chase the light, ensuring to be in the right place at the right time to capture the best images possible
• The chance for Winter Night Photography (Weather Permitting)
• Spending some nights up in Mountain Huts
• A small group (Only 6 participants) to ensure a personal experience
• Minimal hiking required
• Learn new techniques and skills from your professional guide
• Travel around in a comfortable van and reach the high mountain huts using ski infrastructure
What’s Included:
• 6 Nights’ accommodation in hotels and mountain huts
• Daily breakfast
• Transport (Including fuel, parking fees and tolls)
• One on one support for photography
• Theory / Post-processing sessions
• Discounts from brands that I work with
• Both of my E-Books (Mastering Landscape Photography and Mastering Night Sky Photography)
• Access to all National Parks
What’s not included:
• Flights
• Travel Insurance
• Meals (Lunch and dinner)
• Drinks
• Snacks
Itinerary: Throughout this workshop, we will not have a fixed daily itinerary and will visit locations depending on snow conditions and accessibility. The images on this page show the locations we will attempt to visit on this workshop.
Note: A detailed list of recommended clothing and camera gear will be sent to all participants upon booking.
Level of fitness
Although this is a very easy tour from a physical perspective, it is important that you have good mobility and balance, and that you are comfortable walking on hiking trails with potentially deep snow. We will frequently be shooting on uneven ground. There is no hiking required for this trip, we will however be walking around in deep snow and may require snow shoes when on location shooting and looking for compositions.
Safety
Mountains are an extremely rugged and harsh environment, especially in winter. The weather can change quickly, and sleet, ice, and snow all present significant risks when photographing on location. There are several cliffs at locations we will be shooting at, and these are dangerous as they frequently crumble away and cause rock fall. You will be expected to follow safety instructions to ensure your own safety and the safety of everyone around you.
Travel Insurance
We highly recommend investing in a comprehensive travel insurance policy that will not only cover any non-refundable workshop fees or unexpected medical costs, but will also protect your camera gear and your luggage. A comprehensive travel insurance policy will cover missed flights and any other unexpected situations which may arise that prevent you from being able to travel or get to your destination. Flights can be delayed or you might need to return home if an emergency occurs, without travel insurance, disruptions to your trip can end up costing you a fortune. In many cases, you lose the money you've already paid and have to pay for new bookings too.
Disclaimer:
Due to the harshness and unpredictability of the weather in the mountains, I cannot guarantee that we will be able to visit all the locations on the itinerary, I will be checking the weather constantly and adjusting our itinerary to ensure we can make the most of the weather and light.
Some days will be easier than others, with more free time to rest and for us to do sessions like post-processing/image critique or theory.
Since this workshop is focused on landscape photography and ensuring you get the best possible photos for your portfolio, we will aim to shoot most locations in the best light, which is at sunrise and sunset, this means we will have early starts and late finishes. We will also be shooting throughout the day, and depending on the weather, we may still get some fantastic light.
For any questions email info@samuelscicluna.com