Lavenders in Provence 2021

3 DAYS LANDSCAPE PHOTO WORKSHOP FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS OF ANY LEVEL IN PROVENCE, FRANCE

THIS WORKSHOP IS NOT AVAILABLE ANYMORE. PLEASE JOIN US ON A DIFFERENT WORKSHOP…

You won’t believe your own eyes, that this is not a painted canvas in front of you. Try to touch lavenders, and only then you will believe, that this is for real. Provence – land with endless lavender fields! But not only that – of course french countryside is full of fields with yellow sunflowers, country houses, abandoned old barns and picturesque small cities. And we can’t forget about lonely trees posing just in the middle of the field – begging you to stop for a unique composition. And all that just right there around you.

We have photographed in many areas in France, but Provence has a unique position on our favorite’s list. We will visit amazing Valensole plateau covering 800 square kilometers and we will be photographing the most beautiful rolling hills and the most dense lavender fields. But Provence is not only about lavenders and sunflowers, so we will be exploring small local shops with lavender products, we will be shooting sky full of stars and maybe we will find ourselves at the coast of lake de Sainte-Croix. We will be shooting early morning, we will find opportunities to shoot in the middle of the day and of course, we will be ready for the sunset. we’ll take you to the best places and so you will have plethora opportunities to smell and photograph Provence full of lavenders!

Small group of max 10 participants to ensure great experience, so we can dedicate enough space and individual instructions for everybody. You will learn new photography techniques and equipment, you will understand landscape composition and you will see how and why light conditions have such an important role for landscape photography. All than in relaxed atmosphere of same-minded photo enthusiasts. Beautiful, charming and very conveniently located hotel with easy access to the most of the places.

Date: Saturday 3 July – Monday 5 July 2021
Instructor: Patrik Banas

Itinerary for our photo trip*:

Saturday 3 July 2021

13:00 Meet and greet in our hotel in Provence and check-in
15:00 Rolling hills and iconic lavender fields around Valensole, lonely barns
18:00 Early dinner
20:00 Golden hour in Provence, sunset and blue hour
23:00 Stars above Provence – optional night shooting and star trails magic

Sunday 4 July 2021

5:00 Sunrise with hot-air balloons above lavenders
9:00 Breakfast
(personal free time: nap, lunch, siesta, pool…)
14:00 Provence at its best – rolling hills, lavenders, sunflowers, another lavenders and for a change old barns and farmhouses in the middle of fields
20:00 Three trees on the horizon, golden hour, sunset and blue hour
22:00 Late dinner

Monday 5 July 2021

6:00 Beauty of sunrise with the lonely tree and sunflowers
9:00 Breakfast and checkout
11:00 Picturesque small Provence city full of photogenic details and corners in obvious purple color. But also a little bit of forgotten french countryside
14:00 Lunch
15:00 End of the workshop

*Please, bear in mind, that this is a “vagabond” style photo trip, so we will be catching light, shadows, clouds and agenda can change based on the current weather situation. More detailed agenda will be shared prior the workshop.

Workshop price includes:

workshop fee – 3 days photo experience at the best locations
100% availability of your experienced instructor all the time
all transport during the workshop
all logistic and organizational support at the locations
great atmosphere and bonus smile 😉

Total price: 499 CHF

Do not wait and book your Lavender trip now!

(499 CHF is apx. 449 EUR / 499 USD / 11000 CZK… exact price will be calculated at the checkout in your local currency based on the actual exchange rate.)

Accommodation: Workshop price does not include accommodation. But we have reserved rooms in the beautiful hotel with restaurant, garden, pool and breakfast – right in the heart of the Valensole area. We strongly encourage you to stay in the same hotel, which will be our morning starting point, we will have siesta during the day and where we will return late evening. However, you are free to find your own accommodation, but if you’ll decide to stay at a different place we require punctuality – sunrise will not wait 😉 I would also like to point out, that July in Provence is THE high season with capacities booked out well in advance, so if you want to book your own accommodation, make the reservation as soon as possible. Price for two nights in the hotel (rating 9.3 out of 10), two or three people per room + 2x breakfast is 180 CHF (apx. 180 USD, 4000 CZK). Single room available upon reservation for double price. More info about the hotel can be sent upon request.

Payment by bank transfer / wire or with US checks payment is available. Please contact us.

Gift certificate option available! Please contact us here to agree details.

Requirements: Basic understanding of your camera and a tripod (we have few to borrow, contact us if you need one). This will be a very intensive 3 day photo trip and we will be shooting from early morning till very late night, so as for any landscape photography trips, be ready for lack of sleep 😉 All scouted locations are however accessible with car, perfect spots are always within a reasonable walking distance and physically this trip is not very demanding. Also, all shootings are of course voluntary, so if you decide to skip one, it is up to you.

Weather: This is an outdoor photo trip and of course we hope for ideal weather conditions. Timing of the photo trip has been selected to maximize our chances of favorable conditions – and of course the most beautiful lavender fields, which are usually in bloom as of mid June (harvest starts mid of July). However, please be aware that weather can change and cannot be guaranteed. We will be monitoring weather forecast closely and will flexibly reshuffle our agenda to maximize the potential of our trip, but no guarantee can be made for ideal sunrises, sunsets, clouds or blue sky or golden light right above the lavender alley. Nevertheless, landscape photography is also about learning how to take pictures in a different conditions and we will do our best to teach you how to understand weather in photography and how to plan and shoot in inclement weather if it will occur (which is often very photogenic, by the way ;-)

Payment and cancellation policy: To book your spot, payment must be made in full. If your booking will be cancelled by 28.2.2021, you will be refunded workshop fee – minus 50 CHF non refundable deposit (or equivalent in your currency). After 1.3. 2021 you’ll be refunded workshop fee (minus 50 CHF non refundable deposit) only if we will fill your place from the standby list, otherwise no refund is possible. Finding replacement for your spot is encouraged and of course fully accepted. Refund for the accommodation is based on the hotel’s refund policy.

Minimum 5 participants are required to organize this photo trip. In case of unlikely event of cancellation at our side for any reason, your payment will be refunded in full.

Please see more detailed “Terms and Conditions” here.

Booking your spot for this particular photo trip serves as placing an order with pixien photo workshops (Monika and Patrik Banas) and constitutes as acceptance of these “Terms and Conditions”. Every participant will be asked at the beginning of the workshop to sign and accept Accident Waiver and Release of the Liability, which can be downloaded here.

Transfer to Provence is not included in the price, but we will be happy to help with car-pooling coordination.

Questions? Email us and we will be delighted to answer any questions pixien@pixien.com

What participants say about Patrik’s workshop:

“I was lucky enough to be with Patrik on a trip to Provence in July 2019. There are two principal reasons why I am happy to recommend him as a guide and photography trip leader. First of all he is blessed with a lovely, calm and thoughtful personality, which is a great benefit when travelling, and where things don’t always go according to plan. I felt safe and secure at all times, and there was a lovely atmosphere around Patrik and his group. Patrik’s good humour was a real asset. As for his photography tutoring, he is most concerned to ensure that all the photographers were able to do their very best with whatever equipment they had, and was generous with both his time – explaining things as often as needed – and his kit, lending it around to help others, either to try out or to use for a particular shot. I do hope that I can get to travel with him again.”

Alison Ryde, Oxford, UK

“I want to thank you for absolutely perfect, amazing purple-yellow workshop! I can imagine how much time and preparation goes into organizing such a trip, however when we were there it looked all so easy, everything went just smoothly, totally relaxed, but I know how well it was planned, organized and confirmed. I am honored and I have to take my hat off for your work as instructor. So many new experiences and new landscapes just in three days – it is unbelievable!

Michaela Nesvadbova, Czech Republic