Thank you for your registration for the Spirit of the Piedmont photography workshop. We are really looking forward to seeing you in October and making some awesome pictures together in this captivating region of Italy!

Below you will find a provisional daily itinerary for the workshop days. As the workshop draws closer there will be small adjustments. We'll be sure you have all of the latest information in October before you pack your suitcase. Until then, here is the four day plan. It will be a full program to say the least!

Meeting Time: 16:00 Thursday, 18th of October 2012. Check in and then join us for an cocktail, orientation and introductions.

Location: Castello di Razzano Country Estate. Fraz. Casarello 2, 15021 Alfiano Natta - Italy.

Traveling to the Workshop: Those who are coming by car may wish to carpool where appropriate. If you have space in your vehicle and would like us to help you arrange this please advise us ahead of time. Those who are traveling by train should use Asti, Italy as their final destination. A car pickup will be arranged for the final part of the trip to Castello di Razzano. Please plan to arrive in Asti before 14:15 on Thursday. The best connection from Zürich leaves the Hauptbahnhof at 7:09, involves two connections in Italy and arrives in Asti 5:40 hrs later at 12:49.

Weather: The climate in the Piedmont Region is slightly warmer and slightly drier than Switzerland. However, the Autumn is a season during which the Piedmont experienced variable weather. Please prepare for a range of weather conditions and check the weather forecast before packing your suitcase. Must haves: rain jacket, long pants, warm pullover, hat, sunglasses, shorts, umbrella. Hopefully we don't need to use the last item!

Costs: Your registration fee includes the costs of your accomodation (dual access room - private bedroom), breakfast, dinner and transport during the workshop. Be prepared to purchase lunches, snacks, coffee, souveniers, wine, etc. during our day trips away from the Razzano. We will have suggestions for lunch restaurants, but you're welcome to seek out your own alternatives whenever they're available. If you wish to book a single room at the Razzano, this option is available with an extra charge of 350 Euros. Single room availability is limited and will be awarded on a first-come first-served basis.

Food & Dietary Considerations: Where to begin..? This region is world-renowned for it's culinary delights. Gourmands regularly travel from around the globe to eat in the Piedmont. Italian food has something for everyone, and if you are a vegetarian you will have no problem. Those who adhere to a vegan diet should get in touch with us early so we can advise our partners ahead of time on how to accomodate your needs.

Camera Equipment: While it’s not necessary to arrive with an arsenal of cameras and lenses, it’s recommended that your lens (or lenses) cover a range of focal lengths for general travel photography. A DSLR type camera is the most appropriate camera format for this type of project. A “speedlight” (external flash) is also recommended for photographing in low light situations (such as wine cellars), and for using outdoors to fill in shadows. A sturdy tripod could come in handy as well. A small handful of other accessories will be on hand to borrow, but count on using your own photography gear. Too much camera gear will weigh you down, so please consider that we will be on the move constantly and will be traveling in private vehicles with limited space.

Note: It’s absolutely necessary that you have backup batteries for your camera and flash, as well as extra memory cards. We will not be providing computers for image editing, so bring along your own laptop for this purpose - pre-loaded with an updated version of Adobe Lightroom 4 or Apple Aperture 3. Make sure you have a way to get your images onto your computer as well. If needed, bring along a card reader which can be connected w/ USB. An internet connection will be available at the Razzano, but be forewarned - on a recent scouting trip we found the internet connection to be a little "shaky."

Workshop Itinerary

October 18th (arrival at the Castello di Razzano)

16:00 Check in at the Castello di Razzano Estate

17:00 Welcome Apéro, group introduction & orientation

19:00 Group dinner

21:00 Arrive back at the Razzano

October 19th (shooting in the vineyards)

09:00 Depart from Razzano to Langa vineyards and Barolo/Barbaresco villages

13:00 Group lunch at Vineyards

15:00 Depart back to Razzano

16:00 Workflow presentation in the editing room by Matt Anderson

19:00 Group dinner

October 20th (visit to Asti & olive oil producer)

09:00 Depart from Razzano to middle-aged Asti (street photos, markets, landmarks)

12:00 Independent lunch in Asti

13:00 Depart Asti for Valentino Veglio’s olive orchard. (photograph olive harvest)

16:00 Group #1 Gets a snack, then follows Valentino to olive pressing in Liguria.

16:00 Group #2 Departs to Virgilio Rondano’s pastificio in Moncalvo

18:00 Group #1 Photographs olive oil production in Liguria

18:00 Group #2 Departs Moncalvo - back towards Razzano

19:00 Group #2 Small group dinner

22:00 Group #1 Mauro Musso’s late night dinner with just-pressed olicùve-oil in Alba

24:00 Group #1 Depart back to Rizzano

01:30 Group #1 Arrives back at Rizzano

October 21st (late wake up for yesterday’s Group #1 - Moncalvo & Turin explorations)

09:00 Depart to Moncalvo for the White Truffle Festival (or students are welcome to sleep late)

12:00 Independent lunch

13:00 Depart Moncalvo - back to Rizzano

13:30 Depart Rizzano to Basilica di Superga near Turin

14:30 Arrive at Superga historical 1949 plane crash site. 

15:30 Depart Superga to Turin for city exploration: artists, markets, architecture, etc.

18:00 Depart Turin to Chieri Pizza Ristorant & Craft-Brewery

19:00 Group dinner

20:00 Depart back to Rizzano 

October 22nd (morning shoot: two groups - truffle hunt & wine cellar shoot)

09:00 Group #1 shoots portrait of wine producer Enrico Druetto at Morèj cellar

09:00 Group #2 departs to shoot a dog-guided truffle hunt in Alfiano Natta

12:00 Both groups wrap up their shooting and grab lunch at Ristorante di Maria

14:00 Students make their final image selections and prepare presentations

16:00 Group selection of images for the culminating book project

19:00 Farewell dinner

For for information please contact Matt Anderson via email: info@ViewFinderCenter.com. We look forward to hearing from you.