Portrait Photography Retreat
Fattoria Di Camporomano
Tuscany - Italy
Would you like to to treat yourself to five days in an oasis of peace?
Upcoming retreats :
Portrait Photography Retreat, Tuscany
Upcoming dates will be announced soon, they will be in 2025
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Get to know yourself better by photographing others
Enzo Dal Verme is an Italian portrait photographer (Vanity Fair, l'Uomo Vogue, The Times, GQ, Grazia…) drawing on over three decades of experience in meditation. He approaches photography as a path of self-discovery and personal growth.
The retreats are really laid back, an opportunity to set aside competitiveness and enjoy the company of like-minded creative people.
"An amazing experience that taught me how to integrate meditation into photography and everyday life"
Sam Brown, yogini
“An extremely engaging teaching method that explores the human dimension in doing portraits. My way of photographing has taken a new direction.”
Mirko Bonfanti, amateur photographer
5-day Portrait Photography, Meditation And Qi Gong Retreat In Tuscany
The Portrait Photography Retreat is an immersive experience of personal transformation, designed to bring deeper awareness to the way we photograph (and approach other activities in life).
It’s a fun, nourishing and creative journey crafted to support participants to cultivate new skills, find inspiration and improve interpersonal abilities.
The teachings focus on refining the photographer's sensitivity, helping them break free from the habitual way of looking at the world and to easily move through the various steps in image production. It's an intense and playful retreat that uses photography as a tool to inquire into reality and ourselves.
What Can I Expect?
Enhance your interpersonal interaction skills
Learn to be more present while taking pictures and in general
Deepen your observation abilities
Increase your faculty to remain focused
Gain insights about yourself
Learn how to compose your images quickly and intuitively
Refine your photographic sensitivity
Develop the orientation of being less judgmental
Boost your creativity
Cultivate new skills
Improve the quality of your photography
Expand your everyday awareness
Connect with like-minded creative souls
Lots of laughs!
Who Is The Retreat For?
The retreat is intended for photography enthusiasts of all levels who are willing to embark on an immersive experience of self-discovery and personal growth.
Please read the testimonials section to find out how pros and beginners alike have been able to appreciate this approach that allows each participant to put the teachings into practice in a way that best suits their level of preparation.
Who Runs The Retreat?
Enzo Dal Verme is an Italian portrait photographer whose work has been mainly featured in leading international magazines. He is a long-time meditator with over 15 years of experience facilitating groups. Please check out the teacher page to learn more about Enzo.
Bibi Brown has been practicing T’ai Chi and Qi Gong for over 40 years and has taught regular Qi Gong groups in London.
She is the author of the book "Qi Gong: The Chinese art of working with energy".
Bibi Brown is the Qi Gong teacher
How does the retreat practically unfolds?
Our classes are hands-on and experiential. There are exercises on perception, interaction and creativity to be performed individually, in pairs or in a group, with or without the camera.
How do we usually perceive reality around us? Objects, views and people emit a different light when observed with conscious attention: beyond their shapes, materials, colors and textures, they are an expression of life itself. Capturing that depth through our lens is different from pursuing a "nice picture." It requires knowing how to connect with the subject and how to use one's own personal photographic technique promptly and flexibly.
And how do we feel while shooting? What makes us feel uncomfortable or excited? Several different exercises are designed to improve our presence and capacity to focus and interact.
We offer Qi Gong sessions every morning. We start with a warm up to generate energy and shake off stiffness or tiredness, followed by a simple sequence of movements. These are like the movements you see in T'ai Chi practice: gentle postures that flow slowly, cultivate focus, relaxation and balance, and support us in finding more harmony between mind and body and breath. The sequence is performed standing, wearing our everyday clothes.
Throughout the retreat, we will cultivate presence with short guided meditations.
The daily routine
The retreat begins with dinner on the first day and ends before dinner on the last day. During the retreat, lectures and exercises are alternated with free time to relax by the pool or venture out and discover the art cities nearby or the surrounding nature. A typical daily routine goes something like this:
08:00 am to 08:30 am – Qi Gong & Tai Chi movement
08:30 am to 09:30 am – An abundant and yummy breakfast
09:30 am to 09:45 am – Meditation
09:45 am to 01:00 pm – Lecture, indoor and outdoor exercises on perception, framing, concentration
01:00 pm to 02:00 pm – A delicious lunch
02:45 pm to 07:00 pm – Lecture, indoor and outdoor exercises on natural light, photographer/subject interaction or free afternoon
07:00 pm to 08:00 pm – A delicious dinner
08:30 pm to 10:30 pm – Projection of photos taken by students on the day, editing tips and discussion or free evening
Where is the retreat held?
Fattoria Di Camporomano is a beautiful historic residence nestled in an oasis of peace in the heart of Tuscany (Italy). It is set on a 40-hectare hillside planted with olive trees that includes a botanical trail through forest and olive groves, plus spectacular views of the surroundings. Hospitality is offered in the renovated old cottages, each different from the others. Plants and flowers surround the swimming pool to enhance moments of relaxation.
How to get there
The nearest international airport is Pisa, about 30 minutes away.
The Florence airport is about one hour away.
The nearest train station is Viareggio, about 8.5 km from the Fattoria di Camporomano. Cab service is available from the Viareggio train station and pick-up service can be arranged for a fee.
Accommodation
The guest rooms are all distinct and located in the apartments/cottages scattered around the estate. Some rooms have private bathrooms, and others share a bathroom with another room.
The number of single rooms is limited; those who book early have a better chance of securing their desired room.
Food
Traditional Tuscan recipes are prepared daily by the farm's cooks using hearty ingredients (some of them picked directly from the vegetable garden). Meals are deliciously vegan, so the pleasure of good food is celebrated every day with tasty and mouthwatering dishes that are also healthy, minimize our impact on the planet and don't harm the animals.
Those with food intolerances or special needs can indicate this when booking.
Yummy snacks are available throughout the day.
Optional activities
During the retreat, there will also be moments for relaxation with optional activities to better metabolize what you learn.
You can stay at the Fattoria, strolling along the botanical trail or enjoy some sunshine by the pool. Or you can discover and enjoy arts, archaeology and architecture when visiting the surrounding areas: Florence is about an hour away, Cinque Terre about one and a half, while Pisa and Lucca can be reached in 15 to 25 minutes.
Also in the vicinity is Lake Massaciuccoli, a birdwatchers' paradise where you can rent canoes and bicycles for independent or guided excursions. Only a short drive away is the beautiful forest and nature trails of Migliarino/San Rossore. Sea boat excursions can also be organized. If you want to treat yourself to a massage, that's possible too. All these activities are not included in the retreat package and can be arranged as extras.
What To Bring:
A digital camera (reflex or mirrorless)
A 50mm luminous lens (if it's not a fixed focal length lens, it's okay) plus the participant's favorite lenses, if any
A laptop with photo-editing software to select your pictures and Photoshop to resize them before commenting on them together
A USB stick
A pen and notepad (yes, paper!)
A pinch of a sense of humor :)
NB:
Except in certain cases, technical aspects of camera use will not be discussed during the workshop. Participants are expected to know how to use their cameras and computer programs.
During the exercises, participants will photograph each other.
The course is open to participants of any age and nationality.
Price
The price of the Portrait Photography Retreat varies depending on the chosen solution.
if you book two months in advance, you have a € 100,00 Early Bird discount:
Triple room with private bathroom (per person): Early Bird € 990,00 / Regular Price € 1.090,00
Double room with private bathroom (per person): Early Bird € 1.050,00 / Regular Price € 1.150,00
Double room for single use with shared bathroom with another room: Early Bird € 1.250,00 / Regular Price € 1.350,00
Double room for single use with private bathroom: Early Bird € 1.350,00 / Regular Price € 1.450,00
The number of single rooms is limited, those who book early have a better chance to secure the desired room.
A deposit payment of €650,00 (Early Bird) / € 750,00 (Regular Price) is required at the time of booking. The balance is paid directly to the Fattoria Di Camporomano on the day of arrival at the retreat. After selecting your desired date (below) and filling up the corresponding registration form, you’ll be redirected to the payment page where you can pay with Paypal or with a credit card.
What The Price Does Not Include
Airfare
Airport transfers
Travel insurance (highly recommended)
Personal expenses and extras
Optional activities
What The Price Includes
Accommodation
Daily teaching sessions and all group activities
Three freshly prepared vegan meals per day
A variety of healthy and delicious snacks during the retreat
Teas, juices, water throughout the retreat
Use of the pool
Daily housekeeping
Wi-fi pass
Taxes
The next Portrait Photography Retreats in Tuscany will take place:
Fattoria di Camporomano
upcoming dates will be announced soon, they will be in 2025
Click here for FAQs about the Portrait Photography Retreats and Portrait Photography Workshops.
