Tuscan Villa Workshop 2027 (2 SPOTS LEFT)

A Timeless Tuscan Journey

October 3 - 9, 2027

Participant Price: $8,295.00 USD & Companion Price: $4,995.00 USD

Tuscany is a time honored, revered place to visit, and it is on almost everyone’s list, at least one or more times. Hence so many of the familiar sites—Florence, Siena, San Gimignano—are overrun with tourists. Waiting in line, or getting bumped around on overcrowded sidewalks is not the way to revel in the spectacular quietude and beauty of this extraordinary place on earth. That's why we have crafted this exclusive, immersive experience in the heart of Tuscany. We have arranged a private stay at Villa Controni, extolled by all who stay as possessed of fairy tale charm and beauty. It is off by itself, with only twelve bedrooms, and we will be the only guests.

We truly love Italy, and once again, we have the great fortune of working with the talented Luca Floridia, owner of Drive the Vintage, who designed the experience. He was born and raised in Lucca, just by the villa, and he creates small custom tours, which include his fleet of vintage Fiat 500's. We will stay at the beautiful, baroque-era villa the entire time, and Drive the Vintage provides our transportation and touring.

This will be an intimate experience, with the villa belonging to only our group, so we can relax, have informal gatherings with our cameras, eat, and drink. This is not an advanced lighting workshop. The beauty of this new workshop is that we will have landscape and portrait opportunities, in addition to other unique cultural experiences given the range of Luca’s contacts. We will have models at the villa on one of our days, complete with Vespas, but on others, we will tour the byways of Tuscany photographing from the open sunroof of Fiat 500's! We will see Cinque Terra from the sea, in a private, sunset boat tour. We will have a private wine tasting at Enoteca Vanni, and wander for lunch and pictures at the Gulf of Lerici. Back at the relaxed atmosphere of the villa, we will have class and critiques, and participants can easily schedule private sessions. This workshop will be a visually stunning, exclusive experience to work on a variety of skills.

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS!

A 6-Night Stay in a beautiful, Baroque-style luxury villa - no hotel changes
Fiat 500 Tour! A caravan in multiple vintage Fiat 500s with a dedicated driver
Visit to a charming and quiet hillside town for landscape panoramas - Monte Carlo
Cinque Terre Excursion - sunset boat tour
Gulf of Lerici - lunch and walkabout
Model shoot at Villa Controni with Vespas
Guided tour of the ancient city of Lucca for street shooting
Private wine tasting at Enoteca Vanni
Daily critiques and gatherings
Meals: All breakfasts, and all but 1 dinner and 2 lunches included in price + wine!
Ape-Pizza Night at the Villa - with delicious, fresh pizza on the spot

EMAIL FOR INFORMATION

QUICK DETAILS

Participant Rate: $ 8,295.00 USD
Companion Rate: $4,995.00 USD (same room occupancy) +1's are Welcome
Deposit and Registration: A 50% deposit is due upon registration to confirm your workshop spot
6 Nights/7 Days: Workshop begins (5:00pm on October 3) and ends in Lucca, Italy. Departures on the morning of October 9.
A 5-Star Luxury Villa Stay
Custom Tours with a Highly-Rated Experienced Tour Company
Work on Landscape and Portrait Photography, and other technical skills

FAQ's

What are the Workshop Dates?

What is the Cost of the Workshop?

What can Companions (+1) Participate In?

Our companions (specifically non-photographers) are very welcomed on any planned group excursions, in addition to all scheduled group meals. Companions are also welcome to watch (and assist) dedicated photography portrait sessions and organized shoots providing there is room in either vehicles or spacing in a dedicated area. We have to maintain priority access for our photographers to work. Photographers are the only ones who will be allowed to photograph talent and participate in photo critique sessions, in addition to scheduling one-on-one instructor time with Joe.

What's Included?

What's Not Included?

What Locations will we Visit?

Can I walk to the town of Lucca?

Will there be Portrait Photography Instruction?

What is the Skill Level for the Workshop?

What is the Activity Level of the Workshop?

What is the Workshop Refund Policy?

A refund can be issued (minus any/all processing and administration fees) within 15 days of registration as long as it is 6 months ahead of the trip start date. Within 6 months of travel there will be no refunds that can be granted. Please understand this. We strongly suggest that all participants purchase travel insurance that will sufficiently cover all potential needs (medical needs outside of your home country or schedule changes) that could arise. Please email: [email protected] with any questions.

Joe McNally Photography (opens in new tab)

Acclaimed, award-winning photographer Joe McNally is known worldwide as the quintessential “pro’s pro;” an extremely versatile, deeply experienced assignment photographer whose jobs have brought him to over 70 countries and counting.

McNally is often described as: Authentic, empathetic and articulate, an exceptionally skilled technical photographer who pairs extraordinary camera know-how with a vivid imagination and an ongoing, vibrant creativity. Always curious, always adapting to the conditions at hand and the relentless advances in camera technology, he has photographed FIVE cover stories for the National Geographic (amongst an overall FIFTEEN coverages), and SEVEN
covers of LIFE Magazine. He photographed the very first all-digital coverage for National Geographic, which was considered such a significant, watershed moment in the history of that venerable publication that the entire coverage has been incorporated into the archives of the U.S Library of Congress. In addition to inspiring editorial work, McNally has covered FOUR Olympics for such diverse clients as ABC Television, Sports Illustrated and TIME magazine. McNally is known for his penchant to get his camera in “a different place” and has twice climbed the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, in addition to climbing the Empire State Building four times. He is that rare photographer who has successfully made the bridge between the commercial world and the editorial world, and is highly regarded by clients for his versatility, and willingness to be a team player. Joe McNally, a proud Nikon Ambassador, has an extraordinary ability to photograph simple assignments with intimacy and grace, as well as master movie-scale productions with large crews, tremendous pressure and countless moving parts.