Venice Carnival

Lavish costumes set against the most exquisite background on the planet. That's the Venice Carnival! People from all over the world gather here once a year to show off their exquisite outfits. Surprise encounters are to be had in the many squares, little bridges and alleyways through the town. At every turn the "poseurs" wait to have their photo taken, a welcome change for lovers of portrait photography.

We have organised numerous private shoots with some of the best models at the Carnival. Over the years we have become friends with some wonderful, generous people from France, Austria, Germany, Italy and the USA. We have arranged shoots in some 'secret places' where you can take your time and work on your skills as portrait photographers. We combine our intimate knowledge of Venice with our long list of contacts to provide some of the very best photographic opportunities the Carnival has to offer.

We take time to explore the secret corners of Venice as well as the better known attractions such as the Rialto, the Bridge of Sighs and the Grande Canal. We will take a boat trip to the magical island of Burano to photograph the colourful boats and houses that line the Canal. We will capture the reflections that ripple in the gentle movement of the water.

In contrast, St. Mark's Square at sunrise is quiet, often deserted, except for a few hardy "poseurs" and photographers! Being February, the sun rises at a civilised time enabling us to photograph the first light as it cuts across the square.

Tim and Gilly work tirelessly to make this workshop a truly special experience. Attention to detail is paramount and this applies to our choice of hotel and restaurants. We look forward to hosting our 12th Venice Carnival workshop!

"Firstly, to say how much I enjoyed the trip organised by both of you.  It was informative, relaxed and fun, and I gained infinitely more insights than I expected to into the Venice Carnival, and certainly more  than I did when I visited in 2006!  This was mainly because of your private relationships with the various masques, which removed the masks (literally and metaphorically) and exposed the people as far more "ordinary" than I had expected!  Gilly's organisation, guidance around the city,  and choices of restaurant was excellent, and Tim's photographic experience of locations within Venice with suitable backgrounds (such an essential prerequisite for a good photograph) was also excellent, and I was particularly grateful for the forward thinking required to keep the group motivated despite rain and puddles." 

 Rosamund (2024)

“I want to thank you guys for a fantastic workshop. I could have done the Carnival on my own but the experience and photos would have been far inferior. Meeting the models made the experience much richer. For me, workshops are about enjoying congenial company as well as getting better photos and you guys deliver on both counts.”  

Richard (2023 Workshop)

Thank you so much for another enjoyable Venice carnival, my sixth. Your change in format meant that we got to experience the best of the poseurs in the best of locations, including some very special private shoots where we were the only photographers. Every time you manage to come up with some different experiences so that it is never a repeat of a previous trip. The accommodation as usual was ideal and perfectly placed for reaching San Marco before the crowds arrived and dining each evening was a pleasure. Thanks to you and to Gilly for your organisational skills and for looking after us so well.

Chris Ellison

Last year, my husband and I joined Tim and a small group of photographers on his Venice Carnival trip. This was an amazing experience. Tim has held photo holidays at the carnival in several previous years, and his experience and expertise really showed. He knew exactly where to advise us to go to get the best images, and how to establish a rapport with the models in carnival costume, and made sure we were out early before the huge numbers of tourists, to get good light and to have the best opportunities to capture spectacular shots. One of the days was spent on Burano island, where Tim had pre-arranged a meeting with a particular model and her friends, who agreed to be there exclusively for our group. As well as photography, we had a lovely time socially with the rest of the group. Tim arranged and booked the hotel, which was delightful, and made sure that our evening meals were booked at convivial but reasonably priced restaurants. It was a real pleasure being part of his group, and I can thoroughly recommend the holiday. We have since been with him in the Dordogne, and are doing two holidays with him this coming year.

Chris & Ruth
 

"Elated from a fantastic photo holiday in Venice. Thank you very much for showing me so much and looking after me, and all the other clients, so well. I has a wonderful time, and so enjoyed the social side as well as the photography.

Tim - all the very flattering things they say about you on the testimonials page are all true - your passion shines through it all, and instead of feeling like a client, you treated us like friends. You were great company and a great laugh to be around. I'm sure I will book with you again, and a return trip to Venice is a possibility and would love to work with Michaela, Alex and the others again.

Gilly - your facilitation and attention made this a fantastic experience, and you have a wonderful, friendly manner - again the testimonials say it all really".

Conrad

A comment from one of the poseurs which I thought I would share with you.
"I remember you as a charming and friendly photographer who takes good pictures, so it would be a pleasure for me, if you will spend time with me/us next year. Heartly greetings from Austria." Daniela Schmid