Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How Much Is The Workshop?

 A. $6950 US, which includes the full workshop tuition, classroom time, 5-night hotel accommodations, daily transfers to/from shooting locations, any entry tickets or fees for access, and breakfast each morning at the hotel. It also includes dinner the night before the workshop and the final luncheon at the end of the workshop.

Q. What is The Activity Level?

A. We choose our hotels in a great location with lots of shooting opportunities nearby, but we’ll also take local transport for some of our shoots. We’re out shooting every day (starting at dawn and wrapping up with a sunset shoot).

We do a light to moderate amount of walking. No long hikes (well, really no hikes at all), nothing too strenuous (5 to 10 minutes tops), usually on paved streets, cobblestones, flat grass or dirt roads, and occasionally some uneven stairs as we explore the city.

You’ll be on your feet for a few hours in the morning and around sunset, so we highly recommend broken-in, comfortable walking shoes. We also take a long, built-in afternoon break every day so everyone can rest up and recharge before our evening shoot.

Q. How Should I Dress?

A. We want you to be comfortable, so our dress code is very casual (Your instructors will be in t-shirts, jeans, and a light jacket occasionally). We try to schedule our workshops when the weather is generally mild, but often it can get a little chilly at night or at dawn, so bring at least a light jacket or coat. As with any outdoor event, the weather is somewhat unpredictable, and an umbrella is always recommended (hey, ya never know). Comfortable shoes are a must.

Q. What Do I Need To Bring?

A. A DSLR or Mirrorless Camera; a tripod with ballhead; wireless remote or cable release; one to two lenses (a wide-angle lens and a longer lens, like a 70-200mm or a 24-240mm. Plus, bring a neutral density filter (we recommend a 10-stop ND filter, and ideally a 2nd ND filter of 3 or 5 stops) for shooting long exposures. For the post-processing segments, you’ll need a laptop with either Lightroom or Photoshop (or both). If you need to rent gear, we recommend http://www.lensprotogo.com - This gear topic will be also covered in detail in the workshop newsletters and during our group Zoom calls.

Q. What Level of Experience is Required?

A. Whether you’re a complete beginner, an advanced shooter, or someone who loves making your images on an iPhone, you are absolutely welcome here!

All we ask is that you have a basic familiarity with your gear and a little bit of experience with Lightroom or Photoshop. One quick piece of advice: resist the urge to buy a brand-new camera right before the workshop! You don’t want to spend precious shooting time fighting with new menus and settings when you could be focusing on making great images with a camera you already own and know.

Q. What’s the instructor to students ratio?

A. We generally have 14 participants so It’s around a 7 to 1 ratio, so you’ll have one-one-time with Scott and his guest instructor, and they’re right beside you on all the shoots, and in the classroom.

Q. Are there other expenses I will need to cover?

A. We kick things off with an opening-night welcome dinner and wrap up with a farewell lunch on our final day—and your spouse is invited to join us for both as our guest. While lunch and dinner are on your own most days, all entrance fees, location tickets, and local transportation during our shoots (whether by motorcoach, train, water taxi, or gondola) are fully covered. Aside from your travel to and from the airport, we don't anticipate any additional costs.

Q. Can I Bring My Spouse?

A. Absolutely! Spouses are more than welcome to stay with you at the hotel (just note that hotels typically charge a small fee for an extra guest). They can fully join you for breakfast, lunch, during our afternoon break, and for dinners on your own—which often turn into fun group outings with other participants!

However, to keep our focus sharp and maintain a great group dynamic, we limit our classroom sessions and on-location shoots strictly to registered students. The good news is that the city is packed with incredible shopping, museums, and tours to keep them entertained while we shoot, and our afternoon downtime means you'll still have plenty of time to explore together.

Q. What Are My Transportation Options For Getting To And From The Hotel?

A. In some cases, our hotel will offer an Airport Shuttle to/from for an additional fee, but if not, we'll let you know the easiest way to get to our host hotel for the workshop.

Q. What Is The Refund Policy?

A. If you have to cancel, we will do our absolute best to fill your spot using our waiting list and newsletters. If we are able to fill your seat, your entire tuition is refundable, minus the standard credit card processing fees we are charged.

If we are unable to fill your spot, we will still issue you a 50% refund of the full tuition, provided you cancel at least 7 days before the workshop starts.

Q. Should you buy Travel Insurance?

A. We strongly recommend buying travel insurance, to cover all the related expenses (flights, a maybe rental car, etc, and(it’s much more affordable than you’d think. I’ll be using Generali Global Assistance (no affiliation with them – just a customer). They came highly recommended and we’ve been using them ever since. Here’s their link.

Q. Is lodging and transportation included in the tuition?

A. Yes! Your hotel accommodations and all local transportation to and from our shoots are fully included in the workshop. During the trip, we’ll travel together in a comfortable 16-passenger minibus with a professional driver.

Q. What If I Have Questions That Aren’t Answered Here?

A. You can email Scott directly.