Photo Workshop :
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   LES PLEIADES - COL DE LYS
   Narcissus in full bloom
Dates : Saturday 29 May 2010
Length : 1 day (from dawn to dusk)
Number of participants : 5 maximum
Language : This workshop is done in French.
Note that if you don't master perfectly this language, no worries, I will be able to translate in English or Spanish as necessary.
Price / person : 190.- CHF
- This price includes the photographic teaching and the morning breakfast.
- The mid day and evening lunches as well as the transports during the day are not included.
- Payable in full at the registration stage in order to guaranty your place in the workshop.
Location : This workshop takes place in the vaudoises and fribourgeoises Pre-Alps, from the Pléiades summit to the Lys pass. This places offer breathtaking views over Geneva lake and the surrounding mountains. By visiting them at this specific time of year we have the privilege to see the alpine prairies filled with beautiful narcissus (see the example pictures above.) Between mountainous landscape and flowered fields, no need to precise that you will not be short of subjects to photograph.
WHO CAN ATTEND : This workshop is open to beginners as well as more advanced photographers.
A small number of participants allows me to address the needs and questions of everyone individually, whatever your level.

Fitness level required:

A good fitness level is required to be able to attend this workshop.
The walk up to col de Lys, which is he highest point of the day at 1783m, requires a 380m ascent on an easy mountain path. The round trip walking time is approximately 1h45mn.
The total walking time of the day is between 3 to 4 hours.
Note that the walking pace adopted is quite slow and stops are frequent. We are here to do some photography, not to break records ;-) !
Content : The following subjects are covered:
  • preparation (study of the terrain, the weather, organising and choosing your photo equipment, etc...)
  • location and subject finding, searching for attractive compositions, the basic rules of composition
  • learning how to appreciate the quality of different lighting conditions
  • how to correctly expose an image (diaphragm aperture, shutter speed, reading the histogram, etc...)
  • learning how to control the depth of field (zone of sharpness)
  • use of filters
  • techniques of panoramic photography
  • general usage of the camera (aperture or shutter priority, white balance, histograms, ISO, etc...)
  • the post-processing
All these subjects are covered in more or less details depending of the global level of the participants and also according to your individual interests. In other words I will customise the workshop according to your needs.

Overview of the workshop:
This workshops starts at dawn and finishes at dusk. This gives you the opportunity to photograph the most photogenic lights of the day. The day is made of theoretical explanations and a lot of practice. This is very much a hands on workshop. Everything takes place outdoor in the nature. We visit different photo locations, known for their beautiful narcissus filled prairies: the Pléiades summit and the Lys pass.
Below is the detailed schedule planned for this workshop:
  • Meeting in Vevey 1h30mn before sunrise.
  • Transfer (by car) to Pléiades summit to be ready to start photographing at dawn (IMPORTANT: we will not wait for those arriving late, as the light won't be waiting for us either).
  • 20min before sunrise, we enter directly into action and start our first photo session of the day which will last between 1h30 to 2h.
  • I offer you breakfast (tea, coffee and nice fresh croissants). We take the opportunity to get to know each others and I present you in details the plan for the rest of the day.
  • Small walks to visit different photo locations around les Pléiades with different viewpoints opening up towards the surrounding mountains and different narcissus fields of course.
  • Photo session of a few hours with various theoretical presentations on the different subjects mentioned above.
  • Come lunchtime (location will be decided at the last moment according to the weather)
  • Session on post-processing (on my lap-top). I present you my way of working by processing some of the pictures taken earlier in the day.
  • Transfer to the Paccots village.
  • Walk up to the Lys pass (380m ascent on an easy mountain footpath - around 1h/1h15min walk time
  • Last photo session of the day, with on one side the sun setting over Geneva lake, and on the other, the warm light of the setting sun on Vanil des Artses, with narcissus as foreground of course.
  • Return to the cars (don't forget your head torch!).
  • For those who wants, we will finish the day around a traditional fondue in a local alpine restaurant (diner at your expense).
Equipment Required : A small and non-exhaustive list of the equipment required to attend the workshop :
  • First and foremost, VERY IMPORTANT: your eyes.
  • Also very important: a positive outlook :-) !
  • And of course your photographic equipment, film or digital.
  • A camera that can work in manual mode is strongly recommended.
  • A tripod is also recommended, especially for shots at dawn and dusk, when the light level is very low.
  • Warm clothing, as even in summer, temperatures can be very cold in the mountains, so hat, gloves and a waterproof jackets (Gore-Tex type) are strongly advised, whatever the time of the year.
  • Some good walking boots.
  • Sandwiches for your mid day lunch, as well as water for the whole day.
  • Obligatory: a head torch (for the return walk at dusk)
Registration : Can be done from the workshops presentation main page. Click here to access it.
Terms and Conditions : Click here to read the general terms and conditions (payment facilities, cancellations, insurances, etc...).



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