Light & Shadow:
A Week of Street Photography in Venice
HIGHLIGHTS
HIGHLIGHTS
The week will be spent at the retreat center, a brightly renovated ex-convent on the Zattere in the Dorsoduro sector
Dinners at local restaurants curated by the knowledgeable team of Il-Chiostro
Daily workshops led by Sara, Director of ASoP in one the most beautiful places in the world, including guided art history tour of Venice with a local art historian and a day trip by private boat to the colorful island of Burano
Create lasting relationships and memories with fellow travel enthusiast photographers
Locations hand selected by company with 25+ years experience
Creative-focused photo shoots and editing sessions
October 2 - 9, 2027
Venice doesn’t just offer beautiful light; it performs with it. Morning mist diffuses the sun into something painterly; afternoon bounces golden tones off canal water and terracotta; twilight turns every calle into chiaroscuro. This week-long workshop is built around the relationship between photographer and light, set against one of the world’s most photogenic cities.
Venice rewards photographers who move slowly. Its labyrinthine layout means every turn reveals a quiet courtyard, an unexpected archway, or a stretch of canal reflecting a lone gondola. There are no cars here, no traffic noise, no visual clutter of modern infrastructure, just stone, water, and light in constant conversation. But it also punishes impatience. The famous spots are crowded, the alleyways tight, the reflections fleeting. Learning to work with the city rather than against it is half the lesson.
Each day focuses on a different dimension of the craft. We’ll study how Venice’s unique geography shapes the quality of light at different hours, how narrow calli funnel sunlight into sharp beams, how open campi flood with soft, even tones, and how the lagoon itself acts as a vast reflector, lifting shadows and adding depth to waterside portraits.
You’ll leave not just with a set of strong images from one of the most visually extraordinary places on earth, but with a more deliberate, flexible eye, one that travels with you.
Our 2025 trip to Tuscany!
What you’ll work on:
Natural light: how to read it, chase it, and use it to shape mood and story
The language of the street: timing, proximity, patience, and instinct
Composition in tight, complex spaces: bridges, archways, narrow passages, open campi
Shooting on and around water: reflections, movement, and tonal range
Working in low light, mist, and the unique atmospheric conditions
Developing a cohesive visual voice across a body of work
Dinners: During the week, we will have 5 meals together: 4 dinners at local restaurants and 1 Sunday lunch. To experience a good cross-section of typical Venetian cuisine, we will sample diverse neighborhood trattorias. Two nights of the week, you will be on your own to follow your nose to restaurants, concerts, the opera, or whatever else might pique your curiosity. There is plenty of time for independent exploration.
General Activities: Our first activity will be an orientation at 6:00 pm on the first day, followed by dinner with the group. After that, most activities for the week, like an intimate walking tour of the back canals of this ancient city, will be organized around the workshop. It’s easy to be independent in this entirely walkable city, but all participants will come together for meals and excursions. Then, at the end of the week, you may participate in an exhibit of class work to share your impressions of enigmatic Venice.
Where You’ll Stay:
The week will be spent at the retreat center, a brightly renovated ex-convent on the Zattere in the Dorsoduro sector. When you register, you can choose either a single or a double room with an en-suite bathroom in the complex where our studio is located. Rooms are clean and comfortable, but simply furnished. If you would prefer to find your own accommodations in a nearby hotel or Airbnb, no problem. Just click that option on the registration page.
Getting around Venice is part of the adventure. With no cars in the historic center, the city is best explored on foot, winding through narrow alleys, crossing charming bridges, and stumbling upon hidden squares.
For longer distances, hop on a vaporetto (water bus), which cruises along the Grand Canal and connects the islands. Water taxis offer a faster, more private option, while gondolas provide a classic (if more leisurely) Venetian experience. Just be prepared to get a little lost, that’s often when Venice is at its most magical.
Arrival: You may fly directly into Venice, or start your trip in Rome, Milan, or Florence and then take a high-speed train to Venice.
Specific arrival instructions will follow, but from the train station, you can take the vaporetto and get off at the Zattere. From the airport, you can take the Alilaguna ferry (Blue Line) and get off at the Zattere. In either case, Artigianelli will be right in front of you. We’ll send you easy walking directions so you won't get lost. Remember that Venice is a walking city, so pack light because you will have to pull your luggage down the alleys and over the bridges; there’s just no getting around that.
Everyone should arrive independently at the venue where we will meet for an orientation at 6:00 pm on the first day of the program.
NOTE: If you want to arrive early or stay a day or two after the program, you can book a room by contacting the venue directly. We do not book rooms outside of the workshop dates, so this will depend on their availability, and you will pay them directly.
Departure: After breakfast on the final day. If you are flying out that day, you might try to arrange your flights for 11:00 am or later to avoid getting up at the crack of dawn.
If you have time, you might want to explore the Lake District or enchanting towns like Bergamo or Verona, the site of Romeo and Juliet, before you arrive in Venice. This will give you plenty of time to recover from jet lag before you settle in at the convent and start your workshop. Besides, Italy is not something that should be experienced in a hurry. Its charms need to seep into your skin while you linger at a café or amble through a piazza.
For more information on travel requirements, click the “Getting There” button at the top of this page
Getting There
Price: $4,195 per student
Options:
Regular Single Room Supplement with twin bed – $485 (limited number available)
Large Single Room Supplement with double bed – $575 (limited number available)
Find Your Own Accommodations – $800 discount
Pricing
What’s
Included
7 nights at retreat center – double or single (with supplement) room with ensuite bathroom and shower (Note: departure is after breakfast on the final Saturday. The last class activity will be Friday evening.)
Daily breakfast
4 dinners and 1 lunch at local restaurants or at home, including wine
Workshop tuition, daily classes
Selected other museum entrance fees with Sara
Guided art history tour of Venice with a local art historian
Day trip by private boat to the colorful island of Burano
Selected excursions with the class
What’s
Not
Included
Airfare
Lunch (unless specified)
Photography equipment
Independent meals and sightseeing
Local transportation: vaporettos, water taxis
Check out images from Sara’s trips abroad!
Have questions?
Schedule a call with Sara!
More info
Location details, timing and specific itinerary will be provided upon registration. You will also be provided with Sara’s direct contact information shortly before the workshop. We will have several planning meetings via zoom leading up to the workshop. Sara will stay in constant contact all the way up to the day of departure!
What's the fitness level for this workshop?
This workshop will require much walking across cobblestone streets. For more info about walking in Venice, check out this article
What To Bring
DSLR or Mirrorless Camera
Computer or Tablet with Lightroom installed (contact Sara if you need help with this!)
At least two lenses, (wide angle to telephoto)
Sturdy walking shoes and comfortable clothes for a range of temperatures
Valid Passport
What if I’m a beginner?
Totally fine! We’ll be focusing more on composition than settings.
What if I’d like to use my smartphone to take photos?
Fantastic! Sara is an expert smartphone photographer and regularly teaches workshops on the subject.
Any questions? Contact us here!