Discover Venice in late autumn

Experience Venice at its most intimate and contemplative during the quiet magic of November, when morning mist drifts across still canals and soft light transforms the floating city into a photographer's dream. Without summer's bustling crowds, Venice reveals its authentic character through gentle fog, golden reflections, and the kind of serene atmosphere that defines truly memorable images.

Master the Art of Venetian Photography

This five-day intensive combines hands-on shooting at iconic locations and secret corners with comprehensive instruction in composition, timing, and long exposure techniques designed specifically for Venice's unique challenges and opportunities. You'll capture both celebrated landmarks and hidden campi during the city's most photogenic moments — from pre-dawn mist rolling off the Grand Canal to the warm glow of sunset illuminating Gothic facades.

Develop Your Visual Voice

Between shooting sessions, we'll focus on post-processing workflows, portfolio reviews, and developing your personal vision through discussions on visual storytelling and creating cohesive bodies of work that go beyond individual shots to capture the essence of this extraordinary city.

Workshop Itinerary:

Day 1 – Arrival & Intro Session

Check-in, orientation, and gear check.
Short photowalk through Cannaregio: canals, bridges, local life.
Evening briefing: goals, portfolio talk, and planning for the week.

Day 2 – San Marco & Reflections

Early session at Piazza San Marco in blue hour and fog (tripod essential).
Focus: symmetry, low light techniques, clean compositions.
Afternoon walk: Bridge of Sighs, Doge’s Palace from creative angles.
Post-processing & feedback session in the studio.

Day 3 – Rialto & Long Exposure Mastery

Golden hour at Rialto Bridge: architecture + motion blur with boats.
Workshop on using ND filters and long exposures in urban scenes.
Explore Santa Croce & Grand Canal curves.
Optional night shoot along Zattere with water reflections and light trails.

Day 4 – Burano Color Study & Isolation

Early boat ride to Burano: vibrant colors, lines, and minimalist details.
Focus: composition, contrast, and negative space.
Return for portfolio editing and 1-on-1 reviews.
Group dinner (optional) to celebrate final shooting day.

Day 5 – Storytelling & Wrap-Up

Final sunrise shoot (optional) near San Giorgio Maggiore or Arsenale.
Workshop on sequencing, storytelling, and publishing your Venice series.
Feedback roundtable, Q&A and departure by late afternoon.

Required

DSLR or Mirrorless Camera
Tripod.
Remote shutter release cable
Spare batteries
Battery Charger
Memory Cards
Lens Cloth
Electric Plug Adapter
Raincover (or umbrella)

Premium luxury boutique accommodation located in the historic heart of Venice, optimized for direct dawn access to St. Mark's Square and the grand canals
Expertly curated field sessions during the serene, low-light golden hours, focusing on Venetian geometry, historical bridge lines, and distant islands (Burano/Torcello)
All local maritime transportation logistics required during field assignments, fully customized to ensure high-end equipment protection
Daily premium gourmet breakfast aligned with early morning low-light photography schedules
Advanced technical masterclass sessions on extreme long-exposure techniques (using 6, 10, and 15-stop ND filters) and the professional Linear Response (Capture One) raw workflow to achieve a minimalist, organic visual aesthetic
Strict group size limitation (Maximum 4 participants) to protect a quiet, artistic atmosphere and guarantee true 1- on-1 artistic mentoring

Not Included

Flights

All other meals

Beverages

Insurance

Relatively easy but with lots of walking around the streets, so good footwear needed.

Best place to fly to is Venice Marco Polo Airport, but you can also fly to Venice Treviso.

To reach the hotel with public services you can choose between these two possibilities:

Sightseeing Route: about 40 minutes ride with “Vaporetto” Line 2 direction San Marco, suggested stop San Marco Giardinetti (easy path without bridges) or Line 1 direction San Marco, stop in San Marco Vallaresso. Cross the whole square in the direction of the Basilica, on you left side you will find the Clock Tower, go through the Tower and take the first street on your right called “Calle Larga San Marco”. The Hotel is at the end of the street on the left side in “Calle dell’Anzolo”.

Shortest Path: about 15 minutes ride with “Vaporetto” Line 1 or 2 direction Rialto. From Rialto boat stop to the hotel it’s about 10-minutes walk. Take “Mercerie” street till the end and turn left into “Calle Larga San Marco”. The hotel is at the end of the street on the left side in “Calle dell’Anzolo”.

The weather can be quite cold this time of year, and the mornings and evenings colder, so bring warm clothes. Ideally layers that you can remove or put on as we’ll be shooting before sunrise and after sunset, in the dark, when it will be colder. Bring wet weather gear and a raincover for your camera equipment.

Private Workshop & Tour Bookings

Private tours and workshops for all tours are available upon request. Please use the form here or contact me by email or phone so I can put together a custom itinerary and price for you.

Private Tour & Workshop Bookings

Private tours and workshops for all tours are available upon request. Please use the form here or contact me by email or phone so I can put together a custom itinerary and price for you.

You can book and pay online securely here on my website. by card or bank tranfer. All card payments are processed securely using Stripe. This website and no one involved with it will see your card details. If you choose to save your card details for future use, they will be stored on the Stripe server, not this website.

Full terms & conditions here.

Kieran Commins

I went with Paulo on the Slovenia Workshop recently. Slovenia, especially in the Lake Bled region, is stunning and with Paulo's experience I was brough to great locations at the best times. Paulo has researched photographic locations and chooses one that suits the weather on the day. For example the photo of St Thomas church above the clouds took knowledge of the local conditions. Paulo is a great host and tutor and looks after guests very well.

Owner's reply
Thank you very much Kieran! Wonderfull days in Slovenia!

Brian Schweitzer

I had the pleasure of attending a one-day private workshop with Paulo, and it was an outstanding experience. His deep knowledge of the area and expertise in landscape photography are truly impressive. Paulo is exceptionally friendly and patient, especially when guiding you through camera settings and new techniques. Not only did I come away with some fantastic images, but I also learned valuable skills that will enhance my future photography. It was a real pleasure meeting and learning from Paulo. If you’re traveling in Europe and have an interest in landscape photography, I highly recommend joining one of his workshops—you’ll come away with great photos, new techniques, and wonderful memories. •⁠ ⁠Brian S., Michigan, USA

Owner's reply
Thank you very much Brian! Wonderfull day wee joined!

Marije Overvelde

Last week, I did a private Algarve workshop with Paulo trough the beautiful coastal landscapes. I had a great time and experience. Paulo is a good, wellprepared workshop leader! He knows a lot, easy going and is open to answer all the questions. I definitely learned a lot and I am motivated to make my own progress now. Thank you, Paulo!

Owner's reply
Thank you Marije! It was a great pleasure to meet you,and i'm trully happy that you enjoyed the workshop, and taked advantages for your photography. Hope see you soon in Porto:)

Cindy Bartlett

We joined Paulo for an amazing photography tour of the Azores. Paulo had researched spots for both sunrise and sunset photography along with other stunning scenery on the island. This was a gift for my husband's birthday and it could not have been more perfect. The photography shots were incredible and the entire trip was handled very professionally. We will definitely book another photography tour with Paulo.

Owner's reply
Thank you Cindy! It was a great week in the Azores! See you soon in Italy!!