workshops and travel for the passionate photographer

Limit 10 spaces | $5,195* Register

Creative Core September 2 - 9, 2012 | View other workshops

Tuscany with Annie Griffiths and Justin Black

Workshops are such a collaborative endeavor. I love being part of a group of people, hungry to learn and sharing what they know. And a workshop in Tuscany is about as good as it gets! Imagine the group meals we will have after each day of shooting! Bellissimo!

–Annie Griffiths

Learn the art of visual storytelling in the cradle of the Renaissance with internationally acclaimed National Geographic photographer Annie Griffiths and Visionary Wild's Justin Black. This is an intimate session for ten advanced photographers, focusing on the astonishing wealth of culture, history, art, architecture, landscape, philosophy, lifestyle, fashion, fine wine, and cuisine that are part and parcel of Tuscan life. Based in Florence's central historic district (Centro Storico di Firenze) we will explore this rich tapestry of culture in Florence itself and on group excursions to other Tuscan destinations a short train or bus ride away, culminating in two special events: Florence's Rificolona paper lantern festival, and the Chianti Classico Wine Festival in nearby Greve. Instructors will work with participants to identify themes to guide the creation of an edited set of photographs that tell a cohesive and compelling story.

Click "read more" tag below to read on and see the image gallery (including a portfolio of storytelling images from other locations).

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Annie's presentations on visual storytelling and her approach to photography for National Geographic will provide creative inspiration and the framework to conceptualize and produce images that effectively communicate themes and concepts and that capture the essence of subject and place. Annie and Justin will guide the group on daily photo excursions, providing hands-on instruction and guidance. In addition to photographing alongside the instructors, participants will have the option of exploring photographic opportunities alone or in collaboration with other participants according to their preference. Annie and Justin will provide one-on-one time to every participant, both in the field and during editing sessions, to tailor instruction to each person's needs and provide an opportunity to discuss participant interests that may not come up in the context of the group. Group critiques will yield invaluable and constructive insights to refine and develop each participant's work.

Once everyone is at the top of the game after five days of instruction, photography, editing, and critique, we will cap off the workshop with two superb opportunities: the Rificolona, an evening promenade of hand-made paper lanterns through the historic center of Florence, and the Chianti Classico Wine Festival.

It's a very special place indeed that can claim Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Galileo, Botticelli, Dante, Giotto, Donatello, and Machiavelli as notable residents, but equally impressive is they way in which contemporary Florentines and other Tuscans so effortlessly integrate their region's traditions and pervasive historic character into life in the 21st century. Masterpieces of art and architecture are everywhere in Florence, and a vibrant artisan tradition carries on to this day as well, handcrafting paper, leather, and other materials into utilitarian artwork. The Tuscans (who identify themselves more by town than by region) are thriving, creative, and proud people who understand their special place in history and contemporary global culture alike, and they make a point to appreciate all their lifestyle has to offer.

Fortunately, they are happy to share it with us as well. We hope you will join us!

Among European cities, Florence is a personal favorite and I'm always excited to guide friends here – my art history studies even come in handy. The people of Tuscany range from rustic to urbane and are generally friendly and welcoming. Virtually all are profoundly aware of how fortunate they are to be a part of this place and this culture. I am forever amazed that so many of the innovations that moved western culture out of the ignorance and superstition of the Middle Ages and into the modern era were realized in this Tuscan town on the banks of the Arno River. Florence and Tuscany offer endless photographic opportunities and inspiration to please the most demanding photographer. As a bonus, it just so happens that some of the very best cuisine in the world is prepared in the "humble" kitchens of Tuscan ristoranti and trattorie, and I look forward to sharing some of my favorites with our group. Florence is truly a wonder of the western world, and our lives would surely be very different without its influence on the course of human history. –Justin Black

Annie Griffiths

The best part about teaching is that it reminds me of what brought me to photography in the first place: the thrill of seeking out new pictures, and the triumph of that first look at a moment captured.

One of the first women photographers to work for National Geographic, Griffiths has photographed in more than 100 countries during her illustrious career. She has worked on dozens of magazine and book projects for the Society, including stories on Lawrence of Arabia, Baja California, Galilee, Petra, Sydney, New Zealand, and Jerusalem.

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In addition to her magazine work, Griffiths is deeply committed to photographing women’s issues. She is the Executive Director of Ripple Effect Images, a collective of photojournalists who are documenting the programs that help poor women deal with the effects of climate change. Griffiths is a Fellow with The International League of Conservation Photographers. Known for her warmth and for her ability to create photographs that humanize situations and cultures, Griffiths is one of the National Geographic Speaker's Bureau's most popular lecturers.

Griffith’s work has also appeared in LIFE, Geo, Smithsonian, Stern, Time and many other publications. With author Barbara Kingsolver, Annie produced Last Stand: America’s Virgin Lands, a book celebrating the last pristine wilderness in North America. Proceeds from the book raised more than a quarter of a million dollars for grassroots land conservation. In 2008, Griffiths published A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel, a photo memoir about balance, and the joy of creating a meaningful life. Her newest book, Simply Beautiful Photographs, was named the #1 photography book of 2010 by Amazon.

Griffiths has received awards from the National Press Photographers Association, the Associated Press, the National Organization of Women, The University of Minnesota and the White House News Photographers Association. She lives in Great Falls, Virginia with her two children.

Videos featuring Annie Griffiths

Interview: Annie Griffiths by National Geographic Live!

Annie Griffiths: A Camera, Two Kids and a Camel

Justin Black

One of my great joys is witnessing the moment when a workshop participant experiences the "Eureka!" moment – when the veil of obscurity gives way to clear vision and inspiration.

Justin Black has created inspiring educational photographic experiences for over a thousand passionate photographers since 1999.
A professional photographer since 1995, before founding Visionary Wild, he served the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) as Executive Director, and for seven years was General Manager and Curator of Galen Rowell's Mountain Light Photography.
Justin's photographs have been published by magazines such as National Geographic Adventure, Sierra, Sunset, American Photo, Outdoor Photographer, Rock & Ice, and Nature Conservancy.

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The Sierra Club, National Parks Conservation Association, Land Trust Alliance, Earth Justice, The Wilderness Society, Conservation International, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and the Wild Foundation are among conservation NGOs that have used his photographs in their campaigns, publications, and annual reports.

Justin has also served as an editor and contributor to numerous award-winning photo book projects, including Galen Rowell: A Retrospective; Freshwater: The Essence of Life; The Wealth of Nature: Ecosystem Services, Biodiversity, and Human Well-Being; Our National Parks: America's Natural Heritage; as well as Flying South: A Pilot's Inner Journey by Barbara Rowell. He is represented by the G2 Gallery in Venice, California, and Mountain Light Photography in Bishop, California.

An early career as a travel photographer and image licensing specialist led him to Mountain Light, the company founded by world-renowned National Geographic photographer, author, and mountaineer Galen Rowell and his wife, Barbara, in the San Francisco Bay Area. Beginning in 1999, Justin managed marketing of the Rowell image collection, assisted Galen on assignments and in his workshop program, and taught seminars on nature photography. In April 2002, Galen and Barbara invited Justin to relocate with them as Mountain Light's General Manager at the present location in California's scenic Owens Valley. Justin agreed and eagerly embraced the sublime Eastern Sierra Nevada landscape as his new home.

Four months later, Galen and Barbara perished in the crash of a chartered plane, leaving behind a tremendous creative and visionary vacuum. Justin went to work, building on the impressive Rowell legacy to reinvigorate Mountain Light by establishing a seasonal series of guest photographer exhibitions, expanding the image collection, and relaunching the highly acclaimed photo workshop program through collaboration with Galen's leading professional peers, including Frans Lanting, Pat O'Hara, Jack Dykinga, John Shaw, and David Muench. In May 2008, Justin's successful efforts were recognized by both Sunset and American Photo magazines, as each magazine featured editorial recommendations of his workshop program at Mountain Light.

After ten years at Mountain Light, Justin was recruited for the position of Executive Director of ILCP, a non-profit association of the best photographers worldwide working in the field of nature conservation. At ILCP, Justin oversaw an explosion of productivity in expeditions, publishing, multimedia production, and the achievement of successful conservation outcomes. He contributed his photographic talents to ILCP RAVEs (Rapid Assessment Visual Expeditions), including Flathead (Canada, 2009), Yucatán (Mexico, 2009), and Chesapeake (USA, 2010), as well as a solo Tripods in the Mud project documenting the Dragon Run watershed in Tidewater Virginia. One of Justin's photographs of the Flathead River appeared as a section opener in the Vancouver Sun newspaper – the first time the Flathead watershed conservation issue had any prominent coverage in that regionally critical media outlet – and was selected by the U.S. Senate for display in the U.S. Capitol. Justin left ILCP in late 2010 to establish Visionary Wild, building on his successful leadership of the Mountain Light workshop program and applying expertise gained at ILCP to provide superlative workshops and expeditions for passionate photographers seeking to advance to the next level of creativity, quality, purpose, and meaning in their work. His own work continues to evolve in new directions, driven by the ongoing search for extraordinary qualities in our world's dynamic landscapes.

Justin lives in Washington, DC, with his brilliant wife, Lena (Visionary Wild's Director of Operations), and their son Philippe.

Justin Black's online portfolio

Justin's Outdoor Photographer Profile

Bringing focus and meaning to your photography

The Top 40 Nature Photos Project

Justin’s Camera Bag

After using an array of 35mm, medium format, and 4x5 film cameras for most of his career, Justin has switched fully to Nikon digital SLRs and Nikkor lenses. His current gear includes:

Camera Bodies (all Nikon)
D3X
D3S
D700
D7000

Lenses (all Nikkor)
14-24mm f/2.8 G AF-S ED
24-70mm f/2.8 G AF-S ED
70-200mm f/2.8 G AF-S ED VRII
20mm f/2.8 AI-S
24mm f/3.5 PC-E tilt-shift
35mm f/2.0 AF-D
35mm f/2.8 PC shift
45mm f/2.8 PC-E tilt-shift
50mm f/1.8 AF-D
85mm f/2.8 PC-E tilt-shift
85mm f/1.8 AF-D
135mm f/2.8 AI-S
200mm f/4 AF-D Micro-Nikkor
TC-14EII teleconverter
TC-20EII teleconverter

Flash
Nikon SB-900 x2
Assorted Nikon TTL flash cables
Lumiquest soft boxes
Rosco gels

Filters
Singh-Ray LB Circular Polarizer
Singh-Ray Vari-ND
Singh-Ray Galen Rowell graduated neutral density (1 to 4 stops, hard and soft)
Hoya 7-stop ND

Tripods
Gitzo 1348CF with Really Right Stuff BH-55 ballhead
Really Right Stuff TVC-24L with RRS BH-40LR ballhead
Gitzo 1028 with RRS BH-25 ballhead

Photo Packs (all by Think Tank Photo)
Airport Addicted V2.0
Airport Acceleration
Airport Antidote V2.0
Urban Disguise 50 V2.0
Speed Racer V2.0

Highlights

Learn to put together picture stories through initial concept, planning, execution in the field, and final edit
Learn to approach, engage, and photograph people effectively
Learn to use available light and simple supplemental lighting to best effect
Constructive critiques to refine your eye and skills
Florence itself is a masterpiece: art, architecture, and history in the birthplace of the Renaissance
Gorgeous markets for seasonal fruit and vegetables, flowers, leather, and paper
Local artisans, fashion, and Vespa scooters...lots of Vespas
Excursions to locations within Tuscany
Rificolona paper lantern festival in Florence
Chianti Classico festival in Greve

Accommodations & Travel

This workshop is packaged as standard with single-occupancy lodging, breakfasts, some lunches (it may be more convenient to grab lunch independently on some days depending on photo opportunities), dinners, and wine or beer with dinner. Prorated fees are available for double occupancy and for those who do not require lodging. Please inquire for rate if a non-participant guest will be sharing your room with you.

Hotel Centrale, located conveniently in the historic heart of Florence will provide our lodging and meeting facilities. Proximity to key sites and transportation means maximum time for photography! Florence is renowned for its cuisine, and we look to sharing our favorite restaurants with you.

Participants are responsible for their travel to Florence. Florence is served by Amerigo Vespucci Airport (FLR). Every half hour, SITA bus shuttles run from the airport to the city center Autostazione immediately adjacent to Santa Maria Novella train station (just a few blocks from our hotel). Taxis are available as well. Those traveling from elsewhere in Italy or central Europe might consider taking the train. Day trip excursions will be by excellent regional train and bus service. We will do a fair amount of walking around towns and other developed areas. Tuscany in early September tends to be sunny and warm with a small chance of showers, with highs around 85ºF and lows around 65ºF.

Expectations

Come to Florence to:

Capture your personal vision of one of the cradles of modern human culture, art, science, and philosophy
Learn how to approach picture story development, execution, and editing
Learn what it takes to be an assignment photographer for National Geographic
Photograph alongside one of the finest photojournalists in the world, Annie Griffiths, who also happens to be one of the kindest and most engaging people you'll ever meet
Work with Visionary Wild founder Justin Black, who will provide workshop management, participant support, technical assistance, photographic guidance and instruction in the field, and will share his knowledge of Florentine Renaissance art, architecture, and history, Tuscan gastronomy, and insights garnered from several prior visits to Florence and Tuscany
Refine your photographic skills and techniques
Share information, insights, and perspectives with your fellow photographers
Enjoy the excellent Tuscan culinary tradition and some fine local wine

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Our sponsors and the gear we use.

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Think Tank makes brilliant photo bags and backpacks for real-world, hard-core travel and abuse in the field. Every feature and component is carefully considered and field tested by working pros, and the quality of manufacture is the best in the business. Visionary Wild clients are entitled to a free bag with every order over $50. Ask us for the code!

Lensrentals.com maintains a large rental inventory of specialty lenses and camera bodies by various manufacturers, perfect for a short-term need for a special project or that trip of a lifetime. Visionary Wild clients are eligible for a discount on rentals – ask us for the code!

Nikon makes exceptional cameras, lenses, strobes, and accessories thoughtfully designed to meet the needs of demanding photographers working in any genre. Simply put, they have consistently delivered the most flexible and reliable photographic solutions for over fifty years, and are on course to do the same in the decades to come.

NIK Software makes innovative solutions to expand and enhance digital imaging and workflow capabilities.

Really Right Stuff ball heads, camera mount solutions, and tripods feature a quality of design, ergonomics, and manufacture that is unrivaled, all made in the USA.

Singh-Ray specialized in customized filter solutions including Galen Rowell graduated neutral density filters, Vari-ND variable neutral density filters, and exceptional circular polarizers.