An Italian Experience with Damien Lovegrove
“Join me at this photography workshop in Umbria and I will lead you on a journey of discovery. We will photograph exquisite beauty in a wonderful abandoned monastery, various lost locations, and our sumptuous villa. Dine on the freshest, authentic Italian cuisine and have fun as the sun sets.” Damien Lovegrove
I am delighted to say that I’ll be back in Italy for one more time in 2023 running an all new itinerary from a new base, the fabulous Villa Monteporzano near Orvieto. The new venue gives us superb shoot locations and provides extensive luxury accomodation.
6 nights, 4 days of fabulous photography
The workshop price is $5740, €5250 or £4560. Please contact me to secure your place.
2023 is now sold out
Get advance notice of the 2024 workshop here
A deposit payment of €1000 is required at the point of booking. Ideally you can contact me to book a place, I will amend the number of places available on our website and I will issue you with an invoice with full payment instructions. You can then pay via bank transfer. I have bank accounts in New York, Brussels and London so we can avoid currency conversion and PayPal charges.
Orvieto workshop – 3rd to the 9th September 2023
Out of stock
Orvieto workshop – May 2024 – Coming Soon
Overview
Dates: 3rd – 9th September 2023
Tutor: Damien Lovegrove
Genre: Portraiture
Group Size: Maximum of 6 participants
Price: $5740, or €5250 or £4560
Deposit: $1000, or €1000 or £1000
(Balance payments are due on 1st July 2023, 62 days before the workshop)
Non-shooting partner rate: $870, €795 or £690 (This includes accommodation on a shared basis, all meals, fine wine and the wine tasting event on the Wednesday)
- Four full days of photography in wonderful, rural Umbria
- Staying at a beautiful private villa with a pool and stunning views
- Two top professional models each day, three models over the four days of shooting
- Shooting portraits in a beautiful abandoned monastery and other abandoned buildings
- A location shoot at a secluded waterfall and an ancient olive grove
- A wine tasting at a top local vinyard
- Fine wine and fresh home cooking included
Our beautiful monastery shoot location
Fresh off the press: I took these photographs of our prime location during my recce in May this year. I have secured exclusive access for our workshops and I have negotiated a fee with the owner. There is a chapel and other interesting rooms for us to shoot in as well as the cloisters that you see here.
Our other abandoned farmhouse shoot locations
The old farmhouses of Umbria With a bit of vision and a splash of flash these places come alive. We will transform these textures into fabulous shoot locations and give them the trademark look of the great master painters.
Itinerary September 2023
Dates: 3rd – 09th September 2023
The exact details and timings are subject to change including the models. Our workshop days may be moved around if the weather requires us to do so.
Arrival Day ~ Sunday 3rd
Check-in at Villa Monteporzano from 4 pm
Welcome drink by the pool as the sun goes down
Dinner 19:30
Monday 4th
Models: Sigrife and Susanna
Breakfast at Villa Monteporzano
Interior wide shot/ narrative and fashion portraits with both models at the Villa
A minibus will take us to lunch at a nearby restaurant
Shoot warm-tone fantasy portraits at the ‘Long House’
Dinner at Villa Monteporzano
Tuesday 5th
Models: Sigrife and Susanna
Breakfast at Villa Monteporzano
Exterior portraits and then a boudoir session with both models at the Villa
A minibus will take us to lunch at a nearby restaurant
Shoot fashion portraits, one model at a time at ‘Well House’
Shoot romantic portraits in the old olive grove
Dinner at Villa Monteporzano
Wednesday 6th
Breakfast at Villa Monteporzano
Free time to explore Orvieto (optional)
At 15:00 a minibus will take us to a wine tasting at a fabulous vineyard
Dinner at Villa Monteporzano
Thursday 7th
Models: Sigrife and Giorgia
Breakfast at Villa Monteporzano
A shoot with both models at the nearby ‘House Of Shattered Dreams’
lunch at a nearby restaurant
Shoot fantasy portraits at a secluded waterfall
A pool shoot with both models back at the villa
Dinner at Villa Monteporzano
Friday 8th
Models: Sigrife and Giorgia
Breakfast at Villa Monteporzano
A shoot at the secret monastery
lunch at a nearby restaurant
Continue shooting at the secret monastery
Dinner at Villa Monteporzano
Saturday 9th
Check out and depart by 10am
Accommodation – Villa Monteporzano
Our home for this workshop will be a fabulous privately run luxury estate near Orvieto inUmbria. Each photographer will have their own well appointed room with a private bathroom. Our villa is two hours by train from Rome, 1 ½ hours by car from Rome airport. I can arrange transport to and from Orvieto Train Station.
Our villa complete with a swimming pool has commanding views of the city of Orvieto. I have booked the main villa building complete with frescoes and the three suites in the adjacent building. We will have a our own chef, Francesco who will provide us with home cooked authentic Italian cuisine throughout our stay.
Our Models
We will have three fabulous models to photograph in Umbria this year. Sigrife, who speaks perfect English and comes from Sweden will stay with us for the duration of the workshop. Susanna comes from Rome and will be with us for the first two days of our workshop. Sigrife and Susanna’s look and personal style is unique and they complement each other perfectly. Giorgia by contrast is a striking commercial and fashion model, and brings another level of elegance to our shoots. Giorgia also has perfect English and a wealth of internal energy for us to tap into. I’ve had the pleasure of photographing all three models this year and I’m so happy to have found three wonderful models for this year’s Italian event.
Experience level
This workshop will suit intermediate to advanced photographers. If you know how to adjust manual settings on your camera you will be fine. No previous experience of working with off-camera flash is required. I’ll teach you everything you need to know. I’ll show you how to communicate with our models in a way that keeps the photographs looking relaxed and natural. You will become a more confident photographer over our four days of shooting in Umbria. Especially when it comes to photographing people.
Sigrife. I discovered Sigrife online and I popped over to Sweden in November to shoot with her. I rented a cabin in the forest and we had a fabulous couple of days together. Sigrife then came to the UK in April and we once again shot for a couple of days. Here is a small selection of the pictures that we created together.
Sigrife has a most beautiful soul and everyone loves her. We will have fun shooting together for sure.
Susanna. I met Susanna for the first time a few weeks ago. We had two days of shooting together at our Orvieto abandoned farmhouse locations and we really got on well. Susanna has a personal drive and passion to create beautiful pictures and I want you to experience that.
From rags and shaggy hair to silk dresses and refined style Susanna can deliver superb looks with a deep intimate connection.
Giorgia. I met Giorgia for the first time also a few weeks ago. We only had one day of shooting together at our Orvieto abandoned farmhouse locations but wow! Giorgia is a very polished and acomplished model with great acting skills to bring to our narrative driven shoots.
Giorgia delivers energy to the camera and has a beautifully refined look. She is a pleasure to shoot with and we will all get on really well for sure.
Other useful information
Genres
Although all the models chosen for this event are comfortable shooting nude the emphasis will be on fantasy and fashion portraits in the styles of the grand master painters. Plus I love to put some lifestyle boudoir into the mix too. Expect lavish dresses and rags-to-riches styling.
Partners
Non-shooting partners are welcome to join the group on a shared bedroom basis. Partners can are welcome to join us on location and watch proceedings or use the four tuition days to visit the nearby attractions of Assisi, Todi, and Perugia. Our villa has a pool and partners are welcome to use the pool and come and go as they wish. The partner rate is €795 for the duration of the workshop and includes breakfasts, lunches while with the group and evening meals at the villa with fine wine. All the rooms have double, queen or king-size beds and have private or en-suite bathrooms.
Transport
We will have a driver with a minibus available every day to take us from the villa to our locations, to lunch and back to the villa.
Day off
You will notice on the schedule that Wednesday is scheduled as a non-tuition day. A minibus will do a run into Orvieto after breakfast to drop people off and then pick them up in the afternoon before going onto a complimentary wine tasting at the fabulous Cantine Neri winery. There is also the opportunity to have a couple of hours of post-production training on a 1:1 or 1:2 basis at (€200).
The shoot process
These workshops will be limited to six photographers as has become customary on my Italian trips. The system works really well and gives everyone the chance to explore different angles of a scene. When we are shooting with flash we will work one at a time and I’ll be on hand to help as required at all times.
Camera kit suggestions
- A Mirrorless or DSLR camera
- Several lenses covering the equivelent of 24mm to 200mm on full frame
- A tripod or monopod (optional)
- If your camera is a DSLR you may well need a Hoodman style loupe to asses exposure in the olive grove
Lighting kit
I will supply all the lighting kit needed for this workshop. In a lot of instances we will be using a Godox AD200 flash on a boom arm. I will also bring a Godox AD400 Pro with me and a Scatterflash kit. I will supply flash triggers for each of the makes of camera in our group. There are dedicated triggers available for Fujifilm, Canon, Nikon, Hasselblad, Sony, Panasonic, Pentax, Leica, Phase One and Olympus.
A style moodboard for the abandoned location shoots
I took these shots on previous workshops and these give you some idea to the look and style that we will capture in-camera. These shots don’t rely on post production for their looks and we will be shooting this grade of images from day one on this workshop.
What you can expect from me – your tutor
This photography workshop in Italy has evolved to incorporate the best of our experiences over the past four years. You will love it. I have an honest approach to sharing my knowledge and skills gleaned over 35 years. Be prepared to soak up invaluable tips and information because these skills will give you the confidence to take your photography to the next level.
I am kind, sharing and patient. I take care to communicate in a way that reaches every level. I won’t leave you struggling if you are lost in camera menus and I won’t ignore you if you are quietly getting great photographs. What I’ll do is show you how to build rapport and communicate with our three models to make structured poses look relaxed and natural. Nothing is left to chance. Everything has a purpose and I’ll share with you how I style each shot. I have a clear understanding of light and I’ll teach you how I find great light. Once you know what to look for, everything becomes easier. When we are using the AD200 we will be recreating a natural lighting style. At times we will make our own sunlight. This attention to detail will ensure you capture portfolio-grade images from day one and feel empowered to capture wonderful photographs on your own after the workshop too.
My workshops are not just about learning, they are fun, creative adventures. I am fastidious with event planning and preparation. Decent preparation allows me to concentrate on delivering a fabulous learning experience. You will leave this workshop a more confident photographer with images to be proud of and memories to last a lifetime.
Your tour leader: Damien Lovegrove
What’s included
- Private en-suite accommodation at Villa Monteporzano
- Breakfasts, lunches & evening meals (except lunch on Wednesday)
- Refreshments – water (teas & coffee too where available)
- Two professional models with photoshoots on all four days
- Fine wine with lunch and dinner
- A wine tasting at a top local vinyard
After the workshop, I will offer you a complimentary 1:1 picture review session over Zoom at a time to suit you. I’ll be able to suggest different approaches to post production and give valuable feedback on your photographs. My clients have found this service to be of particular value as so much can be achieved after the shot has been taken.
What’s not included
- Flights
- Car hire or transfers
- Travel insurance
To reserve your place – Contact me here
A deposit payment of €1000 is required at the point of booking. Ideally you can contact me to book a place, I will amend the number of places available on our website and I will issue you with an invoice with full payment instructions. You can then pay via bank transfer. I have bank accounts in New York, Brussels and London so we can avoid currency conversion and PayPal charges.
Orvieto workshop – 3rd to the 9th September 2023
Out of stock
Orvieto workshop – May 2024 – Coming Soon
Reviews by 2016, 2017 & 2018 workshop attendees
Thank so much for an absolutely amazing workshop. Thank you for your enthusiasm, your willingness to share ideas and your ability to create an atmosphere of humor and serious photographing. I often look at my pictures and they makes me happy reminding me of four very very inspiring days.
Here is what Ivan Deleus from Mechelen, Belgium had to say about the 2019 Tuscany workshop…
“I had great expectations on the Lovegrove Adventures shooting trip in Tuscany. A few years ago I met Damien in Belgium on a Studio lighting workshop. I was shooting in the studio and wanted to see a pro at work. Since then I have followed Damien’s photography on the internet.
This year the Tuscany workshop came along at the right time for me. Although it was an expensive trip, it exceeded all my expectations. Epecially Damien’s didactic and technical skills, and the excellent models. The use of the ever changing natural light during the day was an eye opener for me.
We hunted for the light and sometimes the light hunted us. I have been able to take a lot of beautiful photos on this Tuscany adventure. Damien’s eye for detail and excellent organization, the locations and alternatives made this an unforgettable adventure.
Thanks Damien!
"Ivan had such a good time that he joined me again for the 2021 Tuscany workshop. These trips deliver the best life memories" Damien Lovegrove
Here is what Marie Sauter from New York had to say about the 2021 Tuscany workshop…
"What happens when you combine your vacation with a Lovegrove Adventure? Perfection happens. In addition to: glorious accommodation, fabulous food, exquisite models posed in superb locations, you receive Damien's unsurpassed photographic expertise. His guidance has not only elevated my photography, it also created wonderful travel memories. I've been on five Lovegrove Adventures and will continue to enjoy them for as long as I am able.
Thank you, Damien."
Here is what Heidi Back from Vancouver, Canada had to say about the 2019 Tuscany workshop…
I am still in awe from my third travel adventure with Damien, another trip that has surpassed my expectations. With every workshop I feel my photography is elevated to new heights, but there is more to it. It is not just about creating beyond beautiful images but creating blissful memories that last forever.
Damien: went the extra mile to make sure we all ‘got our shots’. He managed the group, program and situations very well. He is not only a world-class photographer but an amazing instructor as well; and his enthusiasm is contagious.
What makes these workshops with Damien so special is the selection of shooting locations, the high quality of the models, the level of instruction, charming accommodations and last but not least the sense of adventure.
There is a lot of thought and planning that went into this trip on your end. I am grateful that I had the opportunity to join in. I had a fantastic time and thank you all very much!
What you will have to take away from this trip to Orvieto in Umbria
“I find the biggest problem my clients face, and especially when working with flash, is a tendency to overthink the situation.” Damien Lovegrove
You will come away from this workshop in Italy feeling immensely inspired and motivated to get out and practice what you’ve learned. My passion and enthusiasm for photography are infectious, confidence-boosting and I’ll guarantee you’ll capture images you can be proud of.
I will impart my knowledge and experience as I guide you through the creative process. Whilst learning how best to interact with your subject, you’ll master how to use professional lights and naturally available light for dramatic effect.
Each of these workshops is limited to just 6 participants so that everyone has plenty of time and personal guidance from Damien. Expect a high-energy ‘let’s make it happen’ attitude from me as well as my usual bucketful of enthusiasm. I guarantee you’ll come away from this trip recharged with motivation.
A deposit payment of €1000 is required at the point of booking. Ideally you can contact me to book a place, I will amend the number of places available on our website and I will issue you with an invoice with full payment instructions. You can then pay via bank transfer. I have bank accounts in New York, Brussels and London so we can avoid currency conversion and PayPal charges.
- Feel empowered as a photographer
- Have fun doing what you love
- Become an expert
- Ignite your passion
- Build your confidence
- Learn new skills
- Invest in yourself
- Get away on an adventure
- Take fabulous photographs
- Make new friends
- Have the most amazing experience
- Wonderful memories that will last a lifetime
To reserve your place – Contact me here
Orvieto workshop – 3rd to the 9th September 2023
Out of stock
Orvieto workshop – May 2024 – Coming Soon
Details
On this 6-night photography workshop in Tuscany, we’ll be shooting in arguably one of the most beautiful countries in the world. We will photograph a mixture of portraits, fashion, boudoir and figure-in-the-landscape. We will work with three wonderful models and there will be four workshop (teaching) days and one relaxation day with arrival and departure days on either side.
For the duration of this photography workshop in Umbria we will stay at our exclusive luxury estate near Orvieto. We will venture out to shoot in selected local abandoned farmhouses and villas that dot the countryside. We will also shoot boudoir in the bedrooms at our villa. We will shoot portraits by the pool and in the olive groves at sundown. These sessions will be relaxed and fun, instructional and inspirational.
To reserve your place – Contact me here
Orvieto workshop – 3rd to the 9th September 2023
Out of stock
Orvieto workshop – May 2024 – Coming Soon
We will not cover many kilometeres on this trip as all our locations are close by. The minibus will take the strain leaving cars available to partners if they choose to explore the region. The emphasis will be on taking photographs under my guidance rather than traveling. Nearer the time we will create a private WhatsApp group so that you can get to know each other, ask questions about the lenses and equipment required and arrange car shares to and from the airport.
A lot of careful planning has gone into this photography workshop in Umbria to make it as relaxing, inspirational, educational and as fun-filled as possible. There will be great food, good company and excellent photo-making opportunities.
“This is the trip that you and I can to look forward too right now. Secure your space and let’s establish our creative journey together.” Damien Lovegrove
A deposit payment of €1000 is required at the point of booking. Ideally you can contact me to book a place, I will amend the number of places available on our website and I will issue you with an invoice with full payment instructions. You can then pay via bank transfer. I have bank accounts in New York, Brussels and London so we can avoid currency conversion and PayPal charges.
The small print
A deposit payment of €1000 is required at the point of booking. Ideally you can contact me to book a place, I will amend the number of places available on our website and I will issue you with an invoice with full payment instructions. You can then pay via bank transfer. I have bank accounts in New York, Brussels and London so we can avoid currency conversion and PayPal charges.
Cancellation Policy
Should you cancel your place on this event for any reason, no refund will be available unless your place is resold. If you would like to cancel please contact us by phone or email as soon as possible.
The exception to this is if we have prior notice and are able to put a cancellation place back online AND your place is resold. In this event, we will, of course, make a full refund or credit to you. We also reserve the right to cancel any workshop if there is insufficient demand, especially if it means that our costs would be higher than our income. Please, therefore, do not leave it until the last few weeks if you are interested in a particular event, as you may find that it has been removed.
Some costs for each training event remain the same regardless of how many attendees there are, just like any pre-booked tickets for the theatre, concert, flights, etc. We are therefore unable to give a full refund in the event of non-attendance, regardless of the circumstance.
Please note that we cannot be liable for any other costs incurred by yourself, so please check with us before booking any non-refundable accommodation or transport.
Please take a look at our full terms and conditions.