An fourth-day photographic exploration of the most beautiful areas of Provence, based in the Luberon Valley.Small hilltop villages; fields of poppies, lavender or sunflowers; cherry and almond orchards; vineyards; olive trees; stone farmhouses with brightly colored shutters….are all within reach of the luxurious hilltop B&B (“chambres d’hotes” in French), Bastide Le Portail Rouge, where the workshops are based. Le Portail Rouge is run by Provencal photographer Julien Lautier and his partner Danielle Jouval, and from here Julien will take you out on daily trips to photogenic destinations, with a different theme for each day. Le Portail Rouge is situated on a small hilltop near the town of Roussillon and has fabulous views from the terrace and swimming pool. The bedrooms are spacious and luxurious with en-suite bathrooms. The salon and dining rooms are light and airy and are beautifully decorated in contemporary Provencal style.

Julien and Daniell are very proud of their region and their culture and will make every effort to introduce you to the culinary delights of Provence. Meals will be prepared by Danielle using quality local products, and include a buffet breakfast, lunch (at the house, in a local bistro or a picnic if Julien plans to take you far afield), and a four course dinner every evening. The daily schedule will change depending on what time of year you want to come, but Julien, who has lived in this region for over thirty years, knows where to take you to obtain great photographs and meet local people. Julien will share with you his secret places and you will take photos that you will not get anywhere else.

Unique to this workshop is an optional hot air balloon flight for aerial shots of the lavender fields and hilltop villages. No other workshop offers this amazing chance to obtain beautiful photography from an original viewpoint. Please specify that you want this balloon flight when making your reservation.

If you shoot digital, in the evenings you will get the chance to download your images into the computer and burn them onto a CD. If the weather is unsuitable for photography, Julien will initiate you in the complexities of Photoshop, and share with you his tips for mounting and exhibition or selling your work. This is the ultimate photography workshop in Provence.

Day 1: Arrival - An introduction to the special light of Provence:

Depending on what time participants arrive, we may have time to visit nearby fields of lavender or cherry blossom trees before lunch. We will photograph the panoramic vista of the Luberon valley from the terraces of the house and introduce the participants to what we will be . We will have lunch on the terrace, with a chance for a relaxing swim in the pool or a siesta for those suffering from jet-lag. We will also get the chance to download our images into the computer.
In the late afternoon we will visit the ochre colored village of Roussillon, (ten minutes from the house), and the ochre cliffs surrounding it. We will stop for a sunset shoot at the ochre quarries before returning home. Aperitif and traditional Provencal dinner prepared at the house, using local and homegrown ingredients.
Day 2: The Stones of Provence: We will begin the day with a sunrise shoot from hilltop village of Saignon. From the summit of the Saignon outcrop there is a superb view of the mountains and plains below. On clear mornings Mount Ventoux and the Alps can be seen. Saignon is a charming hilltop village typical of the region, with narrow cobblestone lanes, and window boxes bursting with flowers.
of the fields, houses and hillsides below. Just before lunch we will visit the hilltop village of Lacoste, with its ruined chateau that once belonged to the Marquis de Sade. We will enjoy a picnic lunch on the Claparèdes plateau in full view of Mont Ventoux and explore the landscape possibilities of the area. Return late afternoon to the house for a chance to download your images, a lesson in bread making and a relaxing dinner.
Day Three: Flowers of Provence, Four seasons, four different flowers. A four wheel-drive exploration of the region where each season has its particular flower or tree for us to place in a typically Provencal landscape shot.
Spring: The whole day will be spent shooting the cherry trees or almond trees that are blossoming throughout the Luberon Valley. Lunch at a Provencal bistro in Opedette.
Summer: A day exploring the lavender fields found on the Sault plateau with Mont Ventoux in the background. We will go as far as Simaine le Rotonde via the lavender villages of Montsalier and Banon. We will plan a picnic lunch, or perhaps break for lunch in a bistro near Lardiers breathing the perfume of the lavender and sunflowers.
Autumn: We will explore the vineyards and fruit orchards of the Luberon and Cotes du Rhone, which will be turning shades of gold , rust and red. We will visit a winery and taste the local wine before having lunch at a farm auberge near Castellas, finishing our meal with their own home made goat’s cheese.
The day will end like every day, with a traditional home made Provencal dinner, and the possibility of working on your images in Photoshop.
Day 4:we will stay at the house and hold a still-life workshop, constructing photos using flowers and props, or learn how to take food shots of colorful Provencal meals that we will have the chance to eat afterwards. Downloading and printing of digital files on the computer,we will visit local farmers’ markets, antique shops, and garage sales in different locations depending on the day and date. We will work on how to get good people shots using the theme of local people in their environment. Lunch at a bistrot on the river at l’Isle sur Sorgue. Return to the house in the evening with a colorful dinner full of flavors of the south.
A four-wheel drive exploration of the Vaucluse Mountains beginning with the village of St.Saturnin. An ancient village surrounded by fortified ramparts it has a small lake. We will visit villages and shoot landscapes in this region with a break for a picnic lunch. In the evening we return to the house for a tasting of regional wines and a wood fired BBQ.
, streets and village squares. Their timeless beauty gives character and a sense of history to those villages that have resisted the urge to cover them with asphalt. We will visit the villages of Joucas, Gordes, Bonnieux and others. The photos will be a new way of looking at the forms and graphic shapes created with stone, by man.

All inclusive price per person. Price includes: Full-board accommodation at the Portail Rouge luxury bed and breakfast (www.le-portail-rouge.com ), all meals, pick-up and drop off at airport or railway station, ground transport during the workshop, all taxes, photographic instruction. for 640 euros each person if you take 1 room for 2 , (or 140 euros extra for a single room), 600 euros each person if you are a couple for a workshop, 320 euros each person for the guesthouse ,1/2 pension with a person accompagnant the workshop.
Extra days at the Portail Rouge at the seasonal rate see: www.le-portail-rouge.com
Not included: Air fare to Marseille airport, personal expenses, extra drinks, obligatory travel insurance.
A minimum of four people is required for a workshop. The bedrooms at the Portail Rouge will be assigned according to availability and to the requirements of individual clients. The photographer in charge of leading the workshops, and the management of the Portail Rouge retain the right to cancel a workshop if there are not enough participants or if the time of year is unsuitable for such a workshop. In such a case all deposits will be returned in full.

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