CREATIVE RETREAT
- ITALY 2024
with Sal Taylor Kydd
DATES:
September 24 - 30
LOCATION:
Spannocchia - Tuscany - Italy
Our creative retreat in Italy is designed for advanced photographers who are interested in writing and photography, and looking to develop their portfolio.
CREATIVE RETREAT DESCRIPTION:
The places we live, or those we have visited, often hold powerful meanings and associations for us. Our sense of place is something we hold within us, it anchors us to experience, providing a porthole to memories and to our sense of connection, of knowing who we are.
Traveling to gorgeous locations can dazzle us with their beauty and overwhelm our senses in all the best ways. But how do you find your own voice in these landscapes and make work unique to you that transcends.
This workshop takes us to the rolling hills of Tuscany to explore a place rich with cultural history and devastatingly beautiful landscapes. We will be based in the stunning location of Spannocchia near Siena, with monasteries, castles, old towers and gardens to explore.
Through writing prompts and shooting assignments we will explore how your writing practice can enhance your photography and vice versa, with a new portfolio, or serie where text and images works together to express your creative abilities.
Each day will begin with image and text review with class critique and discussion of your work; as well as writing exercises to get your imagination firing. Afternoons will be spent shooting in and around our location as well as exploring the neighbouring areas.
There will be time to review the motivations behind your work and your personal vision, with one on one time with Sal, providing an opportunity to understand your tropes and motifs and how to use them in your work with greater intentionality.
This workshop is designed for advanced photographers looking to develop their portfolio and who are interested in writing and photography.
- scroll down to the end of this site for The Final Show, and Behind the Scenes presentation from our Creative Retreat 2023.
OUR LOCATION:
Our creative retreat in Italy takes place at Tenuta di Spannocchia in Siena, Florence. The closest airport is Florence Airport.
There are a couple of options of transportation to get to our location. You can choose to rent a car, and drive to Spannocchia, which takes about 1,5 hour from Florence Airport. Our hosts at Spannocchia can also pre-order car service for you. For both options we recommend that you try and team up with fellow participants to share a ride. Transportation and travel cost are not included in the tuition.
We will create a hidden group on Facebook (or a group chat on Whats Ap - depending on what people prefer) for this class so you can connect with your fellow participants, and co-ordinate travel plans, and arrival times well in advance for our retreat.
WORKSHOP TUITION:
3300 EURO
including in addition to class tuition; private accommodation, breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Deposit: 1000 EURO
See payment details in the workshop description.
Max: 9 participant
REGISTRATION ON OUR WORKSHOPS ARE BINDING.
We ask that you do not book your ticket until we have confirmed that the minimum number of participants have signed on. The confirmation will happen no later than a month before the workshop start.
We recommend everyone who travels to have a travel insurance.
For our cancelation rules and withdrawal and refund policy, scroll to the end of the description and read the info in the blue banners.
WHEN TO ARRIVE:
The workshop starts on September 24TH with a welcome gathering at 7PM. Check in is from 2-5PM.
WHEN TO DEPART:
The workshop wraps on the 30TH of September. Check out is at 11AM.
WHAT TO BRING:
You need to bring your camera, your laptop, and your usual photo-gear to this workshop. You are also advised to bring a notebook with you for writing assignments.
Students are expected to bring a small portfolio (max 10 images) of their work (print or digital) to the class.
There are a lot of hiking trails in the area, some leads to interesting locations to photographs, and the property has an outdoor pool. We recommend bringing swimwear and hiking gear and shoes.
Tenuta di Spannocchia
Spannocchia is a magical place, and a perfect location for our writing & photography retreat with Sal Taylor Kydd. Sal has visited Spannocchia before, and speaks fluently Italian.
Most participants will be staying at the Spannocchia Villa, in spacious and well-appointed bedrooms with private baths. Rooms have a view of the terraced gardens, orchards, and vineyards in the distance. A few participants will be staying in one of the Farmhouses on the main ground, where you in addition to your private bedroom has access to a kitchen and a living room. The farmhouse has 2 bathrooms.
The main villa, once home to the aristocratic Spannocchi family, was built in the 16th century, and again expanded in the 18th century. The home was purchased by the Cinelli family in 1925. It is furnished with historic paintings, original antiques, and family heirlooms.
Spannocchia It is a unique integration of historic architecture and landscape. The 1,100 acre property hosts a working organic farm, a center for education and enrichment, and a multinational community. There is something to excite everyone at Spannocchia: hiking paths, farm animals, verdant gardens, beautiful vistas, eight centuries of rural history, a swimming pool, friendly people, great wine, and fantastic food.
In addition, Spannocchia proximity to destinations such as Florence, Siena, Chianti, San Gimignano, the Tuscan coastline, and many small hill towns makes this the ideal base for exploring Tuscany.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner featuring many organic products from the farm, is included in the price.
You can read more about our destination here.
CREATIVE RETREAT TUITION:
EURO 3300
INCLUDED in tuition:
Workshop, accommodation in a private room from September 24-30TH, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Included in the dinner is the estate-produced organic wine. One bottle for every four people at the table.
NOT INCLUDED in tuition:
* Plane ticket
* Travel insurance
* Transportation to/ from airport and during the workshop.
Shortly after registration for your workshop you will receive an invoice via e-mail for the deposit (to be paid within two weeks). You will also receive an invoice for the rest of the tuition at the same time as the deposit. This invoice is to be paid no later than 90 days before the workshop starts. All fees are to be paid in EURO.
International students: we recommend paying via bank transfer. For bank transfer there is usually a transaction fee. Check with your bank for the amount, and make sure this fee is not subtracted from the tuition fee payment.
You can also pay us via PayPal. For PayPal payments there is a handling fee of 6% of the amount paid, which will be added to the tuition.
If you have any questions about our Creative Retreat in Italy, feel free to e-mail us at post@nordphotogrpahy.com.
ABOUT
SAL TAYLOR KYDD:
Maine-based photographic artist and writer Sal Taylor Kydd uses various photographic media in a personal narrative that explores themes around memory and belonging; combining her poetry with alternative processes of photography and object-making.
Taylor Kydd’s fine art photographs have been exhibited throughout the country and internationally, including Barcelona, San Miguel De Allende, Portland, Boston and Los Angeles; and she has been featured in numerous publications, including Shots Magazine, Don’t Take Pictures Magazine, Lenscratch, Diffusion Annual and The Hand magazine.
She has self-published a number of books combining her poetry with her photographs. Her books are in private and museum collections throughout the country including The Getty Museum, Bowdoin College, The Peabody Essex Museum and the Maine Women Writer’s Collection at the University of New England. Taylor Kydd’s latest book “Yesterday”, produced by Datz Press, is a limited edition book of poems and photographs that explores our sense of loss around the pandemic of 2020.
Taylor Kydd is also a veteran workshop leader and educator and has led workshops and conducted portfolio reviews throughout the country and internationally with Maine Media, Santa Fe Workshops, Palm Beach Photography and NORDphotography in Norway.
Originally from the UK, Taylor Kydd is fluent in French and Italian, having earned her BA in Modern Languages from Manchester University in the UK. She has an MFA in Photography from Maine Media College in Rockport, where she now lives with her husband and two children.
The Final Show - Italy 2023
Behind The Scenes - Italy 2023
Withdrawal and refund policy:
We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance.
Enrolment is limited in our workshops, so once you have registered for a class – we are counting on you to attend. The registration is binding. We do however understand that sometimes plans fall trough and offer the following cancellation policies:
Withdraw more than 125 days before the start of class and we will refund all monies paid, minus an administration fee of NOK 2500,-. Withdraw 125 days or less before the start of class and we will charge you with the full workshop tuition.
NORDphotography is not responsible for cancellations due to medical emergencies.
Cancelation Rules:
We ask that you do not book your ticket until we have confirmed that the minimum number of participants have signed up.
For workshops to run we need a minimum of five participants, unless otherwise noted in the workshop description. If we for some reason are not able to reach our minimum number, the workshop will be canceled and you will receive a full refund.
NORDphotography is not responsible for reimbursement of non-refundable airline / train tickets in the event of a program cancellation. Our line of liability is to return all monies paid to the workshops. Please check on your workshop status before making travel arrangements. There will be a maximum of 10 students in each workshop, unless otherwise noted in the workshop description.
Instructor Replacement:
.
It is the nature of our business that occasionally a listed instructor cannot participate because of unexpected events. If we are forced to replace an instructor we will do so with someone with equal or similar credentials. When time permits we will inform everyone who has registered.