Fattoria di Camporomano, Tuscany - Italy
5 day retreat in Tuscany
Would you like to treat yourself to five days in an oasis of peace?
Get to know yourself better by photographing others
Enzo Dal Verme is an Italian portrait photographer (Vanity Fair, l’Uomo Vogue, The Times, GQ, Grazia…) drawing on over three decades of experience in meditation. He approaches photography as a path of self-discovery and personal growth.
The retreats are really laid back, an opportunity to set aside competitiveness and enjoy the company of like-minded creative people.
“An amazing experience that taught me how to integrate meditation into photography and everyday life”
“An extremely engaging teaching method that explores the human dimension in doing portraits. My way of photographing has taken a new direction.”
5-day Portrait Photography, Meditation And Qi Gong Retreat In Tuscany
The Portrait Photography Retreat is an immersive experience of personal transformation, designed to bring deeper awareness to the way we photograph (and approach other activities in life).
It’s a fun, nourishing and creative journey crafted to support participants to cultivate new skills, find inspiration and improve interpersonal abilities.
The teachings focus on refining the photographer’s sensitivity, helping them break free from the habitual way of looking at the world and to easily move through the various steps in image production. It’s an intense and playful retreat that uses photography as a tool to inquire into reality and ourselves.
5 day retreat in Tuscany
What Can I Expect?
- Enhance your interpersonal interaction skills
- Learn to be more present while taking pictures and in general
- Deepen your observation abilities
- Increase your faculty to remain focused
- Gain insights about yourself
- Learn how to compose your images quickly and intuitively
- Refine your photographic sensitivity
- Develop the orientation of being less judgmental
- Boost your creativity
- Cultivate new skills
- Improve the quality of your photography
- Expand your everyday awareness
- Connect with like-minded creative souls
- Lots of laughs!
Who Is The Retreat For?
The retreat is intended for photography enthusiasts of all levels who are willing to embark on an immersive experience of self-discovery and personal growth.
Please read the testimonials section to find out how pros and beginners alike have been able to appreciate this approach that allows each participant to put the teachings into practice in a way that best suits their level of preparation.
Who Runs The Retreat?
Enzo Dal Verme is an Italian portrait photographer whose work has been mainly featured in leading international magazines. He is a long-time meditator with over 15 years of experience facilitating groups. Please check out the teacher page to learn more about Enzo.
Bibi Brown has been practicing T’ai Chi and Qi Gong for over 40 years and has taught regular Qi Gong groups in London.
She is the author of the book “Qi Gong: The Chinese art of working with energy”.
How does the retreat practically unfold?
Our classes are hands-on and experiential. There are exercises on perception, interaction and creativity to be performed individually, in pairs or in a group, with or without the camera.
How do we usually perceive reality around us? Objects, views and people emit a different light when observed with conscious attention: beyond their shapes, materials, colors and textures, they are an expression of life itself. Capturing that depth through our lens is different from pursuing a “nice picture.” It requires knowing how to connect with the subject and how to use one’s own personal photographic technique promptly and flexibly.
And how do we feel while shooting? What makes us feel uncomfortable or excited? Several different exercises are designed to improve our presence and capacity to focus and interact.
We offer Qi Gong sessions every morning. We start with a warm up to generate energy and shake off stiffness or tiredness, followed by a simple sequence of movements. These are like the movements you see in T’ai Chi practice: gentle postures that flow slowly, cultivate focus, relaxation and balance, and support us in finding more harmony between mind and body and breath. The sequence is performed standing, wearing our everyday clothes.
Throughout the retreat, we will cultivate presence with short guided meditations.
The daily routine
The retreat begins with dinner on the first day (you are expected to arrive by 6:00 pm in order to have time to check in to your room ) and ends around 3:00 pm on the last day. During the retreat, lectures and exercises are alternated with free time to relax by the pool or venture out and discover the art cities nearby or the surrounding nature. A typical daily routine goes something like this:
- 08:00 am to 08:30 am – Qi Gong & Tai Chi movement
- 08:30 am to 09:30 am – An abundant and yummy breakfast
- 09:30 am to 09:45 am – Meditation
- 09:45 am to 01:00 pm – Lecture, indoor and outdoor exercises on perception, framing, concentration
- 01:00 pm to 02:00 pm – A delicious lunch
- 02:45 pm to 07:00 pm – Lecture, indoor and outdoor exercises on natural light, photographer/subject interaction or free afternoon
- 07:00 pm to 08:00 pm – A delicious dinner
- 08:30 pm to 10:30 pm – Projection of photos taken by students on the day, editing tips and discussion or free evening
Where is the retreat held?
Fattoria Di Camporomano is a beautiful historic residence nestled in an oasis of peace in the heart of Tuscany (Italy). It is set on a 40-hectare hillside planted with olive trees that includes a botanical trail through forest and olive groves, plus spectacular views of the surroundings. Hospitality is offered in the renovated old cottages, each different from the others. Plants and flowers surround the swimming pool to enhance moments of relaxation.
How to get there
The nearest international airport is Pisa, about 30 minutes away.
The Florence airport is about one hour away.
The nearest train station is Viareggio, about 8.5 km from the Fattoria di Camporomano. Cab service is available from the Viareggio train station and pick-up service can be arranged for a fee.
Accommodation
The guest rooms are all distinct and located in the apartments/cottages scattered around the estate. Some rooms have private bathrooms, and others share a bathroom with another room.
The number of single rooms is limited; those who book early have a better chance of securing their desired room.
Food
Traditional Tuscan recipes are prepared daily by the farm’s cooks using hearty ingredients (some of them picked directly from the vegetable garden). Meals are deliciously vegan, so the pleasure of good food is celebrated every day with tasty and mouthwatering dishes that are also healthy, minimize our impact on the planet and don’t harm the animals.
Those with food intolerances or special needs can indicate this when booking.
Yummy snacks are available throughout the day.
Optional activities
During the retreat, there will also be moments for relaxation with optional activities to better metabolize what you learn.
You can stay at the Fattoria, strolling along the botanical trail or enjoy some sunshine by the pool. Or you can discover and enjoy arts, archaeology and architecture when visiting the surrounding areas: Florence is about an hour away, Cinque Terre about one and a half, while Pisa and Lucca can be reached in 15 to 25 minutes.
Also in the vicinity is Lake Massaciuccoli, a birdwatchers’ paradise where you can rent canoes and bicycles for independent or guided excursions. Only a short drive away is the beautiful forest and nature trails of Migliarino/San Rossore. Sea boat excursions can also be organized. If you want to treat yourself to a massage, that’s possible too. All these activities are not included in the retreat package and can be arranged as extras.
The location
What To Bring:
- A digital camera (reflex or mirrorless)
- A 50mm luminous lens (if it’s not a fixed focal length lens, it’s okay) plus the participant’s favorite lenses, if any
- A laptop with photo-editing software to select your pictures and Photoshop to resize them before commenting on them together
- A USB stick
- A pen and notepad (yes, paper!)
- A pinch of a sense of humor 🙂
NB:
- Except in certain cases, technical aspects of camera use will not be discussed during the workshop. Participants are expected to know how to use their cameras and computer programs.
- During the exercises, participants will photograph each other.
- The course is open to participants of any age and nationality.
Triple room with private bathroom
Regular price€1.290Early Bird€1.190per personDouble room with private bathroom
Regular price€1.350Early Bird€1.250per personDouble room for single use with shared bathroom with another room
Regular price€1.550Early Bird€1.450per personDouble room for single use with private bathroom
Regular price€1.650Early Bird€1.550per person
Prices
May 28 - June 1, 2025
Early Bird: book before Feb 17, 2025
The price of the Portrait Photography Retreat varies depending on the chosen solution. If you book at least three months in advance, you have a €100 Early Bird discount:
The number of single rooms is limited, those who book early have a better chance to secure the desired room. A deposit payment of €850 (Early Bird) / € 950 (Regular Price) is required at the time of booking. The balance is due by April 18, 2025. You’ll receive a reminder about 5 weeks prior to the start date.
HOW TO REGISTER
Select your desired date and click on the YES I AM INTERESTED button.
The price include
- Accommodation
- Daily teaching sessions and all group activities
- Three freshly prepared vegan meals per day
- A variety of healthy and delicious snacks during the retreat
- Use of the pool
- Daily housekeeping
- Wi-Fi pass
- Taxes
The price Does not include
- Airfare
- Airport transfers
- Travel insurance (required)
- Personal expenses and extras
- Optional activities
May 28- June 1, 2025
5-day Portrait Photography, Meditation And Qi Gong Retreat In Tuscany
ATTENTION: Enrollment for the May 28 – June 1 retreat will open later on and the priority will be given to those added to the waiting list. All reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis. To add yourself to the waiting list, please send us an email clicking on the red button.
