Alpine Experience
Due to the Covid situation this workshop is suspendedAlpine Experience – £895.00
Due to the Covid situation this workshop is suspended.
This is a 3 day Photo Workshop in the stunning Haute-Savoie region of France. The goal of this workshop is to work with light in the high mountain pastures and forests, looking at how to capture magnificent panoramas to patches of light on the woodland floor that highlight fungus, flora and fauna.
- The Haute-Savoie region offers some of the most spectacular mountain and woodland scenery in France
- We will visit and photograph spectacular mountain and woodland vistas near to the village of Samoëns
- Your tutors and fellow photographers, Philip Smith, founder of IGPOTY – The International Garden Photographer of the Year, and Wilf James
This is an opportunity to photograph the diversity of mountains, forests and waterfall scenes with autumnal colours.
Dates:
Alpine Experience Photo Workshop 2021
Dates to be announced
Price: £895.00
Deposit: £350.00
Booking Form
Who is this for?
The trip will be of great interest to both those new to photographing mountain and woodland locations as well as the more experienced, either using DSLR or top range digital compacts. The emphasis though will be how to get the most creativity out of the stunning mountain and woodland scenery when visiting these photogenic locations. We keep the groups’ small, maximum of eight individuals.
Alpine Experience
Samoëns
The goal of this workshop is to work with light in the high mountain pastures and forests, looking at how to capture magnificent panoramas to patches of light on the woodland floor that highlight fungus, flora and fauna. A diverse range of photo opportunities that IGPOTY founder, Philip Smith, will help guide you to achieve the best possible results. Samoëns is a favorite destination for winter sports and in summer for trekking and discovering the many paths that traverse the mountains. We however have chosen the exceptional autumn season when colours put on an amazing display saying goodbye to summer and readying for the first falls of winter snow. The light can put on stunning displays during the morning and evening “Golden Hours” as it rises above and descends below the high mountain range that encircle this area. The village is also home to the Jaysinia botanical gardens specialising in alpine flowers, established in 1906 by Marie-Louise Cognac-Jaÿ, a native of Samoëns and founder of La Samaritaine department store in Paris. Since 1936 it has been directed by the Scientific Division of Botany from the National Museum of Natural History. It is situated on a steep slope at the north end of the village and will be one of the locations we visit.
Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval
Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval is one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France, (one of the most beautiful villages of France). Although it is the Cirque du Fer à Cheval that has made Sixt famous, the stunning semi circle of mountains, the horse-shoe, which makes for some amazing photo opportunities. We will be within a couple of kilometres of the Swiss border, the only obstacle will be a 3000 meter mountain to climb! Comparisons have been made with Yosemite National Park and when you are standing in front of Le Cheval Blanc – The White Horse – you’ll understand why.
Col Du Joux Plane
Climbing up behind the village of Samoëns the road winds, at times precariously, to the Col Du Joux Plane. This is where we will have the chance to photograph mountain pastures and forests with the most stunning view over to Mont Blanc, meaning “White Mountain”, it is the highest mountain in the Alps and the highest in Europe. It rises to 4,808 m. Within such a small area there will be presented to you a spectacular amount of photographic opportunities and the probability that you will go home with some stunning images. The course is about exploration and moving out of your comfort zone to take great pictures. But it is not deadly serious nor is it a course about the latest technology. In a friendly, open environment, we aim to inspire you to get more pleasure and fun from your photography for years to come.

Samoëns, view towards Sixt-Fer-à-Cheval
Our itinerary for the weekend will be flexible and for the most part will be decided by our friend the weather.
Our accommodations are situated close to the river Griffe and our first evening and golden hour will find us exploring the water, trees and foliage as we follow the riverbank.
Beautiful clear mornings will give us spectacular views over to Mont Blanc as we climb towards Col Du Joux Plane, equally, misty mornings will give us the ethereal light to get creative.
After our first evening shoot and discussion over a lovely meal we will set the tone for the next few days. We have an amazing variation within a small area that gives us the opportunity to change location on the go.
- Transfers from Geneva Airport to Samoens
- 3 nights accommodation, breakfast and evening dinner
- Maximum of eight (8) individuals
- Transportation between shoot locations
- One-to-one and group guidance
- Backup notes
- All accommodation
Not included in the Price:
All flights to and from your home country to Geneva Airport, Switzerland.