OVERVIEW

PHOTOS & FLOW WITH SAM KATZ

Join us on this special collaboration with photographer Sam Katz as we indulge in La Dolce Vita on border of Tuscany and Umbria in a beautiful villa. We’ll enjoy daily yoga, photography workshops, cultural sites, a spa day, wine tasting, and more!

Yoga will be offered each day to get our bodies and minds ready to experience the present moment and get the most out of our week. Then photography workshops will be included to get close guidance from Sam before setting off on our day trips, where we can try out our new techniques. Both professional cameras, film, digital, and even smart phones will be able to be used depending on your preference. Techniques can be applied to many disciplines, and Sam will work with each guest in a personalized manner.

WHAT WE’LL LEARN

Basics of photography: 
Deep dive into the foundations of photography to understand your camera fully, learn to shoot in manual mode, and control your exposure and focus like a pro. Understand lenses and practice your new skills with a professional by your side

Light and composition:
Learn about what makes a photo magical that goes beyond the equipment and technique. Understand to see light, to work with different types of light as different times of the day and how to make the most of it all. Learn the principles of composing and what makes a photo stand out.

Portraiture:
What makes a great portrait? What makes a great subject? The technical and the emotional aspects to capturing people. Learn the difference between portraits, environmental portraits, how to shoot individuals, groups and couples.

Travel photography:
No better place to practice your skills than Italy! Learn to capture street style images, culture and the essence of your travels through story-telling with images. Create better memories of your travels from today, forever!

HOTEL

Located on the border of the regions of Tuscany and Umbria, Porsenna Hotel & Spa is a grand country house resort hotel amid the fields and rolling hills of the countryside, a short distance from Lake Chiusi and Lake Trasimeno. Our group will enjoy an exclusive stay and private book-out of the hotel during our week together. The hotel boasts spacious and salubrious guest rooms, a newly opened on-site restaurant and an outdoor pool, as well as massage rooms. Beautiful gardens surround the buildings with various areas for us to meet, conduct the photography workshops with Sam, and stretch out in the daily yoga classes that will be offered to guests. Here, we are surrounded by historic and ancient Etruscan towns, hilltop villages, and storybook scenery. It gives us a perfect home base to explore the area on our day trips and see what this green heart of Italy has to offer.

SURROUNDING AREA / ACTIVITIES

Our day trips will allow us to experience the many unique landscapes and activities that this area has to offer. We will begin our week with a visit to the nearby Etruscan hilltop town of Chiusi, where we’ll enjoy a walking tour and a stop for lunch. Later that day, we’ll head to another beautiful village and an award-winning design hotel for an olive oil tasting, learning from an olive oil sommelier about the nuances and profiles of this elixir. And we will perhaps (as this will fall near harvest season) get to taste some of the brand new oil for the year. We’ll explore by the hill town of Montepulciano and enjoy an Italian coffee tasting in one of the historic cafes. By the middle of the week, we will recharge with spa treatments on site and down time before heading out that evening to explore a beautiful Umbrian town and have a cozy dinner out.

We will also fit in a visit to the town of Cortona, famed from Under the Tuscan Sun, and find an artisan workshop in the area to learn from and see how some of the quality products and crafts in this area are produced. We’ll also have time to enjoy some time in the town for shopping and lunch. We’ll round out the week with a wine tasting visit and lunch - how can we be in this part of Italy without partaking in its sacred potion? Finally, we’ll partake in a cooking class to prepare our final dinner together.

CUISINE

Healthful food is part of the retreat, drawing on the in-season harvests from the local area. Daily breakfast is prepared on-site, and the itinerary includes most dinner and lunches as well, many incorporating a visit or experience in the nearby area. We've carefully chosen delicious and fresh meals from renowned restaurants and chefs that will give guests an expansive experience of the cuisine. Throughout the week, we will get to sample several of the regional specialties like olive oil, coffee, wine, pecorino cheese, maybe some truffle or porcini if we are lucky! We'll relish in a range of local eateries, like cantinas, family osterias, and award-winning chefs, and we’ll have hands-on experiences with an Italian cooking class.

YOUR HOSTS

SAM KATZ

With a camera in one hand and a passport in the other, Samanta has been traveling the world and working as a photographer since 2009. Her love for photography began while obtaining her Bachelor of Arts (major in film), and then advanced her craft with a diploma in Professional Photography. Now, after 12 years as an industry professional, she has amassed an extensive client portfolio of more than 200 commercial and independent clients, worked in 15 countries around the world, and has told countless stories through images and film.

Outgrowing and learning the passing trends of marketing in social media, web and print, as well as working with brands in diverse industries such as high-end fashion, travel and tourism, and diverse entrepreneurs with a variety of businesses, Samanta has managed to keep her work modern and relevant, but still with her signature timeless feel. Telling her clients’ brand-stories through motion and still pictures is truly her superpower.

Sam’s expertise does not stop behind the camera. She has been leading workshops and classes on all things photography, creativity and self improvement around the world and online.

ERIN LEWIS

Erin is the founder of EAT.PRAY.MOVE and now calls Italy home. She loves to share this area with guests and finds that there is a yogic spirit of connection (to oneself, others, and the present moment) by traveling and experiencing new things. Besides carrying this practice throughout the week and allowing our senses to be heightening with our activities, meals, and time together, Erin will also offer a daily meditation and yoga class to help us relax and restore and reconnect. Classes are open to all levels, beginner to practiced.

* Participation in classes and activities is optional throughout the retreat. All levels welcome!

DETAILS / PRICING

• 6 days / 5 nights (Sept 24-29, 2023)

• Inclusive Retreat Price = $2,995 Single Room, ($150 discount per guest for sharing room. 3 shared rooms available)

• Deposit to hold space = $950

• Max # Guests = 16
  ** Final balance due 60 days before retreat start date.
  Read full cancellation policy in our Terms & Conditions.

INCLUDED*:

• Private villa accommodation (spacious bedrooms each with private bathrooms, linens)

• Daily Breakfast

• Selected Lunches & Dinners

• Welcome Aperitivo & Orientation Reception

• Transportation to/from day trips

• Daily yoga/meditation class

• Daily photography workshops with Sam

• Use of yoga mats

• Use of hotel amenities (pool, gardens, etc.)

• Regional Tastings - winery, olive oil, coffee, etc

• Olive Oil Tasting / Aperitivo

• Wine Tasting Lunch

• Italian Coffee demo at historic cafe

• Walking tour of Etruscan hilltop town, Chiusi

• Afternoon in Montepulciano

• Visit and dinner to Umbrian town

• Visit to Cortona

• Italian cooking class

• Spa day at on-site spa with Treatment

• Taxes

* airfare not included
**activities may change based on weather or unforeseen circumstances such as weather, etc

TRAVEL:

• Located just outside of Chiusi, Tuscany, Italy

• AIRPORTS: Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Florence Peretola Airport (FLR). From both airports there are easy train connections to the station nearest the hotel. Full details on how to best arrive will be given to guests.

• TRAIN STATION: Chiusi/Chianciano Terme

• We can provide recommendations for a private driver or public transportation. Taxis are available at any time from Chiusi Station, and private cars are available for door-to-door service from airports.

SUGGESTED PACKING:

Besides the basic packing and travel needs, here are a few things to think about bringing with you.

• PHOTOGRAPHY SUPPLIES

• YOGA MATS & STRAPS ARE PROVIDED

• Bathing suit (on-site pool, spa)

• Yoga clothes

• Plug adaptors / converters

• Comfortable walking shoes