Dalmatian Coast

Dates: May 22 - 31, 2010
Leaders: Carly Calhoun and Jeff Wendorff
Location: Split, Hvar, and Dubrovnik, Croatia
Cost: $2995

About the Workshop

Croatia’s Dalmatian coast is a spectacular 250 miles of royal blue sea, small fishing villages and hundreds of islands all set against dramatic, purple-grey mountains. The region has recently been touted as the “New Riviera” and is the inspiration behind the country’s tourism slogan: “The Mediterranean as it once was.” We will be based in the UNESCO world heritage city of Split, the stunning island of Hvar, and the famous 14th century walled-town of Dubrovnik. These locations will offer us the opportunity to photograph vibrant port-city life set amidst a dynamic array of Renaissance and Romanesque architecture and colorful island culture steeped in tradition. May is a wonderful time to visit the Dalmatian coast. The region is not yet flooded with tourists, the weather and the sea are warm, and we will be traveling at the height of the wildflower season.

Our workshop begins in Split, an exuberant city built in and around the Roman Emperor Diocletian’s 4th century palace (some of the most incredible Roman ruins in existence). Photographic opportunities abound in this ancient port city filled with bustling outdoor cafes, lively fish and produce markets, winding stone alleyways and eclectic locals strolling the popular, sun-drenched promenade that separates the Adriatic from the palace walls. We will then catch a ferry for the island of Hvar, often cited as “one of the world’s most beautiful islands.” Hvar is a blend of ancient, traditional villages, stepped vineyards, fields of lavender, Renaissance architecture and skiff-lined harbors. We will continue from Hvar on to Dubrovnik, “The Pearl of the Adriatic.” Dubrovnik is a gleaming town of marble streets and baroque buildings, which were infamously shelled during the 1990’s war. The city has been reconstructed to its historic appearance and is a blend of red, tiled roofs and white stone perched above the Adriatic.

Travel photography encompasses many photographic skills and subjects—from portraits and landscapes to food and architecture to street photography and wildlife. Dalmatia is a fascinating and stunning place to travel and photograph filled with welcoming, fun-loving people. During our workshop we will travel as storytellers through this beautiful and rugged landscape creating photo narratives that capture the spirit of the people and places we visit.

“A couple of years ago, I was hiking up a winding trail above a small island town for a better vantage point to photograph the harbor. I took a wrong turn off the hiking trail and ended up at a tiny, stone house on a steep hillside surrounded by vineyards. A grandfather and grandson were relaxing in front and when I asked if I could photograph the vineyard, they agreed but suggested I return the following morning when the whole family would be harvesting the grapes. I ended up spending the entire next day photographing the harvest. I helped pick the grapes, enjoyed a festive meal of grilled fish and accompanied the family as they returned to their wine cellar in town to celebrate the harvest. Sometimes the best way to a good glass of wine (okay, a couple) and a memorable experience is picking up your camera!

Gallery

Included in the Workshop

Your workshop fee includes photography instruction as well as guiding you on your travels along the Dalmatian Coast for 7 days. The transportation costs for the trip to Hvar (by boat/ferry) is included in the workshop fees. This workshop also includes your lodging and some meals. There will be a welcome dinner, all breakfasts and then a celebration dinner at the end of our journey together.

Needless to say, your fees include the professional instruction of a PAW leader. All workshops have leaders, however a PAW leader is an expert on the location and has proven skills as a workshop instructor. Our instructors are there to help you make better images and fill your portfolios, not theirs. PAW leaders don’t photograph on our workshops; they teach.

The workshop does not include airfare to Croatia or transportation to and from the destination hotels and the airport.

The workshop will allow a maximum of 12 participants and requires a minimum of 6 participants. Non-photographing participants are welcome on this workshop, but there will be a modest extra fee required. Please contact PAW for further information.

PAW workshops: the best leaders, locations, and instruction.

Transportation and Lodging

Airports

When it is time for you to book your reservations, you should plan to arrive in the city of Split. We will travel overland and oversea to your departure city, which is Dubrovnik. Unlike most domestic travel there is not a cost penalty to arrive at one airport and leave from another on this trip.

Split Airport (SPU)
Telephone: + 385 20 773 100
Cesta dr. Franjo Tudjman
96 P.P.2 Kastela
Croatia

Dubrovnik Airport (DBV)
Telephone: +385 20 773 100
Čilipi - Konavle
20213 Čilipi
Croatia

Shuttles and taxis are available for transfer from the Split airport to the harbor (which is a short walk down the main seaside promenade to our hotel) and from our accommodation in Dubrovnik to the airport.

Lodging

The cost of lodging during this workshop is included in the fee. Details on our lodging locations will be available closer to the departure date. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Schedule

We will send you an information packet about 60 days prior to departure with hotel specifics and detailed directions and locations.

We meet in Split on Sunday afternoon (May 23) for check in and then gather for dinner to discuss the upcoming week. We will be in Split the first three nights, ferry to Hvar on Wednesday morning where we will spend the next three nights, and then continue to Dubrovnik for the final two nights. The workshop concludes after our final dinner in Dubrovnik on Sunday. Each day we will meet early in the morning to photograph during the nice light and capture the coast’s early morning action like returning fishermen unloading their catch and women setting up their fruits and vegetables in the markets. Most of Croatia quiets down during the heat of the day and ours will be spent reviewing images, critiquing, enjoying a Dalmatian lunch and relaxing. In the late afternoon and evenings we will photograph the life and landscape waking up in the golden afternoon light. We will gather for dinner and then many may choose to take their tripods to capture the towns in “magic hour”. The small hotels in which we are staying are centrally located and chosen for easy access to great photographic opportunities.

Equipment and Gear

I would suggest bringing lenses that range from wide-angle to telephoto. However, I’d recommend not bringing artillery of lenses, as we will be moving around a lot and carrying all of this gear! Personally, I try to only carry 2-3 lenses, a flash unit, and a light tripod when traveling so that I’m not weighed down with gear. A small camera backpack or sling bag is a good idea for carrying an extra lens or two, memory cards, extra batteries and other essential gear during the day. Please bring a laptop or external storage device for viewing your images. The Dalmatian coast is an exciting place to photograph so please bring plenty of memory cards as it can be costlier and more difficult to pick up cards in Croatia. Weather-wise, May in Dalmatia is generally in the 70s during the day and drops into the 50s at night.

The Leaders

Carly Calhoun

Carly lived and worked as a travel photographer in Croatia for almost five years and is very knowledgeable about the region and the best spots for photography. She photographed the region for publications such as The New York Times, The Washington Post and Time Out.

Carly Calhoun is a photojournalist specializing in travel, adventure, and environmental photography. After working as a photographer for the Jackson Hole News & Guide, the Wilmington Star-News, and Georgia Magazine, Carly headed to Croatia where she spent the last five years working on assignments across Europe.

Carly’s work has been featured in such publications as The New York Times, National Geographic Adventure, The Washington Post, The Miami Herald, Time Out travel books, Coastal Living and Backpacker Magazine. These assignments have ranged from city features for The New York Times, hiking the Camino de Santiago across Spain for Frommer’s Budget Travel, trekking 1500 miles across the Alps for National Geographic Adventure, to photographing Montenegro for the country’s promotion of tourism.

Storytelling of people and place is the inspiration for Carly’s work. Carly shares her creative and technical visual narrative knowledge and sense of fun and adventure to create a rewarding workshop. She works with each student to achieve his or her individual photographic goals, while creating an exciting and supportive group experience.

Jeff Wendorff

Jeff believes it is important to have fun while learning, serious fun, so be prepared to enjoy yourself when you are with him.

Jeff Wendorff is an avid outdoor and wildlife photographer whose work has been published widely — from calendars and magazines to even cans of cat food in China! Jeff is the Associate Director and workshop coordinator of PAW and a popular international tour leader. He has co-lead workshops with David Middleton as well as leading his own workshops for the past 5 years. Jeff has a great enthusiasm for travel and photography and it is quite contagious.

Jeff lives on the west coast of Florida and has spent probably too many hours in the field honing his skills.