“Foto & Foodie” Tour Dates
September 30 – October 7, 2026
Extension to Le Marche region Oct 7-11
Included:
Travel
All ground and water travel is included.
Hotels
Accommodations are included.
Meals
All breakfasts, 1 lunch, and 3 special dinners.
Workshop
Photo Workshop tuition and Cooking Class
Not Included:
- Airfare
- Travel insurance to protect your investment. Here are two places to shop for a free quote online:Travel GuardAllianz Travel Insurance
*Also not included are crowds of tourists, slow moving tour guides and lectures on the history of plague 🙂
Bologna | Emilia Romagna
Bologna is for foodies. It’s called “La Grassa” (the fat one) for a reason. Think tortellini, lasagna and rago alla bolognese.
Many great photographers call Bologna their favorite Italian city for its colorful architecture, miles of arcades covering bustling sidewalks. Perhaps also because it’s a place a photographer can escape mainstream tourism and and be immersed in a vibrant and metropolitan town.
You’ll eat at a variety of restaurants and taste wines of the region along with famous delights of the Emilia Romagna region: prosciutto, parmigiano and balsamico.
For the second part of the visit we move our headquarters into the countryside to explore the rustic side of Romagna and meet chefs you’d likely never find on your own.
Partners are welcomed on this tour, designed as a relaxed holiday where food meets photography.
Pre-Workshop: We recommend you arrive a day or two early to acclimate to the time zone. You can fly directly into Bologna or choose nearby Florence airport for an easy entry. Venice is also just an hour or two away by train and makes a fun extension to your travel afterward. We’ll be happy to suggest hotels and travel tips for your pre and post workshop days.
Photo Workshop
In the field, you’ll be offered daily suggestions for street photography and urban fine art techniques. You’ll also be given short assignments along with printed material to help you remember what you’ve learned.
In addition, daily image reviews will allow you to see what others are doing and to share your ideas with the group.
Culinary Tour
You’ll visit some small producers of Emilia Romagna specialties ie, balsamic, prosciutto and cheeses from the region. This gives you an opportunity to meet local folks and make some interesting portraits along the way. Finally, Gabriele will treat you to his favorite typical trattorias and osterias where you can eat and drink like a local.
Group Time and Free Time
We gather to review images 2 or 3 times during the week. This gives you a chance to see what the other guests are seeing and it sparks ideas. It also allows us to offer suggestions and show Lightroom and Photoshop tips to enhance your work.
Non-Photographer Partners… Don’t worry, all instruction sessions are optional so you won’t feel captive. We build in plenty of free time in fascinating places so you can explore on your own or just people watch from a sidewalk cafe.
Post-Workshop Extension:
Le Marche Region, Blooming Landscapes
June 22-26, 2026
Stay with us and travel through the Le Marche region along the east coast of Italy.
Highlights:
- Piana di Castelluccio – fields are painted with the vivid colors of poppies, cornflowers, and lentils
- Urbino – Splendid medieval village, one night stay
- Ascoli Piceno – Charming and vibrant town, three nights stay
- Welcome and farewell dinners
- Guided time for the best perspectives at the right time of day
- All entrance fees
- Free time to shop and sight-see
Gabriele Angelini
Guide / Instructor
Our long time partner Gabriele Angelini is an Italian photographer and publisher who makes his home in Imola, near Bologna.
His passion for street photography is infectious and it’s a pure pleasure to shoot alongside him. The first thing you’ll notice is his big smile and his unbridled enthusiasm for every place we photograph.
Gabriele is also excited to share his native cuisine, that the Emilia Romagna region, the heart of classic Italian cuisine. He’s lined up a very special cooking, eating and learning experience for us.
Gabriele taught history of photography at the University of Bologna (founded 1000AD) and shares his studied insights with us as we travel. Read more…
Instructor (with 5 or more guests)
Randy Collier, M.Photog, CR
Randy Collier is a fine-art photographer and an exceptional instructor. A professional studio photographer for 30 years, he’s now free to roam the earth and coach aspiring photographers.
Recent ventures include opening EarthLight Gallery in Park City, Utah, and Master Your Workflow, a digital coaching business for photographers.
Randy has been key to the growth of Italy Workshops, instructing for over a dozen years at workshops in Italy and France.
View Randy’s work
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type of Camera Should I Bring?
Any camera is acceptable, including smartphones. Automation for the beginner can make the trip fun and stress-free and, at times, increase creativity.
Should I Bring a Computer
Participants who are very comfortable with their computer are encouraged to bring it along. Editing your images during the week can enhance your learning experience. We currently use Adobe Lightroom CC for our on-screen reviews sessions. You will learn new LR editing methods and workflow shortcuts during classroom reviews and critique. Even if you’ve used Lightroom, we highly recommend brushing up before the workshop by watching the free tutorials available on Adobe.com. If you are not fluent downloading and managing digital images, you might consider leaving the computer behind and just focusing on camera work. You can still submit images daily for review, and perhaps find more time to learn about your camera and develop a discerning eye. (Not to mention sleep happily while others are editing into the night) Observer Participants may be beginner photographers, attending all instruction and field trips, but not required to submit photos for critique. This is a fun way to learn without pressure. You’ll still photograph the same things and we’ll still want to review your work on the back of your camera and offer individual instruction in the field.
All Skill Levels Are Welcome
Beginner and Intermediate Photographers
Our goal is to simplify and de-mystify digital camera options. The first step is turning off most of the automation on the camera. Short, daily field lessons will then add one simple technique at time. Soon you’re able to concentrate on composition and lighting rather than buttons and menus.
Any camera is welcome (yes, even smartphones!). Non-photographer partners are welcome to sit in on all discussions and participate at their own level of interest. (Beginners often make some of the best images of the tour.)
Advanced Photographers
As an advanced photographer you’ll be encouraged to:
- Build your portfolio, adding strong images every single day of the trip.
- Focus on style development, lighting and composition.
- Work in “concentrations” to produce a collection of work suitable for a gallery showing or book project.
You will return home with a body of work suitable for a gallery showing or book project that will express your personal style, as opposed to a random collection of travel photos.
