Photo Workshop Dates
October 5-12, 2025
Begin: Como, Italy*
End: Milan Malpensa MXP, Italy
Tour Group Size: 6-12 People
$4950 / Person (Add $650 supplement for private single room)
* This trip starts in Como, Italy, a short distance from Milan Malpensa MXP airport. You can arrive by train or private driver. The tour ends at the Milan Malpensa airport.
Included:
Travel
All ground and water travel is included.
Hotels
Accommodations are included.
Meals
All breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 3 dinners.
Workshop
Workshop tuition, including instruction in the field throughout the week and daily on-screen reviews.
Not Included:
- Airfare
- Trip insurance (recommended)
*Also not included are crowds of tourists, slow moving tour guides and lectures on the history of plague 🙂
Lake Como | Lake Orta | Lake Maggiore
Three romantic lakes in northern Italy – Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta where artists and royalty have vacationed for inspiration since medieval times. This workshop is a favorite of our regular workshop attendees. Spilling from the Italian Alps, these freshwater lakes are dotted with quaint villages that blend Italian and Swiss history. As a photographer, there’s no more image-rich location in Italy.
We’ll begin with 3 luscious nights on famous Lake Como, exploring and photographing its small villages and spectacular villas. Our next 4nights are spent in one of Italy’s best-kept secrets, the village of Orta San Giulio on picture-perfect Lago d’Orta, with a day trip to Lake Maggiore.
Tour Itinerary
Como City
Pre-workshop
We suggest you arrive a day or two early to the city of Como to acclimate to the time zone and enjoy this elegant walking town.
Arrive by train directly from Milan Malpensa Airport MXP. Private drivers are also available.
Hotel recommendations upon request.
Bellagio
Day 1 | Como-Lenno-Bellagio
11:30 AM, meet on the waterfront in Como
Travel by ferry up the lake to our hotel in the quiet village of Lenno
Welcome lunch lakeside
Ferry to famous Bellagio for a magical evening.
Varenna by Drake Busath
Day 2 | Varenna
Workshop in Lenno
Ferry to Como’s most photogenic village Varenna and nearby gardens
Lunch and free time to explore Varenna
Meet to shoot the evening light together on the waterfront
Dinner on your own.
Villa Balbianello by Drake Busath
Day 3 | Villa Balbianello
Taxi boat to nearby Villa Balbianello with it’s spectacular gardens
Field lessons and free time to fulfill assignments
Workshop review and critique at our hotel
Free time to soak in the beauty
San Giulio Island on Lake Orta
Day 4 | Orta San Giulio
Early-light group shoot (optional).
Transfer by ferry and private coach with lunch along the way.
Arrive Orta San Giulio.
Check in at our charming hotel in the heart of Orta; a one-time residence of royalty, Orta is called Little Venice because of its serene piazza on the water (no cars allowed).
Waterfront shoot on the piazza in Orta.
Free time and dinner on your own.
Orta San Giulio
Day 5 | Lake Orta
Workshop: Image review and editing tips.
Tour Lake Orta by private boat, stopping along the way to photograph villas and the island from the water.
Visit the peaceful convent island of San Giulio.
Optional hike up the hill to the Franciscan chapels and dramatic lake and mountain views.
Dinner on your own at one of Orta’s quaint restaurants.
Day 6 | Lake Maggiore
Early-light group shoot and field lesson
Day trip to nearby Lake Maggiore and take private boats to it’s islands
Isola Bella with it’s over-the-top villa and gardens, then to charming Isola dei Pescatori for dinner
Group dinner
Day 7 | Orta
We’ve extended our traditional workshop an extra day for relaxing in individual exploration.
Walk up to Sacro Monte for lunch with an overlook of the lake. Explore the devotional site with fascinating chapels dedicated to St Francis of Assisi.
Hop on a boat to San Giulio or simply explore the narrow streets and lakefront vistas of Orta.
View from our hotel
Day 8 | Orta to Milan MXP airport
Leisurely morning on the lake, a farewell breakfast and workshop wrap up.
Check out, transfer by private coach to Milan Malpensa airport (MXP).
Drop-off by 12:00PM
If you’re staying the night in Milan, we take you to your hotel in Malpensa, just 4o minutes outside Milan. An Express train runs frequently from the airport to the city center.
The Workshop
We teach practical methods to find and organize dynamic lighting and composition, whether you’re using an iPhone or a pro camera.
Classroom and field discussions are carefully planned with printed materials to help you remember what was discussed. In the field, we work side by side with you and help you to master the techniques we’ve demonstrated in the classroom.
This is more than a run-and-gun photo tour, it’s a careful learning experience and a vacation that promises to improve your “sight” and thus your life!
Workshop Sessions
Classroom time (one-hour sessions) is devoted to reviewing your daily images on-screen and offering helpful suggestions. In the field, our discussions center around better composition and finding great light. And of course, answering your technical questions and helping you master your own equipment.
Randy Collier, instructor
Instructor / Randy Collier
Randy Collier, Master Photographer, Cr., will be the instructor for this tour. Randy has over 35 years experience as a professional photographer and gallery owner. He’s instructed with Italy Workshops for more than a dozen years. Randy is known for his kind, patient method of teaching and his deep knowledge of photography always draw rave reviews and returning guests.
Tour Producer / Guide
Mauro Riva, Italy Workshops
Mauro Riva is a professional guide in Italy, native of the Dolomite mountains, north of Venice. He will travel with us all week, sharing his insights about the Lakes region, its culture, history and food.
As a photographer himself, Mauro understands your needs. He’ll get you to the right places in the best possible light.
Mauro serves as Director of Operations for Italy Workshops. Having him on our team allows our instructor to focus on the curriculum instead of chasing down travel logistics. This is your guarantee of a safe and smooth week of learning.
View Mauro’s work
Office and Registration
Italy Workshops offices are located in the historic downtown mansion of Busath Studio & Gardens in Salt Lake City, UT . Please feel free to visit. Call ahead to visit with Drake 801-364-6645
Margaret Miller handles registrations and you can reach her at info@italyworkshops.com
Frequently Asked Questions
What Type of Camera Should I Bring?
Any camera is acceptable, including smartphones.
Bring a travel camera you’re comfortable with. You won’t want to be learning complicated menus on a new camera. For travel, the resolution of your camera is much less important than your ability to shoot quickly with it.
A single lens 24-105mm (35mm equivalent) would suffice for this tour. Of course a wider lens and a moderate telephoto are handy sometimes but not necessary.
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
We enjoy helping you master those buttons and menus on your camera! Short, daily field lessons will tackle one technique at time. Further individual attention in the field helps you lock in the concepts.
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 we see!)
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.
Italy’s Romantic Lakes Photo Workshop Reviews
