This page contains some of the frequently asked questions we get regarding our workshop and talks. Please have a read through them and feel free to contact us if you have any other questions.
Yes, it does.
You have free unlimited WiFi throughout your stay in La Mezzaluna. You will be provided with the code when you arrive. Also, many of the cafes and restaurants have free WiFi.
We would always recommend that you bring at least one ND grad, one ND and a circular polarizer. If you are bringing a full-sized DSLR, we would recommend either the Lee, NiSi or Cokin systems for the ND grads. If you want to splash the cash, we would recommend the Lee digital starter pack or the NiSi system. Martin has used both systems and can vouch for their very high quality, but they are not cheap. A more reasonably priced option is the Cokin Z Pro ND filter kit.
You will need to buy the appropriate lens adapter rings for your lenses with each of these kits, except the NiSi system which comes with adapter rings for 67mm, 72mm and 77mm filter thread sizes.
Lee and Cokin also have kits designed specifically for Compact System Cameras (CSC) and mirrorless cameras. The Lee system is called Seven5 and the Cokin system is called A series.
When it comes to circular polarising filters, there is a glut of choices. Hoya Pro 1 or Hoya HD are excellent filters at a reasonable price. Higher-priced options include B+W and Lee. The NiSi system also comes with its own innovative polarising filter that fits onto your lens prior to the filter holder, thereby reducing the chance of vignetting.
We will show you how to get the best from these filters as well as explain and demonstrate when not to use them.
Please note, we are not affiliated to any brand. Our recommendations are based on our professional experience.
If you have any questions about which to buy and bring along, feel free to contact us.
No, you don’t.
Having your own laptop may be useful for your free time, but Martin will bring his laptop and show you some techniques in Photoshop and Lightroom. He will also be able to answer a lot of your questions about post-production and develop some copies of your own images if you wish.
You will be encouraged to shoot in RAW and therefore, post-production will be essential when you return home with your images.
Yes, you can.
Select “Pay Deposit” and you will be given a choice of two payment plans. Select the plan most appropriate for your booking before you add the course to your basket. We have set the deposit option as the default but you can change this to pay the full amount at once.
Paying the full amount at once is necessary if you are booking a workshop that starts in less than 60 days.
If you have unintentionally added a course to your basket without selecting the deposit option, simply remove the course from your basket and add it again with the deposit option selected.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any concerns regarding your deposit payment.
Yes. Breakfast and evening meals are included in our Tuscany Workshops.
The region of Tuscany that our workshops take place is famous throughout Italy for its cuisine. Now, when you consider that Italy is already one of the finest countries in the world for its quality of food, that means that this is simply an area of outstanding cuisine. Don’t just take our word for this – join us.
Alcohol is not included.
Yes, you can. You are free to contact the hotel named in the workshop and make separate arrangements for the beginning and/or end of the scheduled workshop period.
Alternatively, you can email or call us and discuss your wishes and we will help in any way we can to assist you with your plans. If you do make arrangements to extend your stay, please remember to let us know because this will affect our collection and drop off procedures.
Also, please recognise that we will not be contractually responsible for these additional agreements, and you will need to make separate arrangements for your own travel.
Yes. Our site uses SHA-256, RSA Encryption to protect your information.
Shortly after completing your purchase or deposit, you will receive an email containing your purchase information. This email is usually immediate, but occasionally it may take a few minutes.
If after 20 minutes, you have not received an email confirming your purchase, check the spam folder of your emails. If the confirmation email is not in your spam folder, please contact us.
Yes. We run a fair and honest business.
For our Tuscany workshop, you can cancel anytime up to 14 days after purchase. If you cancel within this time frame you will receive a full refund of all money paid, including your deposit.
Our One 2 One training allows you to cancel anytime up to 48 hours before the training is due to commence and we will give you a full refund. If you cancel with less than 48 hours notice, you will be able to book another similar session free of charge.
Please see our terms and conditions for further cancellation information. If you’d like to know more, please feel free to contact us.
The exact distinction between the two can be a bit blurred, but basically:-
A workshop is a hands-on and practical training experience. Sometimes they are residential and span several days and other times they are one-day workshops.
A course is not residential and usually lasts one day. However, we do plan to introduce evening classes that may span several separate evenings.
The individual course page will give details of the time and location of the training, whether it is a workshop or course.
Absolutely not! We aim to show you the skills and techniques to inspire your photography and make you comfortable and more knowledgable with the camera you already own.
This really depends on what you all ready own and what you really need for the course or workshop.
A more complete list can be found on the individual course pages and remember you can always contact us if you’d like to discuss what you should bring on any course before or after you have booked it.
Yes. You are advised to take out insurance to cover your travel, stay and camera equipment while you attend any of our workshops.
You are quite right. We have seen them too. However, we do not believe this is the best way forward for anyone who is trying to learn a new skill or develop upon their existing knowledge.
All too often people attend training courses that have a long list of Learning Outcomes and are attacked by PowerPoint and coffee. This leads to overload and there is a huge percentage of people that leave these courses more confused than they were before they attended the course.
We concentrate on only the necessary course objectives and ensure you are proficient and confident with the subject matter before you leave. Learning is a layered process and each layer has to be solid before you build a new one on top.