As part of my popular composition series, this very special 3 day/4 night workshop finds us in the Spanish city of Valencia - home to some of the most stunning modern and ancient architecture in Europe! This workshop offers great value for money as it includes all meals, soft drinks, bus fares to the Old Town and admission fees for the Science Museum (indoor architecture) - you simply need to get to the hotel!

The jewel in Velencia's crown is the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences) - a state of the art science complex set within a huge landscaped park. Designed by Santiago Calatrava and Félix Candela the park was completed in 2009 at a staggering cost of over €1 billion! The stunning modern art of the four main buildings are simply breathtaking and very photogenic - more so due to the shallow pools of water surrounding some of the buildings, intentionally designed to create incredible mirror-like reflections. As we will be spending the majority of our time here, we will be staying at a beautiful and modern 4-star hotel which overlooks the complex. 

Valencia's Old Town

During our stay, we will also spend a day in Valencia's old town to photograph its ancient architecture including Mercado Central - one of Europe's largest indoor markets covering 86,000 sq. ft. built in the Venetian Art Nouveau style. We will also visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of La Lonja de la Seda - a 15th century silk exchange and gothic masterpiece before heading to Valencia Cathedral for a headset tour and a chance to see some of the most beautiful, ancient Valencian oil paintings and carvings. 

City of Arts and Sciences

The City of Arts and Sciences is a fabulous location to hone your compositional skills with both big vista and close-up abstracts in mind. The time of year has been carefully chosen, so that we can photograph the area at dawn and dusk when it's pretty much deserted and when the light is at its best. During the main part of the day, we will walk around the area to discuss composition in detail - in particular abstracts. Here, we will also discuss lens choice and the techniques I use to gleen the very best from this staggeringly beautiful location. In line with my other Composition Series workshops, I'm offering a follow-up discounted online processing session (see below). This workshop is limited to just 6 participants, so there'll be plenty of individual tuition time. I will be on hand throughout the workshop giving advice and tuition so that you return home with a stunning variety of images that you'll look back on with fondness for years to come.

Meals and entrance fees included!

As mentioned above, this workshop offers great value for money as all meals and soft drinks are included. Entrance fees to Valencia Cathedral and the Science Museum are also included in the price.

Gallery

Below are examples of some of the architecture you can expect to photograph whilst in Valencia. To see my full range of Valencia images be sure to check out my Valencia Gallery Page here >>

Images from the stunning Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences)

Monochrome Images from Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences)

Images from El Carmen (Valencia Old Town)

Post-Processing

As part of this series, for those who attend this workshop, I'm offering a one-off 20% discount on a follow-up 2-hour (or more) Zoom session to help process images taken during the workshop using Lightroom Classic (Offer valid for up to 3 months after the workshop).

You will learn

• Detailed discussions on composition (an important aspect of all my Composition Series workshops).
• Exposure bracketing
• Using graduated filters and polarisers when required
• Technical camera skills where necessary

Camera Equipment

Here is a list of recommended equipment you should bring…

• Camera body and a selection of lenses that cover very wide-angle to medium telephoto (around 12-14mm to 100mm). 
• A smartphone camera is particularly useful here, too. 
• At least two camera batteries
• Tripod
• Hot-shoe spirit level (if your camera has a level indicator built-in that’s fine).
• A small set of graduated filters (optional, as you may borrow mine if required).
• Polariser (optional, as you may borrow mine when required).
• Lens cloth

Clothing 

• In January, Valencia is usually around a comfortable 20 degrees in the middle of the day. However, padded jackets are necessary for dawn and dusk shoots as temperatures can dip to single figures.
• Light clothing and walking shoes/boots are necessary for walking during the day.

Fitness Level - Easy | Moderate | Challenging

A Easy level of fitness is required for this workshop as much of the going is on flat paths. The Market, Silk Exchange and Cathedral is just a 15 minute walk from the bus stop in the heart of Valencia.

Getting there

Ryanair offer direct flights from major UK airports to Valencia on the dates above. Other airlines such as KLM offer a 2-flight option from smaller UK airports - usually via Schiphol, Amsterdam. A taxi is the most convenient option from Valencia airport to the Hotel (around 20 minutes) at an approximate cost of €30.00 euros each way.

Details

Full joining instructions and itinerary will be sent prior to this workshop. Please note that all workshops oustide of the UK need to be viable for me to run, so please do not book your flights until I ask you to do so.

Booking

To book or make an enquiry please fill out the form below or click the 'Contact Mark' button to email me.

Payment must be made in full when booking a single day workshop (you will be sent an invoice). For residential workshops, a deposit of £500 is required (unless otherwise stated) and the balance is payable 12 weeks before the course commences.

The balance of the cost of the workshop will be due 12 weeks before the workshop starts. If a booking is made less than 12 weeks prior to the beginning of the workshop, the full cost is payable at the time of booking.

If you, the client, cancel a booking any money you have paid (including the deposit) is non-refundable unless I can find a replacement to take your place after all other places have been filled. If a replacement is found an admin fee of £100 will be deducted from the refund. If I cancel a booking any payment received will be refunded in full. Please ensure that you have adequate travel insurance in place. It is a term of the contract between us that you will obtain the appropriate travel insurance cover before you set out on the workshop. The insurance must cover the loss, expenses and damages arising from, including but not limited to, the cancellation of the workshop (whether in whole or in part), personal accident and injury, medical and repatriation costs, loss of baggage and personal money and belongings, flight cancellations and delays as well as your inability to arrive at the workshop destination due to fuel shortages and other such disruptions out of my control.

Except where otherwise expressly stated in these booking conditions, I regret I cannot accept liability or pay any compensation where the performance or prompt performance of my obligations under my contract with you is prevented or affected by or you otherwise suffer any damage, loss or expense of any nature as a result of “force majeure”. In these booking conditions, “force majeure” means any event which I or the supplier of the service(s) in question could not, even with all due care, foresee or avoid. Such events may include, (whether actual or threatened), war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, adverse weather conditions, fire, epidemics/pandemics, fuel shortages and all similar events outside my control.

Please note, I cannot accept any liability for any damage, loss, expense or other sum(s) of any description (1) which on the basis of the information given to me by you concerning your booking prior to me accepting it, I could not have foreseen you would suffer or incur if I breached the contract with you or (2) which did not result from any breach of contract or other fault by myself where I am responsible for them, my suppliers. Additionally, I cannot accept liability for any business losses.

You will be allocated either a single room or a double/twin room for single occupancy. There is no single occupancy surcharge. Where double or twin rooms are available, they will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis at the time of check-in.

Mark Banks Photography reserves the right to cancel any workshop. In the event of any cancellation, I will offer either a total refund or a place on an alternative workshop. If the alternative workshop is cheaper, I will refund the difference, and if it is more expensive, you will be required to pay the balance.

All applicants participate at their own risk and Mark Banks Photography accepts no responsibility for injury or damage done to their persons or property. It is recommended that applicants hold their own personal Public Liability Insurance.

The type of workshops I offer require flexibility and must allow for alternatives. For this reason, the outline itinerary and workshop description must be taken as an indication of what may take place on the workshop, and not as a contractual obligation on the part of Mark Banks Photography.

I do not accept responsibility or liability for death, bodily injury or illness caused to you during the workshop, unless arising from the negligent act and/or omission on my part or on the part of any of my employees (providing they were at the time acting within the course of their employment). Please note that any itinerary noted on the workshop description is subject to change due to weather conditions and/or the capability of participants.

By booking a workshop with Mark Banks Photography you are agreeing to accept all of the above conditions.