Camargue is a paradise for those who love animals, nature and horses. We will interact with our own private group of horses and riders to photograph at some of the most stunning locations: sea shore with waves breaking in, sand dunes at sunset with backlight, green marshes, rivers and flooded infinite lake. You’ll enjoy sessions with horses at the most beautiful time of the day with experienced guides and riders: at sunrise and sunset.
Please note that to meet our schedule, we must leave the airport at 13:00. For this reason, newcomers are advised to book morning flights or stay in Marseille overnight. I recommend flying KLM or AirFrance. We meet at arrivals hall 1 opposite information kiosk.
Day 1, 28 April
Driving from Marseille to Camargue is 1,5 hour. Arrival in the Camargue National Park (Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue), in the town of Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer. After lunch and a brief on photographing horses we’ll drive to our first shooting session. This evening we’ll photograph horses running through water on sunset.
Days 2 and 3
Early in the morning we’re taking equine pictures in the water again. The ranchers will help us get a beautiful show of white horses galloping on a sandy beach or a shallow water. During the day, we’ll analyze the photos taken, and in the evening we’re off to the park again for another session. This time, in addition to the evening run, our helpers will bring together two stallions, and we’ll see them in all their passionate glory. Have no fear, the situation is absolutely harmless but these noble animals can’t probably be more expressive than when two males rear up and start their power play.
Day 4
Just like yesterday, we’ll have two shooting sessions, one in the morning and another in the evening.
Each shooting session with horses will take 1 to 2 hours. In total, there will be five of them: two in the mornings and three in the evenings (one of them can be moved to the afternoon). Each of these sessions will be in the open, with a whole herd of horses and several ranchers at our disposal – it’s a real feat that’s neither easy nor cheap to arrange outside of a big group. And believe me, the results are worth every penny!
Besides horses, our second favorite activity will be birdwatching. Camargue is a true bird paradise – there are about 340 species of birds in there, including the most famous of them all: pink flamingoes. A small island near Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer is the largest colony of pink flamingoes in the Western Mediterranean – and the only one in France. The park is very accommodating for birders as well as birds, with paths and observation booths in major locations.
Day 5 – 2 May
We have relaxed morning as no activities planned today. This morning we drive back to the Marseille airport and say our goodbyes. We drive from Camargue at 10:00 a.m. arriving at airport at noon, 12:00
Pricing:
Total price: 3490 USD per person twin share
Single supplement: 450 USD
Maximum Number of Participants: 16 (per 3 photography guides for our group, a local guide, 3-5 guardians helping with horses)
Difficulty: easy
Included in the price:
– All transfers
– Lodging
– All meals
– Instruction and master classes by three professional guides
– Services of crew that helps to guide horses
– 8 horse sessions (1-2 hours each)
– Carrots for horses to run faster 🙂
Not included in the price:
– Lunch on arrival and departure
– Airfare
– Visas (if applicable)
– Single supplement
What to bring
Gear:
– Camera
– A middle-zoom lens such as a 24-70 mm
– A telephoto zoom lens, such as a 70-200 mm or 100-400 mm. One of the most important for horse photography.
– fast memory cards, extra storage
Wear:
– Waterproof and windproof jacket (for the muddy shootings)
– Waterproof pants (keep change)
– Wellingtons or fishing boots
– Casual clothes for dinners and lunches and photography workshops
Tour leaders
Albert is a Dutch photographer with an extreme passion for landscape photography. He aims to capture places and certain moments in the best way possible by using his own vision and unique style. His style consists of strong vibrant, sometimes fairytale like images in which he expresses himself. Albert has a background in Design, Video and Animation. He has worked for himself his whole life and has as a Master Degree in Multimedia & Entertainment Technology.
Albert loves to travel. Next to photo tours and workshops he likes to explore the world on his own or with friends. He has a passion for visiting the most beautiful spots in the world, whether known or unknown. Challenging himself is what keeps him motivated. Albert loves planning his shots carefully.
He does this with great detail to make sure his efforts have the highest chances of success. He sometimes plans days, weeks, months or even years to get that particular shot he wants. Challenging himself combined with planning and writing a story of the whole process is Albert’s specialty. He is always looking for new challenges and adventures. He is able to find beauty anywhere in the world: from misty mornings in the forests minutes away from his home to rooftops of the highest buildings in Dubai to remote locations in Iceland or the US. Next to taking photos, Albert also likes to teach and write about photography.
He occasionally writes for the most well known Photography magazines both on – and offline. Along that he has worked with many brands in the photography industry and is an official Sony Ambassador of Imaging.
His work has been featured in some of the biggest news outlets & magazines worldwide, like TIME, National Geographic and Adobe.
