Portrait photography workshops in the enigmatic ruins and stunning coastal locations of Cartagena, Spain

Strap on your Timberlands and join Damien in the dusty ruins of Cartagena this autumn. This unique three day portraiture event will show you how to maximize the shooting potential in extraordinary locations and how to make the most of both natural light and simple Speedlight sources to create stunning portraits.

This is a fun, inspirational and creative three day experience. You will each shoot in turn with the Speedlight set ups on a 1-to-1 basis with the models before moving on. The locations are rich in texture and colour, and there will be a wealth of opportunities for capturing wonderful images.

Although the locations are dusty and full of uneven surfaces, they're no more challenging than a walk in the Lake District or a woodland. There are no toilet facilities at the locations but there are bushes and out of the way areas. (Please remember to bring some toilet roll or tissues with you!.) There are no great distances to walk, however you may find yourself climbing through an open window… if the big guy Damien can do it, then so can you :) Sun cream is essential. Last year was hot.

Damien will drive you to the shooting locations so that you will not be required to drive. We have a local 'fixer' called Mickie on this trip to transport models, organize lunch and generally help out. Mickie lives locally in the area and was a previous delegate in 2011 as well as our fixer last year.

Galleries
A selection of the photographs captured on the 2012 workshops can be found here.

"I have attended 2 Damien Lovegrove oversea training workshops (Berlin 2011 and Spain 2012) and I have simply been blown away with the learning and the images we have created. Damien has a fabulous style of teaching and will empower you with the knowledge to return home with the ability to re-create equally stunning images. The nature of workshop, being overseas for a 3-4 day period means you will also create and forge lifelong friendships with some (or all) of the other delegates that attend the workshop too. I cannot speak highly enough of Damien or his master classes. You will not regret your decision to attend and will return as a more accomplished and inspired photographer."
Aneil Sharma
 

"The Spain 2012 workshop was more like a gathering of amazing people, all learning from the world's best portrait photographers in the backdrop of wonderful locations in Spain with world class models. In terms of the experience, it was like being with your most amazing buddies having the best time ever!! In terms of training, the masters are at their best when presented with beautiful dramatic locations! The level of creativeness is awe inspiring and it's amazing to be a part of that. One other thing is that the last day was crucial!!! It was letting the delegates call the shots under the watchful eye of the masters. We had to use what we learnt. Think of it as "learning by doing". This was a key part of the experience. When doing this kind of workshop again, I highly recommend you keep doing the last creative day!!! I'm sure everybody on this group can testify how valuable it was…."
Gwyn Cole
 

"I went to Spain thinking I would learn how to use the speedlights I had bought and didn't know how to use. It ended up being an incredible and fun experience that I'll never forget. I learned so much about all aspects of photography and ever since have had a burning passion for it. Damien and Martin were fantastic teachers and great fun. The models were beautiful, professional and equally fun. The social evenings were every bit as good as the photography days. So much so I went to Fuerteventura 2013 and I'm hoping to make it to Venice."
Lee Jolley

Day one:
09:00 - Meet in the lobby at Hotel Alfonso and be driven to first location
09:45 - Shooting on location at TBC with a picnic lunch provided
18:00 - Arrive back at hotel Alfonso
19:00 - Optional: Join us for Tappas followed by dinner at a local Taverna (at your own expense)

Day two:
09:30 - Meet in the lobby at Hotel Alfonso and be driven to first location
10:00 - Shoot at various dissused quarries and mines with a picnic lunch supplied
18:30 - Arrive back at hotel Alfonso
19:30 - Optional: Join us for Tappas followed by dinner at a local Taverna (at your own expense)

Day three:
Due to the popularity of the optional creative third day we've now made it central to the Cartagena experience. On the third workshop day we will venture out towards the beach and other stunning coastal locations.
09:30 - Meet in the lobby at Hotel Alfonso and be driven to first location
10:00 - Shooting on location at TBC with a picnic lunch provided
18:30 - Arrive back at hotel Alfonso
19:30 - Optional: Join us for Tappas followed by dinner at a local Taverna (at your own expense)


Have any questions?
Call Blaise or Laura on 01275 853204 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm GMT) or email us.

Recommended kit list:

We have no hard and fast rules on what you can and can't bring, but we do highly recommend having at least the following.

1. An SLR or mirrorless digital camera (any make) with a standard hot shoe connector. Whether you have the latest Hasselblad Phase One, Leica M9, Canon/Nikon/Pentax dSLR or Fuji Rangefinder you're all welcome to join.
2. A range of lenses covering from approximately 24mm to 100mm (on full frame).
3. A fast prime standard lens capable of f/1.8
4. A Hoodman Loupe
5. Sun cream
6. An open mind and a creative heart :)
7. A bottle of water in your bag would be a good idea.

Damien will provide all the lighting equipment including universal flash triggers for each delegate, together with various Speedlights to be used in manual mode. Please bear in mind that it's best to travel light. The lighting will be dramatic yet simple. Easy to replicate with minimal kit so a great value learning experience will be had by all. Damien will share the settings and teach the strategies used so that everyone can get the full benefit of the experience.

Please organise your travel insurance separately.

Booking Your Place

Click the 'Book Your Place' button for the event you'd like to attend and follow the checkout process. To secure your place you only need to pay the initial deposit, which can be paid by debit card, credit card or with a PayPal balance. You do not need to have a PayPal account to pay using PayPal. Once signed up you will be given access to the Facebook group for the trip where you can 'meet' your fellow delegates and take part in discussions about genres, models and styling. The remainder of the balance will be requested closer to the actual date of the event.

Cancellation Policy

As our costs for each workshop remain the same no matter how many delegates attend, please note that just like any pre-booked tickets for the theatre, concert, flights etc, we are unable to give any refund in the event of non-attendance, regardless of the circumstances. The exception to this is if we have prior notice and are able to put a cancellation place back online AND your place is resold. In this event we will of course make a full refund or credit to you. We also reserve the right to cancel any workshop if there is insufficient demand, especially if it means that our costs would be higher than our income. Please therefore do not leave it until the last few weeks if you are interested in a particular date, as you may find that it has been removed! Please note that we cannot be liable for any other costs incurred by yourself, so please check with us before booking any non-refundable accommodation or transport.