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Spanish Ladies in black


Spain and Morocco Photo Tour

5,850 US$ Full: Please join the interest list

This is not your typical Spanish tour

Despite his name, Harry Fisch is a native of Spain, so is uniquely qualified to be your Cicerone and guide.

On this 9 day Photo Tour of Andalucia, Spain, come with Harry Fisch and Nomad Photo Expeditions to discover the hidden spots, passion, heat, and joy of the south of Spain.

We will be attending some days of the Holy Week in Andalucia. Other venues with an exclusive access and backstage, intimate opportunities to meet and photograph dancers upholding the tradition of Spanish art, musicians and those who create the signature instruments of the countries. We will have a glimpse of the world (though no animals will be harmed), and live for a few days at a functioning olive oil farm and equestrian experience.  

As two possible optional extensions, a photo tour to Morocco and another to Portugal

HIGHLIGHTS

  • A Spain that goes far beyond the Spanish cliché
  • Photograph Spain as a local (with a local) and the vision of a multinational photographer
  • The Holy Week (Semana Santa) in Madrid and Andalucia
  • Access to and a photo session with bullfighters training (No bulls harmed).
  • Private photo session with a bullfighter.
  • Backstage photo shoot at a professional flamenco show with guitar players
  • Private photo session with a Spanish Riding School rider and flamenco dancer
  • Tapas and great restaurants
  • Photographic opportunities all around the patios de Córdoba in their best season.
  • Hidden architectural gems in Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada
  • Some impressive Spanish white pueblos
  • Lunch and wine testing at real Bodegas (Wineries)
  • Extended visit to the Palace of Alhambra and photo shoots from within and without.
  • Two exciting optional extensions to the most interesting spots of Morocco and Portugal

The story of Andalucia started at the XIII century, an old one of meshing cultures; it is a contiguous blend of Moorish and Medieval Christian influence, with significant Gypsy contributions as well as the typical Mediterranean flare we’ve come to know and love. We’ll take you through the country to meet the real Spain, the men and women who still press olives in the traditional way, horse trainers, bull farmers, musician artisans, and of course, a liberal spread and tasting of wine and tapas

We offer you exclusive access and backstage, intimate opportunities to meet and photograph dancers upholding the tradition of Spanish art, musicians and those who create the signature instruments of the countries. We will have a glimpse inside the premier bullfighting school of Madrid (though no bulls will be seen nor animals harmed), and live for a few days at a functioning olive oil farm and equestrian school.

You will have photo sessions with real people, people who have been doing the jobs of their forefathers the same way it’s always been done, from chefs in traditional kitchens, to the farmers who raise bulls for the fights that are the same as they were in Hemingway’s time and before. We will visit the bodegas, wineries that have been producing sherry and wine the same way since time immemorial. The country has changed over the course of years, but some things, such as the color and tradition of Andalucia, are still very much alive and well.


 

Two weeks after our arrival in the states, we are just now coming down from what was probably one of the best trips of our lives. As professionals in the photography business, we went into this experience open-minded and ready to explore. Harry’s energy and commitment not only matched ours, but exceeded it. You would think that a photographer who has been to a country numerous times would somehow let the cumulative effect of all his knowledge make him a complacent and a “dial it in” kind of leader. Harry was the very opposite. His energy and enthusiasm was infectious. His knowledge and compassion combined with his ability to adapt made our trip incredible. His thirst for humanity and ability to highlight what we would normally walk past, was phenomenal and for two people who are no strangers to the profession of street shooting, we learned and we grew immensely. Harry takes your hand when you want him to, and he will step to the side when you are ready to soar. He is an ally, a confidant and a true teacher.

Ami And Chris Riess (www.riesshill.com Santa Monica, California)



ITINERARY

 

Day 1: MADRID.-

We’ll start exploring the city, starting with the Old Town district of Barrio de las Letras, former home to Miguel de Cervantes the author of Don Quixote. Besides the bustling fruit markets and teeming plazas, we’ll encounter interesting places, shoe cobblers, traditional food kiosks. 

We’ll have a photo session  in a city park and  attend a training session where  the young "toreros" (bullfighters) learn their craft.

Overnight in Hotel.


Day 2: MADRID - CÓRDOBA

In the morning we will have enjoy a photo session where  we will be witnessing how a bullfighter dresses in his  "traje de luces" (the suit he wears in the bullfight). This is a very special ceremony which follows an old tradition.  

We’ll leave after an early lunch  for the southern city of Córdoba, once the seat of the Moorish Empire. We’ll start off with a visit to the old city accompanied by two models for a great photo session. 

Overnight in Hotel.


Day 3: CÓRDOBA

Today we’ll be up early to a private estate where we have organized a private photo session with  Spanish Style horse and a flamenco dancer in an incredible show . We will see a rider (jinete) riding an Andalusian horse to music, whilst doing a complex "pas de deux"  with a woman dressed in Flamenco and performing a Flamenco dance. 

Back to the city where, if time allows we will go for  an investigator’s tour of Córdoba, heading into the old Jewish quarter and also some of the churches .  We will have lunch at a very special restaurant with a great atmosphere and "Tapas".

After lunch we will have some spare time for a walk or short "Siesta" which will be followed by a visit to a "Tablao Flamenco" (Flamenco club) . Backstage passes to an authentic flamenco show. There we will conduct a photo session with the dancers.

Again, a great restaurant.

Overnight in Hotel.


Day 4: CÓRDOBA - GRANADA

In the morning departure in a walk for t the edge of Old Town along the Guadalquivir river, and then make our way exploring through the town just as all the merchants and shop keeps open for the day, and have a bit of an off the cuff spontaneous shooting session. We’ll take a leisurely café con leche (cofee) before heading off to look at the Patios of Córdoba.

Decorated in the traditional way with white washed walls and intricate tiles, these patios are full of flowers in bright colors and arranged in a spectacular display of gardening. We’ll have special access to some of these patios.

Early lunch and we’ll take off early for Granada a heritage site by UNESCO.

Once there we will head towards the Albaycin for an incredible view over la Alhambra for the photo session as the sun sets low over the green and dusty red Andalucian landscape sunset,  followed by a dinner at the same spot- 

Overnight in Hotel.


Day 5: GRANADA

In the morning we get to the grandest medieval structure in the whole country: La Alhambra. An Unesco World Heritage site , which was the capital of the late Moorish caliphate. We will have photo sessions in different parts of Granada’s Red Castle 

We’ll have lunch at another great "Tapas" restaurant.

In the afternoon, after a short  walk in the area of Sacromonte  we will have a private photo session in a Flamenco "cave". 

Dinner and Overnight in Hotel.


Day 6: GRANADA - RONDA

Early we’ll set out for the storied town of Ronda, where the fabled Puente Nuevo sits astride the Tajo Gorge and the Guadalevin River, some 120m across and nearly 400m deep. It is carved right into the rock and makes a very impressive sight, as well as a photogenic one.

Ronda is also a place of great importance in both Moorish history and the history of bullfighting. We will investigate the city and have a walking photographic session and explore the local business and nooks, including a stained glass artisan and a traditional iron worker, before heading to lunch in the Moorish quarter.

Overnight after dinner in our hotel. 


Day 7: RONDA- SEVILLA

In the morning we will head to Sevilla, one of the grandest, most photogenic places in all of Spain.  We have organized a private photo session in a privately oowned   large Andalouzian estate with models dressed as Flamenco dancers. The setting is splendid. 

Back to Sevilla. If time allows we will visit the city before lunch. We will head to lunch, and afterwards, we’ll have a walking tour of Sevilla and get some off the cuff spontaneous shots of the bustling old town, the throngs in the open air markets, and the sights of centuries old churches and spires etched against the sky.

After lunch we will have free time until the start of the first of the afternoion and evening processions. We will be concentrated in the procession's atmosphere the rest of the evening. 

Dinner and overnight in Hotel.


Day 8: SEVILLA

In the morning we’ll visiting the city. Sevilla is a gorgeous place with plenty of small places to explore and a lot of movement and life. The most important places and monuments. The area of Macarena and Triana, and -of course - The Alcázar, the Cathedral, and the Archivo General de Indias (General Archive of the Indies) , UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The atmosphere of the "Procesiones" is still well alive. We will have a number of photographic opportunities.

Late in the afternoon we will take or speed-train to Madrid. 

Overnight in Hotel.


Day 9: MADRID , INTERNATIONAL DEPARTURES OR START OF THE EXTENSION

Transfer to the airport for all international connections (back home or to Morocco extension)



EXTENSIONS

MOROCCO EXTENSION (16 Apr 2020)


 

MOROCCO OPTIONAL EXTENSION.- 7 Days -  April 16th.

 

PLEASE VISIT THE IMAGES OF MOROCCO  here

 

 

Nomad Photo Expeditions 8 day Morocco Photo Tour . From the teeth of the world, the High Atlas Mountains, to the shifting, golden dunes of the western most stretch of the Sahara, Morocco will leave you breathless. 

 

Nomad has organized a trip centered around documenting the people of Morocco, their daily lives, and their surroundings. With photo sessions set up with the acrobats and merchants of Marrakech

 

We’ll trek the wilds of Morocco in search of villages by the water, and hunt through the mazes of the cities we stop at on the road. But mostly, we will discover the people. From the throngs in the markets, weaving between ancient Moorish buildings in Marrakech to the dazzle of  Merzouga , these jewels of the land will not disappoint any photographer, veteran or amateur alike.

 

We  will  be staying  in good 4 stars hotels, and in a nice and large tent two nights only  in the desert to capture the dunes before they shift to other shapes, and live in the desert as we cross the golden sands that cover the country, and a trip there with us means going in style.

 

Not only that but we will stop to see several UNESCO world heritage sites, including the Kasr of Air Benadou, the archaeological wonder of Meknes, and Fez Al Bali among others!

 

And the land is equal to none. It’s a place practically designed by the powers that be for photographers with endless, impressive landscapes set against stoic peaks, peppered with clandestine oases, and one of the clearest, most intense skyscapes you can imagine. We have planned several stops in out of the way areas that have maintained authenticity, far from any normal tourist fare.

 

  • A late afternoon/sunset shoot overlooking the ancient hilltop hamlet of Aït Ben Haddou.
  • Photo sessons of dancers and musicians in nomadic tents.
  • A camel ride into the sun set to photograph the immense presence of the dunes
  • 4stars hotels,and big, nice tented camp in the desert with in-suite showers and toilets.
  • Structured portrait time with Berber villagers, snake charmers in Marrakech, etc..
  • Set photo sessions
  • Merzouga, the Gateway to the Desert
  • Time in the winding, weaving, colorful market of Marrakech complete with visit to the Djemma el-Fna and time with the street theater productions.
  • Breathtaking vistas in the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara desert, including its many hidden oases full of fig trees, palms, and golden sand.

 

 

DAY 1 & 2.-  MARRAKECH

 

 Marrakech is a delight to the senses and an endless font of photographic opportunities. These two days will be spent getting to know the city on its level. We will have plenty of time to wander the labyrinthine streets and photograph the incredible architecture but also a few major highlights such as Bahia Palace and the Koutoubia Mosque – both holdovers from the last time the sultans ruled over the country. However, our most important stop is of course the Medina.

 

This ‘old quarter’ as it is called is a rushing, overwhelming fountain of color and life, and as we want to know the true Marrakech, much of our photographic study will be spent in this old town district weaving among the kiosks in the souks and the merchants hawking wares, the locals out shopping, and the daily routines we can find unfolding all around us. We will make our way to the heart: Djemaa el-Fna where the legendary snake charmers ply their trade, the acrobats whirl, and the story tellers conjure the past of Arabian Nights.

 

 

DAY 3.-  MARRAKESH/AIT BENADOU/OUARZAZATE

 

An incredible  excursion from Marrakesh to the Kasr of Ait Benadou. This Kasr, also known as a fortified palace and village, is an UNESCO World Heritage Site and it’s easy to see why. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but inside the exquisite tile work and carved wooden framework has been near perfectly preserved for centuries.  Its interior preservation and the ancient village of Ait Ben Haddou made it the perfect candidate as a film location for movies such as The Mummy and The Jewel of the Nile. We’ll have plenty of time bfore sunset to explore this living piece of the country’s history, with a few sessions and surprises thrown in.

 

Also known as the Gateway to the Desert, this city stands as one of the last settlements and trading posts before the Sahara. Not to mention that due to its historical feel and incredible upkeep, several films from Gladiator to Lawrence of Arabia were shot (at least in part) here. The history of the place is still palpable, as the architecture and the feel of it being one last stronghold before the golden endlessness of the desert beyond has been keenly preserved. We will be spending plenty of time here amongst the Berber speaking locals and photographing the city before settling in for the night.

 

 

DAY 4.-  OUARZAZATE/MERZOUGA

            

Then we will be on our way to Merzouga for our accommodation.

 

 

 DAY 5 .-  MERZOUGA/DESERT/CAMP IN JAIMA

 

             When we talk about Merzouga and Jaima, we’re talking about the real desert now! We’ll be switching from our normal transport to a four wheel drive land cruiser than can help us navigate the sands of the Sahara, while we head into its heart to our hotel and the day after to our tent camp. Normally, the nomadic people that skirt this area have little in the way of amenities, but we will have hot and cold running water, luxury beds, showers, and toilets!

 

 Here we’ll have a chance to photograph the camel caravans that come through the area, and we’ll position ourselves high on the dunes for an eagle’s eye view, then stay for the magic thirty minutes that is the sunset as well as sunrise, where the desert sheds her day dress and climbs into her dusky nightdress. Over dinner we’ll get treated to a Berber drum circle.  

 

And no visit to this area would be complete without waking up just before daybreak to see the world wake up from high atop a dune, and capture it on film. Early risers will have the opportunity of going up the dunes on camel back to catch the sunset before breakfast!

 

 

DAY 6.-  MERZOUGA / MARRAKESH

 

            After breakfast we’ll head on our way to to the Imperial citiesto  the beautiful little town of Ifrane.  We will stop in Er-Rachidia another desert jewel, this town has a colorful Sunday market we intend to visit for some off the cuff shooting. Aside from it being the central hub of local life for the area, it also boasts a famous parking lot – that is exclusively for donkeys. 

 

 We will stop on the way to visit the underground Kasbah and Koranic library of Tamegroute: This place was once considered a hub of Islamic learning and served a very important function over several centuries of the country’s illustrious existence. Now, it is a set of well-preserved ruins which include a fantastic opportunity for low light photography in the subterranean portions.

 

 

 DAY 7.- MARRAKESH / OUT

 

Free time and international departures  .

 



PORTUGAL EXTENSION (05 Apr 2020)

PORTUGAL OPTIONAL EXTENSION.- 4 Days -  April 16th.

 

 

Day 1: LISBOA


We’ll spend the day in Lisbon, (known as the oldest city in Europe,) and explore historical and avant-garde neighborhoods such as Baixa, (downtown,) and Bairro Alto. Lisbon is a vibrant old world city with distinct historical and avant-garde neighborhoods to photograph.

Reaching the miradouros to get the best views of the city and the Tagus River and driving through cobbled, narrow streets to reach hilltops with fantastic vistas of the city, Tagus River, and the 25th April Bridge.

We’ll hear the clang of the bright yellow #28 Tram and capture images as it threads its way through the twisty streets.

The historical churches at Jeronimos Monastery and the Pantheon provide opportunities to photograph Gothic, Manueline, and Moorish architecture from the 16th Century.

We will also explore the restored Saloia village called Aldea de Mata Pequena. You will be captivated by the charms of the small houses and antiques set in a rural environment overlooking lush valleys and hills.
.


Day 2.- LISBOA - SINTRA - COIMBRA - PORTO 

 

Sintra .-

Early departure for Sintra. just as the famed palaces are starting to shine. It is a wonderful setting for architectural photography, the subjects including a crumpled Moorish castle, the national palace, and the strange chimneys of a castle with more than 1,500 years of history.

Rugged cliffs rise above the surf, speckled with a rainbow of green. Cobbled lanes are flanked by crumbling architecture, and townhouses lean evocatively into each other. This is Sintra, a UNESCO World Heritage landscape that has been the home of royalty for centuries and was the poetic inspiration for Lord Byron.

As we drive through the woods of the Sintra mountains, we’ll stop along the way to photograph old quintas and majestic royal palaces in the distance. Cabo da Roca, the most westerly point in continental Europe,) is a place to photograph the lighthouse and rugged cliffs along the Atlantic.

 

Coimbra.-

This morning we'll journey to Coimbra

In terms of historic significance and romantic beauty, Coimbra is second only to Lisbon and Oporto. Its ancient buildings cling to the side of the hill that rises above the curves of the river Mondego, the ornate buildings of the famous University of Coimbra are its crowning glory.

Indeed the university is still the lifeblood of the city and the change in atmosphere is notable when the summer holidays come and the thousands of students head back to their hometowns. Reputed to be the second oldest in the world, the Universidade de Coimbra opened it doors in 1290 and has produced many nationally and globally acclaimed academics.

 

We will have a Photo Session of the traditional music of Portugal – Fado – however in Coimbra it has its own distinctive flavor, renowned for being more melancholy and having complex lyrics.

 

Caped bards of the university, known collectively as the Tuna Académica often perform such concerts.

 

Accessing the old part of the city through the Arco de Almedina, we find two cathedrals known as Se Velha (old) and Se Nova (new) referring to their respective ages, and though the ‘new’ one dates back to the 17th century its senior was founded in 1170.


Day 3: PORTO

 

Porto is one of Europe’s oldest urban centers and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site. We will shoot the city until the sunsets on the ocean. Porto’s most striking characteristic is that of ‘faded grandeur’. In Europe there are very few remaining cities that can do ‘faded grandeur’ quite on the scale of Porto, you’d have to travel to Cuba or Argentina for competition. The feeling is accentuated by the mix of Baroque, Neoclassical and splash of Belle Epoque architecture, all in varying degrees of preservation.


Porto is one of the world’s oldest demarcated wine regions (since 1756). The Douro Valley showcases steep terrace vineyards carved into mountains, granite bluffs, and whitewashed quintas (estates) and 18th-century wine cellars that draw in visitors from around the world. We’ll be tasting the ports and wines, traveling winding scenic roads, visiting postcard-pretty villages and enjoying excellent regional restaurants. After a long day we return to Porto for a well deserved rest.


Day 4: Porto

 

Morning flights International Departures. 

 

 



Prices per person
5-10 Participants 5,850 US$


Supplements
Main Itinerary Single Room 950 US$
Morocco Single Room Supplement 750 US$
Portugal Single Room Supplement 450 US$


Extensions
MOROCCO EXTENSION 3,750 US$
PORTUGAL EXTENSION 2,550 US$


WHAT'S INCLUDED

 

Prices are per person, based on double occupancy and for 10 travelers (see the surcharge for less if aplicable). A limited quantity of single-occupancy rooms are available for an additional charge.

 

The maximum number of participants are listed under "Maximum Group" in the Price section of each individual workshop. However, we reserve the right to add by up to two, the maximum number of participants per workshop at any time.

 

SERVICES INCLUDED

 

  • - Tutoring by photographer/expert Harry Fisch on the main tour and the Morocco extension
  • - Flights from the main itinerary to the optional extension city of arrival
  • - Reception at Madrid and extensions Start/Departure cities airport on arrival and departure
  • - Specified transfers
  • - Four stars and boutique hotels
  • - Transportation vehicles air conditioned.
  • - All meals except first and last day.
  • - All visits
  • - Expert guide

 

SERVICES NOT INCLUDED

 

  • - International Flights from/to your city of origin.
  • - Tutoring with Harry Fisch on the Portugal extension .
  • - Tips to guides, porters.
  • - Alcoholic drinks in meals .
  • - Optional activities and visits .
  • - Personal extras, such as drinks, laundry, telephone, etc.
  • - Visas.
  • - Insurance
  • - Air taxes
  • - Airport taxes
  • - Any other item not mentioned as included