DAY 1(Saturday) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MORNING: Arrive in Paris / Get settled at the house and take some time to explore the neighborhood, or grab a bite to eat. (All flights will be booked for Friday Evening, October 9th.)

• AFTERNOON SESSION - Introduction and Orientation  / We'll get to know each other at the house, hand out materials and talk about what to expect from the week, including answering any questions.

• EVENING: Group Welcome Dinner (Included in retreat price) at a restaurant of Anna's choosing, TBA 

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DAY 2 (Sunday) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MORNING: Cafe Circle / We'll all gather together for breakfast and coffee at Café de Flore, where the great philosophers Simone de Beauvoir and Jean Paul Sartre, among other intellectuals and artists, spent hours writing, dining and conversing with the great minds of their time. We'll spend the morning journaling with guided reflection on what Photography means to each of us, and what we hope to gain from our time together in Paris. We'll share, discuss and connect over croissants and omelets.(Included in retreat price) 

• AFTERNOON SESSION - Keynote Speaker + Getting to Know Your Digital Camera / We'll begin the afternoon session with a keynote speaker TBA, to get you inspired for the week to come! We'll then embark on our first technical session of the week. Whether you're new to digital photography, or are very experienced, we'll take some time to break down and become even more familiar with our cameras' settings. We'll review the effects of aperture, shutter speed, ISO, white balance and exposure, and dissect the purpose and interplay of each function. We'll then take a magic hour walk with our cameras around the neighborhood, to begin experimenting with manual mode. 

• EVENING: FREE TIME / Have a lovely dinner alone, or grab a drink and see a show with your new peers.  

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DAY 3 (Monday) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MORNING: FREE TIME / Happy Monday! Go out for breakfast in the neighborhood, or enjoy the continental breakfast that will be provided each morning at the house.

• MORNING SESSION - Shoot, Don't Think / You'll each be assigned a distinct neighborhood, and will have a few hours to explore alone, spontaneously capturing your impression of your surroundings. Think of it as a "free write" with your camera. Every style of photography begins with trusting your instincts and your eye, making a choice in any given moment, among endless possibilities. This exercise will be designed to hone just that. I began to fall in love with photography during my travels. As a young adult, studying abroad in Europe, all I had was a little point and shoot. No fancy settings or lenses. But capturing the way I saw the world through pictures, in fresh inspiring environments, became addictive. It's how I begun to teach myself the basics of composition. I eventually acquired a nicer camera, and never traveled anywhere without it. There's no better backdrop than Paris for endless photo possibilities, from capturing the iconic architecture to the intimate moments of locals and tourists. There's always a story to be told. Start with trusting your gut. Technique comes later! 

• LUNCH: Enjoy lunch in your assigned neighborhood on your outing! 

• AFTERNOON SESSION - Sharing & Color Correction / We'll meet back at the house, or another designated space, for some time to cull through and organize our photos from the morning. We'll learn the art of culling, that less is more, and how to choose only the best photos from a shoot to edit and share. I'll then give an introduction to color correction in Light Room, after which you'll have guided time to explore editing your chosen photos. We'll then share admire, critique and comment on each other's work! 

• DINNER: Optional Group Dinner (NOT Included in retreat price)  Spend another evening as you wish, or join the group for a stroll and dinner on the Rue des Martyrs, considered by many locals to be the most perfect and authentic street in Paris. Followed by drinks in the nearby Montmartre, the famed neighborhood of artists and the Moulin Rouge. 

DAY 4 (Tuesday) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MORNING: FREE TIME / Go out for breakfast in the neighborhood, or enjoy the continental breakfast that will be provided each morning at the house.

• MORNING SESSION - Museum Outing: Understanding Portrait Composition and Lighting Through Classical Works / We'll skip the line and explore the famed and inspiring Musee d'Orsay, perusing the works of Degas, Lautrec and Millet. We'll begin with a guided discussion of select paintings, increasing our understanding of the principals and possibilities of lighting and composition in portraiture. You'll then have an hour or so to explore on your own, during which you'll follow prompts related to our discussion, and reflect upon paintings in the museum that inspire you. 

• LUNCH: Group Lunch (Included in retreat price)  / We'll enjoy a group lunch at Les Antiquaries near the museum, and share our discoveries in a classic bistro setting.

• AFTERNOON SESSION - Let's Take Portraits! The Fine Line Between Commercial and Editorial / Finally! After some introductions to manual settings, composition and color correction, we'll begin to take some portraits...of each other! In a non-intimidating, low pressure setting, I'll guide you through a session of taking portraits in natural light, demonstrating the effects of various lenses, as well as guidance on how to utilize a speed light on and off camera. (I'll have some extra lights and lenses on hand for you to play with!) We'll analyze techniques of directing, composition and lighting that distinguish commercial photography from editorial, exploring ways to obtain our desired aesthetic. You'll then break off into pairs to begin experimenting with these techniques by photographing each other. Using what you learned on day three, you'll stroll, scan your environment and compose beautiful portraits among the back streets of the 7th Arrondissement.

• DINNER: FREE TIME / It's been a long day! Relax at the house and look through your photos or grab some dinner / Optional Happy Hour Wine Tasting + A Concert: I'll be organizing a wine, cheese and charcuterie tasting at one of my favorite wine bars in Paris, 5e Cru in the Latin Quarter. Followed by a classical concert! (NOT included in retreat price. Fixed price per person.)​

DAY 5 (Wednesday) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MORNING: FREE TIME / Go out for breakfast in the neighborhood, or enjoy the continental breakfast that will be provided each morning at the house.

• MORNING/AFTERNOON SESSION - Styled Shoot in Natural Light / We'll keep the momentum going, and continue shooting. This time, we'll be using some of our new techniques to photograph professional models, who are pros at posing and following direction. You'll be able to let your creativity run wild!  We'll meet at a location TBA, and Anna will begin by leading a workshop and demonstration, with tips for curating a styled shoot, from conceptualization, to location scouting, hair & makeup and styling. You'll break up into pairs again, with each pair conceptualizing a mini shoot for the model assigned to them. You'll have access to a stylist, clothing options, props and two incredible hair and makeup artists. You'll take turns with your partner, with the picturesque neighborhood as your backdrop, preparing and photographing your subject, assisting each other when needed. You'll have all morning and afternoon to execute your styled shoot! 

• LUNCH: Working Lunch (Included in retreat price)  / A light lunch will be provided at the location. 

• EVENING: Loup & The Louvre: Dinner at LOUP, then late night at the LOUVRE (Included in retreat price)  / We'll have an early dinner together at the casual, charming Loup, warmed by the dim light of candles dripping over empty wine bottle holders. We'll chat about what we learned over French Onion Soup and their famed burgers! Then, we'll all walk together to the Louvre for their late night Wednesdays! (Or, if you're too tired, or have had enough of museums, skip it and go to sleep! This week is about YOU.) 

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DAY 6 (Thursday) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MORNING: Breakfast (Included in retreat price) - We'll all meet for a communal breakfast at a cafe TBD (or sleep in) and start the morning with Croque Madames and lattes. Then we'll ride together to a photography studio for our late morning/afternoon session! 

• LATE MORNING/AFTERNOON SESSION - Studio Lighting 101 / We'll pick up where we left off, taking what we've learned about composition, directing and styling, and will apply it all with our models in a studio setting. After a demonstration by Anna of various lighting techniques, you'll all have ample time to experiment with shooting our models against various backdrops and with different lighting setups. Whether you're a studio veteran, or have never used a strobe, you're sure to walk away with gorgeous portraits for your portfolio! 

• EVENING: Free Time / It's been a long couple days! Take some solo time to unwind or explore. 

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DAY 7 (Friday) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MORNING SESSION: PJs and Photoshop / We'll roll out of bed in our PJs for an at - home session of Intro to Retouching. Expanding on the of basics of editing and color correction, we'll delve into the world of retouching. Using the photos we've taken throughout the week, I'll teach tools for retouching skin, correcting tone and even removing stray hairs or unwanted background elements. Spend the morning, retouching and editing some of your favorite photos you took on our styled shoots. Al Fresco lunch provided. 

• EVENING SESSION:  FREE TIME / It's been a crazy week! Enjoy a leisurely Friday afternoon and evening. Step away from all things photography and explore Paris. Stroll along the Seine, have some wine under the Eiffel Tower, read a book at an outdoor cafe all day, or adventure to Versailles! 

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DAY 8 (Saturday) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• MORNING/AFTERNOON: Editing / Work at the house or at a cafe, preparing your photos for that evening's showcase!  

• SHOWCASE: Showcase Happy Hour! / at a lovely locationTBD, with wine provided, our week's efforts will culminate with a showcase of 3-5 of your completed, edited portraits from the week. You'll each have the chance to present and share about your journey towards creating your work! 

• DINNER: Farewell Dinner (Included in retreat price) / We'll say Au Revoir over a farewell dinner and drinks at the charming Le Coup Chou, a romantic restaurant on a cobblestone street near the Sorbonne. We'll start with apertifs in the lounge that feels like you've stepped back in time, sitting around plush antique sofas and dim lamps. Then we'll move on to an epic three course, French meal, where we'll reflect, laugh, cry and pat ourselves on the back for showing up to a week of learning and creating! 

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DAY 8 (Sunday) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

• AU REVOIR PARIS! / After a light breakfast, transportation will be provided to the airport! You'll leave Paris with new friends, new work and a new found love for French cuisine!

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Or, maybe it's not Goodbye...

Inquire about about the three day CULINARY EXTENSION!

("WHAT?" you say. Yes, if there's enough interest, I'll be a curating a three day extension of the retreat, focused solely on eating and drinking! So, if you feel up to it, stay put, and we'll delve even more deeply into the heart of all that French cuisine and wine has to offer. This will include a cooking class, a Michelin meal, market shopping, chocolate shop hopping, a trip to the country, and much more.)

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(Details of itinerary subject to change)