Day 1 — Oaxaca City
Arrive in Oaxaca and check into our beautiful boutique hotel, located just a few blocks from the zócalo, or town center. All students will gather this evening for a welcome reception and dinner. (D)
Hotel de la Parra (D)
Day 2 — Mitla/Tlacolula
Explore the remarkable ruins of Mitla, or the "World of the Dead," which was an important ceremonial center built by the Zapotec.
Next, we’ll head into the town of Tlacolula where we will have the opportunity to shoot the Market, one of the oldest, most colorful and largest markets in the state of Oaxaca. This market draws people from all over the Valley of Oaxaca every Sunday. We’ll be back in Oaxaca City on time for lunch, after which we will gather as a group for a portfolio review and our first lecture.Dinner this evening is on your own, but afterwards Tino will lead a photo walk through town for those that want to capture some of the offerings built by the local residents to welcome their departed ones.
Hotel de la Parra (B,L)
Day 3 — Monte Alban / Benito Juarez Market
After an early breakfast, we will depart to the archaeology site of Monte Alban, which served as the religious, political and commercial center of the Zapotec culture for more than 1,200 years. We’ll shoot Monte Albán with the early day sunlight. We will have enough time to explore the archeological site and capture images of the grassy Great Plaza, ball court, building of the dancers and maze of temples and tombs. Later, we go back to Oaxaca for our second lecture and first session of edit and critique from the previous day and early morning shootings.
After lunch, we will head to the city market (Benito Juarez), where many Day of the Dead decorations are showcased and sold. The market is filled with many interesting subjects, Day of the Dead motifs and spectacular and colorful opportunities for great photos. Dinner tonight is on your own.
Hotel de la Parra (B,L)
Day 4 — Oaxaca City
Today we will spend the day in the city. After breakfast we will have our third lecture and an edit and critique session of the prior afternoon’s shooting. Today Tino will be presenting some of his work as well. After lunch we will head out to Santo Domingo Church, a former monastery of Baroque style, which was built between the 16th and 18th centuries. We will visit and shoot the Santo Domingo museum. Dinner tonight will be as a group after which Tino will lead all to to search for the famous Day of the Dead Comparsas (Parades) that happen in the downtown area on the days prior to the actual Day of the Dead. It's a great opportunity to capture some outstanding images and to experience the real meaning of these festivities!
Hotel de la Parra (B,L,D)
Day 5 — San Martín Tilcajete / Xoxocotlan Graveyard
After breakfast the group will head to San Martín Tilcajete, a village renowned for its artisans who produce fanciful wood carvings called Alejibres. We have the unique opportunity to visit and shoot the workshop and the artisans of internationally renowned Mexican Alebrije (wood carvings) artist, Jacobo Angeles. We will be back in Oaxaca on time for lunch after which we will have an edit and critique session.
Today, the Day of the Dead celebrations start. After dinner we will make our first incursion into a graveyard when we visit Xoxocotlan, a small and picturesque cemetery which will be magical tonight due to the thousands of candles and marigold flowers adorning the graves and the people that mourn their departed ones and await for the return of their spirits.Hotel de la Parra (B,L)
Day 6 — Atzompa Graveyard Shooting / San Agustin Etla
The Day of the Dead celebrations will continue through November 2nd, so this morning there will be an optional early departure (4:30 am) to the Atzompa Graveyard to witness the how the elaborately decorated graveyards mix with the first rays of the early morning light. This is a one-of-a-kind spectacle that never ceases to take your breath away no matter how often you see it. It's truly worth shooting over and over.
We will return to Oaxaca by 8 a.m., and will allow time for students to rest until 1 p.m. At that time, we’ll have lunch, followed by the daily edit and critique session and lecture. Dinner tonight is on your own after which we will go to San Agustin Etla to experience a “Comparsa” a carnival-like parade of people disguised with intricate Day of the Dead masksHotel de la Parra (B,L)
Day 7 — Oaxaca City
After breakfast we will head to Ocotlan to shoot its market, a bustling Friday market adjacent to a beautifully restored monastery. We return to Oaxaca before lunch after which you will have free time.
The group will come together for the last time this evening for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. Before departing to the restaurant, we’ll present a slideshow of the best photos taken by all students throughout the week, recapping all of the sights we shot together over the course of the workshop.Hotel de la Parra (B,L,D)
Day 8 — Oaxaca
The workshop ends today, after breakfast, departures
(B)
Every day, in addition to reviews and critiques of images shot the previous day, we’ll run a series of lectures on how to improve your photographic skills!
Does Not Include: Airfare to and from home city, alcoholic beverages, personal expenses
* Boutique Hotel de la Parra (or similar) located in the heart of the Historic Center of Oaxaca.
To reserve space in this workshop, a $500 per person deposit is required at the time of making the reservation. Deposits are due no later than 90 days prior to departure. Final payment is due no later than 60 days prior to departure unless indicated otherwise in the description of the tour or workshop. All payments must be made by credit card or wire transfer to Photo Xpeditions, LLC, and instructions for payments will be mailed upon confirmation of participation.
Photo Xpeditions reserves the right to cancel a reservation if full payment has not been received by 60 days prior to departure. For reservations made within 60 days of the departure date, full payment is required when the reservation is accepted. All cancellation notices must be received in writing and will become effective as of the date of the postmark. If you cancel 90 days or more prior to departure, a refund less an administrative fee equal to 50% of your deposit will be made. Per person charges for cancellations that occur less than 90 days prior to departure are as follows: 60–90 days prior to departure: 100% of your deposit amount; 45–60 days prior to departure: 50% of the expedition cost; 45 or fewer days prior to departure: 100% of the workshop cost.
Photo Xpeditions reservs the right of cancelling the workshop at any time if the minimum amount of students required for the workshop is not reached. If a workshop needs to be cancelled for this reason, a full refund will be given to all participants.
Tino Soriano: Born in Barcelona, Spain, Tino shares his work as a photojournalist with Travel Photography. Her has been honoured with one First Prize from the World Press Photo Foundation; the trophies “One Vision European Photographic Competition”, “Fujifilm Photographer of the year”; the international “Lente de Plata Award” by Mexican government and five prizes FOTOPRESS (the most important Spanish distinction for press photography)> His workhas been also recognized by UNESCO, World Health Organization and Medical Sciences Academy of Catalonia, among others.
Some of his latest jobs have been the National Geographic Traveler Books: Sicily, Portugal, Madrid and Naples & Southern Italy, with other personal books and photojournalist stories, on assignment for different cporporative and media customers.
He regularly lectures and teached workshops at many universities like: University “Pompeu Fabra”, University “Politecnica de Terrassa”, International University of Andalucia and Berkeley University.
