Light & Land

Call us on 01747 352045

The Streets of Venice - by Ann Seymour

5th February 2025

Review of the ‘Streets of Venice’ Photography Workshop by Light and Land
Led by Photographer - Mark Seymour
May 2024

I had never before considered attending a photography travel workshop. I first heard about Light and Land through a photography colleague who highly recommended them. After the passing of my mother, I decided it was time to do something for myself. As a photographer, I’m often on a “busman’s holiday,” so I explored the itineraries for 2024 and noticed that Venice was an option and on my bucket list. When I saw that the Streets of Venice Tour was being led by the well-known and respected street and wedding photographer Mark Seymour, I knew I had to book it. I’ve been following Mark for some time, and I find his work incredibly inspiring.

I booked the workshop right away. As the months passed after my initial booking, Mark created a WhatsApp group for the tour, allowing fellow participants to correspond and connect before the trip. I found this to be a great initiative; since many Light and Land travellers are repeat customers, I was nervous about being the newcomer. However, my fears were soon alleviated, and my excitement and anticipation grew!

The day arrived, and I set off to Heathrow to meet a fellow participant. We connected just before take-off and safely arrived at Venice’s Marco Polo Airport. There, we joined the other members of the group and were greeted by Mark, who had arranged for our personal water taxi from Venezia Santa Lucia into Venice. It was fabulous from the start! If you’ve ever watched a classic 1950s film, it was like being in one of those classic Hollywood films, I had that feeling of excitement as we left the terminal and stepped onto one of those unique water taxis crossing the lagoon with Venice dead ahead. With a beautiful blue sky above, large sunglasses, and a hat on, I knew I was beginning a journey into something fabulous.

Our accommodation for the week was a charming hotel called Hotel Ala. This lovely 18th-century building was located in a quiet square, where we often enjoyed breakfast and reviews of the day’s activities. The hotel was only 40 meters from the Santa Maria del Giglio Vaporetto stop and 500 meters from St. Mark’s Square. Although the hotel was quite small, the staff were exceptional and couldn’t do enough for us. It quickly felt like our home for the next few days. The rooms were cosy but had everything we needed, and since we all travelled light, this was not an issue.

The breakfast was a feast! Every night, we dined together, either on location or based on a backstreet treasure of a find by group consensus and Mark’s expert knowledge of Venice.

The Streets of Venice - by Ann Seymour

Mark soon had us feeling excited about the week’s activities, and after an initial briefing and welcome, we quickly became a cohesive team of photographers with varying levels of experience and different equipment. Anyone hesitant about undertaking this trip can rest assured; as one of Light and Land’s leading guides, Mark has answers for everything. If there was something he didn’t know, he would find out. I bombarded him with questions before the trip and on it, and like a great British cricket batsman, he handled them all fantastically. Street photography was not something I had extensive experience with, and I quickly discovered how challenging it can be in the first few days. I felt way out of my comfort zone and began to doubt whether I would capture any worthwhile photos to share at the end of the tour.

Our first outing took us to the Rialto Market, where fresh fish catches land every day. Be prepared for early starts, as the activity begins at dawn. Mark gave helpful advice and observations always. Ever encouraging and discreet. I never felt pressured or unable to give it a go.

The Streets of Venice - by Ann Seymour

Walking the streets of Venice on a glorious Spring day before the tourist crowds arrive is truly something to behold. You can stroll through the maze of winding streets, past elegant shopping districts, and along stunning canals and squares. The experience is breathtaking! It was challenging to resist the tourist urge to stop and take photos, but Mark kept us focused on our first day’s challenge. The week’s itineraries were interesting and we saw parts of Venice I’m sure the average visitor never experienced.

Our final evening out was a mix of emotions, gaining new friends and colleagues and a whole heap of new skills. I knew I was going home with more baggage than I had arrived with. That baggage was knowledge.

If you are in any doubt no matter your level of experience, whether or not to embark on one of Light and Land’s tours, well put that aside, click the button and do it. As a lone female traveller, I was embraced into an amazing adventure with a mixed group of men and women covering some age span. I had the time of my life at my ‘bucket list’ destination, and I learnt the skills of street photography, from composition to selection and understanding the art of ‘storytelling’. Mark has a lifetime’s worth of experience and knowledge of not only Venice but also other world destinations, I am sure I will be attending another workshop before too long.

I am happy to answer any further questions on Light and Land as a provider and whether or not to take the plunge into this sort of programme. I am definitely a better photographer for doing it.

I’d like to thank Mark for his leadership and mentoring on the tour. It was the trip of a lifetime.

A review by Ann Seymour, Photographer
The Streets of Venice Tour - Light and Land

Led by - Mark Seymour, Photographer.
May 2024

More Journals

Light and Land

Javascript Required

Sorry, but our site doesn't work without Javascript enabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser, or click here to learn more.