Crete is the largest of the Greek Islands, situated in the center of the Mediterranean Sea. Here there are snow capped mountain, white sandy beaches, small fishing villages and ancient Venetian cities. Life here has not changed much in 100 years. Residents farm the land and fishing is an essential part of daily life. Vineyards produce local wine and produce from the local farms and seafood from fleets of boats are available at the markets.

 

Chania is the largest and most important town of western Crete and the capital of the western province. Chania has kept its authenticity and Greek charm: its architecture, narrow alleys, colorful houses, and the flowered gardens make this seaside harbor village an ideal place to discover your own unique vision. From here, photographers branch out to the smaller villages, mountains and farms to document daily life, to capture the light and colors of Crete. The mid day siesta is still an important feature of daily life, as is swimming and drinking coffee on the stoop in front of one’s house with neighbors and family friends.

 

The Master Class with Costa Manos

Costa Manos, a member of Magnum Photos since 1964, is leading this one-week workshop, based in the harbor town of Chania. Costa is Greek-American and is fluent in Greek. Students work in the town as well as in the surrounding villages and countryside. Costa’s method of teaching is to combine morning classroom sessions with afternoon shooting sessions. Each morning the previous day’s images are critiqued before the class, with Costa explaining specifically how and why the pictures succeed or fail. Costa will explain and show techniques for photographing people unobtrusively at close range - combining people, place, moment and an element of chance into compelling images. Using the raw material found in the public domain, Manos teaches participants how to make the ordinary extraordinary and the real surreal. Students photograph candidly with a small camera and 28mm and/or 35mm lenses at markets and religious festivals working to capture magic moments that make complex statements and reflect feelings towards the subject matter, rather than simply showing what it looks like. Students explore the psychological aspects of candid photography, striving to portray subjects as distinct individuals rather than generic types. Costa will helps students develop a unique and personal approach to work.  Classroom instruction, informal discussions, private and group critiques and fieldwork help sharpen each student’s vision. Digital cameras are recommended, although the possibility of overnight color negative processing is being explored. Bring a portfolio on CD or in print form for review.

 

This is a storytelling workshop, where the participants are encouraged to share their observations, discoveries, images and impression with the entire class, the islanders they meet and others when they return home.

 

Who Should Attend

This one-week photographic master class is for experienced photographers and serious amateurs who want to explore and document their encounter with the culture, landscape and people of Crete. Students must be completely comfortable with their camera and digital workflow.

 

ALL STUDENTS MUST be knowledgeable about their camera gear, digital work-flow and able to solve technical problems in the field.

 

Companions

This is an ideal workshop to bring along a spouse, son or daughter or partner. Non-photographic companion pricing is shown below.

 

Arrival

Those in Costa’s class, plan to arrive by Sunday, May 23 for dinner. Class begins Monday, May 24.

 

Departures

The workshop ends Saturday, May 29 with a group dinner and presentation of all participants’ work. Departure is the following day, Sunday, May 30, or you can remain on to explore more of Crete.

 

What to Bring

Besides your SLR and Point-and-Shoot digital cameras, bring a print portfolio to share. Bring a notebook or journal, a small tape recorder or iPod with mike to record the discussions along with ambient music and sound effects.

 

Camera Gear

A digital SLR and Point-and-Shoot digital cameras are required. Two bodies are recommended, along with lenses from, 28mm to 50 mm. Bring at least 5 extra cards (1 Gb each), extra batteries and a charger and a laptop with image management software. Make sure you have a back-up system on which to download each day’s work. This can be your laptop or a storage device, similar to Epson’s P-3000 or LaCie. You can shoot traditional film, but plan on bringing it home for processing.

 

Research and preparation

Research and preparation are important parts of any adventure. The more research done before the workshop, the more effective the time in country.

 

Accommodations

Costa Manos is residing at Porto Del Colombo, a hotel in the old part of town, a few blocks from the harbor. Rooms are now available, including doubles and triples. You can see the hotel at their web site at http://www.crete-hotels-rooms.com/Reservations/Porto_Del_Colombo.htm

 

A less expensive alternative is  http://www.kastelistudios.gr/

 

A further listing of hotels can be found at

http://www.cretetravel.com/Chania/Chania.htm

 

 

Meals

The first and last meals are included in the cost of the workshop. Lunch and dinners are organized at various restaurants, or students may find themselves dining with a local family or at a tavern in a small village while photographing in the field. Expect to be paying around $50 a day on meals.

 

Weather

It will be warm, in May, but not hot. Evenings may be cool. Bring good walking shoes, as there will be lots of tramping around. Bring a hat, sun block, and a rain poncho.

 

Additional Travel Information

Getting to Crete is fairly straightforward. Flights from JFK to Crete depart daily, with stops in Madrid and Athens before reaching Crete the next afternoon. Prices are between $1,000 and $1,300. Visas are not required, but valid passports are.

 

Visit the ThinkTank web site for tips on traveling with camera gear internationally, at http://thinktankphoto.com/ and log on to read the informative tips from leading photographers as they travel the world with gear.