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Hidden Gems of China: Xiapu & Lishui
$4750.00 / $2,000.00 deposit
10th - 19th Dec, 2022
Join internationally-renowned photographer, Thierry Bornier, for this fine-art photography workshop exploring the unique mudflat of Xiapu, Fujian Province and the breath-taking landscapes of Lishui in Zhejiang Province, a hidden gem for photographers and nature lovers, As well as honing your technique for landscape photography, there will also be many opportunities for lifestyle photography during the trip.
- Xiapu (Fujian Province)
Xiapu, popularly known as the most charming fishing village in China, is located in the northeast of Fujian province. The village’s surrounding hills provide excellent vantage points from which to compose stunning photographs.
Against this backdrop, you can recreate in-camera the scenes of traditional Chinese ink paintings of the sun rising or setting whilst fishing boats drift in and out, casting and dragging their nets behind them, and of vast swathes of crab nets strung between tall bamboo poles, hung with the day’s catch.
After the famous Yuanyang Rice Terraces, Xiapu is Thierry’s favorite location to shoot in China. The waters’ natural currents combined with the region’s sunny climate make the village’s mudflats rich in kelp, laver, oysters, and yellow croaker, offering wonderful and varied possibilities for photographers.
The village is not only a prime location to photograph fishers at work, but also a great place to taste the fresh catch of the day. Xiapu offers plenty of variety for photographers - low-lying beaches with a stunning sunrise, working fishing communities, and a picturesque old banyan tree forest to mention but a few.
- Lishui (Zhejiang Province)
Lishui is a hidden gem for photographers and nature lovers and one of the best destinations in China for fine-art photography: April to May and December are the ideal months to capture its scenic landscapes and amazing moods. Among these, Yunhe Lake, enshrouded in mist like a sea of clouds, is a particular highlight.
We will also shoot the most significant terraced fields in East China, Yunhe Terraced Fields, and the famous Xiandu Scenic Area.
Day 1 - Shanghai–Xiapu
Early morning, we will catch a high-speed train from Shanghai to Xiapu (5.5 hrs.), then transfer to our hotel for check-in.
We will have our first shooting in the afternoon. After dinner, we will have a photo review and group discussion to share and improve our photography skills.
Day 2-5 - Xiapu
We will spend the next few days shooting amidst Xiapu’s quaint fishing village atmosphere at several different locations.
Each morning will start early to catch the village’s fishermen preparing their boats and nets for the day ahead as the sun rises over their backs, their silhouettes against the shimmering waters, taken in from different angles.
October to December is the best time for seaweed here, and each day we will have many opportunities to take advantage of this to create artistic pictures.
After each morning shoot, we will return to the hotel for a full breakfast and a rest. We will then spend the rest of each day exploring Xiapu’s lively fish markets, quiet, rustic corners, creaking wooden docks, and much more.
Every evening, we will have dinner together, followed by a group discussion about technique and composition, taking inspiration from everyone’s photos.
Day 6 - Xiapu-Lishui
After our final morning shoot in Xiapu, we will check out of our hotel and take a high-speed train to Lishui in Zhejian Province (2 hrs). A chauffeur service will take us to our hotel, where we will enjoy our lunch and have a rest.
We will have our first landscape photography session in late afternoon.
After dinner, we will have a photo review and group discussion to share and improve our photography skills.
Day 7-9 - Lishui
We will decide which priority location to shoot for these three days, depending on the weather conditions.
We will have many opportunities to explore Yunhe Lake, Yunhe Terraced Fields, the famous Xiandu Scenic Area, and Guyan Huaxiang (Painters’ Town).
After dinner, we will have a photo review and group discussion to share and improve our photography skills.
Day 10 - Lishui-Shanghai
After our final morning shoot in Lishui, we will take a high-speed train back to Shanghai.
A private chauffeur service will take you directly to Pudong International Airport.
If you are interested in extending your workshop in Shanghai for one or two more days, please let us know and we will organise it for you.
We strongly recommend you take out a Trip Cancellation & Travel Insurance policy after booking your trip. If you cancel and your place on the workshop is otherwise filled, we will refund you the full amount you have paid, minus a $300 service charge. If you cancel and your place on the workshop is not then filled, you will be refunded according to the following schedule, based on the full fee of the workshop:
More than 90 days before the start date of the workshop: full refund minus $300 service fee.
75 days or more: 75% refund.
60 days or more: 50% refund.
Less than 60 days: no refund.
Refunds will be paid by the same method the original payment was made.