

Dog PHOTOGRAPHY
SPECIAL WORKSHOP
COSTA RICA
8-9-10 DECEMBER 2023
10 PARTICIPANTS
GUANACASTE, COSTA RICA
Workshop Summary
This is a three day intensive Workshop on how to improve your Dogs in Action Photography with me in the beautiful location of Costa Rica.
It's a very special workshop in an incredible location, probably one of the most unique locations in the world. We will photograph in DREAM places with beaches, waterfalls, forests and volcanos. I will share all my techniques and secrets with you, in order to allow you to achieve the master level in this difficult photography field. You will improve your skills in dog photography because I will push you to your limits during the theory and shooting sessions with different, beautiful and very active dogs. In this way I can help you to go above and beyond your creative abilities and potential to achieve your own goals whether it be for business or for your own personal photography journey.
I will also share my personal complete editing workflow in Photoshop 2023 with you with my book provided on the first day.
Informations
FRIDAY
Theory
+
Lunch
+
Shooting running dogs
+
SATURDAY
Shooting discdog/agility
+
Lunch
+
Shooting dogs/discdog in the water
+
SUNDAY
Editing
+
Lunch
+
Editing
Meet the teacher: Claudio Piccoli
DATE: 8-9-10 December 2023
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 10
PLACE OF THEORY AND EDITING:
Guanacaste area (more detailed info will be sent soon to the participants subscribed to this workshop, allowing all of you to book the Hotel)
PLACE OF SHOOTING:
Guanacaste area (more detailed info will be sent to the participants subscribed to this workshop)
LUNCHES:
Not included
BOOK:
My new book is included ("Personal Editing Workflow in Photoshop" to the value of €199)

PRICE: € 1,900 (PAYMENT PLANS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST)
A deposit of €900 is required at the moment of the registration for the workshop -
The remaining final balance of €1000 euro must be paid no later than 45 days before the date of the workshop to confirm the participation).
After each payment you will receive an invoice as confirmation. The payments are not refundable since the places are limited. If you will not pay the final balance at least 45 days before the date of the workshop, your participation will be cancelled and it is non refundable.
COVID: the workshop will be postponed or completely refunded on your choice only if the country (Costa Rica) will close the borders to foreign people during the days of the workshop.
The workshop will follow the rules required in Costa Rica to assure the right precautions for everyone safety (masks, safety distances, etc). You won't be refunded if you can't participate the workshop for your personal issues or circumstances.
NOT INCLUDED: Overnight staying, lunches, dinners, transportations , travel insurance and everything not specified above.
TOPICS IN THE WORKSHOP:
THEORY AND SHOOTING: choosing right lenses and camera, settings in camera, how to control the depth of field, how to create a natural and creamy bokeh behind the dog in the shooting, how to use the natural light to exploit the action, how to manage the histogram to preserve the quality in pictures also at high iso, how to use the camera modes depending on the situations, how to manage correctly shutter speed, aperture and iso to achieve the result wanted, how to make your camera faster with autofocus, how to use correctly the autofocus with dogs in action, how to do a correct framing and composition with dogs, how to understand when a picture with a dog is a good picture in action, how to predict the good face of a dog and its positions in action.
EDITING: how to understand an use easily Photoshop 2022, the importance of following a workflow in Photoshop 2022, how to import correctly without loosing information, how to use camera raw in Photoshop, how to do perfect selection of a dog, how to control and adjust the grain and the quality of a normal and high iso picture, how to vignetting, how to manage and create real lights, how to create fairy tale lights, how to create and use luminosity masks, how to change colours, how to create a mood, how to create and add a custom signature, how to export for printings and for socials (Facebook and Instagram) with the maximum quality.
FAQ
1) Which gear do you I need?
DSLR or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lens (focal length from 200 to 300mm or equivalent are perfect. This means that these lenses are ok: 70-200mm, 70-300mm, 200mm, 300mm).
2) In which language is the workshop?
I will speak English.
3) Where can I book my accommodation?
Look for Guanacaste area, but as you will join the workshop, you will promptly updated with new info regarding hotels and places where we could stay all together.
4) Which clothes do I need to participate the workshop?
During the theory and editing you can wear what ever you prefer to feel comfortable with yourself. During the shooting instead, I suggest to wear comfortable sport clothes, a gym mat to lie down in the wood, a towel and some changes for the water and seaside practise.
5) What happens in the case of rain?
We will be shooting in nature and it's normal that it can rain sometimes. Dogs usually love the rain! I strongly suggest to bring waterproof protection for your camera and lenses (you can find them in amazon for cheap prices around 10-20 euro) and bring a raincoat for protecting yourself. Or else.... Plastic black bags and black tape work too!
6) Which photography level is required to participate?
It is necessary that you know the basics of using your camera, including shooting in manual or on aperture priority....
Amateur and professional are welcome because during the workshop I will guide you individually. The theory will start from basics reaching also advanced topics.
7) What the editing part consist in?
The editing part will be explained with Photoshop 2022.
8) Can I participate if I don't know anything about Photoshop?
Yes because I will also give you my new personal book that you can bring home and that will help you step by step to replicate my whole post-processing workflow in Photoshop.

I'm Claudio, I'm from a beautiful village in Italy called Ivrea. I have a border collie called Leep who is 8 years old now. I trained her myself and she comes with me on my Workshops whenever I can bring her.
I'm a professional photographer specialised in "dog photography". I'm also a Nikon Ambassador for Italy and a Nikon School Master. I also collaborated to create the "Master di Fotografia" with Corriere della Sera, Gazzetta dello Sport and Nikon.
I got into dog photography thanks to the passion for dogs that was born first. Then, the photography arrived and year after year I discovered how much I could improve my life and my photography spending time and working with dogs.
Because it's not as easy as it seems, I decided to share all my knowledge with photography workshops all over the World. I turned my hobby and passion into a career and I believe it is my purpose in life to teach others and to try and help dogs in need along the way.
I want the people that attend my workshops to understand how big is the world behind dog photography, especially in action and how rewarding it in regards to their life and their own job.
Every photo is a different story and I always put all my energy into every shooting and in editing to portray the dog as the best dog ever. I want all the people that will see the photo, to admire how amazing the dog is.
I spend a lot of time thinking and doing new photography projects and travelling a lot.
I also won several awards in big International photography contests like Oasis or SIPA and I had many publications on media, magazines, newspapers all over the World.