Captivating Camargue

Day 1.

We will collect you from Montpellier airport for transfer to your friendly, family-run hotel in Aigues-Mortes, a charming and picturesque medieval town.

Late afternoon we gather for a welcome drink & briefing meeting to take you through the itinerary, and offer advice for the action-packed shoots in the days to come.

Informal group dinner at local bistro (optional).

Day 2.

We spend the morning at the Parc Ornithologique, which is a natural Camargue wetlands area of great importance. Accompanied by Thierry, our BBC Wildlife bird specialist and expert in his field, we will have privileged pre-dawn access to the park long before it is opened to the public, enabling you to photograph the birds at their best in the early morning light. Thierry will guide you to the prime locations among the waterways and lakes to capture a wide variety of species in one of the largest arrays of birdlife in Europe, from single birds perched at the nest to large flocks of pink Flamingos.

Simon will host a tuition and critique session on some of the days in the afternoon; he will advise you on camera technique with hints and tips for the shoots to come, plus provide feedback on your pictures.

In the afternoon, we capture the Black Camargue bulls thundering through the shallow waters of the marsh, with their horns held high, as they are herded by the Gardians on horseback – a unique photographic experience.

Day 3.

In the morning, we head to the beach for a shoot with a beautiful trained white Camargue stallion. We photograph him rearing on the top of the sand dunes, running along the beach and in the sea, making for striking action shots.

In the afternoon, we photograph the Wild White horses in the marsh – we shoot several drives with the horses running across or towards your field of view, providing a variety of different images. We will also capture the ‘Gardians’ (Camargue Cowboys) dressed in their traditional Camargue shirts & hats, trident in hand, surrounded by the herd.

Day 4.

At dawn, we photograph two wild white stallions sparring – this is a unique opportunity to witness these magnificent creatures feistily rearing and entwining at full height.

Late afternoon, we head to a different beach for the ultimate scene of the wild horses running along the golden sand and through the surf with sea spray flying! We shoot several drives in a number of directions, so you can capture an assortment of dramatic action pictures with a variety of lighting conditions, up until the sun sets. There will also be the opportunity to photograph the horses in a shallow lagoon, with beautiful reflections. After the action, we will take portraits of the horses on their own and with the Gardians.

Day 5.

At sunrise we have the final session with the wild horses running together through the shallow waters of the marsh. After the action, we then take portraits of the horses on their own or in small groups.

Departures to Montpellier airport for afternoon flights home.