Captivating Camargue

Day 1.

We will collect you from Montpellier airport for transfer to your charming hotel in the centre of Aigues-Mortes, a medieval town that lies within rampart walls a mile long, where you can take time to unwind, unpack and perhaps explore the surrounding streets.

Welcome drink & briefing meeting with Create Away and Simon Stafford, during which we will take you through the itinerary, and offer advice for the action-packed shoots you’ll experience.

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 exclusive 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 witness the Black Camargue bulls thundering through the shallow waters of marshland, their distinctive 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 white Camargue stallion. We photograph him running and rearing on the top of the sand dunes, making for striking action shots.

In the afternoon, we photograph the Wild White horses running through marshes – we shoot several drives with the horses running across your field of view and heading straight towards your cameras! We will also take shots of the ‘Gardians’ (Camargue Cowboys) dressed in their traditional Camargue shirts & hats, trident in hand, surrounded by the herd, as well as some close-up portraits of these ‘weathered’ ranchers.

Day 4.

At dawn, we photograph Wild White horse stallions fighting – this is a unique opportunity to photograph these magnificent creatures with their feisty temperament in full flow, as they rear and entwine at full height.

Late afternoon, we head back to the beach for the ultimate spectacle 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. There will also be another opportunity to take a variety of shots of the ‘Gardians’, plus portraits of the wild horses.

Day 5.

At sunrise we have the final session with the 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.

Free time for lunch before departing for the airport early afternoon.