Alhama Carnival
The feast before Lent is celebrated in style in Alhama with a street carnival like no other. Taking place the weekend before and the weekend after Shrove Tuesday every year, this provides fabulous opportunities for colourful and exciting street photography.
The people of Alhama love to dress up and this is a day for the wierd and wonderful to party! Men dress as women and women dress as men with often quite disturbing faces painted onto pillowcases to complete the disguise. They parade around the town speaking in squeeky, high-pitched voices so you could quite easily have a very strange encounter with a friend or neighbour and have no idea who they are! This was a tradition banned by Franco as the disguises were used to satirise and criticise and the only places maintaining this tradition today are Alhama and Sevilla.
Typical 5 day schedule for Alhama Carnival
- The course begins on Thursday with a group meal and discussion of the 5 day schedule.
- On Friday we will familiarise ourselves with Alhama and the Carnival locations in preparation for photographing the Carnival celebrations on Saturday and Sunday. Alex will talk about and demonstrate a variety of techniques to help you successfully photograph the Carnival.You will then practice these techniques in preparation for Saturday and Sunday.
- On Saturday and Sunday we will photograph the Carnival.
- On the Monday we will work on landscape photography in and around Alhama, specifically Los Tajos (The Gorge) and Lake Alhama.
- On the Tuesday we will visit Alhambra Palace and Gardens in Granada, where Alex will help you photograph this beautiful and world famous example of Moorish architecture. This part of the course will include the views of Sacromente and Granada's Arab Quarter.
The 5 day course includes lots of one-to-one tuition with plenty of individual and group critiques. The course also features daily downloading and processing of photographs using Photoshop.
Course Dates
Fantastic fun and photo-opportunities at the Alhama Carnival.
2010
- Arrive: Thursday 18th February
- Depart: Wednesday 24th February
2011
- Arrive: Thursday 10th March
- Depart: Wednesday 16th March
Prices and Booking
5 day Alhama Photography Course: £1150 per person.
Includes airport transfers from Granada or Malaga airports and 6 nights bed and breakfast accommodation at either La Seguiriya or Casa de la Sonrisa hotels or in a 4 bedroom traditional Spanish town house.
Group Booking Discount
We offer 10% discount for group bookings of 3 or more people on any one holiday.
Equipment Hire
A Nikon D200 digital SLR (with 18-200mm lens) and tripod are available for hire at €100 per holiday.
How do I book?
Booking is easy! First click here to download our booking form. Print it out, fill it in and send it to us, together with the 25% deposit payable on booking (cheques payable to Alex Wolfe-Warman please). The balance should be paid 3 months before the start of the holiday (or at the time of booking if this is less than three months before the holiday begins).
If you have any further questions, contact us using our online enquiry form. You'll also find our telephone numbers and postal addresses there if you prefer. We'll get back to you as soon as possible.
Additional Information
The minimum camera requirement for our holidays is a DSLR camera with full manual control options. Alex will help you improve your photography skills with whatever camera you bring, but please bring the cameras handbook for reference. It is advisable to bring spare batteries for your camera and a tripod would be useful if you have one.
Bring your laptop if you have one, including any necessary leads and conversion sockets for Spain (these can be bought at airports and electrical retailers). A Nikon D200 digital SLR (with 18-200mm lens) and tripod are available for hire.
Each day we break for a few hours in the afternoon and work into the evening to catch the best light of the day and also avoid the heat. This gives time to have a relaxing meal, a rest or a swim. Or perhaps you fancy a spa session in the local Arabic baths and steam rooms where relaxing therapeutic massages are available. For your evening meal, we can recommend some of our friends' bars and restaurants where you will receive a warm Andalucian welcome.
Andalucian Photography Holidays offer expert photography tuition and a chance to discover real Spain. This is not a commercialised tourist area and so, like our holidays, is popular with more independent-minded people.
We look forward to meeting you.
