PhotoLycia Holidays : Photography Holidays in Kaya Koy Valley near Fethiye, South West Turkey

Schedule

Leafy locations

Note: This typical schedule is A GUIDE ONLY. We will be posting new Schedules and Tours in August.

The workshop-holiday is flexible to the needs of the group. You can be assured that whatever you would like to do will be covered in depth during the week.

There will be a structured itinerary for each day but is subject to change in consideration of the time of the year and the weather.

The weather is very reliable but occasionally, especially in the spring and autumn it can be wet for all or part of any day. We will adjust the programme to maximise our outdoor schedule. You will be very unlucky to have a week or even a day of poor light.

We try to plan the days in tune with your needs together with the opportunities supplied by nature. For example; in spring the light is clear with low heat haze for landscapes and the mornings can offer special atmospheres with low mists and strong angular light; high summer opens up the high mountains for exploration and autumn may provide a disappearing lake... fauna and flora in spring is unsurpassed.

People are a favourite subject that many photographers are shy of approaching; Faruk is an expert at getting the most out of extraordinary faces. One of our guests has already had an October portrait image posted as photo of the week on www.photographycafe.com If you are a reluctant people photographer this is an aspect of the week designed especially for you...

There is no formal tuition on this holiday/workshop. It is an entirely individual practical experience where you will choose exactly what you want to do. While others may be concentrating on a wonderful landscape and you prefer to do some macro work on a pair of attractive damsel flies, that is perfectly OK. There is no prescriptive agenda to limit your own desires. Faruk will provide the same professional assistance, give you advice on equipment and framing, technical support and even hold your reflector until you are satisfied. A guide will be provided because quite often we go to a location because of the light, time of day or particular subject matter. This may be your only opportunity to exploit this location or subject.

What to bring...

Typical photography weeks activity: A good guide... but subject to complete change

Arrive Sunday at Dalaman (DLM) transfer to accommodation and settle into accommodation:

Day One - usually Monday

In order to get some idea of your needs on this workshop holiday we like to you to bring two photographs with you. They can be printed or digital images. One image should be one you have taken yourself that you don't like for some reason. The second should be an image that you have taken that you like very much, a favourite.
We will spend a couple of hours discussing these images and setting you up for the rest of the week. This is a really useful time, previous guests have requested it because it sets you up with some realistic personal goals.
The afternoon will be spent in Kaya Koy Village, perhaps visiting a village house or the coffee house for some natural light portraits. The sunset may lend itself to some landscapes in the highly picturesque deserted/ruined village of 2000 homes.

Day Two - Tuesday

Vehicle/s will be waiting for you after breakfast for an 8.30 start.
Drive into Fethiye (about 20 minutes) and explore the market. Here there are wonderful colours, from the fruit and vegetables to the faces of market people. A feast of photos will emerge. (if you like this morning there's another opportunity on Friday or Saturday to have a similar experience)
Lunch will be taken in the market.
After lunch around 1.pm. we travel to Uzumlu to visit this charming old village and its inhabitants, carpet weaving, tobacco growing and great scenics are all in your viewfinder. If we have time a drive up to Cadianda (Roman ruin in the high forest) is well worth it. Don't be tempted to remove the hundreds of artefacts you will see just lying around.
Back to Gunay's Garden to relax, cool off and eat.
Image session in the restaurant and discussions.

Day Three - Wednesday

Up before dawn (time/early call can be arranged) will be the order for a morning in Kaya Valley. Some walking required this morning mostly on roads or footpaths.
Back for a late breakfast around 10am in Gunay's Garden then by bus and boat to Gemiler Island. Lots of chances for sea-scapes, ruins, and macro work in this quiet location.
Back ashore, a short drive and a 30-minute uphill walk to the hillside monastery of Af Kule a great time to test your skills against this impressive subject in one of the most dramatic settings you will ever find.
More opportunity for great sunset colours.
Back to Gunay's Garden to refresh and then to a local restaurant for our evening meal.
Gunay's Garden restaurant for discussions and slide show of your work.

Day Four- Thursday

Baba Dag is our first location. A 2000m mountain above Olu Deniz. In season we may get some great shots of Paragliders jumping off the mountain, or some wild life in the rocks. If the group is willing for another early start, possibilities are multiplied, if not, there is tons of scope on this high level day.
Lunch taken on the mountain and then down to coastal Faralya for some coastal landscapes, Olu Deniz for beach/sea side shots or possibly a drop off in Olu Deniz and a two hour slow walk back to Kaya Koy over the pine clad hills offering unsurpassed views of the Mediterranean, the Blue Lagoon and Kaya Village bathed in warm red light as the sun goes down over Gemiler.
An alternative is a drive to Dip Koy, even deeper into rural Turkey a landscape of terraced mountainsides a broad valley with marble quarries and remote communities. A great photographic canvas.
Gunays Garden for dinner and evening meeting/show. Discussion regarding tomorrow...

Day Five - Friday

We try and be flexible about this valuable time. You will have had a flavour of the area and locations and may want to return to one or more of them. We reserve the veto on this day in case there is a difference of needs we cannot oblige fully. If everyone agrees, we can repeat or revisit a place or even visit a new place for similar subject matter.
In the event of our decision prevailing:
- We travel for about 45 minutes into the low foothills of the mountains around Gocek for some stunning scenery, rivers, fauna and flora and anything that crops up en route
- Lunch taken at a picturesque location or may even be as guest of a local family
- The afternoon at the quayside in Gocek Bay for boats, street scenes with a difference and hopefully a stunning sunset.
Back to Gunay's Garden to freshen up, dinner and evening discussions on the days/weeks work.
Faruk will say good-bye to us this evening though we are sure many will return, this is a photographic heaven at any time of the year.

Day Six - Saturday

Free day - car hire available at £34 per day. Suggestions for the day range from shopping in Fethiye, to a Turkish bath/health spa day/hairdressers (exceptional skill and service at very low prices) to exploring some ancient ruins, geological sites or just relaxing in the local area.
There is another market in Fethiye (Saturday) if some guests wish to return (note a different location)
We have maps of the places you can reach easily in a day and can make suggestions on new locations and what you will be able to see and do.
We can arrange a whole day boat/Gulet trip in Fethiye bay for the whole group on this day. In hot weather, this is a highlight of any trip to the Turquoise Coast. There is an extra charge of £20 per person for this day inclusive of transport, lunch and the services of the crew.
Final dinner for the course in Gunay's Garden

Day Seven - Sunday

Pack and await transfer to Dalaman. Some guests may book two weeks or longer; in which case they will be allocated a villa for their exclusive use for the remainder of their stay.
Transfer to Dalaman takes about one hour and we leave in time for a two-hour prior to departure check-in.

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