Romania Fall

Workshop Details

Romania  

Romania is like a strong, old perfume that, when you put it on, won't let go, opening your senses to its colorful history, rich culture, amicable faces, and strangers willing to step in and extend a hand. Its impressive landscape is vast and as diverse as its population.

When my plane landed here from Milano, a powerful cold rain greeted me and didn't let go for two days. Then the sky finally revealed its true colors, and the sun was a welcome presence. As we drove away from Bucharest and deep into the countryside, a strong, swift river, which was brown as all rivers appear after an intense rain has passed, kept us company for part of our journey.

On the other side, by the river's edge, the flat land was covered by a blanket of yellow daffodil flowers that slowly climbed up to where the lush vegetation, with its pine and willow trees, stood relatively high and rising up as the hills grew taller.

By then, the river was long gone, but the presence of water in the form of streams or lakes was always close by. We cut through the high mountains and their snow-covered peaks, and part of the twisting road was dark and surreal, as if we were driving inside a tunnel. Then, from the top, we could occasionally peak high into the blue sky and look down into a large green valley.

As we descended, the light grew brighter as the sun continued to shine through the framed branches. Down below, we couldn't escape the pastoral sight of flocks of grazing sheep dotting the green land every few kilometers.Their shepherds, with their long, tanned, narrow faces and sad, lonely eyes, would stand with their faithful guard dog next to their flock or towards the center, leaning on a long, narrow, sturdy piece of wood.

The valley led us into villages and through smaller towns, and then more villages. Each place was a new adventure, and its curious, cheerful children would often find us and come running, ready and eager, firing questions and wanting to know about us and would excitedly pose for my cameras.

Those children, isolated from the chaos and noise prevalent in large cities, didn't have much, but they were full of joy and health, and their eyes were vibrant and engaging. Older folks, and just as friendly as the children, would come to greet us and to share their time and whatever they could with us, too.

At one point while photographing an 89-year-old woman, tears almost filled my eyes. Her radiance and warmth permeated my body as I said goodbye with a hug. And as we embraced, her age showed well, for her arms felt like fragile branches from an ancient apple tree. One morning, we drove on a long, empty road, and in the middle of nowhere, a family was having a picnic. I stopped for a few minutes to take some photos as they were cooking a typical, simple, delicious Romanian BBQ. In Romania, the incredible aroma of its cuisine will tantalize your nose as it reaches out to you from quite a distance.

After a few minutes, I had enough Kodak Tmax frames and decided to retreat towards my car, giving back their own special moment and serenity. However, the Romanian family would not let us go until we had lunch with them. Before I sat down on the ground, a large plate of food had been served and placed in my hands.

I am still processing the unique experience. It was a truly magical encounter, marked by kindness and a sharing of the highest level. And all of this was quite ubiquitous all across the land.

The essence of Romania will stay with me like a strong old perfume.

Manuello Paganelli © 2026

Included:

Workshop Itinerary

Romania - Itinerary October 15- October 26 2026- 11 Days

Day 1 – Arrival to Bucharest, Romania

From the airport we will head to the Marmarosh Hotel. At a designated time at our hotel lobby we will have a meet and welcome opportunity. We will go over our itinerary and answer any photo questions or goals any or our participants wish to accomplish. Throughout our time together I will always be available to help you, so each day you feel your natural growth as a photographer. 

For those tired of jetlag we will take a break and those with energy can go out and catch some images.

📍 Focus: Low-light indoor shooting, cultural emotion, motion capture

📸 Photo Tip: Capturing rhythm and intimacy in movement

Day 2 – After Breakfast we will explore parts of Bucharest 

📍 Focus: Low-light outdoors and indoor shooting, cultural emotion, motion capture

📸 Photo Tip: Capturing religious and intimacy church celebration

Days 3- After breakfast we flight to Cluj, then transfer to accommodation in the village Breb or Sighetu Marmatie

We will drive around searching for colorful strong image of people, the landscape,and hopefully we will find a wedding celebrations or Desesti festival). The festival in Deseti "Fii Satului" with locals dressing up, drinking, singing, and dancing on a stage.

📍 Focus: Colorful costumes, the procession of horse, cultural emotion, motion capture

📸 Photo Tip: Use wide angle lens for large crowd and get close to the action. 

Day 4- Sunday church. In the evening we will drive to Viseu de Sus where we will stay and ride the steam train the next morning.

Days 5,6 –  After breakfast we will drive to Sighisoara, via Hungarian villages. 

Our journey will take us to a few Saxon villages (Biertan, Mosna, Alma Vii)

📍 Focus: Low-light indoor shooting, cultural emotion, motion capture

📸 Photo Tip: Capturing rhythm and intimacy in movement

Day 7-9 Viscri - Brasov we will start driving south (towards Brasov) and to the mountains, but stopping overnight to break the journey.

 We will continue the drive via Hungarian minority villages.There will be quite a few activities happening all around for a remarkable photography experience. Including a visit to the Bran Castle also known as Dracula Castle and will explore the regions around Holbav and Magura.

Day 10 – Train to Bucharest

Editing Session & Group Review + Personal Project Day + Farewell Dinner + Slideshow Presentation.

Group review of your top 5 images from the trip and will have slideshow of your best work

Celebrate the conclusion of our unforgettable journey with a festive group dinner. We'll share stories, laughter, and reflections on the moments, experiences, or photographs that made this workshop truly special for each participant. The evening will culminate with a slideshow presentation showcasing everyone's best work—a powerful visual tribute to the creativity, connection, and growth we've shared together.

📍 Focus: Working on your own. Search for the right images.

📸 Photo Tip: Capturing rhythm and intimacy in movement

Day 11 –  Farewell 

For those who can be present we'll gather one last time for a group breakfast before everyone heads to the airport and onward to home sweet home.

If you're able to extend your stay in Romania, I wholeheartedly encourage you to do so. There's no better time to put into practice the photographic skills and cultural awareness you've honed during our IPW adventure.Go out, explore, connect—and keep telling beautiful stories with your camera.Safe travels, and until our next journey together