Portugal: Through the Expressive Lens
with Renee Lynn
April 10 – April 19, 2027
Course Description
Portugal is a country of layered history, distinctive architecture, and luminous color. Mixing natural beauty and cultural engagement, this nine-night tour invites you to experience Portugal through an expressive photographic eye.
Explore photography with fine-art photographer Renee Lynn as a personal and imaginative response to place by leaving behind traditional image-making and shift to respond to shape, color, and meaning. Portugal offers an extraordinary setting for this way of seeing, with graphic shadows, whitewashed walls, colorful streets, and architectural details that invite artistic interpretation.
Our journey begins in Lisbon and concludes in Porto. Along the way, we photograph historic neighborhoods, the serene countryside, gardens, museums, and coastal views. Highlights include guided walks in Lisbon and Porto, a full day exploring the visual richness of Sintra and Cascais, and three days in the Alentejo countryside, with visits to Monsaraz and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Évora. We end with a visit to Foz and the Serralves Museum, where contemporary art, compelling architecture, and gardens offer fresh inspiration. We also meet creative artisans along the way, adding another layer of cultural connection and visual discovery.
Throughout the tour, expressive photographic techniques are discussed, including intentional camera movement and multiple exposure with DSLR and mobile phones. Learning takes place in the field, through conversation and shared exploration. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop and/or iPad for processing images during the trip and for informal sharing with the group. These moments of image review and discussion help deepen the experience and encourage each photographer to refine their own visual language.
We meet Lilo Danielyan, a Lisbon-based photographer, who brings local insight and creative warmth to our time in the capital city. Lilo coordinates an introductory Zoom meeting before the trip begins and a reunion Zoom afterward, giving participants an opportunity to reconnect and share images from the journey. While we are in Lisbon, Lilo guides two walks, introducing us to the city through the eyes of a local artist.
Comfortable evenings in four-star boutique hotels provide time to rest, reflect, and enjoy editing the images from the day. This tour is designed for photographers who are curious, open to experimentation, and interested in moving beyond description toward images that feel personal, abstracted, and even painterly.
Additional Information
WHO SHOULD ATTEND:
This program is open to photographers who are familiar with intentional camera movement, in-camera multiple exposure, Lightroom, and basic Photoshop skills including Layers. iPhone users who create with Apple’s ecosystem of apps such as Slow Shutter Cam, Average Camera Pro, Bluristic, etc. are welcome.
What You Should Know:
Participants should be technically self-sufficient in knowing their camera so time and effort can be spent on creative image making.
Special Notes:
Participants make their own travel arrangements to Lisbon (LIS), arriving on April 10 in time for a 4 pm welcome orientation, Lisbon walk, and group dinner. Departure is from Porto (OPO) on April 19.
Travel insurance is highly recommended to cover the expense of late cancellations as well as any medical emergencies while in Europe. We cannot vary from our published cancellation and refund policy, regardless of your situation. Medicare does not cover health care outside the U.S., and insurance is essential to guarantee access to reliable medical treatment, if needed.
Activity Level:
Participants should be in good physical and mental health. In general, arrive prepared for some long days and seasonal weather, including variable temperatures (50-70 degrees) and perhaps rain. There are uneven cobblestone streets and possibly steep ascents/descents. You must be able to always carry your own photographic gear. You are responsible for being honest about your physical fitness. We reserve the right to exclude you from field trips if your fitness level is less than what you have disclosed.
Package Price INFO:
$9,600 includes double accommodations for nine nights (ideal for couples and friends traveling together; a single supplement is available for an additional $1,500); nine breakfasts, four dinners including a Foodie Tour of Lisbon, ground transportation throughout the trip, and tour admission fees. Not included in the package price are airfare to Lisbon and from Porto, airport transfers, meals not listed, travel insurance, gratuities, as well as any passport fees. Maximum enrollment is set at 10 travelers. Additional nights in Lisbon or Porto can be requested.
Policies:
View Payment, Refund, Cancellation, and Transfer Policies for this International Program.
about
Renee Lynn is an American photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She completed her studies in commercial photography at U.C. Berkeley and began her career as a photojournalist before she found her passion as a stock photographer specializing in nature and animal imagery. During this time, Renee was represented by Getty Images and Corbis Images. She co-authored the Nature column for Popular Photography and was published in major publications including National Geographic books. Her animal imagery was used in advertising by Apple, Exxon, Jaguar, and Discovery Channel, and she received the Addy Award for a VW ad campaign. Reaching out to others and supporting their professional development, she founded the NPPA Women in Visual Journalism Conference and Women in Nature Photography Conference.
Living in Santa Fe, a hub of contemporary art, Renee found inspiration to advance her craft within a vibrant community of creative talents. She expanded her work by exploring artistic photographic processes that transcend literal depiction, inviting viewers to experience photography in unexpected ways. This approach earned her four category wins in the professional section of the 2024 and 2025 Julia Margaret Cameron Awards for Abstract, Landscape, and Cell phone photography. Additionally, the Florida Museum of Photographic Art recognized her unique landscape work in their annual international exhibition.
Website: reneelynnimages.com
Instagram: @reneelynnimages
