Tokyo: Embracing the Moment

A Personal Approach to Travel Photography

A workshop with Ibarionex Perello

DATES: DECEMBER 6th - 13th, 2024

TOKYO VOLCANIC ISLAND EXTENSION: DECEMBER 14th - 16th, 2024

Overview

My first visit to Japan was unlike any other travel experience I had ever had. Yes, it was a feast for the eyes with abundant visual stimulation. However, I was inspired to immerse myself in the experiences instead of accumulating good photographs. Whether surrounded by thousands of commuters in the subway system, feeling a morning chill at the entrance to a temple or shrine, or sipping the delicious broth of a bowl of ramen, I wanted to take each moment and embrace it, squeezing as much as I could out of it. Prioritizing experiencing the moment informed my photography. It slowed me down, made me more thoughtful, and focused me on images that captured more than what I saw in Japan, but what it felt like for me to be there. It led me to see the value of the quiet and mundane moments that made my experience unique to me. It freed me from the sense of competition of making a unique photograph in one of the world's most photographed cities and countries and instead producing images that reflected who I was at that particular moment in time. My brief time was transformative and continues to inform my approach to photography. I am eager to return and discover what more I can learn and experience.

- Ibarionex Perello

Ibarionex Perello returns to Japan once again in Tokyo: Embracing the Moment- A Personal Approach to Travel Photography, an updated version of his acclaimed Tokyo workshop in 2018.

Like its predecessor, at the core of the workshop is the vibrant capital itself, which provides a plethora of visually astounding settings and neighborhoods full of character and culture. Gastronomy is also an essential component of the experience as we eat, drink, and photograph our way around some of the city’s many incredible restaurants, selected by George, an unabashed fan of great food. In addition to our daily lunches and group dinners, participants will also have three nights free to try out restaurants of their own choosing. Yet no one will be left to dine alone unless they wish for that. One of our staff will always be available to join you if you want a dining buddy.

Additionally, we will be collaborating with our friend Frank Striegl at 5AM Ramen on a special ramen-tasting and photography tour with behind the scenes glimpses into what makes this global cuisine so remarkable.

The workshop benefits from its “team-building” atmosphere and hours of individual attention, as the maximum class size of eight photographers ensures that you receive plenty of feedback and instruction from Ibarionex. Each day we will gather for feedback sessions and instruction, with a projector and screen, and snacks and drinks as we look through our photographs from the previous day. All the prime hours of the day are spent out in the city making photographs as we explore everything from office districts to quiet suburban areas, modern museums to traditional izakaya pub alleys with their wonderful warm window light.

Through the process of daily critiques and in-the-field instruction, Ibarionex will help you identify your individual strengths as a photographer, then build on them over the course of the week. Towards the end of the week, in-depth editing sessions led by Ibarionex will change the way you look at your photography and make you a much better editor of your own work.

We will split the 8 nights of the workshop into two different bases, with 4 nights spent in the southwest section of Tokyo near Ginza, Shimbashi, Yurakucho and other iconic areas, and 4 nights spent in the northern section of Tokyo in Shinjuku, with the grittier nightlife areas as well as the soaring skyscrapers and amazing architectural backdrops outside our door. The purpose of this is to change up our environments as well as to have easier access to key neighborhoods and reduce travel times across the sprawling city.

The 3-night extension will feature a two-night trip to Izu Oshima - the largest and closest of the seven main islands of the Izu chain, which are also a part of Tokyo. Together we will discover this unexpected side to Tokyo in a tranquil setting on the south shore of the island, near a small harbor. We will embark on an adventure exploring volcanic mountainscapes and coastline not too unlike a small version of Hawaii, with which Oshima shares a “sister island” relationship.

At the end of your week, you will come away with a deeper understanding of what makes Tokyo thrive as a city, build a cohesive body of work that goes beyond a collection of random street photographs and documentary travel photos, develop an appreciation for Tokyo’s unique culture, and form a new group of friends and an elevated sense of confidence in your own photography.

Widely known for his sublime street photography, as well as extensive knowledge of the photographic world, Ibarionex is fast becoming one of the masterful teachers of the next generation of photographers. When paired with fine art photographer George Nobechi’s knowledge of his birthplace of Tokyo and Japanese culture, the two collaborate to produce a thought-provoking, potentially life-changing experience that has few equals in the current universe of photography workshops around the world—but, and here is the crucial component: it takes place in the vibrant, diverse and surprising metropolis that is Tokyo. Set in the early part of December when the Fall colors are at their most vibrant and the low angle of light makes for incredible photography throughout the entire day, this is one workshop you do not want to miss.

Class Size

Limited to 8 registrants. This class has a minimum enrollment of 6 to proceed. Please do not book your flights until the workshop is given the “go.”

Included

• 8 nights in two locations in Tokyo

• 8 breakfasts

• 7 lunches

• 5 dinners

• All domestic transportation once the workshop begins.

• All admissions, location fees, and tour fees

• Instruction and guidance from Ibarionex Perello and the Nobechi Creative support team of: Fernanda De Icaza, Ximena Alvarez and George Nobechi

• Detailed information package and full itinerary in detail

• One shared portable WiFi device for the group

• Bilingual support during the trip

Extension

• 2 nights on a beautiful island in the Izu Chain that is also part of Tokyo, plus 1 night at a hotel in Tokyo upon our return.

Not included

• International airfare

• Extra hotel nights on front and back end

• Meals not marked in the itinerary

• Drinks: Alcoholic and Non-alcoholic beers/virgin cocktails

• Travel Insurance

• Incidentals
  
  
  

  TUITION

  $8,945 per person double occupancy for bank wire (+$310 for credit card)

  Single supplement +$750
  
  
  

  EXTENSION (MINIMUM 5 PARTICIPANTS)

  $2,950 per person double occupancy for bank wire (+$105 for credit card)

  Single supplement +$195

  
  
  

  PAYMENT SCHEDULE

  $2500 deposit due upon registration (+$500 if opting for extension)

  $3000 2nd payment due September 1st

  Final payment (balance remaining) due October 1st

Only two spots remain, but availability is not guaranteed as the hotel rooms have been released. Please fill out the form promptly if you're interested in signing up.

About Ibarionex perello