The Travel Story

The Host

William Hereford first visited Uruguay and the tiny pueblo of Garzón in 2021 while photographing Chef Francis Mallmann’s cookbook “Green Fire.” He fell in love with the country of Uruguay and subsequently moved to the village of Garzón full time.

The light in the southern hemisphere is an inspiration and a fantastic place to grow as a photographer. This course will be a guided tour through what first drew William to this part of the world as well as his approach to documenting a place and its inhabitants.

The workshop is for amateurs and budding professionals alike. The course limits each session to 10 students so the classes are intimate. Whether you’re interested in expanding the use of your phone and/or an up and coming professional with a full camera kit, you will have the opportunity to learn at whatever technical level meets your needs.

Each day he will focus on a new subject including landscapes, portraits, and food with afternoons reserved for group discussions of their work. This course will be a very personal experience inside William’s home and this wonderful country.

The Classroom

“Estudio Garzón” is an educational institute and seasonal culinary venue. The building is centrally located within the pueblo and serves as the headquarters for my workshops. Post Production tutorials are held in a lofted classroom above the main building. The classroom is equipped with international charging stations, a large photography library and comfortable couches and chairs for students that would like to work beyond classroom hours.

William’s Work

For 2 decades, William photographed stories for the world’s leading editorials including Vanity Fair, Travel & Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Departures, Food and Wine, Bon Appétit, as well as commercial campaigns for household names like LL Bean, Orvis, Woolrich, Le Creuset, All Clad, and Lands End. His tourism campaigns for Aruba, Washington DC, and St Augustine Florida graced billboards and the sides of buses. In 2023 he moved to Uruguay full time and abandoned his commercial career to focus on his fine art.

William has worked hard to build an active career in the photography industry but his love of people and the chance to document the way they live continues to be his greatest motivation. He loves teaching and chatting about light, collaborating on what constitutes a beautiful moment and how to photograph it. His hope is to work with students that are interested in sharing their perspective of the world as well as learning from my experiences in the industry.

williamhereford.com  ::  commercial.williamhereford.com

Food & Beverage

At Estudio Garzón, the food and wine program is an integral part of our workshop experience. Each meal reflects our deep connection to the land: produce is grown in our own garden, meats are sourced from trusted local purveyors, and our wines and spirits come exclusively from small-label Uruguayan artisans. The menu is curated by Nicole Tuvi and a dedicated team of chefs. With over a decade as Director of Operations at Francis Mallmann’s famed Restaurant Garzón, Nicole brings a wealth of culinary expertise and a passion for creating meals that embody place, season, and craft.

Itinerary

• Day 1

  • TBDAirport Transfer
  • 7:00pmWelcome Dinner

• Day 2

  • 9:00amBreakfast
  • 10:00amPortraits Lesson (*lighting with natural light)
  • 1:30pmLunch
  • 2:30pmStill life Lesson (*artificial lighting)
  • 5:30pmPost Production Lesson (*Capture One)
  • 7:00pmCatered/Restaurant Dinner

• Day 3

  • 5:30amLandscapes
  • 10:00amBreakfast/Personal Time
  • 1:00pmCatered/Restaurant Lunch
  • 2:30pmPost Production/Group Discussion
  • 7:00pmCatered/Restaurant Dinner

• Day 4

  • 5:30amLandscapes in The Hills of Garzón
  • 9:00amBreakfast
  • 10:00amPost Production
  • 1:30pmLunch
  • 2:30pmPost Production
  • 5:30pmGroup Presentation
  • 7:00pmFarewell Asado

• Day 5

  • 9:00amBreakfast
  • TBDAirport Transfer

Suggested Equipment List

Digital Camera Bodies

I use the mirrorless Canons for their image and build quality but more importantly for the muscle memory I have developed using Canons over thousands of hours. Bring the camera you’re most familiar with whether it be a film camera or a phone. Most full-frame digital cameras have incredible sensors these days. You don’t want to be stuck in the menu settings during an important moment.

Smart Phones

If your love of photography is rooted in the use of your phone please do not fret, you are welcome. Thousands of successful content based businesses are created every year with just a phone. They are an important part of our reality and understanding how to use the camera has never been more important.

Lenses

The 2 cheapest lenses in my bag produce 99% of my professional work:

• Canon RF 24–105mm f/4 ($1,299 USD)
• Canon RF 100–400mm f/5.6–8 ($649 USD)

There are instances when I require specialty lenses but it is rare I carry them for everyday use. Most lenses are project specific and when shooting for travel magazines I only carry the 2 lenses above. Please feel free to bring your full kit but 2 zoom lenses covering roughly 24mm–200mm will cover 99% of your needs.

Computer

The industry standard for editing digital photographs on the road is an Apple MacBook Pro. This course will cover how to tether a camera directly to a computer for instant color correction.

Travel & Accommodations

Flights should be booked to Montevideo (Airport Code: MVD). Transfers will be available from the airport to Garzón and back to MVD. It’s a 2 hour drive. If you’re interested in exploring the area after class I recommend renting a car which can be reserved online before your flight.

The cost of tuition will cover accommodations. A private bedroom for each student will be provided between 4 separate properties. 2 of the properties include a shared kitchen and bathroom. All properties are privately owned and elegantly furnished and well reviewed. More details on the properties are available upon request and bookings are first come first served.

Restaurant/Hotel Garzón is a renowned hotel and available to students with a larger budget. Please inquire if you’re interested.