Creative Workshop - Experience the grandeur and learn to see the small details on Ramsvikslandet and Sandön,

April 8–11, 2027

Physical demands: Low

Welcome to the beautiful West Coast. Together, we’ll experience the light of Ramsvikslandet with its rugged and majestic nature and the coveted red Bohus granite. The itinerary also includes the lovely island of Sandön. But here, we’ll also work together to observe and discover the small details in these vast and beautiful landscapes.

The landscape is characteristic of an area shaped by the wind and the sea.

The Ramsvik region is known as the “Kingdom of the Cliffs.” The area is dominated by red Bohus granite, and there are abundant traces of the inland ice sheet in the form of glacial landforms such as rounded boulders, potholes, glacial striations, and troughs.

Sandön and Sandöfjorden are located west of Hasselösund, near Smögen. Sandön itself is an arc-shaped ridge of rock, just over 1.5 km long, which largely encloses Sandöfjorden.

Here, too, the bedrock consists mainly of Bohus granite with traces of other rock types. The landscape bears strong evidence of the activity of the inland ice sheet, including rock carvings in the form of round slabs, channels, troughs, and bowls.

All in all, this landscape offers an almost limitless variety of beautiful shapes, textures, and colors with which to create exciting and beautiful foregrounds. It’s perfect for both large and small landscapes, which we’ll be focusing on in particular.

Program

Day 1 - Welcome to Smögen. Once we’ve checked in and settled in around 3:00 p.m., we’ll gather for a briefing on the coming days. At 6:00 p.m., we’ll head out to Sandön to capture the last light of the day over the Skagerrak. We’ll have dinner after we return to the hotel.

Days 2 & 3 - About 1 hour before sunrise, we’ll meet again at the reception desk and then head out together to the southern parts of Ramsvikslandet for low-light photography and the first light of the day. Once back, breakfast will be served. Afterward, we’ll have some time to rest. Depending on the weather and light conditions that day, we may have the opportunity to photograph beech forests. The rest of Saturday will focus on Ramsvikslandet, where we’ll spend the entire afternoon and evening. Shortly after dark, we’ll be back at the hotel.

Day 4 - This morning, too, we'll be taking photos in the soft morning light before having breakfast. We'll then review and analyze our photos. We'll wrap up the program around noon.

A couple of weeks after returning home, we’ll get together again. This time via Zoom to look through our photos once more.

About the Trip

The trip begins and ends at the destination. There is always an agreed-upon meeting point, which is determined closer to the departure date (approximately 4–6 months in advance). For example, the train station or airport where you arrive. If you do not have an agreed-upon meeting point, please contact us at info@fotomagica.net. The trip ends when the final activity of the last day or its equivalent has been completed, or, where applicable, upon drop-off at the airport or equivalent.

The trip includes:

  • PTM - Pre Tour Meeting. Here you will meet us and all your fellow travelers. We will exchange experiences, go through the appropriate equipment, and answer your questions. The meeting will take place via the Zoom platform, and you will receive an invitation some time before departure.

  • All local transportation,

  • Supervision and guidance by Mattias Sjölund & Bengt Ahlberg

  • Help with your images on site, both in the field and in the digital darkroom,

  • Private Room at Sea Lodge in Smögen

  • Breakfast,

  • Zoom Session on Tour: a one-on-one session during or after the trip (1 hour) on any photography-related topic. Here, we can discuss topics such as digital processing, editing, camera techniques, composition, and more. Book it here

  • A photo review and critique session held several weeks after the trip ends. The entire group will reconvene via Zoom.

Participants & Price:

14,800 SEK per person.

Min. 6 / Max. 7 participants

Packing list:

The link below offers some suggestions and ideas on what else, besides your camera gear, might be worth bringing along. To the packing list

Passports & Visas:

You should always travel with a valid passport when flying. Also, make sure your passport has plenty of time left before it expires, as some countries do not accept passports with less than 90 days remaining. If a visa is required, we will provide you with the necessary information. Don’t forget any other documents that may be required, such as a COVID-19 vaccine certificate.

What other customers say about us

What our past customers think of us is important both to us and to you. Among the reviews you’ll find on Google, Foto Magica has a rating of 4.9 out of 5. Below, you can read a selection of these reviews.

“ This was my first workshop with Foto Magica, but it won’t be my last. They handle everything with flair and take great care of the participants.” -Lotta Lund

“I’ve been on a couple of Foto Magica tours. They’re always well-organized and well-prepared. Foto Magica’s in-depth knowledge of the areas and suitable subjects is a major plus. There’s always time for questions and discussions about photography, and I think that’s important” - Christer Johansson

Important Information

Foto Magica has taken out a statutory travel guarantee with the Legal, Financial and Administrative Services Agency.

YOUR RIGHTS

Standard Information Form: The combined travel services offered to you constitute a package tour within the meaning of Directive (EU) 2015/2302. Therefore, you are covered by all EU rights applicable to package tours. Foto Magica AB will be fully responsible for ensuring that the package tour as a whole is performed correctly. In addition, Foto Magica AB is legally required to provide protection to refund your payments and, when transportation is included in the package tour, to ensure your return transportation if the company becomes insolvent.

More information about key rights under Directive (EU) 2015/2302

Expression of Interest

To express interest in this trip, please fill out and submit the form below. Below the form, you can read the full text of all applicable terms and conditions. According to the applicable terms and conditions, your expression of interest becomes binding once we have confirmed it in writing via email. The right of withdrawal does not apply to package tour agreements. However, it is always free of charge to cancel more than 6 months before departure. Read more about cancellation policies in the terms and conditions below. The trip does not include flights, trains, or other transportation to and from the destination other than what is specified above. Nor does it include personal expenses, cancellation protection, etc. If you wish, you can purchase additional cancellation insurance for added peace of mind through Gouda Travel Insurance. The cost is 6% of the purchase price of the trip. You can read more here, where the full terms and conditions are also listed.

Terms and Conditions

As a customer, you are responsible for any equipment you bring to a workshop or course. You are also responsible for arriving on time at pre-arranged meeting points and adhering to all other schedules. Foto Magica is not liable for any damage that may occur to your equipment. This also applies to other personal belongings you bring on the trip or to the workshop. This should be covered by your own insurance company.

This trip is subject to the general terms and conditions established by the Swedish Travel Agency and Tour Operator Association, as well as the tour operator’s specific terms and conditions, which are set forth below.

You are responsible for checking your booking confirmation as soon as you receive it. Any errors must be reported immediately. You are also responsible for ensuring that the flight or travel booking you make aligns with the itinerary of the photo tour. You are responsible for purchasing cancellation insurance to ensure you can receive a refund on travel documents if the photo tour is canceled.

Binding Agreement

The agreement becomes binding on the parties once the organizer has confirmed in writing the traveler’s expression of interest.

Terms of Payment

The organizer charges a registration fee of 20% of the trip price. The registration fee must be paid upon receipt of an invoice no later than six months before departure. The remaining portion of the trip price must be paid upon receipt of an invoice no later than one month before departure. Invoices must be paid no later than ten days after receipt. When booking a trip close to the departure date, the full price of the trip must be paid at the time of registration.

Cancellation

Cancellations must be made in writing to info@fotomagica.net. The organizer reserves the right to charge a cancellation fee as follows.

  • Cancellations made more than six months before departure are free of charge; any payments already made will be refunded.

  • For cancellations made later than six months but earlier than 91 days before departure, a cancellation fee of 50% of the trip price will be charged.

  • For cancellations made later than 91 days but earlier than 61 days before departure, a cancellation fee of 80% of the trip price will be charged

  • If you cancel 60 days or fewer before departure, you will be charged the full cost of the trip.

In the event of cancellation, purchases made by the traveler in connection with the trip, such as airline tickets, will not be reimbursed. Travelers are always advised to purchase refundable airline tickets or cancellation insurance. If a cancellation is made less than 6 months prior to departure, we may attempt to assist in selling your spot to another interested party. However, we do not guarantee that this will be possible, in which case you may be liable for compensation as described above.

The organizer's right to cancel a trip due to insufficient bookings

For each trip, a minimum number of participants is required for the trip to take place. The minimum number is specified in the itinerary for each trip. The organizer reserves the right to cancel a trip if the minimum number is not met. In such cases, travelers who have booked the trip are entitled to a refund of the amount paid for the trip. The organizer is not responsible for any purchases made by the traveler in connection with the trip, such as booked airline tickets. Travelers are therefore advised to always book a refundable airline ticket or purchase cancellation insurance.

The organizer’s right to cancel a trip for other reasons

The tour operator reserves the right to cancel the trip if it cannot be carried out due to reasons beyond the tour operator’s control, such as sudden illness of the tour leader or guide. Travelers who have booked the trip are entitled to a refund of the amount paid. The organizer is not responsible for any purchases made by the traveler in connection with the trip, such as booked airline tickets. Travelers are therefore advised to always book a refundable airline ticket or purchase cancellation insurance.

Health

The organizer arranges photography tours, which means that the trips typically involve hiking in various types of natural settings and environments. Travelers are responsible for ensuring that they are in good physical condition and health so that they can participate in all aspects of the trip.

If you’d like, you can download or print all the terms and conditions as a PDF here