Photography consists of 2 components. There are the mechanics of taking the pictures and the emotional responses you feel in the moments. Allie and Hope are excellent mechanical instructors but more important they also talk to you, they explore with you and they help you to achieve the story you want to tell. Their guidance allowed me to improve my camera skills and knowledge and they assisted me in capturing the beauty of Tuscany. It was the most mesmerizing and emotional photography moments I have ever experienced. Simply, Thank you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this tour to Tuscany with Blue Hour Photo Ventures. It was my first trip with them, and it will definitely not be the last! Hope and Allie were great teachers and leaders of our group, planning a variety of photo and cultural experiences. There were countless opportunities for beautiful photography shoots. I also very much appreciated the very positive atmosphere that they created amongst the participants. Everyone was very friendly and very willing to share ideas about their experiences and expertise. As a result, I (a relatively new photographer) learned much from various conversations on many aspects of photography. As a result of this workshop, I am a better photographer and highly motivated to continue to seek new opportunities to capture images. I think most important, is that it helped me to become much more aware of what I’m doing with the camera and why I take pictures! I highly recommend Blue Hour Photography Ventures!

The Photo Tour of Tuscany in May 2026 exceeded my expectations. Allie does an amazing job of organizing a mix of shooting locations and times, rest and rejuvenation and unique experiences of the local culture. Hope provided many suggestions of different ways to see the landscape. Not only did we get beautiful images and learned a lot but we had a ton of fun. This was my 3rd Photo Tour with Blue Hour and I have the upmost confidence in every experience they provide. I look forward to the next one!

The Blue Hour Trip to Tuscany was outstanding. Having traveled with Blue Hour before, and with Allie, I was familiar with the excellence of the pre-trip scouting and planning. I was also lucky enough to be enjoying the workshop with friends made on previous Blue Hour trips and through Instagram. I particularly enjoyed the balance on this trip between organized shooting outings, non-photography related activities planned for the group, and free time. While of course we photographed sunrises and sunsets, the fun didn't stop there. We honed our culinary skills at an outstanding four hour pasta making class at a gorgeous venue, indulged in some late morning wine tasting (and tour) at a lovely winery in Montepulciano, and gorged on Tuscan bread, cheeses and meats at an afternoon picnic overlooking the brilliant Tuscan countryside. Every one of these activities was a treat! The photographic opportunities were endless. I felt like the entire time in Tuscany was a feast for the eyes (and the palate). I found myself constantly oohing and aahing at the landscapes which lay before us. As for meals, the restaurants Allie chose for dinners were wonderful, and Allie developed a creative way to ensure that each of us was paying only for what we consumed or drank at these group dinners. Allie and Hope were a good "leader" team, and complemented each other nicely. Both were always willing to offer guidance on composition, scouting, technical matters, and gear settings, including a couple nice tips on tripod set up. I felt completely safe with each of them as drivers on sometimes crazy Italian roads with wild Italian drivers - I think that's really important on these kinds of trips. I would do the trip again in a heartbeat, and would not hesitate to participate in another Blue Hour trip. Blue Hour's staff is top notch,, the trips are always a reasonable length, are not too large, and are fairly priced. Thank you, Allie and Hope, for time in Tuscany that I will never forget.

This was a wonderful photo tour, with Paul Nguyen providing a nicely paced itinerary that visited just the right number and variety of terrific locations that he knew well. Paul made both artful and technical shooting suggestions for each location. He also assessed conditions at certain locations just beforehand in preparation for our arrival. Despite several logistical challenges including that one of our reserved lodges burned down in the 2025 Dragon Bravo fire at the Grand Canyon North Rim, Paul was able to adapt to find us alternative lodging and keep us on track, a feat in itself given the remoteness of the area. Aside from the great photography experience, Paul was entertaining with his humor and intellect but also attentive to student's individual needs and informative about the history, lore, and overall vibe of the area. BlueHour runs great tours, and I'll continue to book with them.