What an amazing Tour! The two islands we visited were simply beautiful, even breathtaking. The tour logistics smooth and better than I expected. The local restaurants we ate in were authentic, fun to be in and I learned quite a lot about local foods and culture and much more. The food was superior. My tour mates were beyond warm, friendly and amazing and I hope to accompany some of them again some time soon on another tour with Blue Hour Photo Ventures. The photo instruction was top notch and always available. All in all this Azores tour was full of great surprises, so much so that I can't wait to register for my next Tour with them.

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.

The trip was amazing. Every turn was another photo op. Allison and Hope did a great job getting us to the best spots at the best time for the best photos every day. Even when the weather wasn’t great we made the best of it and actually got some of my favorite photos that day. The accommodations were great. It was a great group and we were all dedicated to shoot, shoot ,shoot. There were events planned that filled in the day when shooting wasn’t optimal and that immersed us into the local culture. We all ate dinners together so we got to know one another and had amazing food. Thanks Allison and Hope. Lorraine A

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.