July 8th - 13th, 2025
Capturing Paris: A Photography Retreat with Kelley Lotosky & Michelle Bliss
Welcome to an unforgettable photography retreat in the heart of Paris, this July, led by renowned photographers Kelley Lotosky and Michelle Bliss. Whether you're an amateur or an experienced photographer, this immersive experience will sharpen your skills and inspire your creativity. Our group will stay at the Hotel Trianon Rive Gauche, a 4-star hotel just steps from the lush Luxembourg Gardens, offering easy access to the city’s most picturesque neighborhoods.
Each day, Kelley and Michelle will guide you through Paris' iconic streets, from the vibrant Latin Quarter to the timeless beauty of The Marais, helping you capture the essence of daily Parisian life and elevate your photography to a new level.
Join us for this 6-day, 5-night adventure, where every cobblestone street and café scene offers a frame-worthy moment waiting to be captured.
Lodging at the Hôtel Trianon Rive Gauche
Settle in for 6 days and 5 nights of comfort and creativity at the Hôtel Trianon Rive Gauche, a 4-star gem in the heart of Paris. Just a short stroll from the lush Jardin du Luxembourg, this charming hotel places you within arm's reach of the city’s most photogenic streets and landmarks. From classic Parisian cafés to the timeless elegance of the Latin Quarter, every corner offers inspiration. After a full day of capturing the essence of Paris through your lens, you’ll unwind in your beautifully furnished room, where comfort and elegance blend seamlessly.
Schedule
Exact schedule may change slightly between now and the trip. The final schedule will be sent to participants a few weeks before the trip.
DAY 1 (TUESDAY)
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3:00 PM: Hotel check-in.
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5:00 PM: Welcome happy hour/picnic in Luxembourg Gardens.
DAY 2 (WEDNESDAY) - THEME: COMPOSITION
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Breakfast on your own.
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9:00 AM-9:30 AM: Introduction/Overview of Week and Artist Talk.
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9:30-10:00 AM: Daily Artist Reflections/Centering.
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10:00 AM-11:00 AM: Workshop 1 and Daily Assignment Given (Focus on Composition).
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11:00 AM-1:00 PM: Photography Walk through the Latin Quarter with Kelley & Michelle.
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1:00 PM-2:00 PM: Lunch with the group at Cosí.
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2:00 PM-3:30 PM: Group field work continued in Luxembourg Gardens (mini-challenges will be introduced).
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3:30 PM-7:00 PM: Free time/Independent fieldwork.
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6:30 PM: Dinner at Bistro des Lettres (meet in the hotel lobby at 6:30 or at the restaurant at 7:00).
Day 3 (Thursday) - THEME: LIGHTING
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Breakfast on your own.
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9:00-9:30 AM: Daily Artist Reflections/Centering.
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9:30-10:30 AM: Workshop 2 and Daily Assignment Given (Focus on lighting).
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10:30 AM-1:00 PM: Photography walk through Les Halles and down rue Montorgueil with Kelley & Michelle.
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1:00 PM-2:00 PM: Lunch location TBA.
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2:00 PM-6:00 PM: Free time/Independent fieldwork.
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6:15 PM: Dinner at Café Du Marché (meet in the hotel lobby at 6:15 or at the restaurant at 7:00).
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9:00 PM: Optional sunset photography walk through the Champs de Mars and around the Eiffel Tower.
DAY 4 (FRIDAY) - THEME: DEPTH OF FIELD OR EMOTION
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Breakfast on your own.
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9:00-9:30 AM: Daily Artist Reflections/Centering.
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9:30-10:30 AM: Workshop 3 and Daily Assignment Given (Focus on depth of field).
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10:30 AM-1:00 PM: Photography Walk into the Marais with Kelley & Michelle.
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1:00-2:00 PM: Lunch with the group at La’s du Fallafel.
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2:00 PM-3:30 PM: Visit to MEP photography museum; storytelling session.
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3:30 PM-7:00 PM: Free time/Independent fieldwork.
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Evening off/dinner on your own.
DAY 5 (SATURDAY) - THEME: EMOTION OR WILD CARD
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5:30 AM: Optional sunrise photography walk (meet in the lobby).
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7:00 AM: Breakfast (location TBA).
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9:00-9:30 AM: Daily Artist Reflections/Centering.
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9:30-10:30 AM: Q&A/Check-in for Final Storytelling Project.
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10:30 AM-12:30 PM: Photography walk to the Louvre (Facilitators available for one-on-one discussions).
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12:30 PM-1:30 PM: Lunch at La Terrasse de Pomone in the Tuileries Gardens.
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1:30 PM-4:45 PM: Free time/Independent fieldwork.
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4:45-7:00 PM: Photography showcase and happy hour.
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7:00 PM: Dinner at La Ferrandaise, ending with informal discussions of the week.
Versailles & Monet's Garden Add-On, July 5-8
Join us before your workshop for our two-day "add-on" tour from Paris. On Sunday, experience the grandeur of the Chateau of Versailles. On Monday, discover the beauty of Claude Monet's Gardens. Both days are led by our experienced tour guide, Mike Franz, who has guided tours to these sites since 2003.
On Sunday, we'll take a train to Versailles. Our first stop is a vibrant open-air farmers market, where we'll pick fresh ingredients for a picnic. Afterward, we'll explore the expansive gardens of Versailles, including the iconic fountains. A picnic lunch is planned by the Grand Canal, followed by a visit to the chateau. There, we'll learn about the history of Versailles and its notable figures like Marie Antoinette.
Monday takes us by train to Giverny, home to Monet's Gardens. We'll have lunch at a local cafe and visit notable spots, including Monet's grave and the Église Sainte-Radegonde de Giverny. Next, we'll tour Monet's former residence, where he painted for 43 years. This includes a chance to view the famed water lily pond that inspired over 250 of his paintings.
On Tuesday you will have most of the day to relax and see Paris on your own before our official workshop begins at 5:00 p.m. with our meet & greet picnic.
**The cost of the 2-day add-on is an additional $1,795, which includes additional lodging for three nights at Hôtel Trianon Rive Gauche (Saturday, Sunday and Monday night), as well as transportation and entry to Versailles and Monet's Garden at Giverny.
Meet Your Guides: Kelley & Michelle
Kelley Lotosky is an award-winning artist, photographer, and level II reiki practitioner based in California's San Francisco Bay area with projects worldwide. She has a BA in visual communications, an emphasis on freehand drawing, and over a decade of heading a community facilitation and marketing department at a local landscape architecture firm. She turned her planning, trusting building expertise, plant love, and communications talents into her own business.
Her work has been seen in The Knot, Diablo Magazine, Modern Brides, Bespoke Bride, Boho Weddings, local galleries, and many other online publications. She is an Unraveled Academy Expert Artist and co-founder of a unique intimate retreat experience for creatives around the globe called Poppy + Quill. She serves other creative souls who are activating their own stories. She’s that fairy grandmother at your side holding space for all the co-creation and visions to come to life.
The transformative experiences often end with a hug and tears before we even see the final creations.
Michelle Bliss is a narrative-led photographer whose journey has taken her around the world, now finding her inspiration in the stunning landscapes of the Mountain West. Growing up with a deep love of travel instilled by her parents, Michelle learned early on to capture the beauty of the world through her lens. Each photograph she takes is a vibrant dance between the ordinary and the extraordinary, transforming fleeting moments into powerful visual stories that delve into the bittersweet complexities of the human experience.
With a passion for co-creative work, Michelle invites her subjects to embrace the present, allowing her to uncover the raw truths often hidden in plain sight. Her work—whether it's capturing the subtle movement from a dancer, the quiet solitude of a rainy day, or the comforting chaos of family life—serves as a reminder of the sacredness in what many overlook. For Michelle, photography is not just a pursuit; it’s a vital connection to the abundance of life and love that surrounds us. She is also committed to the power of inquiry, dedicating herself to personal projects that fuse her love for photography with other passions, such as her ongoing body of work, "Into the Light," which integrates spoken word, photography, and yoga.
When she's not behind the camera, you can find her enjoying life with her husband, their two adventurous sons, and their beloved dogs. She is in a busy stage of life, yet amidst the crazy, always finds the time to create.
Tuition
Tuition is $3,495 and includes the following:
- Lodging in your own room at Hôtel Trianon Rive Gauche for 6 days, 5 nights.
- A welcome drink and hors d’oeuvres picnic with faculty and staff.
- 4-day photography workshop with daily seminars.
- Daily photography walks through Paris led by the owners of Side Door Travel.
- One-on-one conference with faculty.
- A professional headshot taken by one of your peers.
- Please Note: meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, are not included in the price of tuition.
How late can I sign up?
You can sign up for this retreat until all spots are full. Once the retreat is full, enrollment will be closed. You can join our waitlist or be notified when the trip is back on the schedule by entering your contact info under the "Sold Out" button at the top of this retreat web page.
If I want to attend the retreat with a friend, spouse, or partner and we share a room, can we get a discount?
Yes, if you attend with a friend, spouse, or partner and share a room we can give you a discount on the price. Inquire with Mike@SideDoorTravel.com for details.
Are Payment Plans Available?
You can opt for a payment plan divided into equal monthly payments by selecting Affirm or Shop Pay at checkout.
Cancellation & Refund Policy
Given the intimate nature of our destination retreats and our own non-refundable deposit schedule as organizers, our refund policy is as follows:
90+ days before your trip, tuition payment minus a $900 deposit is fully refundable.
60+ days before your trip: 50% of your tuition is refundable.
30+ days before your: 25% of your tuition is refundable.
Less than 30 days before your trip: no refunds can be offered.
Are Scholarships Available?
Unfortunately, we do not have the ability to offer scholarships for this retreat. However, we do have payment plans available at checkout.
I have a question not answered here.
Please contact us and we’ll reply promptly. You can call us at 888-688-5411, chat with us (lower left of your screen), or send an email to Mike@SideDoorTravel.com.
Terms & Conditions
Side Door Travel is dedicated to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all participants during our retreats. These events are not places for behavior that is inappropriate, off-topic, disruptive, abusive, or illegal. Inappropriate behavior includes any conduct that undermines the integrity of the retreat, such as written, verbal, or physical abuse or threats; the use of derogatory or discriminatory language, gestures, or actions; any form of harassment, racism, sexism; or any other targeted comments that may violate local, state, federal, or international laws or cause harm to another participant. This applies before, during, and after the retreat, whether in person at the retreat location, at associated events, through the Side Door Travel website or social media channels, during any online components, or through any other method of communication.
Side Door Travel reserves the right, at its discretion, to take appropriate action against any individual(s) or group(s) that do not meet the standards set forth in this Code of Conduct, including, without limitation, revoking admission without refund. During in-person sessions, we expect all attendees to adhere to public health guidelines relevant to safety, hygiene, and any identified pandemic-level communicable illnesses (including COVID-19), such as social distancing, handwashing, staying home if feeling unwell, and other disease prevention measures. If you observe or experience a violation of this Code of Conduct, please contact Side Door Travel. We are committed to assessing the situation and responding promptly. Notifying Side Door Travel does not substitute for notifying local law enforcement of suspected legal violations. All such suspicions should be reported to local authorities. For emergencies, dial the local emergency number immediately. Non-emergency local law enforcement contact details will be provided in the retreat materials. By registering for the retreat, participants agree to abide by these terms and contribute to a welcoming and productive environment for all.
By participating in a Side Door Travel retreat, you waive all rights to any claims for payment or royalties in connection with any use, exhibition, streaming, webcasting, televising, or other publication of materials, regardless of the purpose or sponsorship, and irrespective of whether a fee for admission or sponsorship is charged. You also waive any right to inspect or approve any photo, video, or audio recording taken by Side Door Travel or its designated agents. You have been fully informed of your consent, waiver of liability, and release before participating in the retreat. By registering, you agree to these terms.
By paying your tuition to attend a Side Door Travel retreat, you acknowledge your participation in the event. You understand and agree that Side Door Travel, its organizers, affiliates, and agents (collectively, the "Organizers") are not responsible for any injuries, illnesses, damages, theft, or loss of life that may occur during the retreat or related activities. You recognize that participation involves certain risks and engage in these activities voluntarily and at your own risk. You hereby release, waive, discharge, and covenant not to sue the Organizers from any and all claims, demands, liabilities, rights, or causes of action arising from or related to any injuries, death, or damages, both physical and emotional, that may occur during or as a result of your participation. You have been fully informed of your consent, waiver of liability, and release before participating in the retreat. By paying your tuition, you explicitly agree to these terms. For more information or inquiries, please contact Side Door Travel.
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