Sunrise smartphone photography walk

Join Rob Layton for a sunrise smartphone photography walk in the historic town centre of Perugia and learn how to improve your mobile photography skills.
The session will be limited to 30 people. Registration is necessary, write to Rob Layton. You will be contacted on the day before your photography walk to confirm your participation.
20-minute pre-walk workshop on narrative photography with smartphones (in the Sala Raffaello, Hotel Brufani)
Introduction
> Welcome and overview: using smartphones to capture storytelling images during sunrise
> Emphasizing Perugia’s unique elements (cobblestone streets, historic architecture, golden light)
Composition techniques
> Rule of thirds: enable gridlines; place subjects at intersections
> Leading lines: use streets, arches, or shadows to guide the eye
> Framing: doorways/windows as natural frames for subjects (e.g., a local vendor)
> Negative space: highlight Perugia’s skyline against dawn skies
Lighting and golden hour
> Warm, soft light enhances textures; position subjects facing light for depth
> Adjust exposure manually to avoid overexposed skies
Smartphone camera tips
> Focus/exposure lock: tap and hold on the screen
> Burst mode: capture movement (e.g., birds flying, people walking)
> Angles: low angles for dramatic shadows, eye-level for intimacy
Practical demo
> Example shots from Perugia, demonstrating composition and lighting
> QR code for sharing final works among participants
Storytelling ideas tailored to Perugia’s sunrise atmosphere and local character
The first espresso
> Document a barista preparing the morning’s first coffee. Focus on the ritual: grinding beans, steam rising, a regular customer’s first sip
> Technique: shoot through the café window for reflections, or use slow-motion for steam curling in golden light
The street sweeper
> Capture a worker tidying Perugia’s cobblestone streets. Use the rhythmic motion of their broom and the contrast of their silhouette against dawn light
> Theme: quiet labour that keeps the city alive
The market vendor
> Follow a vendor setting up a stall. Film vibrant produce (lemons, olives, flowers) being arranged
> Composition: overhead shots of colourful displays, tight angles on hands sorting goods
The shopkeeper
> Film a shopkeeper opening the shop, and setting out their goods
> Composition: start with a wide stablishing shot, close-ups of hands stacking goods
Shadows and light play
> Create a visual poem of sunrise light creeping over Perugia’s walls, casting geometric shadows through shutters or arches
> Technique: time-lapse or slow pans to show movement of light
Silent streets awakening
> Contrast the emptiness of dawn with gradual signs of life: a shopkeeper rolling up a metal gate, a cat prowling, a delivery van navigating narrow lanes
> Sound design: start with silence, then layer in subtle noises (gates clanking, engines rumbling)
Creative challenge: the 5-second story
> Tell a micro-story: five clips in five seconds:
> A wrinkled hand placing a newspaper on a doorstep
> A pigeon scattering as a baker tosses crumbs
> A flower vendor snipping stems, droplets hitting the pavement
Tips for participants
> Observe rituals: Perugians love slow mornings—linger over a cornetto at a café, or watch people chatting on benches
> Interact gently: ask vendors/shopkeepers for permission to film; their stories add depth
> Use the terrain: Perugia’s hills create dramatic angles—shoot upward from alleys or downward from staircases