$ 1,000.00 – $ 5,600.00
Next Tour Date: January 2024 (Request to be put on the Wait List at info@fioria.us.)
Description
Join celebrity photographer, Me Ra Koh, and her husband, Brian Tausend (award winning photographer and cinematographer) for an unforgettable 9-Day Photography Workshop and Tour of Thailand!
LAND OF SMILES
They will bring hands-on instruction and teach you how to capture the light, vibrant colors, wildlife and more in this exotic country.
The Thai people are some of the most kind people you’ll ever encounter which is why their country is called “The Land of Smiles”.
This 9-Day Photography Workshop & Tour of Thailand follows their popular Italy & Greece photography workshop tours. Escorted by Me Ra Koh (Disney’s Photo Mom and Sony Artisan of Imagery) and her husband, Brian Tausend (award winning photographer and cinematographer), prepare for an adventure of a lifetime!
Me Ra and Brian have taken their kids to Thailand TEN times because of how much they LOVE this country! It’s become a second home to them.
EXPLORE
Sleep in boutique hotels, floating bamboo huts in a very “off-the-beaten path” location, and beautiful Thai houses on stilts at Me Ra and Brian’s secret place. Photograph an amazing encounter with the elephants, breathtaking landscape of limestone cliffs to a boat excursion for underwater photography of their world famous marine life!
Brian and Me Ra are even going to take you to their family’s secret getaway in the south where the white sand beaches, snorkeling/diving and rock climbing is unlike anything you’ve ever seen!
Your dream trip starts in Bangkok. Experience the mystery and wonder of a culture so foreign from your own.
We’ll visit their famous, colorful Floating Markets. Eat fresh mangoes, noodles, and sticky rice!
Then we visit an ethically run elephant sanctuary before going south to an off-the-beaten path location of spectacular lakes and limestone cliffs in Khao Sok National Park. It’ll feel like you’ve entered Jurassic Park!
Sleep on floating bamboo huts and take a jungle trek with us to a lagoon! (We’re not joking! Just read the reviews! This trip is EPIC!) Your last destination is at Me Ra and Brian’s secret, beautiful spot (yep, we’re not telling you until you’re registered) where you stay in gorgeous Thai style homes on stilts.
The country’s orchid fragrances, sing-song language, sounds of the jungle’s wildlife, and amazing food will inspire your senses and photography in a way you’ve never experienced. You will not be able to put your camera down! This 9-day Thailand photography workshop tour is a dream for both Me Ra and Brian. Their family LOVES Thailand, and they can’t wait for you to fall in love with it too!
PHOTOGRAPHY
This tour is designed for ALL levels of photography. Every shooting location for this Photography Workshop and Tour of Thailand has been scouted out by Me Ra and Brian. They’re going to set you up for success regardless of whether you’re a beginner or paid pro!
Me Ra and Brian have been teaching photography workshops and traveling abroad for two decades. Me Ra is one of the select Sony Artisans of Imagery, inspiring both beginners and pros. Brian is an award winning, published photographer and cinematographer.
Whether you are a newbie who simply loves taking photos or a pro wanting to be creatively refreshed, they will take you to new levels with your camera proficiency and creativity while exploring the most gorgeous areas of Thailand.
You will learn hands-on how to capture your journey through professional instruction, photo reviews in the evening, and inspiring daily photo assignments that help challenge your skills.
Plus, true to Brian and Me Ra’s workshops, we promise that you will laugh MORE than you ever bargained for while having your creative well filled and acquiring new technical skills with your camera!
NON-PHOTOGRAPHERS
If your spouse, kids, relative or friend are not photographers but want to experience Thailand, they are more than welcome to join us! There’s plenty to do! Whether they sit by the pool, enjoy the white sand beaches, or explore, Thailand is AWE-mazing!
BUT, plan to rent a camera for them because they will not be able to hold back when they see the beauty of Thailand! (Kids must be of a certain age to join us and strong swimmers. Reach out to us for more details on that.)
This is one of my FAVORITE photos!!! Two husbands (Rick who is smiling and Nick who is on his stomach for the shot.) Both of their wives are the ones who love photography. They were adamant about not taking any photos. As you can see, Thailand lured them in to falling in love with photography! LOL
This is what they were learning to take a photo of. The floating long tail boats serving corn on the cob, coconut and mango shakes or phad thai are the BEST!
REST AND SAVOR
Accommodations are in boutique style hotels, floating bamboo huts and end with luxury Thai style homes on stilts suites in the most beautiful place on earth. Most breakfast and dinners are included. All levels of photography are welcome.
Full, detailed itinerary of this 9-day Photography Workshop and Tour of Thailand is provided to attendees a few months before we leave! It’s going to be epic-epic!
Portrait of Thailand is Limited to 15 people.
Note: Me Ra and Brian’s Portrait of the World Photography Workshop Tours tend to fill up within a few days, so we recommend booking well in advance with a $1,000 non-refundable deposit to reserve your spot.
p.s. The food is AWE-mazing!!!! If you like Thai food in the states, get ready!!!
RESERVATIONS, PAYMENT & CANCELLATION POLICY
Receipt of a deposit of $1000 per person is required to hold your reservation. The balance is due 90 days before departure. For bookings made within 90 days of departure, payment must be made by certified bank check or credit card.
FEES FOR CUSTOMIZED ITINERARY CHANGES
If you decide to cancel any component of your land reservation, there is no refund for the unused services.
Days Prior Start of Travel Workshop and Tour Services Cancellation Charges
201 days or more is $1000 per person
200 – 181 days 25% of total travel workshop price
180 – 151 days 50% of total travel workshop price
150 – 121 days 75% of total travel workshop price
120 days or less 100% of total travel workshop price
*If the attendee is able to replace their spot with someone else, or FIORIA/MKP is able, they will be refunded for everything minus a $500 change fee. FIORIA/MKP will do our best to reach out to our Waitlist, but we do not guarantee or are obligated to find someone to replace the spot. International travel is something people often prepare six months minimum for. Replacing a spot within a few months is most likely not going to happen.
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17 reviews for 9-Day Photography Workshop and Exotic Tour of Thailand
Rebecca –
If you love photography, nature, a bit of adventure and want a life changing experience, then you need to travel with Me Ra and Brian and their Adventure Family to Thailand!
This trip was of course the best learning experience, but it was way more then that.
The depth in which Me Ra and Brian are open with their life stories, struggles, accomplishments and dreams make you see that your life can be what you want it to be.
But I think the most important thing about this trip is that I felt heard like never before.
Me Ra and Brian listen to you and not in a casual way, in a way that I have never experienced before. They feel your happiness and your pain, as they they were there while you were going through it.
As for the knowledge of photography whether it’s night shooting of the stars with Brian, time lapse, telling the story with Me Ra, composition, editing, etc…they are by far the BEST instructors you could ask for!
-Rebecca, Washington
Portrait of Thailand “Savage Squad”, Feb 2017
CONFIDENCE Workshop Grad
Jennifer –
Thailand was never on my bucket list, but because Me Ra and her family love it so much, I wanted to see it through their eyes and experience Thailand as they know it. I certainly wasn’t disappointed!!!
In addition to the wonderful places we visited and photographed, the other workshop attendees were phenomenal and made it an even more enriching experience that will never be forgotten!
-Jennifer, Nevada
Portrait of Italy, 2015
Portrait of Thailand “Savage Squad”, Feb 2017
CONFIDENCE Workshop Grad
Denise –
The Portrait of Thailand trip was EPIC!!!
Being able to travel throughout Thailand with Me Ra, Brian and their kids as our guides was an experience of a lifetime! While I knew Me Ra and Brian from the Confidence Workshop, this was my first time meeting their kids, Pascaline and Blaze. I’m delighted to say that they are a true extension of their parents. Their spirit, knowledge and assistance throughout our travels enriched the overall experience.
We had so many wonderful adventures over the nine days, and our photography skills were strengthened all along the way! One of the highlights for me was the night photography sessions with Brian. I had always been frustrated when attempting to capture the stars or other beautiful nighttime images, and not getting the results I wanted. Needless to say, amazing breakthroughs occurred when Brian taught us some simple tips and tricks on two separate late night excursions to capture beauty in the darkness. A midnight hike through the jungle allowed me to capture one of my most cherished pictures from Thailand.
In addition to the beautiful sights and sounds, I met many wonderful people on this trip and created memories and friendships that will last a lifetime!
Thank you Me Ra and Brian! Thank you! Thank you!
-Denise, Illinois
Portrait of Thailand “Savage Squad”, Feb 2017
CONFIDENCE Workshop Grad
Kelly, Washington –
I signed up for Me Ra and Brian’s Portrait of Thailand trip, not knowing anyone else that was going, but trusting that no matter what we did it was going to be fun. I was not disappointed!
From the culturally unique markets of Bangkok to the white sand beaches of Southern Thailand, I woke up excited each morning to see what we would discover. It was an adventure of a lifetime.
The group on this trip quickly became a tribe, and I will forever hold many of our shared experiences close to my heart. The beauty of the photography we all captured is that we can look back over our combined images, and re-live our laughter and awe…from this magical place called Thailand.
Koh Pun Ka, Me Ra and Brian!
-Kelly, Washington
Portrait of Thailand “Savage Squad”, Feb 2017
Peggy –
Traveling to Thailand with Me Ra and Brian is a thrill! It’s not your average tourist trip! The location and events give photographic opportunities that are interesting and unique.
Be ready to learn from Me Ra and Brain, and also from your fellow participants!
-Peggy, Texas
Portrait of Thailand “Savage Squad”, Feb 2017
Restart Your Creativity Grad
Chandra –
Every piece of this adventure was more than i expected — from Bangkok to our final evening walk through the waters down south. It was INCREDIBLE!
Thank you to both you + Brian for your inspiration, motivation and guidance during Portrait of Thailand.
I loved Brian’s enthusiasm during our late night photoshoot + learning to capture the stars in the night sky! i can’t wait to practice more!
Thank you also, for allowing my son, Graison to join in the adventure. Your generosity to him and teaching him right along with the rest of us was — for me, one of the highlights! Seeing him connect with not only you, but also make a real soul connection with Blaze was such a gift. Neither of us will ever forget it and I know that Blaze + Graison will be friends for a very long time — it was an experience we will remember forever!
I went to Thailand with an open mind + heart and was gifted so much more than I could have ever asked for. Yes, I captured some amazing images, but the best piece of my journey with you is the connections I made with each of you and the wonderfully beautiful women in our group. These are friendships I will always treasure.
Thank you doesn’t seem adequate as our time together was wonderful, and I loved seeing beautiful Thailand with you and your sweet family!
Keep shining!
Your family is AMAZING!
-Chandra, Washington
Portrait of Thailand “Savage Squad”, Feb 2017
CONFIDENCE Workshop Grad
Graison –
This trip was life changing! I loved the company of Blaze and Pascaline because they were kids’ my age who travel lots and are tons of fun! I loved meeting all the amazing ladies. I loved the people, places we visited, and everything else! Brian, Me Ra, Pascaline and Blaze were all fantastic hosts and super fun to be around!
Me Ra and Brian’s Thailand is an amazing place that anyone and everyone will enjoy. I have made amazing connections with fantastic people that will last a lifetime!
Thanks Brian and Me Ra for this amazing trip with my mom!
-Graison, Washington (7th grade)
Portrait of Thailand, Feb 2017
Robyn –
I would recommend this trip to anyone! I enjoyed the culture, food and environments. I enjoyed getting to know all of the people on the tours, as we all came from different backgrounds, and yet really bonded as the tour went on.
-Robyn, Texas
Portrait of Thailand “Savage Squad”, Feb 2017
Wendy –
I was one of the last people to sign up for this trip. It was a trip I had hoped to take “some day”, but didn’t think this was the time for my family or me for a lot of reasons, and I put it out of my mind. Many things fell together, including an unexpected opening on the tour, and a month later I was going to Thailand!
The trip exceeded all my expectations, and I came back home a new person in so many ways. This is more than a photography trip, it is an adventure-reflection-friendship making-photography experience. What better way to see such an exotic place like Thailand than to have Me Ra and Brian show you their favorite places?! Every day was amazing in some unique and wonderful way. The locations were stunning, as were the new friendships that will last a lifetime.
From the photography side, I appreciated the photo assignments, the photo shares, and the one-on-one time with Me Ra or Brian. Me Ra and Brian create such a safe place for which to share. A hidden gem was the night photography and time lapse nights with Brian. It was so empowering to capture the night sky, and do something with my camera I had not done before. Besides, Brian is a riot at that time of night!
I know this review is long.
It’s hard to capture in words how amazing this trip was for me.
-Wendy, Wisconsin
Portrait of Thailand “Savage Squad”, Feb 2017
Restart Your Creativity
Sue –
Me Ra and Brian are so patient with every level of photography and can maneuver changes on different camera models and brands. They always answer with smiles.
I’m so surprised that I shot ALL my photos in manual mode!
I never felt like I needed to change back to auto, even with the challenging lighting at the Lantern Festival. Even though that night was challenging, it was AMAZING.
I learned so much about light and how to capture it.
The night photography was so fun, and I think I could now do it on my own!
All our accommodations were different and enjoyable.
There isn’t any thing I would change.
We had just enough down time.
And if I laughed any more I would have broken ribs!
We had the most amazing group!
-Sue, Florida
Portrait of Thailand, Nov 2017
Headed to Portrait of Greece and Portrait of a Winter Wonderland in 2018
Parker –
I think you guys should earn infinity in stars!
I loved the boat trip, and I did three back flips and one cartwheel off the boat. I loved all of it!
I learned a lot about the Rule of 3rds with taking photos.
You couldn’t make this trip any more fun!
This was my favorite trip by far.
Keep up the good work guys!
-Parker, California
(Nick and Teresa’s daughter)
Baylor –
My favorite parts of the trip were swimming, kayaking and hiking in the jungle.
Would I change anything? Nope! It was AMAZING!
5 Stars!
-Baylor, California
(Nick and Teresa’s son)
Nick –
Photography was not a part of my past.
To share the experience of learning more about this with my wife, Teresa, was an incredible experience.
We now have something new to bond on and share together.
I definitely think I caught the photography bug!
My favorite parts of the trip were riding Mongolian horses through the jungle with the kids, seeing my daughter do her back flips off a Chinese Junk Boat, and watching my kids play in the river with elephants bathing nearby.
IT WAS AN AMAZING TRIP!
We expected it to be a great experience, but Brian and Me Ra gave us an adventure above and beyond anything we could have ever imagined.
-Nick, California
(Parker and Baylor’s dad 🙂
Portrait of Thailand, Nov 2017
p.s. The night photography was great! Something I wouldn’t have done on my own. You guys are great!
Teresa –
This trip was epic in so many ways I did not expect.
I thought my family would be bored at times, and I never thought Nick would catch the photo bug so quickly!
This experience was a much needed time to reconnect as a family, and seeing all the experiences through their eyes has been so fantastic!
Thailand has been a bucket list trip for our family, and I’m so grateful that the kids were able to come on this adventure with us!
I LOVED the diversity of this trip from the mountains to the jungle to the seas.
The surprises Me Ra and Brian planned for each place was AWESOME!
Their detailed planning of the trip was incredible! Each place builds perfectly for the next place. We definitely want to come back for more!
Me Ra and Brian, your energy and patience as teachers is like no others!
Thank you for this unforgettable adventure!
-Teresa, California
(Parker and Baylor’s mom 🙂
Portrait of Italy, 2015
Portrait of Thailand, Nov 2017
Portrait of Greece, 2018
Proud Confidence Grad
Rick –
If anyone has a chance to take a trip with Brian and Me Ra…GO!!!
They are so much fun and so knowledgeable, but you never feel intimidated by lack of knowledge.
I just came along with my wife, the photographer, but learned so much and feel like I left with some great basic knowledge. I loved seeing my shots after learning these basics! And I always felt included and never left out EVER!
The small group and the people on this trip made it so special. I feel like I have a whole group of new friends.
The last two stops we stayed were the most amazing places ever! I would love to do it again!
My wife and I are well traveled, and our friends always ask us what our favorite place is.
Portrait of Thailand has outdone anything we’ve ever experienced.
5 Stars on EVERY THING!
Encounters Travel made things easy before the trip and answered questions.
Brian and Me Ra were so much fun and guided our group perfectly without a hitch.
Of all the places in the world I’ve been to, Thailand and the locations we stayed at are definitely the most beautiful places I’ve ever experienced!
-Rick, Florida
(Karen’s husband)
Portrait of Thailand, Nov 2017
Karen –
Brian and Me Ra did the most phenomenal job from Day 1 all the way through to Day 9!
They met each and every one of us where we were in our photography knowledge.
There were several different levels of experience in our group, and I never saw one bit of difference in their approach to us individually.
We all laughed at our successes and our failures! I’ve never in my life laughed so much on a trip where I didn’t know everyone!
I can’t wait for my next photography tour with Me Ra and Brian–wherever that may be!
My husband and I have taken a lot of tours but nothing like this–the places that we went to are places we would never have been taken to with a tour company.
With my photography, learning to shoot in manual is such a huge game changer for me! I feel so much more comfortable, learning that some of the things I’ve been taught as “must do’s” are simply not necessary!
Learning how to do long exposure photography at night was such a huge moment for me because it’s something I would never do on my own.
I always shot in Aperture-Priority mode before this trip and not only am I now shooting strictly in manual mode, but I can’t believe the SUCCESS I am having with my photography! Manual mode doesn’t freak me out any more!!!
In fact, I’m feeling more confident in getting sharp shots because I’m understanding how to get my camera settings dialed in.
We had the BEST guides we could have ever imagined in Brian and Me Ra! We’re ready to sign up for the next one!
-Karen, Florida
(Rick’s wife)
Portrait of Thailand, Nov 2017
Proud Confidence Grad, 2016
Brian’s Custom Photo Organization Course, 2017
Amy –
Dear Me Ra & Brian,
I want to thank you again for such a fantastic trip. SO fantastic!
You showed us the real Thailand, up close and personal. It’s obvious how much thought, care, and love you put into planning this trip. It was so stress-free and I just sat back and enjoyed.
I was apprehensive about traveling solo and being with a group of strangers. But you two brought the group together and made the dynamic of our group just work. I never felt left out or lonely and always felt cared for and protected.
Me Ra you are so warm and open and have a beautiful energy. Brian you are so funny and kind and protective. I’m sure it’s not easy being married, working together, and traveling with the group but you two made it look effortless.
And then add photography to the mix. I loved the way you stripped it down to the basics and got rid of all the bs and really focused on creativity. I needed that. I was burnt out and at a dead end (which is one reason my husband really encouraged me to go on this trip).
It was amazing working side by side with both of you and I hope that some of your photography genius rubbed off on me. Me Ra — our conversation in the ocean about my takeaway will stick with me and inspire for a long time.
I could go on forever about how much I loved this trip and getting to know you but I will spare you. Just know that this trip far exceeded my expectations and I look forward to our next adventure together. And my husband is on board with Egypt!
Please feel free to use this email as my review.
Hugs to both of you!
Amy, California
Portrait of Thailand, Nov 2017
planning on Portrait of Egypt, 2019!