Flowers & Photography: Spain, France & Italy
June 16–July 6, 2027 | Spain, France & Italy | 6 Credit Hours | Open to All Majors
Explore the connections between horticulture, floral culture, art, and visual storytelling on an immersive journey through Spain, France, and Italy. Students will experience world-renowned gardens, flower markets, horticultural businesses, and iconic cultural sites while developing photography, videography, and agricultural communication skills.
Program Highlights
- Travel through Spain, France, and Italy
- Explore world-renowned gardens and horticultural destinations
- Visit flower markets, commercial flower farms, and horticultural businesses
- Photograph Mediterranean plants, landscapes, gardens, and cultural sites
- Learn photography, videography, and visual storytelling techniques
- Explore the connections among horticulture, art, architecture, culture, and tourism
- Meet horticulture and floral industry professionals
- Experience major European cities as well as important horticultural regions
- Earn UGA academic credit while completing an international experiential learning experience
- Build a portfolio of photographs and visual media from the program
About the Program
Experience the horticulture, floral traditions and visual culture of southern Europe during this immersive study abroad program through Spain, France and Italy.
Flowers and Photography combines horticulture with agricultural communication, giving students the opportunity to study plants, gardens, floral production, markets and horticultural businesses while learning how photography and visual storytelling can communicate the importance of plants to people, places and culture.
Students will travel through destinations in Spain, southern France and northern Italy, experiencing the dramatic differences in landscapes, plants, architecture, food and culture found throughout the Mediterranean region.
Program experiences may include visits to botanical and historic gardens, flower markets, commercial flower farms and horticultural businesses, as well as some of Europe's most recognizable cultural landmarks. Students will examine how plants shape tourism, regional identity, art, design and local economies while documenting their experiences through photography and other visual media.
The program is designed to be highly experiential. Rather than learning about horticulture and communication solely in a classroom, students will photograph plants in gardens, observe production and marketing practices firsthand, interact with industry professionals and use the places they visit as their classroom.
No advanced horticulture or photography experience is required. Students from across UGA who are interested in plants, flowers, travel, photography, communication and European culture are encouraged to apply. Open to all majors.
Destinations
Academic Credit
Students earn 6 hours of UGA academic credit through two courses.
HORTICULTURE
HORT 4925 – Undergraduate / HORT 6925 – Graduate
International Horticultural Perspectives & Practices
Students study international horticulture through firsthand experiences with gardens, floral industries, plant production, horticultural businesses, and the relationships between plants and culture.
Agricultural Communication
AGCM 4310 – Undergraduate / AGCM 6310 – Graduate
Community Based Agricultural and Environmental Science Communication
Students develop photography, videography, visual storytelling, and communication skills while documenting horticultural, agricultural, environmental, and cultural experiences throughout the program.
What Students Will Learn
- European horticulture and the international floral industry
- Garden and landscape design across different regions and cultures
- Cut flower production, distribution, and marketing
- Mediterranean plants and growing environments
- The cultural and economic importance of flowers and ornamental plants
- Photography, videography, composition, and visual storytelling
- Using visual media to communicate agricultural and environmental topics
- Cross-cultural communication and global perspectives in horticulture
Who Should Apply?
Flowers & Photography is open to students from across UGA and is designed to be interdisciplinary. The program is especially well suited for students interested in horticulture, plant sciences, agricultural communication, photography, floral design, environmental sciences, agriculture, art, marketing, public gardens, travel, and international experiences.
Students do not need to be horticulture majors, agricultural communication majors, or experienced photographers to participate. The program is open to all majors.
What to Expect
Flowers & Photography is an active, highly experiential study abroad program. Students should be prepared to walk approximately 3–7 miles on many program days, navigate stairs and uneven surfaces, use public transportation, carry and manage their own luggage through train stations and hotels, and spend extended periods outdoors in summer weather.
Students will travel between multiple cities and countries during the program. Flexibility, independence, a positive attitude, and a willingness to participate fully in group activities are important parts of the experience.
Photography Equipment
Do I Need a Professional Camera?
No. A professional camera is not required.
Students can complete the photography and visual communication components of the program using a modern smartphone. Students who own a DSLR or mirrorless camera are welcome to bring one, but specialized photography equipment is not required.
Student Photos
Quick Facts
- Program: Flowers & Photography: Spain, France & Italy
- Term: Summer 2027
- Travel Dates: June 16–July 6, 2027
- Countries: Spain, France & Italy
- Academic Credit: 6 credit hours
- Undergraduate Courses: HORT 4925 + AGCM 4310
- Graduate Courses: HORT 6925 + AGCM 6310
- Open to: All majors
- Photography Experience Required: No
- Professional Camera Required: No
Scholarships & Financial Support
CAES students may be eligible for Experiential Learning Scholarships and other funding opportunities that can help offset the cost of studying abroad. Students are encouraged to apply early and explore multiple scholarship opportunities.
CAES Experiential Learning Scholarship information · UGA StudyAway scholarship information
