Beyond the Frame. Into the Experience.
The ALPA Escapes
Small Adventures, Lasting Perspectives
For years we have gathered photographers under the name ALPA Academy. And yet, what stayed with us from every encounter was never just the teaching. It was the presence. The shared moments in wild places. The conversations that turned participants into companions, often even friends.
From a remote historic cottage in Knoydart, Scotland, to the rugged mountains of Bergün in Switzerland, every workshop became more than a program. It was an escape: a pause from routine, an adventure in landscapes shaped by wind, rock, and glacier. In such places, we rediscover the world as if for the first time, with the curiosity of a child who marvels at every stone, every glimmer of light, every fleeting detail that opens into a world of its own.
Through these experiences and through countless conversations with our participants, it became clear that the name Academy no longer reflected what these journeys truly were. A school is visited once to learn. An Escape calls you back again and again: to experience, to discover, and to build lasting connections.
That is why in 2025 the Academy became the ALPA Escapes, a name that carries the essence and philosophy of what they have always been.
They are not classrooms, they are curated journeys. Micro adventures that invite you to step outside your comfort zone, to slow down and rediscover wonder, and to sharpen your gaze. Here, learning happens naturally, woven into dialogue and discovery, not imposed or prescribed.
Our hosts are handpicked photographers across generations. They do not lecture, they accompany. They share their craft, their patience, and their eye for detail. ALPA cameras are always there to be explored, though they are never a requirement. What matters is the act of seeing itself, with whichever tool best serves your vision.
An ALPA Escape is therefore not about leaving life behind, but about returning to it more awake. A few days of presence that stay with you long after, in images, in memories, and in how you look at the world.
Radical Presence
When time slows, vision sharpens.
In an ALPA Escape, presence is not an idea but an experience. Guided by photographers who share their craft and embody calm and clarity, you step away from distraction and into attention.
Here, the elements are never staged. At times the light breaks through in breathtaking beauty, at others wind, rain, snow and freezing cold test your resolve. Both belong, and both shape the image.
Radical presence means accepting these moments as they come and letting them deepen your perception. Every photograph becomes proof of being there, fully.
Curated Companionship
Small circles, lasting connections
Every Escape is shaped as much by people as by place. Our hosts carefully bring together a handful of like minded companions, chosen for openness and respect.
In this small circle, conversations flow easily, silences feel natural, and experience is shared without pressure. Our hosts are not lecturers, but guides who create the space for trust and inspiration.
Around the table, on the trail, or waiting for the light to shift, these encounters often outlast the journey itself. Companionship becomes part of the memory, as valuable as the images you take home.
The touch of true instruments
Hands on the Craft
We believe in photography as a means of expression. That is why every participant is welcome with the equipment that best fits their vision.
Furthermore, ALPA cameras are part of the Escape. Not as demonstrations, but as opportunities to experience what precision feels like in your hands. To work with these instruments is to sense the difference between a tool and an object of craft. Even if you never own one, the memory of creating with an ALPA remains.
Überlandstrasse 241
8600 Dübendorf
Switzerland
@2025 all rights reserved
PRECISION MEASURED IN MICRONS. PASSION MEASURED IN DECADES