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Work in ProgressAugust 28th - Online Workshop |
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![]() Maria Falconer, Tell Me Again Chick , work in progress |
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A Body of Work |
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How do you fancy getting stuck into a new photographic project? Maybe you have been thinking about an idea recently, or perhaps you are looking for new inspiration?
You may even have made some images already but are unsure what the next step might be.
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The ContentIn order to pack in as much as possible, we've designed the workshop to include a mix of one-to-one and group sessions with a healthy balance of presentations, discussions and feedback. The programme will consist of five group meetings (each lasting between 2 and 2 1/2 hours) with Paul and Maria, plus each participant will receive three half-hour individual feedback sessions. In addition there will be a final group meeting for everyone to share their completed projects. So that's a total of 9 sessions, five group and three 1-2-1. Our past participants come from varied photographic backgrounds and experience levels. Some had never made a body of work before whilst others are experienced practitioners. |
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The Theme
One of the liberating things about this workshop is that there is no theme, you are free to explore anything you wish! You may have a project already on the go or you may decide to embark on something completely new.
Your head could be full of ideas or maybe you are waiting for inspiration to strike. There is no right or wrong way, this is just a starting point.
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The Format
There are no rules about what you will make or the style you choose to work in. It could be a documentary book or a radical zine, a moving image piece or a series of fine art prints. It's entirely up to you.
Topics will include:
Much of the session time will be taken up with looking, analysing, and discussing your work. It's important to recognise that participation in this workshop will demand a degree of commitment, both to your own work and also to the group sessions. But once on board, the journey is always enriching and rewarding and the results frequently surprising! The Timetable
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The workshop takes place on 9 selected dates in 2022 beginning on August 28th. Cost - £225 When booking you will receive a paypal receipt immediately, this is also confirmation of your place. You will also receive an email confirmation from us within 48 hours. Please note that refunds are not available after booking unless we are able to reallocate your place. UkraineWe are currently donating 10% of net proceeds from workshops to the Ukraine humanitarian appeal at DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee). Of course this is a very very small gesture in the big scheme of things, but we want to do whatever little we can to help. |
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Buying a workshop as a gift? Just let us know when you book it and we will send you a gift certificate! |
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If you have any questions or would simply like a chat about the workshop, please don't hesitate to contact Maria - email / mobile +44 (0)7740 985 887, or Paul - email / mobile +44 (0)7977 700 274. We would be delighted to hear from you. |
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Performing for the CameraMay 15th, 2022 - Edinburgh, Scotland |
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We are very excited to offer this one day action packed Dance Photography workshop at Dance Base in Edinburgh, Scotland's National Centre for Dance.
You won't find another dance photography workshop like this in the UK (or anywhere else as far as we know). You will have the opportunity to work with many
wonderful dancers, in a range of different settings that will push your creativity to the max!
Check out our videos from previous workshops - |
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Videos from previous workshops in Edinburgh and Nottingham - all images made by participants |
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May I have the Pleasure?Unless you live somewhere in a dark hole, you can't possibly have missed the recent explosion of dance on our streets, cinemas, theatres and TVs! Dance has taken the UK - and the rest of the world - by storm! From Ballroom to Ballet, Strictly to Street Dance, everyone is up and moving!
But this new craze isn't easy to photograph. Production shots, location shoots, choreography, direction, improvisation and collaboration - what's it all about?
On this workshop Maria Falconer and Paul Hill will introduce you not only to the technical aspects of shooting dance, but much more importantly - the creative ones. And because the numbers are limited to 12, you will have plenty of time and space to work, and lots of input from the tutors. |
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The Workshop
It doesn't matter if you are an experienced photographer or new to the medium, this workshop welcomes a rich mix of enthusiastic participants. And if you are new to dance photography, Maria and Paul will guide you through the day.
The workshop will be packed with exercises and advice designed to help you create interesting unique images.
You will work with trained dancers both on location and in a live theatre setting.
Everything that you need will be on hand, so that you can really get involved and enjoy the experience. |
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The Content
The workshop will include presentations, demos and a series of technical
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Images from previous workshops - all made by participants |
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Dance Base,
14 - 16 Grassmarket
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Dance Base, Edinburgh |
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The TutorsMaria Falconer
Maria is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, holds an MA in Photography, and teaches at De Montfort University.
Paul HillAwarded an MBE for his services to photography, Paul is the originator of photographic workshops in the UK. An influential teacher, he has published several books and exhibited all over the world. Originally a photo journalist, his work is in international collections of photography. www.hillonphotography.co.uk.
This is what the UK's best selling photo magazine Digital Camera wrote about Paul:
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Buying a workshop as a gift? Just let us know when you book it and we will send you a gift certificate! |
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If you have any questions or would simply like a chat about the workshop, please don't hesitate to contact Maria - email / mobile +44 (0)7740 985 887, or Paul - email / mobile +44 (0)7977 700 274. We would be delighted to hear from you. |
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Performing for the CameraNottingham - tbc, 2023 |
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We've just completed another successful workshop in Nottingham and plan on returning in the spring of 2023 - dates will be confirmed asap. If you would like to be notified as soon as the date is confirmed, let us know here
We have been running Dance Photography workshops in the UK since 2017. Every single one has sold out and you told us that YOU LOVED THEM! So here we are again with yet another fabulous workshop at Dance4 in Nottingham.
You won't find another dance photography workshop like this in the UK (or anywhere else as far as we know). You will have the opportunity to work with many
wonderful dancers, in a range of different settings that will push your creativity to the max!
Check out our videos from previous workshops |
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Videos from previous workshops in Edinburgh and Nottingham - all images made by participants |
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May I have the Pleasure?Unless you live somewhere in a dark hole, you can't possibly have missed the recent explosion of dance on our streets, cinemas, theatres and TVs! Dance has taken the UK - and the rest of the world - by storm! From Ballroom to Ballet, Strictly to Street Dance, everyone is up and moving!
But this new craze isn't easy to photograph. Production shots, location shoots, choreography, direction, improvisation and collaboration - what's it all about?
On this workshop Maria Falconer and Paul Hill will introduce you not only to the technical aspects of shooting dance, but much more importantly - the creative ones. And because the numbers are limited to 12, you will have plenty of time and space to work, and lots of input from the tutors. |
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The Workshops
It doesn't matter if you are an experienced photographer or new to the medium, this workshop welcomes a rich mix of enthusiastic participants. And if you are new to dance photography, Maria and Paul will guide you through the day.
The workshop will be packed with exercises and advice, designed to help you create interesting unique images.
You will work with trained dancers on location, in the theatre and also in the photographic studio. We are very fortunate to have with us the lighting expert Nick Lockett, a highly experienced professional photographer and teacher - see below for more about Nick.
Everything that you need will be on hand, so that you can really get involved and enjoy the experience. |
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The Content
The workshop will include presentations, demos and a series of technical
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Images from previous workshops - all made by participants |
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Dance4
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The TutorsMaria Falconer
Maria is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society, holds an MA in Photography, and is a qualified teacher.
Paul HillAwarded an MBE for his services to photography, Paul is the originator of photographic workshops in the UK. An influential teacher, he has published several books and exhibited all over the world www.hillonphotography.co.uk.
This is what the UK's best selling photo magazine Digital Camera wrote about Paul:
Nick Lockett - Guest teacher, Nottingham workshop
For twenty years Nick was Chief Photographer and Head of Pictures for Carlton Television in London, producing still images and picture publicity on TV programmes as diverse as Inspector Morse, Spitting Image and Pop Idol. Formerly Senior Lecturer at De Montfort University, Nick teaches part-time at Staffordshire University and also undertakes photo assignments for newspapers, magazines and book publishers.
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Buying a workshop as a gift? Just let us know when you book it and we will send you a gift certificate! |
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If you would like to be notified as soon as the date is confirmed, let us know hereIf you have any questions or would simply like a chat about the workshop, please don't hesitate to contact Maria - email / mobile +44 (0)7740 985 887, or Paul - email / mobile +44 (0)7977 700 274. We would be delighted to hear from you. |
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Ooh La Loire! - at the wonderful Château de Montsoreau-Museum of contemporary art |
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Our base for the workshop - in the heart of the château
Inspiration
We haven't set a specific theme or topic for the workshop because we want you soak up the creative atmosphere and respond in your own unique way.
But over the course of the 6 days you will compile a small body of work and present it in the form of a photobook (don't panic if you've never done that before!).
And in addition to the fabulous location itself, we have an action packed programme designed to really get your creative juices flowing.
We are extremely fortunate to be based in a classroom in the heart of the château with 6 days free access to the museum's collection of contemporary art and temporary exhibitions.
The workshop will be packed with short presentations, technical and creative exercises, as well as lots of advice and feedback. We will have field trips, challenges, stimulating discussions and a whole lot of fun!
We don't want to give too much away and spoil the surprises, but suffice to say that this workshop is not about landscape, portraiture, or any specific genre, it's about you and your photography.
Inspiration to think and work differently, to make new and unique images.
It doesn't matter if you are an experienced photographer or relatively new to the medium, we welcome a rich mix of enthusiastic participants.
And we do our best to create a warm, supportive, non competitive environment where you have time and space to experiment.
But don't just take our word for it ...
"Loved the workshop - very inspirational, can't wait to come back for another one!" Kat Morgan
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Overview
The workshop will take place from 10 am on Tuesday September 13th, to 5 pm on Sunday September 18th, allowing Mondays for traveling. And there is also an optional welcome dinner on Monday September 12th for those who are able to join us. Over the course of the workshop there
will be challenges and exercises in and around the Château de Montsoreau-Museum of contemporary art itself, around the town of Montsoreau and also two field trips.
We have factored in a day off in the middle for you to relax or explore as you wish, or continue making pictures in this wonderful location.
Montsoreau offers a range of recreational activities including, canoeing, cycling, wine tasting (and courses to learn about wine), shopping or just hanging out enjoying the local atmosphere.

Field Trips
The first outing will be to the incredible
Château de Bréze.
Unfortunately their Web Site doesn't do the castle justice but trust us, it's fabulous!
Built and rebuilt between the 11th and 19th centuries in the heart of a vineyard, this château is not quite all that it seems. At first glance there is nothing to suggest that it sits atop
the largest underground fortress in Europe. But situated deep beneath the château there are actually more than 1 km of underground passages, housing everything from the largest underground bakery in France, to an ice-house
and a 'Son et Lumiére' show on the bare rock of one of the caverns.
Our second excursion will be to the medieval town of
Chinon.
Resting on the banks of the Vienne river, Chinon, with its cobbled streets and houses is
a town steeped in history and culture dating back to the 15th century. Rich with cafés, shops and restaurants, Chinon also boasts its own château where in 1429 the teenage Joan of Arc
visited the Dauphin Charles VII to acknowledge him as the rightful heir to the throne.
Although our workshop does involve rather a lot of châteaux, it's absolutely not about making pretty pictures. The exercises and challenges will help you to see beyond the obvious and encourage you to photograph everything in new and unique ways.
We find that workshop participants really learn a lot from chatting to each other, both during the workshop and also socially.
Invariably group members come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and have an enormous amount of experience and skills to share.
After hour meet ups over a drink or an evening meal can elicit the most fascinating discussions and are a great way to relax too!
And so with this in mind, we have arranged two opportunities to dine out as a group, an introductory dinner on the evening of Monday 12th, and a farewell meal on Sunday 18th.
And although it would be wonderful to see everyone there, this is of course entirely optional.
On arrival we will dine at Créperie Saladerie la Dentellière. They don't have a web site, (which is not uncommon for small businesses in rural France), but you can find them listed on Trip Advisor
here.
We are still to finalise the details of our farewell meal but we will post details as soon as possible.
Because we appreciate that it's not always possible for people to attend the social activities, we don't include them in the price. But there will be an opportunity to opt in or out after booking, so that we can give the restaurants plenty of notice about numbers and dietary requirements.
Accommodation
There are a range of accommodation options in Montsoreau - from posh hotels to campsite chalets, as well as interesting airbnb possibilities. Here are a few but there are many more available online;
As an aside the Hotel le Bussy and Camping L'Isle sites (below) have some nice arial footage of the Château de Montsoreau and surrounding area.
In Montsoreau
Self Catering
B&B and Hotels
Camping & Chalets
Nearby is the village of Fontevraud l'Abbaye (2.5 miles)
And Varennes-sur-Loire (2 miles)
- Apartment in the heart of the valley of the Kings
- Chambre independante plein pieds
- Chambre LUCILE Ã la Gravemillette
There are also helpful listings on
Travel
Ryanair fly from Stansted to both Tours and Nantes, from Gatwick to Nantes and from Edinburgh to Nantes. Easyjet also fly from Gatwick to Nantes. Unfortunately since the demise of Flybe there are no longer any flights from midland or northern England airports. From both Tours and Nantes there are regular trains to Saumur where you will be picked up on arrival.
Last time we ran this workshop people found the trip from Nantes and Tours straightforward and stress free. If you have the option though, it is slightly quicker to get to Saumur from Tours than Nantes.
It's also easy to travel by Eurostar with just 2 changes from London St Pancras to Saumur.
And if you would like to drive, Montsoreau is only 5 hours from Calais.

So come and join us for a unique creative experience, make the sort of pictures that you have never made before, and improve your technical skills and creative vision! Enjoy a friendly and informal learning environment, with space and time for you to share ideas, meet other photographers, and make some new pictures! We would love to welcome you on board!
Booking
Cost
Price £495
Price includes;
- All tuition
- Transfers to and from Saumur train station
- Transport to and from Bréze and Chinon
- Entrance to Château de Bréze.
Please be aware before booking that;
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You will need a laptop / ipad with you for editing.
(Make sure that your device has the technology to transfer your images to our laptop for feedback sessions - eg USB port / airdrop etc.) - Book making software such as Blurb Bookwright
- Booking indicates that you have read and agree to our cancellation policy.
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IF ANY OF OUR WORKSHOPS ARE CANCELLED DUE TO COVID-19, YOU WILL BE REFUNDED
Ukraine
We are currently donating 10% of net proceeds from workshops to the Ukraine humanitarian appeal at DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee). Of course this is a very very small gesture in the big scheme of things, but we want to do whatever little we can to help.

Buying a workshop as a gift? Just let us know when you book it and we will send you a gift certificate!
If you have any questions or would simply like a chat about the workshop, please don't hesitate to contact Maria - email / mobile +44 (0)7740 985 887, or Paul - email / mobile +44 (0)7977 700 274. We would be delighted to hear from you.
"A wonderful experience" Kathie Scarrah "Simply Superb!" Roger Lee "I really enjoyed the workshop. I have never done anything like that before and I was a little apprehensive, but yourself and Paul together with the other participants made for a relaxing atmosphere, even if you did test the grey matter!" Brian Richards "Very enjoyable workshop, lots of new ideas and creative inspiration. Thank you!" Lin Baker "Great day offering an opportunity to think and create images with like-minded photographers." Stewart Wall
"I've been on a number of Paul and Maria's workshop, this one was a new topic and a new group, just as friendly, just as professional. Where are we going next!?" Richard Penn "Totally absorbing, excellent learning experience, superbly orchestrated and delivered" Sarah Cummins |
Private Photography Coaching and Mentoring |
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Private Photography Coaching Sessions |
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The main advantage of a private photography coaching session is that it really is all all about you! And this means that instead of following a predetermined course or workshop, each session is designed to offer you exactly what you need. So with a little expert guidance to help you improve your photography a 1-2-1 session will really fast track your learning. Paul and Maria have extensive teaching experience from absolute beginners through to post graduate level, so whatever your background and experience you will be in good hands.
Please don't hesitate to email or call us (Maria 07740985887 / Paul 07977700274) if you would like to chat about what we can offer you, or if you would like to discuss which tutor woud be most appropriate for you. UkraineWe are currently donating 10% of net proceeds from workshops to the Ukraine humanitarian appeal at DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee). Of course this is a very very small gesture in the big scheme of things, but we want to do whatever little we can to help. Fees
Please check out our t & c's before booking |
Photography Mentoring Programme |
Our photography mentoring programme, jointly run by Maria Falconer and Paul Hill, is designed for photographers who would benefit from 1-2-1 input and feedback over a period of time. This is particularly useful for those about to embark on, or are in the midst of a project or a body of work, but is also suitable for those looking for regular tuition. The programme consists of 5 x 90 minute sessions available either online or live in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. Sessions will take place at approximately two week intervals and time slots are available daytime, evenings and weekends. The initial session will involve both Paul and Maria who will offer individual feedback on your work. At the end of the session, and in consultation with you, a decision will be made about which mentor would be the most appropriate to take you through the rest of the programme. Sessions two to five will continue with your personal mentor. If you would prefer to work with either Paul or Maria right from the outset, then simply let us know before we begin (please don't be afraid to say, we are never offended), and we will happily arrange that. It doesn't matter which genre / style you work in or what format / platform you prefer to use. It could be a documentary book or a radical zine, a moving image piece or a series of fine art prints, it's entirely up to you. Whatever you decide, Paul and Maria will be there to provide an informal but professional guiding hand to help bring out the best in your photographic work. Topics covered during the sessions are variable and will reflect the needs and direction of each photographer enrolling on the programme. They may include any part of the creative process such as;
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner you will be supported, challenged and encouraged to develop your photographic practice to the highest possible level. Please check out our t & c's before booking UkraineWe are currently donating 10% of net proceeds from workshops to the Ukraine humanitarian appeal at DEC (Disaster Emergency Committee). Of course this is a very very small gesture in the big scheme of things, but we want to do whatever little we can to help. Fees
Please don't hesitate to email or call us (Maria 07740985887 / Paul 07977700274) if you would like to chat about any aspect of the programme. |
Buying a workshop as a gift? Just let us know when you book it and we will send you a gift certificate! |
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