30th September – 3rd October 2010

We will be working in the stunning Qunita dos Penedos near Sintra on day 1 and at Guinchos Beach on Day 2 with an optional shoot on the morning of Day 3. Limited to 12 delegates who will be working with 3 of our favourite Art Nude models. Images of this wonderful venue below. Cheap return flights can be booked now so don’t delay in reserving your place. We will all be staying at http://www.saboiaestorilhotel.com where excellent room rates have been agreed. Email trevor@yerburystudio.com for full details of this unique workshop organised in association with Wildhighlander Events.

Our Art Nude workshop on Sunday was one of those days where everything came together perfectly. Wonderful delegates, a Professor a Physiatrist an HM Schools Inspector and a Senior Partner in a very large accountancy firm. The weather, apart from a brief shower in the morning, was perfect, our ruined venue was stunningly peaceful and Rebecca our model for the day was excellent and brought high praise from all of our delegates for her input to their images. Faye once again provided a sumptuous picnic lunch for us all as well as styling Rebecca’s hair.

During the day we moved to several locations in and around the ruin and each of our delegates had plenty of opportunities to work one to one posing and directing Rebecca while Faye and myself were on hand to offer guidance and help if required.

Feedback from our new friends:

Dear Trevor and Faye,

Thanks so much for a terrific day at your art nude workshop – it was well organised yet relaxed, great company and was an extremely pleasurable way to learn. Your location was stunning, with way too much inspiration for one day, and Rebecca Amy was a real diamond!

I hope to see you both again soon for another workshop and will forward a few images when I get back to home later in the week.

Thanks again for your wonderful hospitality.

HI Trevor & Faye,

Just a quick note to say thank you so very much for an inspiring day’s workshop yesterday. I had a thoroughly enjoyable time altogether not just learning from your vast knowledge and experience but enjoying meeting you, Faye, Rebecca Amy and my fellow delegates.

Rebecca Amy was indeed hugely patient and very willing to try out our schemes for her. She was just a delight to work with. Faye was superb at directing Rebecca Amy’s poses. You were always offering up suggestions for potential shots and yet never making any of us feel that ours weren’t worth trying out; indeed positively encouraging us to experiment. We were blessed with the ideal weather and light conditions and the venue was just brilliant – everywhere you turned you were greeted with an abundance of backdrops and shooting opportunities. I know I came back with some great shots but equally importantly, with some lovely memories of the day. What an enjoyable way to learn and practise!

Thank you very much indeed for organising such a fantastic experience.

With my best wishes,

Dear Trevor and Faye

Thank you for another wonderful day yesterday.  I learn so much every time I am out with you both and have so much fun whilst doing so.

I’ve attached a few of my images to let you see – can’t wait to see a yours on your blog.

Some of our images from the day. This image was created at the begining of the workshop. I just loved Rebecca’s relaxed pose, the ruines building, distressed door and that massive ivy clad wall.

If I had to come away from the day with only one image then this would be the image for me. I had seen the location on our last visit but we did not have the time to use it so Rebecca was the lucky model to help me interpret what I had visualised. You can read many things into this image as our delegates will attest to however I leave that to the viewer to create his or her own story.

A calm, gentle and serene image of Rebecca. The light was just perfect making her skin appear as soft and creamy as that of an alabaster statue.

Colin set this image up but when I saw how Rebecca looked it reminded me of an image from the 1930’s.

Another image that can tell the viewer many stories, why is she sitting looking outwards from her ruined castle? Is she really there or just a ghost from the past looking for …….

Rebecca crouching in a fireplace, there were many little nooks and crannies for us to use throughout.

Trevor set up this shot from the outside, I stayed inside and took the opportunity to catch the wonderful light shining on the skin.

Terry chose this fabulous corner to shoot in, the top light was amazing, so when he finished I made this image for myself.

Doors always make superb  props and backdrops and this one is no exception as John discovered, the height complimenting Rebecca’s petite frame.

Archways all over the place, the whole building is formed around them, they obviously made beautiful hallways, until the fire destroyed the fabric, leaving the shell of walls standing.

Down in the cellars the small doorways had to be used as a landscape, with Rebecca coming in from the right.

Trevor and Rebecca taking time out.

Susan,s choice of  this shot is very sculptural.

Colin actually putting himself into the pose he wants Rebecca to adopt.

Our picnic in the wonderful sunshine was appreciated by all.

We came across two gorgeous little Kestrels, still with the furry down on their feathers, not yet flying and they allowed us to be up close to them, this one never moved all the time we were taking shots in the area.

Well I am afraid that today just ran away with itself! One minute it was 9.00am and now suddenly its 5.15pm! How did that happen? So more info on the wedding market on Monday in the meantime we are looking forward to our Art Nude workshop this Sunday at our secret location. (see last Art Nude workshop images) This time we have the delightful Rebecca Amy as our model for the day so we are really looking forward to working with her again. Our previous sessions have all be studio based so it will be a new adventure for all of us! Tomorrow we will be assembling the famous Yerbury Picnic for all our delegates to enjoy and the weather seems set fair so I hope you all have a stress free and peaceful weekend.

Today’s images is from a workshop held in Malta a couple of years back. The model is our very own Victoria who we flew out for the week.

One of the subjects we covered in Monday’s workshop were the pre and post wedding shoots. Now I do know that some photographers seem to think that they invented this additional service however I must disappoint and say that many studio have been offering this add on since the early 80’s and possibly before. Its like the wheel, its been done before, will be done again all you have to do is throw a new twist on it and that will reinvent it again.  Pre wedding, or engagement, or E Sessions were originally simple, studio based sessions that produced a nice portrait as gifts for the immediate family in celebration of the engagement. This, over the years, became an opportunity to work with your wedding clients before the wedding giving you time to get to know the couple and to see how they worked in front of the camera. You could give them tips and pointers for the day, show them how to relax and pose etc. In the 90-‘s we used images from the engagement session for our Romantica Signature Mounts which we then took to weddings for guests to sign. Now these pre wedding sessions are becoming an integral part of any wedding photographers service either as an additional service or as a inclusive part of the wedding package. Now, taking this a stage further we can offer the Wedding Book through suppliers like Loxley. 10×10 custom designed books, image of the couple on the cover, date and wedding info on the inside followed by several pages, some lined for signatures and some left blank for drawings, poems etc. In addition why not add additional images of the couple at random staged throughout the book, some full page some half page some even positioned randomly on the page. On the back of the book have your studio name and contact details discretely but obviously positioned. All wedding photographers should take advantage of modern technology to add value to their wedding packages and profit to their business.

Then we have the post wedding session but we will leave that topic until tomorrow.

Delighted to hear that our talk on the 6^th of July for the London Portrait Group is sold out. Faye and I are very much looking forward to our return visit.

Today’s image is a sample cover for The Wedding Book. Taken way back in 1987 on a Hasselblad with a 150mm lens on T Max 100 and used as the cover shot for a magazine.

We have had so many emails and posts on Facebook about our Monday workshop in Wessex that I thought I would post just a few of them here. Thank you to all who took the time to write to us with such kind and generous comments.  If you would like to discuss our speaking in your region please contact us.

I just wanted to say thank you soooooooo much for yesterday, it was great!  Thank you again for all the information you shared with us I have a least 10 things on my list that I am going to implement for my business within the next month or so.
Hope to see you guys in the near future.
Kindest Regards

E

Hi Trevor & Faye,

Just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed your seminar yesterday, I am sure we all learned a great deal from you both.
Thank you so much for being so generous with your time and knowledge.
Hopefully we will meet again.
Kindest regards,

C

Hello Faye and Trevor,

Firstly a very big thank you from me here at XYZ in Salisbury.  I was at your Wessex branch shindig on Monday and believe that I have come away with an awful lot – the main thing being that I should actually do what I preach… more exactly what you preach in fact!  25 years I have been doing photography and have been telling myself to put things into action.  Now it is time and I thank you both for kicking me up the rear aperture of my camera… asante sana.

I have attached a couple of shots which I took on the day and wondered if you could comment on at least one of them.  It would be great to hear what you think of my effort and whether you have any criticism at all.  I know you are very busy indeed and that probably you get this from every manjack (or should that be womanjackie) lucky enough to have watched you work so understand that you may not be willing to micro-critic.  Either way many thanks indeed and trust that we meet up one day sooner or later; if you are ever in Salisbury… karibuni.

Regards,
reflectorholic
A

Thanks so much for such an inspirational and fun day in a train shed – gives a whole new meaning to ‘training’ days! you are incredibly generous in sharing your knowledge and your passion…

Thank you both Trevor and Faye, a truly inspirational day. You both worked extremely hard producing classic, timeless work.

Some photographers and trainers just have it. Unique.

Enjoy your romantic evening together.

Xx

thanks so much for such an inspirational and fun day in a train shed – gives a whole new meaning to ‘training’ days! you are incredibly generous in sharing your knowledge and your passion…

We had a wonderful day with delegates from the MPA Wessex Region with some travelling down from other regions. When we were asked to speak to the region I said that while taking photographers of pretty girls in white frocks was a wonderful way to fill the day photographers have to look, and work at, getting these clients into their studios in the first place because without the clients there is not business. So we spent the morning with my Power Point presentation looking at areas of the wedding photography business that should be addressed and I hope that the delegates all found something from that part of the day that will be helpful in moving their business to the next level. It is unfortunate that there is so much training about to do with taking images but very few that are structured around an inclusive business and marketing platform for wedding photographers. One of the most important areas of any wedding photography business is relationship marketing. Building relationships with all your local and regular wedding suppliers, the florist, the designer boutique, the car hire company, the cake designer and of course the venues you prefer to work in. Building a close and ongoing relationship is not just about asking them to hand out your leaflets or leave an album as an example its about calling them up, introducing yourself, inviting them for a coffee one day on neutral ground so avoiding any distractions and not only telling them about your business but also learning about their business. Show them that you are interested in them it will make a difference I can assure you. This will take time to build but you can help it progress in many ways, keep in regular contact, if they have supplied for a wedding you have been asked to photograph tell them how wonderful they were on the day, mention them in your blog post and also link to their website. Send them some images and what ever you do DO NOT CHARGE THEM! I have heard some photographers expect to be paid for these images, WHY? Each associated wedding business can help your own through personal recommendation so take advantage of these invaluable contacts because if you don’t then somebody else will! Keep abreast of what these business’s are doing, check out their blog sites regularly and if they have won an award, had some local PR exposure or done something out of the ordinary then congratulate them, send them a card or much, much better send them some flowers or my favourite gift, a small box of cupcakes and those of you who were present on Monday’s workshop will know exactly what I mean!

I know that this all requires work but building any business always requires dedication and hard work in order to succeed. So next time you are browsing some other photographers website just remember that what you are doing will not put money into your bank account, stop what you are doing and concentrate on your own business, pick up the phone, introduce yourself and become motivated and inspired for your own business.

Here are a few of our images taken during the afternoon demonstration session with our delightful models for the day Michelle and Cheryl. Tomorrow I want to discuss pre and post wedding shoots and how they can add value to your studio and to your client. If you have any questions please feel free to post.

The first image is one of Trevor’s of Michelle taken at the very beginning of the demonstration. Shot on a D700 85mm prime lens @ 200 iso 2000th @ f2.4

Now one of Faye’s with Cheryl our other beautiful model for the day, again at the start of the day against the wooden wall of the engine shed. D300 with 24-70. I should perhaps mention that Faye did all of the hair work on both models.

Another of mine this time of Cheryl taken under the wisteria drenched gazebo. You will notice that all, apart from one,  my images have been processed to a warm black and white with some texture

Now Faye’s again with this image of Michelle was made at the Gazebo again with her D300

My image of Michelle walking through the beautiful woods at Exbury House. Brides love this style of image.

Another image of Michelle by Faye, under that stunning gazebo.

My image of Cheryl in a thoughtful pose, again on the D700 with the 85mm prime.

Faye’s stunning image of Michelle while in the boat shed.

This bridge must be every photographers delight but I just loved the hidden corner. Thanks to Anthony for the light control.

Faye used that gorgeous seat and space with Michelle to give a different look.

I just loved this bridge and this image I shot of Cheryl. I love both interpretations of how I have post processed the image.

Version 1

Version 2

A beautiful image by Faye,of Cheryl under a stunning and magical tree. Notice the wonderful natural light.

After most delegates had left we remembered Faye had made a ‘bridal veil/hat’ that we had not used, so we asked both Michelle and Cheryl if we could create a couple of images of them both wearing Faye’s creation. This is my take with Cheryl on the D700

Faye shot Michelle and has done 2 versions of the image.

And now a few of the day and the delegates.

We are now in the final stages of designing our Studio Mentoring Programme. We will be offering One to One sessions, small Group Mentoring sessions and Tele Mentoring. Of course the One to One courses will take place here @ Claremont which is situated 25 minutes from Edinburgh city center,, 10 minutes from Edinburgh International Airport, 2 minutes from J4 of the M8 Edinburgh – Glasgow motorway and 10 minutes by taxi from our local train station which connects directly with Edinburgh mainline station. Small Group mentoring can be held anywhere but travel and accommodation will be in addition to the fee. These boutique workshops will be limited to 4 delegates. Tele Mentoring can take place by landline or Skype and will be in units of 30 minutes. Each Tele Mentoring session will be followed up with an email highlighting all the areas discussed. In addition we will have a new blogsite which will be devoted to our Studio Mentoring while our images and general work will remain on the YerburyStudio.com site. A new site for our Art Nudes will be online towards the end of the summer.

Our Mentoring is all about giving constructive advice and guidance to professional photographers working in the social market. We are not a high volume training business we simple want to pass on our creative and business knowledge to a small number of photographers who are dedicated to achieving the most from their business.  We care deeply about our work and have a driving passion for passing on our knowledge.

Today’s image is from a portrait session with 2 sisters from a couple of weeks ago. Our usual, simple but effective lighting, and captured on my D700 with 85mm prime, 200 iso and 125th @ f7.1

After a delightful morning spent pottering in the garden this afternoon we had arranged to work with a new model. These are the results from a very brief test session in one of our favourite locations near to our house. Looks like this could be a very creative relationship in the making!

This is just a heads up for the above workshop. Scheduled to take place 30th September – 3rd October 2010 and operated in association with Wild Highlander Events. We will be shooting the first day in and around a simply amazing villa and on day 2 on the beach. There will be a morning session on day 3 for delegates not flying back early. Limited to 14 delegates. More details in the next couple of days, hotel location etc. This will be a workshop to die for as I have seen the location and many photographers would kill for such a once in a life time opportunity.

We photographed a beautiful wedding on Saturday in the house and grounds of Wedderburn Castle in the stunning Scottish Borders. This coming Saturday we have a huge wedding at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, full choir etc, followed by the reception at the eclectic Prestonfield House. Faye and I are also invited to the wedding breakfast so looking forward to the day. Monday we are down at Exbury House near Southamption hosting a wedding workshop for the Wessex MPA Region so if you are interested in coming along then contact the regional Chairman, Keith Curtis. Business and Marketing in the AM and we will be demonstrating our style in the afternoon and are delighted that one of our models has offered to drive over for the day. So with the model provided by the region and our own Michelle we will have 2 beautiful brides to work with. Today’s image is from a session a couple of weeks ago.