Old World Artistry. New World Mindset.

What You Will Learn

From Jonny:

1. Dramatic Light: Crafting Theatricality in Stone and Shadow

   Step into history within the storied interiors of the Castle and learn to wield light like a painter of old. This class explores how to sculpt faces and figures and produce compelling stories with chiaroscuro lighting, creating powerful, timeless portraits and narratives. 

2. Environmental Portraits: When Light Meets Light

   Step into the beautiful dance between what already exists and what you choose to create. This foundational class explores how to layer natural and artificial light in a way that honors both, as well as combining a backdrop with the existing environment — crafting portraits where subject, space, place, history, and imagination merge.

3. The Art of Being Seen: Social Media with Soul

   Connection over performance. In this heart-centered session, you’ll learn to approach social media as an extension of your art — a space not for vanity, but for vulnerability, meaning, and genuine human connection.

4. The Practice of Self Portraits

   Every photographer must walk the walk, & talk the talk. Testing new lighting ideas, or capturing a life event or strong emotion in self portraits is not only a healthy practice as an artist, but a great way for clients & viewers to get to know you online. This will be hands on and you will create images of yourself to post before you head home.

From Tamara:

1. Art Nude Musings: Posing & Direction to Evoke Emotion
   Inspired by classical art, contemporary dance, and rooted in an understanding of anatomy and movement, this class explores how to guide the body with intention to make the viewer feel something when they look at your images, and tell deeper stories without focusing on sexuality. You’ll learn how to direct your subjects with clarity and care, creating a collaborative experience that results in timeless, emotive imagery.

2. Balancing Genuine Creativity with Successful Business Practices
   It is possible to run a profitable business without burning out or compromising your art. This class is all about creating structure—through thoughtful policies, client experience, and automation—so you can make space for true creative flow. You’ll walk away with tools to serve your clients deeply, sell with ease, and build a slower-paced, high-touch business that fuels both your bank account and your spirit.

3. Artwork Composition & Printing
   Your clients deserve more than digital files—they deserve art. We dive into what makes an image feel gallery-worthy: from composition and print standards, to understanding what collectors & clients are truly drawn to. We’ll explore the intersection of fine art principles and consumer desires, so you can confidently create work that’s both meaningful and marketable.

4. Out of the Studio & Into Nature
   There’s something sacred about photographing outdoors—waking up with the sun, breathing in the fresh air, and being adaptable. This class is about embracing the elements, working with unpredictable light and weather; honoring the environment and your subject. You’ll learn how to foster trust, ensure your client’s comfort, and create in ways that feel grounded, connected, and alive.

Combination Classes from Jonny & Tamara

1. The Signature Within: Unearthing Your Visual Voice

   Beneath every image you admire lies a fingerprint — unique, undeniable, yours. This class is a gentle excavation of self, guiding you to recognize your instincts, define your aesthetic, and build a body of work that feels wholly, unapologetically you.

2. Emotive Lighting & Posing

   Learn how lighting and posing can work cohesively to convey power, vulnerability, happiness, etc.; as well as how conflicting lighting & posing can reduce impact when the message isn’t clear.

3. The Art of the Pause: Rest as Part of the Process

   In the quiet castle gardens or a sun-drenched corridor, we’ll reflect on how stillness, rest, and creative retreat are not indulgences — but essential, generative parts of your evolution as an artist. Aroha will lead us in a somatic practice and meditation.