Three Workshops. One Philosophy.

Fine Art Photography Retreats in France

Step into the world of glass plates, vintage cameras, and the quiet alchemy of collodion. Explore light, silver, and shadow through processes that honour patience, care, and the handmade. Whether it’s the quiet grandeur of a château, the gentle rhythm of a rural studio, or working with thoughtful, expressive models, each of our workshops offers its own invitation. Come to slow down, to make with intention, and to see your work, and the world, with fresh eyes.

What You’ll Experience

  • Master the Wet Plate Collodion Process

    Discover the art of wet plate photography from preparing glass plates to developing your own unique images.

    Learn to work with antique cameras and brass lenses, capture moments with timeless elegance.

  • Explore the Human Form with Sensitivity

    Photograph the nude not as spectacle, but as sculpture, honest, elemental, and full of quiet power.

    With experienced models and a foundation of trust, you’ll explore shape, shadow, and gesture in a space where beauty is approached with care and respect.

  • Embrace Imperfection and Authenticity

    Learn to welcome happy accidents and let the character of the medium enrich your creative vision.

    Understand the beauty in the unpredictability of analogue processes.

  • Let Place Shape the Process

    From the quiet luxury of Cazenac to the stillness of the Limestone Studio, location is never just a backdrop.

    The light, the stones, the silence — all of it enters the image. The Dordogne itself becomes your collaborator.

  • Explore the Art of Intimate Portraiture

    Work with professional models who embody grace and presence.

    Develop sensitivity and skill in posing and lighting to create compelling, intimate portraits and art nudes.

  • Refine Your Craft with Expert Guidance

    Receive personalized support from an experienced instructor who tailors the experience to your pace, skill level, and artistic goals.

    Learn with support, not pressure.

  • Immerse Yourself in a True Creative Retreat

    Step away from everyday distractions to focus fully on your craft, surrounded by like-minded creatives and the quiet rhythm of this exceptional place.

  • Enter the Alchemy of Collodion

    Step into the darkroom, where silver and light meet glass and time. Learn to pour, expose, and develop with precision and intuition, a process as tactile and meditative as it is magical.

    Collodion isn’t just technique, it’s ritual.

Three Workshops, One Timeless Craft

  • Wet Plate Collodion image of a nude woman, Dordogne, France

    Domaine de Cazenac: An Introduction to Collodion

    A six-day immersion in the alchemy of wet plate photography, still life, intimate portraiture, and the art nude, set within the quiet grandeur of Domaine de Cazenac.
    This all-inclusive retreat offers luxury accommodation, gourmet dining, and the rare pleasure of working with experienced models in an environment of creative focus. With large format cameras, full darkroom facilities, and expert guidance throughout.

    Each day unfolds through a carefully guided rhythm, shared moments, quiet focus, and the freedom to respond in your own way.

    Learn more
  • Wet plate portrait of a woman with long hair and a scarf, smiling, Dordogne France

    Visible : Honouring presence, sensuality, and the quiet power of experience

    A contemplative and quietly powerful retreat, centred on photographing mature female models whose presence carries grace, depth, and lived experience.
    This intimate workshop invites you to slow down and look with care. With just four participants, and sessions in both intimate portraiture and the art nude, there is time to connect, reflect, and work with intention. Held at the Limestone Studio, with five-star accommodation at the Hôtel de Bouilhac.

    A workshop shaped by presence, craft, and the quiet strength of lived experience.

    Learn more
  • A wet plate collodion photograph of a woman with dark, curly hair, Dordogne France

    The Muse Sessions : A One-to-One Retreat Exploring the Human Form

    These sessions are built around your pace, your curiosity, and the story you wish to tell, with the freedom to choose the model you wish to work with, from a handpicked circle of collaborators. Whether you stay in quiet luxury at the Hôtel de Bouilhac or prefer the charm of a nearby gîte, each detail, from accommodation to schedule, is arranged with care, allowing you the space to focus fully on your practice. The Limestone Studio offers full access to large format cameras, antique lenses, and a working darkroom, all here to support your vision.

    Offered throughout the year, as time allows, within this inspiring and intimate setting.

    Learn more
Wet Plate Collodion photograph of a nude woman with a cloth over her head, Dordogne, France

A five-day creative retreat at the luxurious Domaine de Cazenac

Art Nude Wet Plate Collodion photograph of a woman lying on her side, Dordogne, France

Introduction to Collodion Photography

Dordogne, France : 2nd November - 7th November 2026

The Timeless Alchemy — Collodion at Cazenac

Step into the timeless elegance of Domaine de Cazenac for an unforgettable photographic retreat, a private château overlooking the Dordogne, where the rare beauty of wet plate collodion unfolds at an unhurried pace.

Your days begin with fresh coffee and breakfast on the terrace, followed by guided sessions in the studio and darkroom, a quiet immersion in this meticulous, rewarding process. Alongside you, four remarkable models, each with presence, grace, and confidence that bring depth and life to your compositions. Whether you wish to capture intimate portraits, quiet nudes, or something more expressive and modern, the mood is yours to shape.

Indulgent lunches and fine regional dinners complete each day, while the château offers comfort, space, and understated luxury. Everything is included, accommodation, dining, tuition, and materials, leaving you free to focus on craft, creativity, and the joy of making.

6 days / 5 nights

4 professional models

2nd - 7th November 2026

From €3,450

All inclusive

Small group 8-12 Participants

View of a Domaine de Cazenac with a round tower and conical roof, lush greenery, under a clear blue sky. Dordogne, France
Domaine de Cazenac A charming stone house with white shutters, located in a garden with trees, bushes, a lawn, and outdoor furniture.
View of a castle-like stone building with a round tower and conical roof, seen through an ornate iron gate, with a cobblestone pathway and a tree nearby during sunset.
A white plate with a dish of sliced radishes, pickled vegetables, and herbs, garnished with chopped chives on top.
A garden scene with large green trees, a stone wall, and outdoor furniture under a bright blue sky with clouds. Domaine de Cazenac
A picturesque old European-style stone castle with conical roofs, small windows, and a balcony, surrounded by greenery and a bright blue sky.
Elegant living room with cream-colored walls, a chandelier, a large mirror over a marble fireplace, and artwork of ballerinas. Blue sofas, a glass coffee table, and a patterned area rug complete the space. Domaine de Cazenac.
A plated dish with cooked white fish, green peas, chopped carrots, and black herbs, garnished with a crunchy topping, served on a white plate in a fine dining setting.

There’s a kind of magic in this corner of France.

Maybe it’s the early morning mist that lifts slowly over the trees, or the honeyed stone villages that haven’t changed in centuries. Maybe it’s the way the light hits a face, a field, a window. Whatever it is, it asks you to slow down, and really look.

This fully catered, five-day workshop is an invitation to slow down, look closely, and reconnect with the handmade image, from the first exposure to the final print.

We’ll also be joined by four professional models over two days, ensuring meaningful time behind the camera for each participant.

Guided by a photographer, artist, and craftsman with decades of experience behind the lens, you’ll learn to make images using traditional large-format cameras, vintage lenses, and 19th-century techniques. You’ll work with glass, light, silver, and time, not just to capture a moment, but to shape one.

Perched high above the Dordogne valley, Château de Cazenac is a 14th-century estate with sweeping views, fine rooms, and gourmet cuisine. Between sessions, you’ll enjoy shared meals, good wine, and the calm of this historic retreat, complete with pool, sauna, and tennis court.

A fully immersive, all-inclusive experience.

Hosted at the breathtaking Domaine de Cazenac, this is a week-long creative retreat and introduction to the wet plate collodion process.

Working with professional models and fellow artists, you’ll shoot landscapes and architecture, portraits, and figure studies with vintage large-format cameras and timeless techniques. A complete photographic experience in one of France’s most beautiful regions.

  • Afternoon arrival and welcome dinner


    You’ll arrive in time to settle into your room and explore the grounds of the 14th-century Domaine de Cazenac, a peaceful retreat of stone, vines and wide skies. We’ll meet for a relaxed aperitif, followed by a beautifully prepared dinner in good company. No cameras today, just a warm welcome and a chance to begin slowing down.

    In the evening, we gather for our first shared dinner, a seasonal, candlelit meal that sets the tone for the days to come.

  • First plates, first magic

    We begin with the basics, learning to coat, expose and develop your first wet collodion plates. Working in pairs, you'll rotate through four vintage large-format camera ‘sets,’ each with its own historic lens and temperament. Indoors, you’ll craft quiet, atmospheric still life. Outdoors, you'll respond to the château’s timeworn architecture, discovering how light carves detail into stone.
    Plates will be poured, silver baths dipped into, and the first images will emerge in the darkroom, hands-on, elemental, unforgettable. A delicious long-table lunch is served each day, seasonal, local, and never rushed.

    As the day winds down, we come together once more in the château dining room for a relaxed dinner, a chance to share discoveries, questions, and laughter over good wine and regional cuisine.

  • The art of presence and collaboration


    Today we welcome our models, experienced, expressive, and attuned to the slow rhythms of analogue photography.

    These portraits often lean into a quiet sensuality, bare shoulders, soft curves, a glimpse of skin, echoing the grace and intimacy of Pre-Raphaelite painting.

    Two of our cameras will be set up in a studio-style space with controlled light; the others will venture out into the gardens and shaded courtyards.
    Working in pairs, you'll take turns directing, composing, and working through the delicate steps of making a portrait on glass or aluminium. Collodion slows everything down, inviting connection, intention, and stillness. As ever, we pause midday for a shared lunch in the garden, and end the day with time to reflect or return to the darkroom.

    Dinner that evening is a welcome pause, conversation flowing easily between new friends, the day’s portraits fresh in mind.

  • Poetry in form and light


    A day dedicated to the expressive, timeless beauty of the unclothed human form. Guided by grace, trust and care, you'll work with our professional models in both studio and natural environments, sculpting images through light, shadow, and intuition.
    This isn’t about spectacle or perfection, but rather about gesture, texture, and the quiet dignity of analogue process. Here, the nude is not a subject but a presence, quiet, luminous, shaped by light and collodion silver. These are photographs that feel closer to memory than to modernity, timeless gestures, like figures from a myth or painting, emerging slowly from glass and chemistry.
    The collodion image offers softness, stillness, and unexpected depth. Together, we’ll create a space that is respectful, inspiring and artistically rich. Midday brings another generous lunch, simple, delicious and shared.

    After a day of deep creative focus, dinner offers a warm exhale, beautifully prepared dishes, local wines, and quiet satisfaction.

  • Print, reflect, revisit


    We shift pace today, stepping away from the camera to explore alternative ways of printing your plates. Using salt or albumen techniques, you’ll transform your images into hand-crafted prints with rich tones and delicate textures.
    The studio is open for quiet printing or revisiting a favourite shot, and you’re free to wander the grounds or simply take a moment to rest. It’s a slower, spacious day, where making, looking, and conversation unfold gently.

    Our final full day closes with another delicious dinner, slow, convivial, and rich with stories from the week.

  • Our final morning. We’ll gather for a quiet breakfast, lay out a few favourite prints, and share stories from the week. What began with silver and glass ends with friendships, prints, and a sense of creative renewal. Departure by late morning, with plates wrapped, notebooks filled, and something rare and beautiful carried home.

The Models

Black and white photo Silas with braided hair resting her chin and chest on a padded workout bench, looking directly at the camera with an intense expression.

No words are worthy of conveying how profound my adoration for this artistic medium is. Modelling, for me, is a vital form of self-expression. 

Being in front of the camera feels like playtime and I'm dedicated not only to the art of curiosity and experimentation, but to achieving any set photographic objectives.

Exploration of emotional depths is what seduces me the most. I crave the production of photographs that touch people - images that reach through the screen to not only captivate the viewer, but incite introspection and debate.    

A black and white portrait of a woman with long hair, wearing jewelry including earrings, a necklace, and a bracelet, dressed in a strapless top, with her arms crossed and looking to the side.

With a wealth of experience in various modeling styles, I am a highly creative individual driven by the desire to craft compelling images. I have a deep passion for body art, and I embrace the beauty of self-expression through this medium.

My primary objective is to merge my extensive modeling experience with the innovative ideas of talented individuals to bring exceptional projects to life. In addition to traditional modeling, I also have a unique niche as a model for painters, drawers and sculptors. This distinctive experience has deepened my appreciation for the artistic process and the collaborative synergy it fosters.

Black and white portrait of a middle-aged woman with voluminous, wavy hair and a neutral expression, looking directly at the camera.

I am a full time photographic and artist's model, posing in front of the camera as well as for life drawing, sculpture and portraiture; I'm also an actor and a supporting artist in the film industry. 

I am revelling in growing older naturally and gracefully; I have no need or desire to hide the age I am, and I truly believe that age adds an air of calmness and serenity as well as displaying visible character

In April 2024 I underwent major abdominal surgery and wear my scars proudly, as they are an essential part of me and the reason I’m still alive.

Black and white photo of a topless woman standing near a window with natural light streaming in, wearing patterned underwear.

Hello, my name is Claire and I am full time model !

I am lucky to live from my passion, photography and to travel to meet talented and generous photographers. I leave in France but i can travel everywhere for shoot

Although artistic nudes are what attract me the most, I am also very happy to do portrait series, fashion (jobs for brands), lingerie...

I take the time to choose the photographers I work with. Going to visit the sites to look at the photos of the person who contacts me is very important to me.

I put passion and a lot of myself when I pose.

  • Black and white photograph of a nude woman with long wavy hair, sitting on a satin-covered platform, with satin fabric pooling on the floor around her.
  • A nude woman with long hair sitting on a stool against a dark background, with one leg crossed over the other and her head tilted upward.
  • Black and white photo of a woman with intense expression, wearing a ruffled black jacket with exposed chest and sequined black pants, standing against a dark background.
  • A nude woman with angel wings leaning on a marble column against a dark background.
  • A woman with blue eyes and wavy blonde hair wearing blue floral lace lingerie, sitting in a gold wire cage, looking directly at the camera.
  • A nude woman with blonde hair standing by a window with stained glass and leafy outside scenery, softly lit with warm and natural light.
  • Black and white photo of a topless woman with long dark hair sitting on a wooden chair, looking over her shoulder with a serious expression, in a softly lit room with a bed in the background.
  • A nude woman sitting on a wooden stool with her back against a gray wall, in a dimly lit room, with a white cloth draped over her shoulder.
  • A woman sitting on a bed, holding her arm against her abdomen, with her head bowed and eyes closed, in a softly lit room.
  • A nude woman sitting on a wooden deck outdoors, with her knees drawn up to her chest and her hand resting on her head, surrounded by sunlight and shadows, with trees and a lounge chair in the background.
  • A nude woman standing in a softly lit room, with one hand on her head and the other covering her genital area, wearing an open beige shirt.
  • A black and white photo of a nude woman sitting outdoors on a piece of driftwood, with her eyes closed and hand gently touching her neck, in a natural landscape with mountains in the background.
  • Black and white photograph of a nude woman with closed eyes, her left hand touching her head, and her right hand holding a snake around her right breast, emphasizing her curves and expression.
  • A nude woman with long dark hair sits by a window, gazing outside with a contemplative expression.
  • Nude woman sitting on a green cloth draped over a chair, with a dark background.
  • A nude woman with braided hair holding a bunch of white daisies against a dark background.
  • A nude woman is lying on her back on a pillow inside a fabric tent outdoors, with her legs bent over her head and her arms extended.
  • A young woman with dark hair and intense expression holding a fish against her chest, sitting amidst a background of stacked wood.
  • Black and white photo of a topless woman with tattoos, standing in a bedroom, covering her face with her hand, near a bed with disheveled sheets.
  • A black and white photo of a nude woman sitting on a chair with her legs spread apart, head tilted back, and eyes closed, against a dark background.
  • A black and white photo of a young woman sitting simplicity on a patterned cloth with a backdrop of lush plant foliage. She is topless, with her legs crossed and hands resting on her knee, gazing into the distance.
  • Black and white photograph of a young woman with curly hair, sitting nude with her knees up, gazing into the camera with a somber expression.
  • Black and white photo of a nude woman with long hair, posed on a pile of wreckage and metal debris, with an industrial background.
  • A person crouched on a fallen tree in a forest, holding onto a branch with both hands, with trees and foliage in the background.
  • Nude woman with gray hair stretching with one arm up and one leg bent in an abandoned building with dirty floor and peeling walls.
  • A woman in a sheer, flowing dress standing in front of a mirror, softly illuminated by warm light.
  • Black and white photo of a woman with tousled blonde hair partially covering her face, looking at the camera, with her bare shoulder exposed and a black leather jacket draped over her arm.
  • A mature woman with long, wavy gray hair resting her chin on her hand, looking at the camera. She is seated at a white table with glasses in front of her and is wearing bracelets on her wrist, against a plain background.
  • Black and white photo of a nude woman, seen from behind, with her head leaning forward and her right hand gently touching her neck, against a plain background.

Our Muses: Presence, Freedom, Expression

The models you’ll work with here are more than subjects, they are collaborators in the quiet, deliberate craft of wet plate collodion. Each brings her own sense of presence, freedom, and self-expression to the frame, shaped not by age, but by curiosity, confidence, and the joy of creation.

From the elegance of classical life modelling to the expressive energy of the photographic nude, these women understand the patience and poetry that this slow, thoughtful process demands. They hold the pose, the gaze, the stillness required, offering not perfection, but feeling, texture, and truth.

In the light of glass plates and vintage lenses, every gesture becomes timeless. The collodion process reveals not only form but spirit, and with these muses, the act of making a portrait becomes a quiet conversation between craft, vision, and trust.

What You’ll Learn

  • The fundamentals of wet plate collodion, from preparing and pouring plates to developing them in the château’s dedicated darkroom

  • Hands-on experience with large-format cameras and antique lenses, and an understanding of their unique visual language

  • The art of photographing the human form and portraiture, with sensitivity, presence, and a focus on collaboration

  • Techniques for working with natural and artificial light, composition, and quiet direction in both intimate portraiture and the nude

  • The philosophy of analogue: embracing imperfection, slowing down, and making each image by hand

  • The satisfaction of creating and printing your own images thoughtful, tactile, and entirely your own

Why Choose This Workshop

At Cazenac, the grandeur of history meets the quiet rhythm of craft. Within the walls of this beautiful château, and beneath the wide Dordogne sky, you’ll discover not just how to create, but how to see.

With expert guidance, all materials provided, exquisite shared meals, and elegant, all-inclusive accommodation, this is not just a workshop. It’s a retreat. A reset. A return to slowness and attention.

Whether you're new to analogue or returning to deepen your practice, the workshop meets you where you are, with space, time, and gentle encouragement to explore at your own pace.

What’s Included

  • 5 nights accommodation at Domaine de Cazenac (private en-suite rooms)

  • All meals: breakfast, delicious seasonal lunches, and three-course dinners with wine

  • Four full workshop days of instruction and guidance with John

  • Daily photographic sessions including still life, portrait, and figure work

  • All materials for wet plate collodion and printing processes

  • Use of large format and vintage cameras, lenses, and studio equipment

  • Full access to darkroom facilities

  • 4 professional models (portrait and art nude sessions)

  • Transportation for local excursions during the workshop

  • A PDF guide with practical tips and preparatory notes before arrival

What’s Not Included

  • Travel to and from Domaine de Cazenac

  • Personal travel or health insurance

  • Additional drinks or snacks outside of meals

  • Optional extras (e.g. private mentoring before/after the workshop, prints made post-stay)

Black and white photograph of a woman with long hair looking upwards, with her right hand placed on her chest, wearing a textured top and a dark jacket.
A black and white photograph of a woman with dark, wavy hair, sitting outdoors, dressed in a light-colored robe or kimono, looking downward with a solemn or contemplative expression.

Visible

A Portrait of Experience, a workshop shaped by intimacy

Dordogne, France : 7th - 11th September 2026

A Portrait of Experience — The Visible Workshop

Set within the stillness of the Dordogne and the textured walls of the Limestone Studio, this small-group workshop invites you to work slowly, attentively, and with care. Over five days, you’ll be guided through wet plate collodion portraiture and the nude, with two exceptional models whose presence speaks of confidence, character, and lived beauty.

This is a workshop shaped by intimacy: no more than four participants, time enough for conversation and clarity, and a process that honours nuance over haste. As you create, you’ll be accompanied by thoughtful instruction and a setting that supports quiet discovery.

Your accommodation is at the Hôtel de Bouilhac in Montignac, a place of calm luxury, with warm hospitality, refined design, and the ease of return after each day’s work. From here, the days unfold gently, between studio and village, shared meals and private time, image-making and reflection.

4 days / 5 nights

2 professional models

7th - 11th September 2026

From €2,750

All inclusive

4 Participants

Stone house with a sloped roof, small trees and bushes in the garden, under a bright blue sky.
A person holding a white bowl filled with freshly picked cherries, some with green leaves, outdoors.
Coq au vin with mushrooms, pearl onions, and bacon on a black plate with gravy.
A cozy bedroom with a bed dressed in white linens and a brown blanket, flanked by black nightstands with vases of dried flowers. The room has a large window with white curtains, a rattan ceiling lamp, and wicker armchairs with yellow cushions. There is a round wooden coffee table with drinks and a small bench with a sheepskin throw in front of the bed. The walls are painted yellow with white wainscoting and framed artwork.
A small outdoor dining setup on a stone patio with a round table, two chairs, a tea or coffee pot, cups, a bowl of fruit, and a vase of flowers, surrounded by large potted plants and greenery.
Living and dining room with chandelier, green velvet chairs, white sofa with yellow and dark gray pillows, fireplace, and wooden flooring.
A darkroom illuminated with red light, featuring workbenches, enlargers, tools, and equipment.

Honouring Presence, Celebrating Experience

At the Limestone Studio, in the quiet beauty of the Dordogne, Visible is more than a workshop, it’s an invitation. An invitation to explore the quiet power of maturity, the grace of lived experience, and the beauty of presence over perfection.

At the heart of this workshop lies the timeless magic of wet plate collodion, a process that demands patience, care, and presence. Here, there is no hurry, no digital shortcuts; only glass, light, chemistry, and the quiet unfolding of an image by hand. This singular focus invites you to slow down, to see more deeply, and to create photographs that bear the unmistakable mark of craft and intention. One process, infinite expression, where vision meets substance, and the act of making becomes its own quiet reward.

For women photographers, and for all drawn to the feminine gaze, this is as much a space of reflection as it is of technique. Our models are women of strength, character, and ease; their presence brings weight and honesty to every frame, every gesture.

Here, photography becomes more than image-making. It becomes a quiet practice of connection — to subject, to process, to yourself. Whether you come to hone your craft, reconnect with creativity, or simply enjoy the gentle rhythm of darkroom, landscape, and thoughtful conversation, Visible welcomes you.

A retreat for quiet craft and feminine presence.

Held within the Limestone Studio, this intimate workshop invites you to explore the timeless beauty of wet plate collodion photography, a process as patient and revealing as the women you will photograph.

Working with models whose grace and life experience bring depth beyond surface beauty, you’ll create portraits and figure studies that honour presence, essence, and quiet strength.

Between thoughtful sessions, there is time to rest, to share good food and conversation, to wander the gentle streets, a creative pause where craft, care, and the feminine spirit are valued above all.

  • Arrive in the heart of the Dordogne and settle into your accommodation at the elegant Hôtel de Bouliac in Montignac, a place of quiet comfort and considered luxury. As afternoon turns to evening, we gather not at the studio but at the hotel itself, where the first threads of connection are gently woven.

    Over a welcome aperitif and a thoughtfully prepared dinner, you'll meet your fellow photographers and the remarkable women who will model for us in the days ahead, each bringing her own grace, experience, and quiet power. This first evening is a time for conversation: about collodion and glass, about process and philosophy, about what it means to make timeless images by hand. A gentle beginning to what promises to be an extraordinary few days.

  • The dance with collodion begins in earnest. Your morning opens with an in-depth demonstration of this patient, alchemical process, from the careful pouring of the plate to the moment the image emerges, ghost-like, in the fixer. You’ll explore the subtleties of glass preparation, silver sensitising, and the fine judgement that the process demands.

    Alongside this, you’ll be introduced to a selection of vintage large-format cameras and historic lenses, each offering its own particular softness, depth, and character. The choice of glass, lens, and light becomes part of the creative conversation, as you shape the aesthetic mood of your plates.

    Your first portraits will be made in this quiet, guided space, working closely with one of our experienced models. These sessions are designed to be unhurried and considered, allowing time to explore gesture, connection, and composition, as well as the delicate balance of light and emulsion.

    At midday, we pause for a leisurely lunch at a carefully chosen local restaurant, a moment to enjoy the region’s rich cuisine and reflect on the morning’s discoveries.

    The afternoon invites you back to the studio to continue your work: refining technique, exploring new compositions, and deepening your personal vision. Whether you wish to pursue classic portraiture, quiet abstraction, or bold experimentation, the time and tools are yours to shape.

    Evenings are left open, free for you to enjoy as you choose, whether sampling Montignac’s Michelin-starred tables or wandering to a quiet village bistro under the soft glow of dusk.

  • With the foundation laid, Day Three offers space to explore more deeply, where the collaboration between photographer and model becomes a quiet dialogue of trust, form, and expression. The focus shifts towards the timeless tradition of the art nude: an exploration of line, shape, and the quiet strength of presence.

    In the soft light of the studio, you’ll continue working one-to-one with your chosen model, guided by your own curiosity and vision. The choice of camera, lens, and plate size can shape the mood of your images, perhaps the softness of an old Petzval lens, the gravity of a large glass plate, or the intimacy of a smaller format. Every decision becomes part of the visual language you build together.

    Throughout the morning, there is space to experiment, to slow down, to notice the balance between body, gesture, and the flow of light across skin and glass. Whether you wish to make classically composed studies, quiet abstracts, or explore movement and imperfection, this day is yours to shape.

    At midday, we break for another long, thoughtful lunch, at a local restaurant that reflects the gentle rhythms of the region.

    The afternoon session continues this creative unfolding: more time to refine technique, to explore nuance, to gently stretch the boundaries of what the process, and the collaboration, can offer. Assistance, guidance, and conversation are always at hand, but the pace remains unhurried, allowing your personal vision to lead.

    As the day closes, the studio grows quiet, filled with the scent of lavender varnish and silver, your plates drying, each one a small testament to time, attention, and presence.

  • The final day opens with possibility. By now, your hands are sure, your eye more attuned to the slow demands of light, glass, and silver. This is your time to shape something personal, to make images that speak of grace, experience, and presence.

    Today offers a rare gift: the freedom to work closely with our exceptional models, choosing who you wish to collaborate with, shaping the mood, the gesture, the frame. Whether you explore quiet portraiture or the poised strength of the art nude, you have the time and space to create work that is entirely your own.

    This day is also an invitation to true collaboration, a quiet dialogue between artist and muse. With time to explore gesture, shape, and presence, you are free to work with the human form not as subject alone, but as a living, breathing part of the image. Our models bring not only beauty but intelligence, experience, and grace, each session becoming a shared act of creation where pose, movement, and emotion unfold slowly, carefully, like light settling on glass.

    The day is unhurried, rich with possibility, and designed to offer what most photographers rarely find: the luxury of time, expert guidance, and the grace of working with models who bring depth, confidence, and artistry to every frame.

    As the light fades, we gather for a final review, to share images, reflections, and perhaps plant the seeds of future projects. A quiet farewell dinner closes the workshop, celebrating not only what you’ve made, but the slower way of seeing you’ve come to know.

  • On the final morning, there’s time to review your plates, discuss your progress, and ask any remaining questions. If you wish, you may create a final image in the studio, a last chance to experiment or refine what you’ve learned.

    We’ll share coffee and conversation, exchange contact details, and talk about how to continue your collodion journey at home. Whether you plan to return or simply carry these new skills forward, the studio, the process, and this quiet corner of France will remain open for your next visit.

The Models

A black and white portrait of a topless woman with long, wavy hair, eyes closed, smiling slightly, standing outdoors with a blurred landscape background.

LynneT

Warm, expressive, and full of creative energy, Lynne brings a rich depth of presence to every session. With a background in professional acting, she moves with natural confidence and grace, allowing each frame to capture not just form but feeling. Whether working in stillness or responding to music, her quiet poise and emotional range make her a joy to photograph, an inspiring collaborator for thoughtful, crafted image-making.

Black and white portrait of a topless woman with wavy hair, looking to the side with a thoughtful expression, standing in front of a blurred natural background.

JackieG

With years of experience as an artist’s model, Jackie moves with ease between the timeless grace of classical nude and the quiet allure of sensual styling. Whether draped in beautiful fabrics or embracing simplicity, she brings creativity, elegance, and a sense of play to every session. Comfortable with direction but equally at home shaping her own poses and moods, Jackie offers a rich, expressive presence that invites collaboration and trust.

  • A nude woman performing a headstand with her legs extended in a split, in black and white with a plain dark background.
  • A nude woman standing on a gray surface, lit by a spotlight that creates a large circular shadow on a blue wall behind her.
  • Black and white photo of a nude woman wearing high heels, sunglasses, and bunny ears mask, standing in an industrial-style room with large windows and shadows on the floor.
  • A nude woman with long hair crouching on a rock outdoors, with one hand resting on her head and the other on her knee, in a natural landscape.
  • A nude woman performing a gymnastic move on gymnastic rings, with her arms extended overhead, legs spread wide in a straddle, in a black and white photo.
  • A woman dancing or performing a pose, dressed in a form-fitting outfit, with a plain background.
  • A topless elderly woman with long hair, wearing a pearl necklace, extending her arms and smiling with her eyes closed against a black background.
  • Black and white photograph of an elderly woman sitting with her knees pulled close, arms wrapped around her legs, head resting on her knees, and eyes closed against a black background.
  • Black and white photograph of an elderly woman lying on her back with her knees bent and arms crossed over her chest, against a black background.
  • Black and white close-up of a woman with a hat, smiling softly with eyes closed, holding a flower near her face.
  • A nude elderly woman curled up in a fetal position on a windowsill, with a blurred landscape outside and floral curtains on the side.
  • A topless woman with wavy blonde hair looking out a window, with her hand near her face, wearing rings and a body chain.
  • An elderly woman with a white cloth covering her head and face, holding the cloth with both hands, exposing her right breast and wearing rings on her fingers.
  • A black and white photo of a naked woman with curly hair crouching on the ground in front of a rocky background.
  • Black and white close-up of a woman with curly hair, partially undressed, removing a white shirt with one hand while the shirt drapes down, revealing her chest. The image emphasizes the textures of the fabric and her skin.
  • A mature woman with gray hair and blue eyes, wearing a white shirt and jewelry, is holding her hand near her neck while looking thoughtfully.
  • Black and white photo of a nude woman with curly hair, holding a sweater above her head, with her arms raised and eyes closed.
  • A nude woman with dark hair lying on her back inside a canvas tent on a bed with white bedding, arching her back with her legs bent over her head and eyes closed.
  • A woman with dark hair and a serious expression, holding a large fish against her chest, was surrounded by stacks of wood.
  • Black and white photo of a naked woman with tattoos, standing in a bedroom, with her hand covering her face, and her head bowed.
  • Black and white photo of a nude woman with curly hair, sitting on a chair with her legs spread and head tilted back, against a dark background.
  • A black and white photo of a topless woman sitting cross-legged on a patterned fabric in a setting with dense foliage and patterned cloth draped in the background.
  • Black and white photograph of a nude woman with curly hair, sitting with one knee up and looking into the camera with a somber expression.
  • A nude woman with long, curly hair laying on a pile of metallic debris and wreckage, with her head tilted back and arms draped over the debris. The scene is dark and industrial, with a cloudy sky in the background.
  • A nude person crouching on a fallen tree in a forest, with their face hidden and body curled up.
  • A nude woman with gray hair standing inside an abandoned, dilapidated building with peeling paint and debris on the floor, striking a balance pose with one foot on a wooden platform and her arms raised above her head.
  • A woman in a sheer, flowing nightgown standing in a softly lit room, with a mirror and a fireplace in the background.
  • Black and white portrait of a woman with tousled hair, partly obscured face, and exposed shoulder, leaning against a leather jacket.
  • A woman with long, wavy gray hair sitting at a white table, looking at the camera with her hand resting on her chin. There are eyeglasses on the table in front of her and she is wearing bracelets.
  • Black and white photograph of a naked woman with her back turned, head slightly bowed, and arms crossed, in a studio setting with a plain background.

Our models are women of depth, strength, and quiet grace, each with a life fully lived and stories carried in their presence. They are not simply subjects to photograph, but collaborators in the creative process, offering something more than poses or surface beauty.

Their involvement brings a rare richness to this workshop — where each portrait becomes an exchange between curiosity and experience, between seeing and being seen.

This is an opportunity to create more than photographs; it’s a space for conversation, reflection, and shared moments. Whether you are an experienced photographer or simply curious and new to the medium, you’ll find room here for ease, connection, and creativity.

While all are welcome, we especially encourage women to join us — to explore, witness, and shape this experience in ways that are their own. In quiet moments on the terrace or between images, something deeper may unfold: life, art, and honest expression gently meeting.

What you’ll learn

Practice

At the heart of this workshop is a quiet, attentive approach to photographing the human form. With experienced, mature models as your collaborators, you’ll explore how presence, nuance, and time shape the images we make. Sessions in both intimate portraiture and the nude allow for deep focus and an intuitive, respectful rhythm of working.

Craft

You’ll learn the foundations of wet plate collodion — from preparing glass plates and working with large format cameras and ancient lenses to understanding light and the delicate timing of exposure and development. The process slows you down, asks you to look more carefully, and rewards patience with extraordinary beauty.

Connection

This is a workshop that values care, trust, and intimacy. It’s a space to cultivate genuine artistic dialogue — between photographer and model, light and shadow, process and intention. In the stillness of the Limestone Studio, you’ll not only make photographs, you’ll also learn to be more fully present in the act of creating them.

Why Choose This Workshop

Because time slows here.
Because presence matters.
Because every story deserves to be seen.

At the Limestone Studio, this workshop honours the quiet strength, grace and experience of women whose presence brings richness to every frame. This is not fast fashion or perfection — it is gentle, human seeing.

All materials, vintage cameras and lenses are prepared for you, alongside fresh lunches, warm company, and thoughtful guidance. You’ll create timeless collodion plates in a peaceful, private setting — where every moment is given its proper weight.

What’s Included

  • Accommodation Hotel de Bouilhac

  • All meals: breakfast, delicious seasonal lunches, and three-course dinners with wine

  • Three full workshop days of instruction and guidance with John

  • Daily photographic sessions including still life, portrait, and figure work

  • All materials for wet plate collodion and printing processes

  • Use of large format and vintage cameras, lenses, and studio equipment

  • Full access to darkroom facilities

  • Professional model (intimate portrait and art nude sessions)

  • Transportation for local excursions during the workshop

  • A PDF guide with practical tips and preparatory notes before arrival

What’s Not Included

  • Travel to and from Domaine de Cazenac

  • Personal travel or health insurance

  • Additional drinks or snacks outside of meals

  • Optional extras (e.g. private mentoring before/after the workshop, prints made post-stay)

Wet Plate Collodion photograph of a woman with dark hair, wearing a lace veil, holding a bouquet of flowers and partially draped in a fabric. She has a contemplative expression and appears to be topless underneath the fabric.
Wet Plate Collodion portrait of a topless woman with short blonde hair, wearing jeans, standing with one hand on her hip, against a dark background.

Of This Place

A bespoke photographic journey set in the heart of the Dordogne

Offered year-round, as time allows.

Dordogne, France

The Spirit of This Place — Muses at Limestone

This intimate workshop takes place at the Limestone Studio in the heart of the Dordogne, with sessions in both intimate portraits and the art nude. Designed to create space for reflection, connection, and slow photography, it welcomes all who wish to explore beauty through the lens of experience.

Our muses are carefully chosen for their charisma, authenticity, and unique presence, each bringing their own quiet story, energy, and spirit to the frame. Whether local or travelling, they offer a rare chance to work with individuals who embody grace, honesty, and depth.

Accommodation ranges from the luxurious 5-star Hôtel de Bouilhac in nearby Montignac to charming local Airbnbs, so your stay can be tailored to suit your comfort.

One to One

Professional models

Flexible dates

From €2,450

All inclusive

All skill levels

A stone house with a sloped roof, surrounded by a green lawn and trees, against a clear blue sky.
A historic stone building with multiple windows, a slate roof, and a decorative iron gate at the entrance, surrounded by a stone and iron fence. Domaine de Cazenac.
A person in a suit pouring wine into a glass near a window with a scenic outdoor view.
A cozy bedroom with a white bed, four white pillows, and a striped brown blanket. The room features exposed wooden beams on the ceiling, two wall-mounted lamps above the bed, and a white wardrobe to the right. There is a small side table with a coffee maker and a kettle.
Bathroom with a large bathtub next to a window, two white robes hanging, and a double sink vanity with red candles and toiletries.
View through an open window showing a town square with buildings, trees, and a hill in the background.
Bright, airy bedroom at hotel de bouilhac with white bedding, wicker chair with a gray blanket, large windows with white curtains, a small side table with a glass water bottle, a wooden table in front of the window,
Two pink roses in full bloom against a stone wall background.

Of This Place — A Personal Workshop at The Limestone Studio

There is something special about working with people and materials drawn from a particular place — a quiet intimacy, an ease of connection. This workshop is shaped entirely around you: your pace, your interests, and your creative curiosity.

Held at the Limestone Studio, surrounded by rolling fields and woodland in the heart of the Dordogne, this one-to-one experience offers time, space, and freedom to explore photographic process in depth. Whether you’re drawn to the alchemy of wet plate collodion, the poetry of film, or the flexibility of digital, the studio and darkroom are at your disposal, with expert guidance every step of the way.

You’ll work with local models, women and men of the region — who bring their own quiet grace and natural presence to each session. Together, we can shape the days to suit your vision: elegant portraiture, thoughtful nude studies, timeless still life, or even gentle documentary, always at a pace that allows for patience, craft, and care.

And when the day’s work is done, you can return to rest in the accommodation of your choice: from the luxurious comfort of the Hotel de Bouilhac in nearby Montignac, to family-run guesthouses, or peaceful private Airbnbs nestled in the countryside.

Whether you wish to focus deeply on technique, build a body of work, or simply reconnect with the quiet pleasure of making, this workshop is designed to meet you where you are and take you further.

The Flow of Days — Tailored, Thoughtful, and Entirely Yours
Offered year-round, The Muse Sessions are designed with complete flexibility in both form and flow. Whether you choose three days or five, to work with one medium or many digital, film, or wet plate, each element is shaped around your pace, preferences, and creative intentions. Together, we’ll build a quiet, focused retreat with the model of your choice, time to explore, and space to see anew.

Over the course of your stay, you'll work closely with a model of your choice, drawn from a hand-picked selection of distinctive, expressive individuals, each bringing their own presence to the frame. Together, we'll shape a process that suits your practice, whether in the controlled stillness of the studio or amidst the soft light of the surrounding landscape.

Your stay can be arranged to match your preferences, from discreet country gîtes to the refined elegance of the Hôtel de Bouilhac. Lunches can be relaxed or refined, local bistros or Michelin-starred dining. Every detail is considered, but nothing is fixed, this is a workshop built entirely around you.

  • Settle into your hotel, breathe in the gentle rhythm of the Dordogne, and meet with your instructor to shape the workshop to your wishes. This is your time, whether to master wet plate collodion, refine your digital practice, or explore film, portraiture, or figure work.

  • Your first full day begins at the Limestone Studio. Together, we’ll set the stage, camera, chemistry, conversation. You’ll begin working with your selected model, building trust and rhythm, whether in the intimacy of the studio or out among light-dappled trees and stone. Wet plate, film, or digital, the process is yours to explore, with guidance and space in equal measure. Lunch is relaxed and local. The evening is your own, perhaps a simple bistrot or something more refined.

  • This is a day for refinement, a slower gaze, a bolder frame, a quiet unfolding of vision. Having found your rhythm, you’ll continue the collaboration with your model, deepening your series or trying something entirely new. We’re there to assist, but you lead. As always, the surroundings are yours to use, natural light, old walls, distant hills. End the day as you wish, in company or quiet.

  • On your final day of shooting, you’ll bring together everything you’ve seen, learned, and felt, refining images, exploring final ideas, or simply enjoying the act of creation. In the evening, we’ll share a final celebratory dinner, a moment to look back, raise a glass, and begin to carry the work forward.

  • A final morning to complete plates, review your images, or simply sit with coffee and let the experience settle. Departure after lunch, carrying new work, new confidence, and the quiet memory of time well spent in this place.

The Models

A black-and-white portrait of a nude woman with dark, wavy hair, closed eyes, and a soft expression, standing indoors with a blurred background.

Gaëlle brings an effortless, unfiltered beauty shaped by movement, life, and experience. With the instinctive awareness of a dancer and a quiet, expressive confidence, she offers something rare in front of the lens, no mask, no pretence, just grace, energy, and strength. Every glance, every gesture carries its own quiet story, inviting the photographer to slow down, look closer, and capture something real..

Black and white photograph of a nude woman with her head covered by a textured cloth, sitting on a stool with one knee bent and the other leg extended, wrapped in a flowing fabric.

Gaëlle

Kaatilina brings a fearless, magnetic presence to every shoot, striking, photogenic, and utterly at ease in front of the camera. There’s a bold, feminine energy in the way she moves, unafraid to explore strength, sensuality, or vulnerability with equal grace. Daring and instinctive, she invites the lens to follow, creating images charged with confidence, edge, and quiet intensity.

Wet Plate Collodion photograph of a nude woman with long hair, arching her back with her head tilted back and arms raised above her head, in a dramatic pose.

Heart Iris moves with the quiet grace of a dancer and the timeless beauty of a figure from a classical painting. With her long, flowing hair and natural poise, she brings an elegance and presence that feels both ancient and utterly of the moment. Every gesture, every glance carries a quiet story, inviting the camera into a world of softness, strength, and quiet mystery

Wet Plate Collodion portrait of a woman with short, spiky hair looking directly at the camera, with tattoos and piercings visible.

Laetitia carries a rare, androgynous beauty, elegant, statuesque, and quietly magnetic. Her tall, athletic frame holds both grace and quiet power, moving with ease between strength and softness, edge and delicacy. In front of the lens, she offers a fluid presence that shifts between energies — masculine and feminine, bold and restrained — opening space for mood, form, and quiet story to unfold.

Rebecca is a study in contrasts, soulful yet ironic, poised yet unpredictable. Her presence shifts with the light: one moment distant and statuesque, the next warm and disarming. There’s something timeless in her face, something cinematic in her stillness. She brings depth, texture, and transformation to each session, a model who doesn’t just pose, but inhabits a space, a mood, a story. With Rebecca, the image becomes a dialogue, alive, unexpected, and utterly your own.

Claire brings quiet strength and soulful grace to the lens. Based in the southwest of France, she works full-time as a model, drawn especially to the expressive depth of the art nude. Each collaboration is chosen with care, and she arrives not just to pose, but to create something meaningful. Poised, thoughtful, and full of presence, Claire brings a natural elegance and sincerity to every frame.

No words are worthy of conveying how profound my adoration for this artistic medium is. Modelling, for me, is a vital form of self-expression. 

Being in front of the camera feels like playtime and I'm dedicated not only to the art of curiosity and experimentation, but to achieving any set photographic objectives.

Exploration of emotional depths is what seduces me the most. I crave the production of photographs that touch people - images that reach through the screen to not only captivate the viewer, but incite introspection and debate.    

Originally from Lithuania and now based in Brussels, Dovile brings quiet assurance and rare sensitivity to every frame. Her presence is luminous, and her experience across portraiture, art nude, and moving image speaks through every gesture.
Fluent in expression and language, she offers more than a figure to photograph, she is a true collaborator, at ease in analogue or digital, still or moving image.
With natural elegance and a deep creative commitment, Dovile invites honesty, holds space, and brings images to life with subtle, powerful grace.

  • A nude woman performing a headstand with her legs bent and one arm supporting her balance on a plain surface against a dark background.
  • A nude woman is performing a gymnastic move on gymnastic rings, with her body stretched in a wide stance and arms extended overhead holding the rings. The photo is in black and white.
  • Wet Plate Collodion photograph of a nude woman lying on her side on a rug, wearing a white lace robe. She has long hair, and her eyes are closed with one hand resting on her head and the other on her thigh.
  • A smiling woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat, with eyes closed and surrounded by flowers.
  • Nude woman standing against a white circle spotlight on blue background, casting a shadow on the wall.
  • An elderly woman with gray hair, wearing a pearl necklace, with arms extended, posing against a black background.
  • Black and white photo of a topless woman with a blindfold and bunny ears mask, standing in an industrial-style room with large windows and shadows on the floor.
  • Wet Plate Collodion photograph of a seated nude woman with a cloth draped over her head and body, posed with her right arm extended downward and her right leg bent, sitting on a chair.
  • A black and white photo of a nude woman with long hair, squatting on a rock in an outdoor, rocky landscape, with one hand on her head and her eyes closed.
  • A wet plate collodion photograph of an elderly woman wearing a large sun hat, holding a bouquet of flowers, and smiling softly.
  • A person in a dance pose, wearing a sleeveless outfit, performing a graceful move with one arm extended and one leg bent.
  • A wet plate collodion photograph of a nude person with their body contorted, balanced on a large rock or similar object, with long hair covering part of their face and a textured background.
  • Black and white photo of an elderly woman with a frail, slightly curved body, sitting with her knees drawn to her chest, her head resting on her arms, and her eyes closed against a black background.
  • wet plate collodion photo of a woman smoking
  • A nude woman curled up on a windowsill in a fetal position, looking at the camera with a contemplative expression, with curtains and a blurred outdoor landscape in the background.
  • Black and white photograph of a nude woman with wavy hair, standing against a plain background, with her arms raised and holding a fluffy towel behind her head.
  • A woman lying on her side on a bed outdoors, stretching with her back arched and face resting on a pillow inside a makeshift tent made of fabric and branches.
  • A young woman with dark hair and tan skin, sitting nude, holds a large fish to her chest, with a serious expression on her face. The background is filled with stacked wooden planks.
  • A black and white photo of a young woman standing topless in a bedroom, with her eyes closed and hand covering part of her face, showing tattoos on her arm and side, and a somewhat distressed expression.
  • A black and white photo of a nude woman seated on a small stool, with her head tilted back and her arms behind her head, posing against a dark background.
  • Black and white photograph of a topless young woman sitting on patterned textiles with foliage or floral backdrop.
  • A black-and-white portrait of a young woman with curly hair, sitting nude, with visible tears on her face and a contemplative expression.
  • Black and white photo of a nude woman with long hair reclining on a pile of wreckage and debris in an industrial or construction site.
  • A nude woman crouches on a fallen tree in a wooded outdoor setting, surrounded by trees and leaves.
  • A nude woman with gray hair standing on one leg in an abandoned, dilapidated building with exposed brick and decaying walls.
  • A woman dressed in sheer, flowing nightwear standing in front of a mirror, illuminated by warm light, in a warmly decorated room.
  • Black and white portrait of a woman with tousled hair, partially obscuring her face, wearing a leather jacket, with her shoulder and nipple visible in the foreground.
  • Portrait of mature woman with long gray hair, resting her chin on her hand, sitting at a white table, with glasses placed in front of her, against a plain neutral background.
  • Back view of a seated woman with tousled hair, showing her bare back and shoulders in black and white.

The Craft

  • The wet plate collodion process, from pouring to final fix

  • Working with large format cameras, antique lenses, and natural light

  • Salt printing and albumen printing (in selected workshops)

  • Navigating analogue and digital workflows, if desired

The Intimate Portrait

  • Posing and photographing the human form with sensitivity and care

  • Building trust and creative rapport with your model

  • Reading light, form, and emotion in real time

The Practice

  • Slowing your process — learning to frame with intention

  • Embracing imperfection, unpredictability, and the handmade

  • Creating images that are technically grounded yet emotionally resonant

These workshops are more than technique, they’re about discovering a way of seeing, working, and connecting that’s deeply personal and richly rewarding. Across your time here, you’ll explore:

What Will You Learn

Why Choose This Workshop

Because time slows here.
Because connection matters.
Because creativity is born from place.

This intimate, one-to-one workshop invites you into slow collaboration with local muses, women of character, grace, and individuality. Together, using rare cameras and historic processes, you’ll make plates that feel honest and alive.

Your time includes quiet studio space, gentle tuition, fine materials, and the possibility of working outdoors beneath the southern light. With nourishing food, flexible guidance, and space to shape your own creative path, this is photography as it once was: patient, present, deeply rewarding.

What’s Included

  • Accommodation (private en-suite rooms)

  • All meals: breakfast, delicious seasonal lunches, and three-course dinners with wine

  • Three full workshop days of instruction and guidance with John

  • Daily photographic sessions including still life, portrait, and figure work

  • All materials for wet plate collodion and printing processes

  • Use of large format and vintage cameras, lenses, and studio equipment

  • Full access to darkroom facilities

  • Professional model (intimate portrait and art nude sessions)

  • Transportation for local excursions during the workshop

  • A PDF guide with practical tips and preparatory notes before arrival

What’s Not Included

  • Flights and transfers

  • Personal travel or health insurance

  • Additional drinks or snacks outside of meals

  • Optional extras (e.g. private mentoring before/after the workshop, prints made post-stay)

Every creative journey begins with a first step. Drop us a line, ask a question, or just say hello.

We’d love to hear from you and help shape an experience that feels just right.