PHOTOGRAPHY HOLIDAYS IN FRANCE

When the chance arose to take part in a photography course Mairi was organising in the Dordogne, it was just too good an opportunity to miss. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every minute!  Mairi is not just an excellent photographer; she is a patient, knowledgeable and generous teacher, who taught us all so much, from the most basic of photography skills, to the finer details of composition, editing and cropping, all done in the most beautiful of settings. The week’s course was perfectly pitched in terms of time in the classroom, learning new skills and techniques along with the use of photo editing tools, time out on photo shoots, visiting some beautiful parts of the Dordogne, and fun social times too! All in all in was an absolutely first rate experience. I would have no hesitation in recommending  Mairi’s photography holidays to photographers of any level of experience!

Karen M. France, Spring 2019

This is the second photography course that I have had the pleasure of attending with Mairi, the first was in Bahrain where she helped me choose my camera then patiently and expertly showed me how to get the best from it. The second was in the Dordogne where I spent a wonderful week relearning previous skills and learning new ones and being able to put these into practice on our daily excursions into the beautiful and inspirational countryside was fun.
On returning to our fabulous accommodation at Les Charmes de Carlucet we spent time understanding editing techniques and applying them to our photographs. Mairi's knowledge and creative eye inspired me to really look at the photograph I was taking, hopefully resulting in a more interesting and technically correct picture.
This week has enabled me to spend quality time with my camera away from distractions , with a lovely group of people over some great food in wonderful surroundings.
I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending this course and hopefully I may get the chance to do a third with Mairi in the not too distant future.

Dawn. France, Spring 2019

Photography course in a fantastic location in an incredibly comfortable and quiet home.

Review of Les Charmes de Carlucet

Our delightful hosts, Kerry and Tomas were in attendance to our every need during our stay for the photography week from taking us to our various location shoots to feeding us superbly presented dishes accompanied by delicious wine. Whatever we could possibly need was attended to. Hope to get back again in the future.

A huge thank you to Mairi Thomas for her guidance, patience and understanding with us girls on the photography tuition. We all had a super time with good food, good wine and lots of laughs along the way.

I have just completed my second course with Mairi, this time held in the beautiful Dordogne region, in France.  It was a superb opportunity to brush up on my photography; to relearn aspects I had forgotten as well as to extend my skills further.  It was great fun to be with a small group of enthusiastic photographers, and to take photographs in stunning settings. Mairi is a superb teacher - spending time explaining theoretical concepts simply (with great examples) and then guiding her students in the field.  Back in the classroom, editing sessions were very useful -  learning new Photoshop techniques from Mairi, as well as sharing ideas and experiences with the other students.  The course was based in a magnificent manor house; a wonderful setting that made the week even more memorable. 

Lynne G

WORKSHOPS

Mairi’s enthusiasm for photography is infectious and she freely shares her professional knowledge and creative ideas. I came away from each lesson with a greater understanding of composition as well as how to use my camera more effectively. Having the opportunity to go “into the field” with Mairi was fantastic.  I learnt a great deal from all the stunning examples of her photography which she shared with us in the lessons, but putting these skills into practice with Mairi there to help and offer suggestions was the highlight of the course.  It was also fun!  I was so impressed by Mairi’s ability to adapt the lessons to the varying levels of competency in the group.   A superb course which I would recommend without hesitation.

Lynne G

When I was introduced to Mairi and learned of her photography classes, I jumped at the opportunity to enroll.  I am a painter and work in my studio from reference photos and wanted to enhance my technical skills.  Mairi explained the mechanical camera details and taught theory in understandable chunks of information.  I loved the photo walks and the homework assignments where we practiced our newfound knowledge.  Yes, I am that student who is usually seeking my teacher’s approval!  Mairi’s expertise, along with her gentle and fun-loving spirit made for a great learning environment.  I subsequently took an additional photography class from Mairi and hired her for a portrait for my website.  She rates 5+ stars in my opinion!

Laura Williams

FAMILY & PROFESSIONAL

We have bought large and small photographs from Mairi over the years that she has taken from her adventures near and far. We have gifted some to special people for weddings, birthdays and those who just admire talent. We asked her to photograph our 3 year old daughter's party, knowing that she was a skilled photographer, but we could never have guessed how she managed to capture the spirit of the individual children and the total joy of that afternoon. These photos not only look splendid on our walls but transport us back to all the feelings of a wonderful day!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  This lady has skill, passion and a huge heart.

Gill and Neil Purves. Bahrain 2017