Well that was a blast! Finally I have time to sit & write about our fantastic adventure at the home of Graphistudio; the worlds leading wedding album designers & manufacturers.

An iphone snap! of the castle after a visit to the local restaurant …… With the power back on!! ;o)

I have used Graphistudio for many years knowing their quality is second to none & the best way I can present my work. I have never visited the factory where my albums are made, nor the castle (which is a worldwide training facility put together for friends of Graphistudio) Both Kevin Wilson & myself have been strong advocates of the brand & saw this as a wonderful opportunity to share our combined 70 years experience in photography. We have presented many seminars & workshops over the years for industry leaders; however nothing I believe will ever come close to this.

Our group of 12 delegates were collected in Venice upon which we drove to the heart of the business where the magic happens. The factory is Huge!! Technology, design & a love for their product can only be experienced by making that journey & seeing for yourself. I can now appreciate the vision of its CEO Tullio Tramontina, an astonishing commitment to our art.

We would also like to thank the fabulous UK team lead by the charismatic & top chap Jeremy Price. Both him & Chris Woods were tremendous hosts. We cant thankyou enough for your help in putting this together. From simply driving the mini buses through extreme weather to introducing us to the fantastic food & wine of the region. This included a gastronomic delight at San Daniele the makers of the finest Prosciutto ham in the World.

Both Kevin & I had planned our workshops to include practical & theory classes. What we did’nt account for was the extreme weather perhaps best seen on the link below

https://www.facebook.com/cnninternational/videos/161946358093838/?t=33

Continuous torrential rain & high wind wreaked havoc in the mountain villages of the Veneto region. The flooding traveled some one & half hours away flooding Venice & Marco Polo square. Oh heavens the designer shops!! However the real devastation was all around us. Some 300, 000 trees were felled. People were without water, power lines were down & roads were blocked by landslides & fallen trees. The castle I am happy to say is still standing but we were without power for three days until we could finally get a generator up to the castle.

Our ten British delegates & two Americans were very understanding & we carried on regardless perhaps making the workshop an ever more intimate learning experience.

My classes were based around composition & psychology. I did have one day however when the rain gave me the opportunity to make the images below. I find that when I am teaching I am not too concerned with my image making as I am simply demonstrating my methods. I also strongly believe that real wedding photography is created at weddings alone. That said as wedding photographers you owe it to yourselves to invest your time in quality training. This is a game changer & can set you apart. Just like musicians we have to strive to take our art to new levels. My daughter Verity modeled along with my good friend Kieran Bonniface, doubling as our tekkie. Kevin took full advantage doing what only he does best producing the most beautiful image I have ever seen & bringing me to tears in the process!

We would like to thank Exquisite Bridal Couture & Cocoa Couture for the loan of their stunning gowns & once again to all the staff at Graphistudio; you’re the best!

STOP PRESS! We are delighted to announce a K&S workshop for 2019 at Castello Ceconi …

Dates for our return are 26th - 30th August 2019. Details will follow shortly but to reserve your place please contact juliewilson1@hotmail.co.uk Places will be limited to ensure quality time & a personal approach from us …

So here are a few creations from me that I made in relation to my theory classes …

Enjoy! & please leave a comment below

withHugZx, Simon