Why would I work with you?
I like to encourage, challenge and inspire photographers, not offer stand here shoot this or worse, stand behind me and take a picture when I have done mine!!!
Bamboo, Cornwall
Bamboo fascinates, whenever I see it I always pause and look closely at the rhythm and order, do you find fascination in your subjects?
Hello,
It is a beautiful sunny afternoon here in Cornwall and the weather is set fair for the next week or so.
I am not the best at promoting what I do or the workshops I offer, so this is sitting outside my comfort zone.
I have a couple of spaces left on my Cabilla Rainforest Retreat due to last minute cancellations.
The details are below but I thought I would take this opportunity to let you into the world of a workshop with me.
The price of most of my workshops includes accommodation and three meals each day, plus cake and what would a workshop be without cake?!
The only thing you need to find is your way to Cornwall, I will pick you up from the railways station or Newquay airport. Did you know by air Cornwall is only an hour from London and Edinburgh?
In terms of photography I offer as much support as you need, I am at your disposal from first thing in the morning until after dinner.
The reason I offer location based retreats rather than workshops is because I believe that you will produce your best when the pressure is off. By pressure I mean the pressure to perform in a short time window as locations are crammed into an itinerary that offers a lot but often leaves people exhausted and feeling like they have been rushed through locations. The pace of my retreats is slow, you are free to come and go at your leisure, if you want a lie in have one, you won’t miss anything! If you don’t want to come back for lunch stay out - the time is yours to step away from your busy life and allow the creativity that lurks inside you to be born into reality.
Being in one location allows to explore, the see the changes that happen over a period of time, to become part of the subject but also to tune into the whole experience.
I talk about mindful photography alot, you can’t be mindful if you are rushing around with your hair on fire worrying that you have missed something. My workshops allow you to enjoy tuning all of your senses into and as a result have a richer photographic experience.
I have been a professional photographer working at the top of the industry for 30+ years, I have experience in every genre of the craft and the technical knowledge to help you find your way to working simply and quietly.
The history of photography is important to me and I believe it helps people learn how to be photographers today, using inspiration not slavishly copying but being courageous in their art and trusting in their creativity. I happily share my thoughts on photographers who might help inspire you.
The most important aspect of photography for me is seeing, I will help you understand the process of seeing and from that believing in your unique vision, not seeking external validation of the work you produce but building self confidence in your work.
One thing you will rarely see is me behind my camera, I will make photographs with my phone but I leave my photography to my private time not yours. I hear so many stories from clients about photographers leading workshops and prioritising their own images over their clients - not on my watch.
As most of my retreats draw to a close I encourage clients to make a sewn book of their images from our time together. I think this is an important part of the process because photographs aren’t photographs until they are printed. If you want people to engage with your work hand them a print or a book you have made, they will spend longer with your images thand they would on any social media platforms!
I hope that the people I work with head home feeling creatively satisfied, but also that they are rested, refreshed and have eaten well, and that they will come again.
Here are my next two offerings.
Cabilla - The Rainforest Retreat
The Rainforest Retreat, Cornwall, 5th to 9th May 2025
Walking around the gentle undulating footpaths of Cabilla on Wednesday I was struck by the beauty of the new growth appearing on the trees and pushing through the undergrowth, even the lichen on the trees seems to be changing.
Cabilla is a special place, one of the few remaining areas of Britain’s temperate rainforest . Pockets still exist along the west coast of Wales, north Devon and Dartmoor as well as western Scotland. Britain’s temperate rainforests hold more biodiversity and a greater diversity of life than almost any other terrestrial habitat on our islands. It is incredible to witness the variety of species that inhabit the 300 acres of Cabilla. Merlin Hanbury-Tenison who owns Cabilla is in the process of setting up a research station within the rainforest to work with scientists and universities to help restore, not only Cabilla, but other rainforests around the UK - The Thousand Year Trust is a very forward looking charity, Merlin has already started replanting the Sessile Oaks and Birches that are needed to expand the rainforest at Cabilla.
What does a rainforest offer photographers?
The chance to unpick the chaos of nature, especially as spring takes hold when the new growth is uncurling, making beautiful shapes as it twists towards the sunlight. The magical light filters through the lichen and mosses giving everything a green glow, the calming atmosphere is backed by the soundtrack of the river running through the valley where it tumbles and races over a series of mini waterfalls and rapids with ferns lining the banks. There are a number of wild bathing spots too!
Over the time at Cabilla we will explore texture, light, chaos using photography, bark rubbing and the written word to express how this experience moves us, by the time you leave you will have a wonderful printed, hand-stitched book to remind you of the time you paused in a temperate rainforest.
I am also sharing some of my creative ideas to extend your photography in this collaboration with Adrian and Clea Beasley
Creative Techniques with Adrian and Clea Beasley 2-5 June 2025
After a very successful sold-out debut in Summer 24, we invite you to join us for three and a half days full of creative explorations in photography and beyond!
We will be using the studio facilities, resources and equipment available at Adrian and Clea’s home in Bideford to dip into a range of creative experiences. Over the course of the workshop, you will work with each of us for 2 half day sessions and a combined session during the afternoon of the final day. Paul, Adrian and Clea will each lead 2 different activities, working with groups of 2 people at a time, allowing you to rotate between 6 different learning experiences during the week. We hope that this will give you a taster of some of the arts, crafts that the 3 of us have been enjoying recently!
The sessions are likely to include a Pinsta session, Eco Printing, Wet Cyanotype, Photo weave, Gel Plate Printing and Digital Creative Processes. Clea will include Eco Printing as one of her activities, but we may alter the mix of other techniques as we are all continually exploring new creative directions.
On the final afternoon, we will all work together as you pull together all your creative work from the week into a ‘container’ to preserve and protect your masterpieces!
Workshop Location
The workshop will be held at Kingsdown house, Bideford, the home of Adrian and Clea.
Accommodation & Meals
You will be staying at the lovley Hoops Inn & Country Hotel, Horns cross, Nr Clovelly, Bideford, EX39 5DL
You are booked for 3-Nights B&B in a double room on a single occupancy basis
All breakfasts and snack lunches are included
Included in the Workshop
Tuition: You will have 6 half day sessions spread across 3 days in a group of 2
Materials: All materials are provided
Transport: You will be collected and returned to your hotel each day.
Not Included in the Workshop
Evening meals
Alcoholic drinks
Transport to and from the workshop is not included (but transport during the workshop is included)
Travel Insurance
Equipment Insurance - please make sure you are adequately insured for loss or damage to your equipment
Arrival and Departures
Please note that we will be working on the afternoon of the first day, so please make sure you arrive in time at the hotel where we will make an introduction and transport you to our workplace.
Day 1: Clients to arrive at the Hoops Inn Hotel by 1pm
Day 4 The workshop finishes at 4pm on the last day
Thank you for your time
Best wishes
Paul
The retreats I am offering for 2025 are as follows:
The Rainforest Retreat, Cornwall, 5th to 9th May 2025
Last Two Places
Join me in the temperate rainforest of Cabilla - one of the few areas of temperate rainforest left in Britain. The magical forest is filled with twisted oaks, ferns and lichen, a creative jungle, we will explore making prints and rubbings of trees as well as making hand sewn photobooks.
Erth Cornwall Mindful Photography Retreat, 27- 31st October 2025
Erth is special place sitting in the curve of a river just inside Cornwall. It is a place where time slows down and you can decompress by exploring your creativity and leave with a handmade book
Cornwall Boconnoc Mindful Photography Retreat, 3rd to 7th November 2025
The grounds of Boconnoc in south east Cornwall are a treasure trove for photographers, the house is surrounded by ancient deer park and magnificent trees, a meandering river winds through the grounds passing the saw mill all have a multitude of visual treats.
Collaborative Workshops
Together with Adrian and Clea Beasley I am running a number of creative photography and bookbinding for photographers workshops. We only have a couple of places left on these all inclusive workshops.
Explore Creative Image making North Devon 2nd -5th June 2025
This is our second exploration of creative techniques for image making. Myself Adrian and Clea like to push the boundaries of our equipment and imaginations in this workshop designed to inspire you to think out of the traditional box.
Over the three years while working with you, Paul, whether on site or on zoom I have grown into myself as a person and as a photographer. I am looking forward to the experience in the rain forest … forests are not my comfort zone but trust you to help me feel safe, to see and to have fun as I try to make photographs of my experience .