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Welcome to the Studio Lavalette website! Opening in 2013, Studio Lavalette will be the destination for all that's best in residential photography holiday courses and workshops in France.

Whatever your photographic experience, here you can spend a few days relaxing and with a qualified pro at your side, learn how to take even better digital photographs and make great images. You deserve a break, so why not come along, be inspired and do something you love!

From 2013 we will be offering fun and informative photography holiday courses and weekend in France. These are tailor-made for the:

• Photo HERO is for photo-enthusiasts – whatever your choice of camera or your ability, we get you from zero to hero in 5 days or less. Follow this link to the Photo HERO page.

• Photo PRO is for advanced and creative photographers – push the boundaries and get even more from your camera and software. Follow this link to the Photo PRO page.

• Photo MAESTRO is for image editors – learn how to tame Lightroom, Elements and Photoshop and get them to do what you want. Follow this link to the Photo MAESTRO page.

There will also be a range of specialist Photo EXPO weekend workshops. These will cover: studio lighting; portrait photography; art nude; printing and presenting your work; black and white image processing; creative image-editing and lots more.... Follow this link to the Photo EXPO page.

Irrespective of your level, we have a photography holiday workshop or course that is right for you. And all our courses take place in a first-class, purpose-built media studio set in the heart of the picturesque and medieval town of Villebois Lavalette, in South West France.

Studio Lavalette's workshops and photography holiday courses will be given in English.

About
Contact Info
AddressStudio Lavalette
4 Venelle des Ursulines
Villebois Lavalette
Charente
16320
France
Daytime phone+44 (0) 1223 871168
E-mailsend message
Web sitewww.studiolavalette.com
Until the Studio has been renovated and refurbished, we are currently based in the UK. So if you have an enquiry about one of our photography courses or workshops and want to chat, please use our UK phone number, as above, or send us an email.

Thanks!
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What we will offer
Opening in 2013, Studio Lavalette will be offering a seriously fun learning environment to deliver hands-on practical digital photography courses and workshops - whilst taking a well-earned holiday, we want you to get the best from both your digital camera and your image editing software.

We are based in the wonderful picturesque and historic town of Villebois Lavalette, in the Charente region of South West France. And throughout the year we'll be giving a variety of photography courses and workshops that are both highly enjoyable and very focused. Whatever photography course or workshop you choose, our primary objective is to ensure that you leave here inspired and motivated by what you can do with your camera and software, as well as being uplifted by the experience.

Studio Lavalette's photography courses and workshops will be run by Don McCrae who has a considerable background in digital photography and understanding of its related software.

Who we are
Don McCrae LRPS
Don has been a photographer for over 10 years and holds the Licentiate Distinction awarded by the Royal Photographic Society. He was a co-founder of, and ran Fo2pix, a business that developed and sold a variety of Photoshop plug-ins, (under the name buZZ), as well as standalone image editing applications, such as the PhotoArtMaster series and ArtMasterPro.

Whilst at Fo2PiX, he wrote the 53,000-word ArtMasterPro User Guide and worked with Kodak, Epson, Wacom, HP, FujiHunt, ACD Systems and Toshiba. He also presented or lectured at Focus-on-Imaging (Birmingham, UK); the Master Photography Association Roadshow (all over the UK); photokina (Germany); PhotoExpo (New York, USA); QVC, a live UK TV shopping channel; RPS Digital Imaging Group; JVH’s Digital Festival (Seattle, USA), as well as numerous other similar events.

In 2010 he co-founded the fast growing and successful office art supply business, Works in Print Ltd., which has sold hundreds of prints of his photography and digital artwork.

What's at Studio Lavalette
Studio Lavalette will be set in the grounds of the Maison du Couvent, probably the oldest house in Villebois Lavalette. The Studio itself, which was previously a barn, will be completely renovated during 2012 and re-designed to suit the needs of 21st century image takers and makers.

The Studio will be on the ground floor and comprise:
  • a portrait studio, complete with Bowens lights; diffusers, beauty dishes and reflectors; an infinity curve; a selection of backdrops; and a variety of props;
  • 4 state-of-the-art computers, (with buckets of RAM), and colour calibrated monitors, each running Photoshop CS5, Photoshop Elements 10.0, Lightroom 4.0 and other imaging-related software and plug-ins;
  • multiple card type readers;
  • each workstation is equipped with a Wacom Intuos tablet and pen;
  • a wide-format Epson 7800 printer with a selection of fine art inkjet papers;
  • a growing collection of books and magazines about photography and photographers; and
  • a selection of digital and film cameras - yes film...from a Diana to a medium format Mamiya.

Elsewhere Studio Lavalette will offer:
  • kitchen, dining area and sitting room;
  • 3 double bedrooms (all en-suite);
  • TV and sitting room;
  • free Wi-fi throughout;
  • a large 15m x 10m heated swimming pool;
  • large veranda/patio area; and
  • parking for 4 cars.

Note: There will be stairs to the bedrooms on the first floor of the Studio as well as stairs up to and in La Maison du Couvent, so regrettably we will not be wheelchair-friendly.