Storyteller
October 9-13 2023, in the village of Goult, Provence.
with
Lean Timms | Yago Bruna | Doreen Kilfeather
Hosted by Ruth Ribeaucourt
Food & Styling by Jeni Glasgow
& Special Guests Ale Vidal, Aimee Twigger & Louise Pascal
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Key Masterclasses
In October ‘23 we hosted a 5-day all-inclusive retreat with a focus on storytelling through photography…
Transportive Visual Storytelling
Lean Timms led a very special class focussed on transportive storytelling, guiding and empowering our guests with the tools to build their very personal framework so they could go on to tell their own stories through their very unique and beautiful lenses.
It was a glorious celebration of ‘faces, places, and spaces’.
Finding the light
Doreen Kilfeather led a workshop aimed at opening up and guiding guests to look for the light and learn how to use it in their photography. Doreen took us behind her very personal process for preparing for a shoot, talking about her choice of equipment, light, composition and connecting with her subject(s).
The heart of Doreen’s workshop was about emotionally-connected storytelling and self-expression through photography. Together you will explore what it means to create a meaningful piece of work.
Softening the edges of comfort
Yago Bruna hosted an equal parts playful and challenging workshop encouraging everyone to step outside their visual storytelling comfort zone.
Yago was a joy to collaborate with and encouraged everyone to play with light, movement, angles, subjects, film-making… and technology.
Jeni Glasgow
Irish cook & creative, Jeni Glasgow, will create simple feasts & seasonal lunches to nourish & delight. Her food and style is relaxed, informal, playful and delicious. Expect a little whimsy, a tangle of wildflowers and candle-lit moments to savour.
Photo credit Doreen Kilfeather
Ruth Ribeaucourt
Photographer, creative director and editor-in-chief of FAIRE magazine, Ruth will lead insightful discussions on the world of magazine editorial: how to seek exposure and pitch your stories; how to cultivate links, relationships and collaborations; advice on what to be aware of; and how to keep your story current with the world media.
Who is this retreat for?
This retreat is perfect for anyone who is interested in creating lifestyle, interiors and food photography but also suitable for creatives with an interest in writing, travel and cooking. Perhaps you’re a small business owner and you’d love to learn the skills to create your own creative content with a clear and distinctive, very personal visual narrative…
Maybe you’re a small business owner wanting to improve how you create content and weave visual stories for your business or brand on social media.
This would also be a great learning experience for artists and craftspeople who would like to learn how to shoot their work and creative spaces and importantly how to get it in front of future customers and press.
Or maybe you’re an experienced photographer who would love to push themselves outside your normal comfort zones or perhaps you want to learn how to go about shooting and writing your own book (and getting it in front of publishers) or getting your work published in print magazines?
What to expect:
The goal is to empower you with the tools to tell your own stories in your very personal way. You will not spend hours in front of powerpoint presentations but you’ll be guided in a very hands-on way through real-life experiences.
Workshops will rotate in small groups (5 guests per group max) with plentiful practical workshop time PLUS creative sessions about writing and editing content for editorial; the business of editorial photography; with discussions on how to weave your personal creative story into an original voice and harness the power of storytelling, across social media platforms and the press.
For more experienced photographers we will encourage you to explore a personal project/dream/goal during these 5 days and our team of mentors will be on hand to help make it happen!
Open to photographers of all levels.
For beginners, Ruth Ribeaucourt will lead an introductory class on basic camera settings to capture beautiful photos, harnessing natural light, ideally getting everyone shooting on manual mode for the retreat. We’ll talk about the effects of internal camera settings such as shutter speed, aperture, and ISO on your images.
Preliminary schedule
Storyteller workshop October 9-13, Goult Provence
Monday 9 October
12h30 Group transfer from Avignon TGV Train station to the retreat house in Goult.
14h00 Welcome apero
15h00 Introduction with all of our creative mentors and team followed by one one-on-ones
18h00 FREE TIME for guests
19h00 Dinner at the Bastide
Tuesday 10 October
7h00 Breakfast at the Bastide
8h00 Ruth: Refresh / Beginners 101 (if needed)
9h00-11h00
Private atelier visit with a craftsperson (details tbc closer to date)
One on ones
12h15 Lunch at the Bastide
14h30 Transfer to the Medieval village of Bonnieux where we can explore and use this incredible historic backdrop for our first rotating small group masterclasses.
18h30 Supper party in a hallowed 12th-century Templar dwelling which is the home and showroom of an international textile artist, Joanna Staniskis.
Wednesday 11 October
8h00 Breakfast at the Bastide
9h00 Transfer to the village of Menerbes to visit the home and atelier of French artist Christine Ferrer
12h00 Lunch
14h30 Rotating Small Group masterclasses
Photography masterclass 1: Lean Timms
Photography masterclass 2: Yago Bruna
Photography masterclass 3: Doreen Kilfeather
17h00 Return to Bastide
17h30 Guests FREE TIME
18h30 Pre-dinner cocktail
19h00 Mediterranean supper party at the house
Thursday 12 October
8h00 Breakfast at the Bastide
8h00 Transfer to Isle sur la Sorgue
8h40 TBC Visit home of antiques dealer
11h00 Appointment at an off-the-beaten-track antique textile emporium
12h00 Lunch Isle sur la Sorgue
13h45 Transfer to the village of Menerbes
14h30 Spend the afternoon shooting & creating at one of the most important private 18th-century homes in Menerbes
14h30 Small Group masterclasses
17h30 FREE TIME to explore Menerbes
19h00 Cocktail Apero
19h00 Pre-dinner Cocktails
19h30 Dinner at Hotel Tingry house in Menerbes
Friday 13 October
7h00 Breakfast at the Bastide
8h15 Depart for one of the most beautiful traditional Provençal open-air markets
9h00 Morning spent exploring the market and village. Plenty of time to shoot spaces, places and faces.
12h00 Lunch at a private home (Meet the owners of Chateau Fontvert winemakers Fabrice Monod and his wife Corinne Stagen)
14h30 Return to the Bastide
15h00 Editing workshop. Q & A session with mentors group session - editing their top 5 pics from the retreat.
17h30 Finish up & pack
18h30 Group transfer to Avignon train station. (TGV train from Avignon TGV to Paris Gare de Lyon at 19h58, arrives Paris 22h38)
These details will be fully confirmed closer to the date and atelier visits are subject to change based on artist availability.
Meet our team of mentors
Yago Bruna
Yago Bruna is a versatile, multidisciplinary, passionate self-taught photographer who lives in Barcelona, Spain.
After a successful and long career working as a creative director for various advertising agencies, Yago decided to turn his focus full-time to photography. In the years since, he has gone on to work with national and international brands and his talent has been recognised in many publications such as VOGUE, Vanitatis, Elle, CN Traveller, and Hola magazine.
He describes his signature style as characterised by, ‘thoughtful composition, simplicity, a unique colour treatment, a love of natural light, and a quest for emotion with every shot’. His versatility is apparent in the diversity of his portfolio which encompasses many different areas of photography including travel, fashion, weddings, lifestyle, portraiture, and still life.
In addition to his photographic work, Yago is an experienced and much-loved photography teacher and he openly and generously teaches his secrets and self-taught tricks to mastering natural light and storytelling through photography.
Lean Timms
Lean Timms is an Australian travel and lifestyle photographer who works across editorial, commercial and publishing fields.
Lean is ‘forever exploring and full of curiosity for this world’. Her greatest love is to discover and document inspiring places and stories. Lean’s approach to photography is driven by natural light, in situ spontaneity, storytelling, sharing and capturing a genuine sense of place.
Lean is currently based on Ngunnawal and Ngambri Country, Canberra Australia, however her work takes her worldwide.
Doreen Kilfeather
Doreen Kilfeather is a photographer based in Dublin, specialising in portrait and documentary photography.
“Elements I am drawn to are youth, humour, melancholy, vulnerability, beauty and simplicity. My portraits often feature children and young adults and I strive to portray not necessarily a picture of what the subject looks like at a certain point in time, but rather a sense of who they are. The depiction of character may be plain and clear or elusive and puzzling. But it must be there. That evanescent element that reveals the subject as well as the moment.” Doreen Kilfeather
Testimonials from past retreats
Costs:
OFFICIALLY
SOLD OUT
You can pay by either International bank transfer or Wise transfer. Paypal on request*.
A non-refundable deposit of 50% is required to hold your place.
Should you wish to pay in two installments please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Location & Accommodation:
Our base for the retreat is an early 1800s, Napoleonic-era Provençal farmhouse which has been beautifully restored. The property is within walking distance of the village of Goult which is in the heart of the Luberon Valley in Provence, South of France. It is a very comfortable home with wonderful gardens, and its own private heated swimming pool.
All bed linen and towels are provided.
What is included:
Five days (Four nights) stay in the very beautiful village of Goult in the Luberon valley of Provence, South of France.
All of your meals (including refreshments/wine) for the duration of the retreat - including 2-3 very special supper feasts.
All of the individual workshops and any necessary materials (except cameras which you must provide yourself)
Transport to and from Avignon TGV train station. One group transfer is organised.
Your transport to and from excursions and classes is included.
All towels and linens are provided.
What is not included:
Your travel to and from Avignon TGV train station to retreat.
Obligatory travel insurance.
As for the connection, we will be organising one group transfer from Avignon train station at 12 noon and a return transfer to arrive at Avignon train station for 18h00. Many of our French Muse guests choose to fly in the night before our retreats and spend a day exploring the vibrant city of Marseille.
f.a.q
Payment Plan:
You can pay either by International Bank transfer or Wise transfer. Please contact us if you prefer paypal.
Final payment is due by 9 August 2023 (8 weeks prior to retreat).
Change of Plans:
Note: In the unfortunate event that a mentor is unable to attend, Faire magazine will offer an alternative course of equal standard and quality.
Previous Retreats:
If you wish to check out the retreats that we have previously organised (pre-pandemic) - please visit:
Cancellation Policy:
Unfortunately due to the nature of this retreat we are unable to offer refunds should you need to later cancel. If you wish to find a replacement then your place can go to them but we cannot refund any payments made. We will do our best to advertise and try and fill the place for you but cannot guarantee success in filling your place at late notice.
Comprehensive travel insurance is now compulsory - and will ensure peace of mind and mean that you are covered fully for sickness, accident, or loss/damage of your personal property (cameras/laptops etc) during your trip.
General Questions
We would advise you to bring your DSLR camera and/or Iphone to participate in workshops. If you wish to bring your tripod then great, we will have two Manfrotto tripods available for everyone to use/experiment with.
Software: We will email with a list of apps / helpful software closer to the date but it would be a good idea if you wish to learn editing to install Adobe Lightroom on your laptop to get the most out of our editing workshop.
For any other questions you might have don’t hesitate to drop me a line!