Creative Photography Retreat
An immersive photographic retreat in the Southern Cévennes hills, France.
Led by Lou Sayers and Wendy Bagnall
25–30 April 2027
5 nights · 4 full days of photography tuition and creative exploration
£2,750 per person · Maximum 5 participants
Explore
Intentional camera movement · Multiple exposures · Layered image-making
Included
5 nights accommodation · All meals · 4 days tuition
Arrival
Montpellier Airport or Montpellier Sud de France train station · approximately 1 hour 20 minutes · complimentary transfer
Only five places available
Not quite ready to book?
If you have any questions about the retreat, we'd love to hear from you.
The Retreat
We are delighted to invite you to join us for a small-group creative photography retreat in the Cévennes. Over four full days, Wendy Bagnall and I will share our complementary approaches to photography, exploring landscape, light and creative expression, with time to experiment, reflect and develop your own ideas.
We will experiment with creative techniques including intentional camera movement, in-camera multiple exposures, and the layering and refinement of images using Adobe Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop. Rather than using these simply as effects, we will consider how they can help us respond more interestingly to place, light and the passage of time.
The Cévennes
The Cévennes National Park, part of the UNESCO-listed Causses and Cévennes cultural landscape, is a landscape of ancient chestnut forests, stone terraces, granite ridges and shifting light. One of the least populated regions in France, it remains a place of remarkable tranquillity, where traditional landscapes and ways of life have endured over centuries.
From vast open views to intimate details in woodland, gardens and old stone villages, the area offers endless possibilities for creative photography.
It is a landscape shaped by time, where curiosity and patience are rewarded.
The Location
Our home for the retreat will be Château Zen, nestled in the southern Cévennes beside the spectacular Gorges de la Vis. With sweeping views across the gorge and over the village of Madières, this renovated 11th-century castle is steeped in history and character.
April brings fresh green valleys, wildflowers and orchids on the hillsides and a rushing river running through the gorge. It is a particularly beautiful time to explore and photograph the landscape.
There will also be time to rest and reflect, allowing ideas to settle and creativity to unfold. Back at the château, the heated swimming pool, hot tub, hammam and sauna offer the chance to unwind, recharge and simply enjoy the surroundings.
Our approach
During the retreat we will explore:
Creative responses to the landscape
Working with movement, light, and perception
Multiple exposures and in-camera experimentation
Layered image-making in Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop*
Developing a more personal visual language
These techniques are tools rather than ends in themselves, helping you slow down, observe more closely and respond to the landscape in your own way.
*To fully benefit from this workshop, you will need to bring your own laptop with Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop
A Small Group Experience
A maximum of five participants allows for individual attention, meaningful conversation and an unhurried approach to creative exploration.
About us
Wendy Bagnall
Wendy is a photographer and teacher whose work explores the relationship between landscape, light and perception. Through her use of texture and form, she creates images that express an intuitive and emotional response to the natural world.
Her work has been exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, London, and the Toronto Photography Exhibition.
Lou Sayers
Lou is a nature photographer whose work is rooted in long-term observation of the Cévennes landscape. Through photography, she explores ideas of transformation, time and place, developing an intimate relationship with the changing seasons and rhythms of the natural world.
Her work has been exhibited at the RHS Botanical Art and Photography Exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in 2026 and at A Smith Gallery, Texas.
The workshop offers a supportive and encouraging environment where photographers at different stages of their journey can explore new approaches, experiment with ideas and develop their own creative expression.
What is included
Five-night, four-day immersive photography retreat, 25–30 April 2027
Price: £2,750 per person
The retreat includes:
Accommodation
Five nights at Château Zen
Accommodation is provided in deluxe double en-suite rooms on a single occupancy basis.
Food & Drink
All meals are included:
Breakfast, lunch and dinner freshly prepared on site
Wine with dinner
Photography Tuition
Four full days of photography tuition in the landscape
Hands-on guidance and creative exploration in the field
Editing and post-processing using Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop
Image review sessions
Transport
Complimentary transfer between Montpellier Airport or Montpellier Sud de France train station and Château Zen (approximately 1 hour 20 minutes)
Transport to and from workshop locations during the retreat
Not Included
Travel between your home destination and Montpellier Airport or Montpellier Sud de France train station
Personal camera insurance
Personal travel insurance (strongly recommended to protect you before and during your trip)
Who this is for
This workshop is for photographers who are interested in:
Moving beyond purely technical image-making
Developing a more intuitive and individual approach to photography
Engaging deeply with landscape and a sense of place
Exploring creative processes including intentional camera movement and multiple exposures
No prior experience with these techniques is required. What matters most is curiosity, openness and a willingness to experiment.
