Workshops and shoot opportunities in 2026

7-11 September 2026

Advanced Portraiture Workshop – Sicily, Italy

By popular demand from participants in my 2023, 2024, and 2025 workshops, I’ll be running another Italian workshop in 2026. The returning group has chosen 14–18 September for their event.

I’ll also be offering a second workshop the previous week, 7–11 September, which is now open for pre-registration.

If you’d like early access, just let me know you’re interested, and I’ll notify you as soon as bookings open—typically 48 hours before the event is announced on social media or to my mailing list. This is likely to be on 24 April 2026, when I have returned from the recce.

I took these photographs at recent workshops in Italy. It represents the principal style I will recreate in Sicily.

Review by email from a recent workshop in Italy

I’ve been taking photos for decades and had nearly ten years in professional fashion and sports photography, so when I thought about attending Damien’s Orvieto workshop, the first thing that came to mind was, “what more can I learn to improve the photographs I love to do -fashion and sports – especially with the very disadvantageous exchange rate between Aussie dollar and Euro?” In short, I was cautiously doubtful about going. But I went anyway.

I learned a completely new dimension to photography, and lighting in particular; I learned to spend far more time setting up an image and far less time editing the usual thousands I used to take; I learned camera techniques I never had any concept were possible, and I learned that self education, whether for fun or business is not about cost – it’s about value, and I have never received more value for money from a course on any topic than I did from Damien’s Orvieto experience.

And by the way, the amazing beauty of the residential venue, the open friendliness of the people with whom you’ll share the time and the sheer photographic perfection of the shooting locations – not to mention the extraordinary beauty, skill and professionalism of the models, justified the price several times over. Getting a cover shot of one of the workshop models on a French fashion magazine a short time after the workshop, was the perfect icing on the cake.

This is a workshop not to be missed, run by a master photographer with inexhaustible knowledge and energy for his students. This is a bucket list item for every lover of taking beautiful photographs. Do yourself a favour…ENROL!. You won’t regret it.

ALAN PATCHING

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