Many participants return to our Italian workshops a second or third (even a fifth!) time. We take evaluations seriously and appreciate the great ideas suggested by the talented photographers who have joined us through the years. Our goal is for you to have a terrific time and to learn a lot.
Below are some samples of recent evaluations submitted anonymously by participants in the workshops we offer on Lake Como and in Venice for the International Center of Photography.
“Everything!”
“First of all the workshop was extraordinary—the breadth of material covered was remarkable—although I have considerable photographic experience, I learned something new everyday.”
“I loved every minute of this workshop. As a first-time photography student and DSLR user, every bit of information was invaluable. I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
“The instruction. The people. The enthusiasm. And complete access to the instructors… and the complete bliss of Italy. Much fun!!”
“I loved the exposure to a variety of places in the Como area—each had its own personality.”
“George was absolutely great. His depth of knowledge in Photography & Lightroom allows him to instruct a wide range of information…He was very generous in his time & concern for all participants.”
“Varenna! And the Villa Cipressi!”
“I could not believe my good fortune in getting access to someone with specialized knowledge—who had been behind the curtain at Adobe. For me, George is the Olympic ski instructor of LightRoom and all things photography.”
“It's impossible to isolate one thing among the following: Italy, ...learning new elegant software, practicing my Fellini Italian, meeting new people and enjoying the camaraderie, acquiring and learning to use a high-end DSLR, watching and learning from George in the field and the classroom, the food...”
“Three things: I learned a lot; I got professional feedback on my work; and the setting was dreamlike in its beauty. The whole experience of this workshop was exciting and pleasurable beyond my expectations—which were considerable to begin with.”
“The patience and attention of the faculty, the well planned program and the amount of information covered in such a short time span.”
“Simply extraordinary! Excellent progression of skills and technique. Very comprehensive. The instructors were very helpful and also a lot of fun.”
“I was extremely happy with the diverse instructors. I've never experienced that anywhere. I loved the individual assignments.”
“Receiving a group critique was unnerving and yet so incredibly helpful. Where else can you get such focused, non-biased input? Amazing.”
“George Jardine is clearly a complete master of Lightroom.”
“I am glad there was room in this workshop for people of such diverse backgrounds.”
“The location is incredible.”
“I can't emphasize enough how much I got out of this workshop.”
“The workshop instruction staff is top notch.”
“The viewpoints and knowledge of all three (faculty members) complemented each other beautifully, and enriched our learning.”
“I enjoyed the serious and companionable photographers.”
“We really did get to explore a beautiful, visually inspiring place far from home.”
“Holly created a supportive and inspiring atmosphere.”
“I loved the split of time between field trips and classroom work.”
“The diversity of staff and students.”
“The setting, enthusiasm of participants, the expertise of the staff.”
“The varied places that Holly took us to were all fascinating and fun to photograph.”
“This is a must do life experience and I'm so glad I did it. I loved it all.”
“Extremely well.”
“The instructor provided excellent advance information, written workflows, stimulating excursions, and a very enjoyable dinner finale. I have art direction experience and I could see someone put a lot of thought and attention to detail into this effort.”
“Good balance of lectures, hands-on equipment training, and time for shooting.”
“I loved the mix of class time and excursions. I really feel I accomplished so much in just ten days. I want to come back. I can't believe how energetic I feel.”
“Like they've been doing it for years with great success.”
“Very well organized!”
“Well organized and ever changing — as should be — according to the weather and needs of the participants.”
“We never had to wait for the instructors. Every time I came to class early to use the internet, the instructors were already there.”
“Each class session and every assignment contributed to student progress. If it rained, there was always a Plan B. But most people loved shooting in the rain anyway. The wet colors were so intense.”
“I appreciated the itinerary schedule printouts, the workflow PDFs, and the visual introductions to various techniques.”
“Even though the photographic and computer literacy levels among the students varied, Holly and her team kept everyone together. I was impressed.”