Your Photography Teacher

Wilbert is a Dutch born photographer and teacher for 25 years, who lives and works in the eminently photogenic french Auvergne region. Having lived and worked in Italy, Morocco and France, he is fluent in Dutch, English, French, German and Italian.

In 2005 he settled down with his french wife and children in the Natural Reserve of Livradois-Forez. This volcanic region abounds with gorgeous landscapes, romantic medieval ruins, and mysterious forests. With its gorgeous light it's a little known photographers paradise.

As a professional mariage, portrait and industrial photographer Wilbert works in digital. Privately he is also an accomplished large format Black & White photographer, and a master of the traditional darkroom. He has written many photographic articles for printed and online media. As co-founder of "PhotoCrack", and founder of the "Dutch APUG", he has been coaching photographers online since 2001.

Every year during the holiday season, he organises a few 5-day photography courses. To guarantee quality teaching he only accepts a limites amount of participants. The rest of the year he also teaches short photo workshops on demand for amateurs and professionals.

Choosing a Workshop

Beginners, advanced and professional photographers can find a Phot-O-Vergne workshop

Beginners

You are very welcome. Even if you always shoot in "automatic" camera mode. The beginners specials are conceived for you. Within five days, you learn all necessary basic photography techniques. The first day you will free yourself of the "Automatic Mode". You learn how your camera works. How to produce creative effects with your camera controls. Recognising subjects and exploiting every weather condition. Each following photo workshop day, we practice one or two techniques on different photogenic subjects. Landscapes, architecture, macro photography, studio portraits, etc. All you need to bring is a camera with manual mode (even most quality compact cameras have that), your camera manual, and a happy attitude.

If the dates suit you better, you are welcome too at the advanced photography workshops. Thanks to the small groups you can get personal teaching and exercises at your own level of competence.

Advanced photographers

You are expected to know basic camera techniques like aperture, speed, depth of field, focal lengths, white balance, histograms etc.

To boost your photographic skills please tell me the things you want to learn. I will teach you technical skills, best professional practices and the trics of the trade.

Professional Coaching

If photography is your (future) business, consider a coaching workshop. With no more than 3 participants, the workshop will be entirely tailormade to your personal needs. For more information and a free price estimate read more.

Photo Critique

During the photography course you submit your images for comment. Photo critique is not a competition, and your photo teacher is not a judge. He is trained in giving you honest constructive comments to help you grow in photographic technique and vision.

Photo critique is about improving on your work. It is not about being the best. So don't be shy. Bring both your best and your most problematic images to the workshop. Bring examples of photographs you would like to make, froms books or magazines. And learn as much as you can.

Paper prints are easiest to view in a group. But you are free to show images on your laptop too.

Theory Teaching

Phot-O-Vergne practices a hands-on approach to photo theory. We take pride in explaining complex subjects in the simplest possible way. After morning instruction you practice what you learned with personalised challenges. Further theory  will evolve from real problems you encounter during the photo shoot.

Maximum Groupe Size

To guarantee quality teaching time, Phot-O-Vergne workshops are limited to 6 participants. Masterclasses and coaching workshops sometimes take only 3. Coaching contains a lot of individual teaching time.

Languages

Depending on participants, instructions are given in English, French, German, Italian and Dutch.

The language(s) of guest teachers will be clearly indicated in the photo workshop descriptions. Wilbert can translate most of the time, but be sure you at least understand the guest teachers language sufficiently to follow the workshop.

In doubt, please contact us before you subscribe to a workshop.

Transportation

You arrive in the Auvergne on your own means. Phot-O-Vergne is situated at 25 km from the A75 motorway. Clermont-Ferrand and Issoire have railway stations with direct trains from Paris. Clermont-Ferrand has an international airport "Aulnat" with regular flights on all european capitals. Phot-O-Vergne can pick you up from either the railway station or the airport.

By car

• From CALAIS : 9 hours by motorway via Paris
• From PARIS : 4 hours on the A71/A75 motorway via Clermont-Ferrand to Issoire, then 25 mins on local roads
• From CLERMONT-FERRAND : 50 mins. (A75/D996/D999)
• From SAIN-ETIENNE : 75 mins by local roads via St Bonnet le Chateau
• From LYON : 2 hours, via motorway to St Etienne, Thiers, Billom, Saint Dier d'Auvergne.
• From RODEZ : 2.5 hours, via Brioude and Laval-sur-Doulon.
• From LE PUY EN VELAY : 60 mins via La Chaise Dieu, Saint Alyre d'Arlanc.

By rail

London to Paris Eurostar (approx 2:30 hrs) then SNCF via Clermont-Ferrand to Issoire (approx 4.5 hrs) or TGV to Lyon and railcar to Le Puy en Velay (approx 4.5 hrs)

By air

From Stansted, Gatwick, Heathrow and other UK airports by Air France, British Airways, Easyjet, BMI and Ryanair to Clermont-Ferrand.

Car Hire

Economy cars can be hired from the airport at a cost of around 30 Euros per day.

Transportation during the workshops is included. If you propose to transport other participants during the workshop, Phot-O-Vergne will take care of your petrol costs.