I am at a stage in my life where whatever I do, it needs to be heartfelt, authentic, simple, joyful, and designed to delight.
— Carla Coulson
Welcome to
Storyteller
Photography Salon
Inspired by the tradition of the great artists' salons where for centuries the alchemy of the unknown came to life, artists, writers, poets, musicians, and thinkers came together to exchange ideas. To share unfinished work, challenge one another's perspectives and find inspiration in the company of kindred spirits.
STORYTELLER is our invitation to join us to rediscover the power of gathering, conversation and meaningful creative connection designed around your needs, wants and desires in some of my favourite places in the world.
Bring your artistic story to life
No one else has lived your life, seen your sunrises and sunsets, has your memories, experiences, curiosity, obsessions, heartbreaks, joys, and the extraordinary collection of ordinary moments that have shaped the way you see the world; they are uniquely yours.
We believe that, in the age of AI, your greatest creative gift is the artistic stories you carry and how to language them in photography.
Come with your photographs, your unfinished projects, your frustrations, your dreams, your questions, and your curiosity.
Perhaps you have an unfinished project waiting for your attention, hundreds of photographs you don't know what to do with, or an idea you've been carrying for years but haven't found the courage or structure to bring to life.
Four days and five nights to reconnect with your creativity in a beautiful setting dedicated to inspire you.
The Storyteller Photography Salon Experience
Why a Salon?
There was a time when some of the most exciting and original ideas in art, literature and culture weren't born in classrooms, conferences, or institutions.
They came to life where there was time and space to think, to question, for the unknown to arise, to experiment, to be heard and to belong.
We believe it's time to bring a little of that spirit back.
Through intimate group conversations and one-on-one mentoring, we will be helping you discover what it means to see the world more fully as yourself.
In a handpicked group, we will witness the alchemy and magic of the unknown come to life.
- We won't be teaching you to see the world like us. We'll be helping you discover what it means to see the world more fully as yourself. And we will see the alchemy of a handpicked group and the magic of the unknown that will come to life.
- With just six participants, everyone has a place at the table.
- Everyone has a voice.
- Everyone has a unique vision, an artistic story worth exploring.
- Four days. Five nights. Six Photographers. A new way of seeing.
- Storyteller Photographic Salons are devoted to you and where you are at in photography and where you want to go.
Our days will have a gentle rhythm, with a loose structure that allows us to take care of your individual needs and leaves space for spontaneity.
Balancing meaningful mentoring, group conversations, image-making, creative exploration and time for yourself to take photographs, rest, relax, contemplate, eat, sleep and connect in a beautiful environment.
Space for unexpected discoveries, long conversations and the sharing of thoughts, knowledge, resources and ideas that need time to unfold.
We'll also encourage you to create your own personal narrative of the place we're in, seen through your eyes, as we move through the days.
What's in store for you
ARRIVAL EVENING — Where our stories meet
Arrive at our home away from home and settle in
In the evening, we'll gather for drinks and a welcome dinner and the pleasure of finding yourself in a beautiful place, amongst people who share your passion.
This is our chance to meet, share a little of our stories and begin getting to know the people we'll spend the next four days with.
No formal presentations. Just genuine connection and authenticity.
DAY ONE — What Moves You
Morning Group Discussion:
Each participant will bring to the table a project, a selection of photographs of their work and an intention. You'll have the opportunity to talk about where you are in your creative journey and what matters to you.
We begin around the table with one of the most important discussions we can have as creatives.
- What are the things that move you?
- What draws us to certain subjects? Why do some images move us while others leave us cold? What are the themes that keep appearing in our work, perhaps without us even realising?
- Together, we'll begin identifying the ideas, emotions and personal experiences that could become the foundation of a more meaningful body of work.
- The afternoon brings time to explore our environment with fresh eyes, guided by creative prompts that encourage curiosity rather than perfection.
- Time also for one-on-one mentoring session with Loc and Carla
The intention: To begin recognising your unique creative voice, what moves you, the missed opportunities, the things holding you back or frustrating you.
DAY TWO — You Already Have an Artistic Story Worth Telling
Morning Group Discussion:
At the heart of the day is you and your photography. Carla and Loc bringing their individual perspectives, we'll experiment with new ways of seeing, interpreting and responding to the world around us.
- Today is about observation, intuition and the art of meaningful image-making.
- We'll explore how to move beyond the obvious photograph to create images filled with atmosphere, emotion and intention.
- Your most meaningful work doesn't begin with trying to be different. It begins with recognising that you already have an artistic story, what makes you uniquely you, and leaning into a place you may never have dared to go.
- We'll explore the experiences, passions, influences and ways of seeing that shape your photography. Together, we'll look at your images with fresh eyes, uncover recurring themes and help you recognise the artistic voice that may already be emerging.
Afternoon:
- Through dedicated one-on-one mentoring, we'll focus on the areas where you need the most help.
- Whether it's a technical challenge that's holding you back, finding confidence photographing on the streets, developing a personal project or answering those burning questions you've never had the opportunity to ask.
- Whether we're looking through your images together, out taking photographs or working through a creative roadblock, our intention is to meet you where you are and help you move forward.
The intention: To recognise the value of your own artistic voice, overcome what's holding you back and begin creating photographs that feel more personal, intentional and unmistakably yours.
DAY THREE — Bringing Your Artistic Story to Life
A beautiful photograph can sometimes change the way we see a subject, give us insight or provoke us to think differently.
But a meaningful series of photographs can take us somewhere.
Morning Group Discussion:
- Today, we'll explore how individual images come together to tell a story and how to bring greater clarity, purpose and direction to your photographic work.
- We'll look at editing, sequencing, visual rhythm and the creative decisions that give a body of work its own identity.
- What belongs in your story? What can be left out? How do you move beyond a collection of beautiful photographs to create something personal and meaningful?
- Working with your existing images and the photographs you've made during our time together, we'll begin to uncover connections, recurring themes and possibilities you may not have recognised before.
- We'll also explore something many photographers struggle with: knowing how to move a body of work forward, when it's good enough, when to finish it and when to let it go.
- Sometimes the greatest challenge isn't making more photographs. It's recognising the value of what you've already created, trusting your choices and knowing when your work is ready to be shared.
Afternoon:
- There will be dedicated one-to-one mentoring, time for reflection and opportunities to continue making photographs, with the freedom to focus on whatever you most need help with.
The intention: To bring greater clarity and direction to your photography, move beyond the obstacles holding you back and find the confidence to develop, complete or share the work that matters to you.
DAY FOUR — Your Next Chapter
Confidence, clarity and the courage to create the work you truly want to make.
Morning Group Discussion:
Our final day is about bringing everything together, reflecting on what we've discovered and looking towards what comes next.
- How do we find the courage to follow our creative instincts, even when the work we want to make doesn't follow trends or fit anyone else's expectations?
- We'll revisit the photographs you've brought, the discoveries you've made, the challenges you've worked through and the ideas that have begun to take shape.
- Each photographer will have the opportunity to share a selection of work, a new direction or something meaningful they've discovered about themselves and their photography.
- We'll also invite you to present ten of your most powerful images created during our time together.
- We'll talk about what excites you now, what you want to explore next and how to turn that inspiration into something lasting.
- Or perhaps you've simply remembered why you fell in love with photography in the first place
Afternoon:
Through individual mentoring and conversations around the table, we'll explore the practical and emotional steps that can help you move forward.
The intention: A clearer direction. A stronger belief in your own artistic voice. And the confidence to make the work that matters to you.
ONE LAST EVENING TOGETHER
- An evening to share the things that excite us, the moments that moved us, the unexpected discoveries, creative breakthroughs and those wonderful little epiphanies that can change the way we see.
- We'll celebrate the photographs we've made, the questions we've answered, the new possibilities ahead and, perhaps most importantly, the friendships and connections that have grown over our days together.
- Because STORYTELLER isn't only about becoming a better photographer.
- It's about feeling seen, encouraged and inspired by others who understand what it means to create.
And leaving knowing that although our time together has come to an end, your story is only just beginning.
DEPARTURE MORNING — Until Our Stories Meet Again
One last sunrise. One last breakfast.
You'll leave with fresh ideas, a deeper understanding of your work, practical steps for your next project, and the knowledge that you're part of a small community of photographers who understand and support your creative journey.
And perhaps you'll return home seeing the familiar world around you in an entirely new way.
Just six places.
Because we want to know your name, your photographs, your story and what you dream of creating.
We want everyone to have a voice.
We want time for the conversations that matter.
We want you to feel comfortable enough to share your uncertainties, curious enough to experiment and supported enough to take creative risks.
We believe in the extraordinary things that can happen when the right people find themselves in the same room.
And in a world that increasingly asks us to connect through technology, there is something quietly radical about gathering around a table, looking at photographs together and having a real conversation.
Two Mentors. Two Perspectives.
Carla and Loc won't be teaching you to photograph like them. Quite the opposite.
They'll bring their individual experiences, instincts and ways of seeing to help you discover more of what is uniquely yours. And to discover possibilities you may not have considered on your own
They will bring their new personal projects to share along with the group, how they overcame challenges to continue creating when doubts and difficulties set in.
Carla Coulson
Photographer. Author. Storyteller. Mentor.
For more than twenty-five years, Carla has followed her curiosity and her heart through photography, creating a life and body of work shaped by storytelling, beauty, emotion and personal expression.
From her early editorial career photographing for international magazines to her books, fine art photography and deeply personal projects, Carla has continually explored the relationship between the life we live and the images we create.
Her mentoring philosophy is rooted in the belief that our most powerful creative work comes from understanding who we are, what matters to us and what we have to say.
Carla brings not only decades of photographic experience, but a genuine passion for helping others find clarity, confidence and the courage to create work that feels true to them.
Loc Boyle
Photographer. Visual artist. Creative explorer.
Loc's photography invites us to look again.
Through movement, shadow, form, beauty and unexpected visual relationships, his work challenges the familiar and opens the door to new ways of seeing.
There is a playful curiosity and willingness to experiment in his approach, a reminder that photography doesn't always need to explain itself, and that some of the most interesting images begin when we allow ourselves to be surprised.
Loc brings a distinctive visual sensibility to the salon, encouraging experimentation, observation and the freedom to move beyond our habitual ways of making photographs.
Who is The Storyteller Photography Salon for?
Whatever brings you here, we want to hear about it.
- Perhaps you've reached a point where your photography feels stuck.
- You have an unfinished project, hundreds of images on a hard drive, a bunch of unrelated photos that you don’t understand what connects them or how to move forward.
- You can’t understand why you have all these ideas and they simply remain ideas.
- Perhaps you're technically accomplished but something is missing. The photos feel boring or you are uninspired to keep taking them the way you currently do.
- Maybe you are in a photography business and burned out and want to rediscover your passion and reason why you got into photography in the first place.
- You may be great at landscapes and want to grow, push yourselves into a new area.
- You may have an artistic story you've wanted to tell for years, but don't know where to begin.
- Or perhaps you want to step out of the ‘echo chamber’ of trying to figure it all out on your own and long to be surrounded by people who understand how much photography matters to you.
- And to give yourself the rare gift of four days devoted to your creativity.
What you'll take home
We don't promise that four days will change everything.
But we believe four days of focused attention, meaningful mentoring and creative connection can change the way you approach your photography and free you from where you may find yourself now.
Our intention is that you leave with:
- A deeper understanding of your personal photographic voice and the stories you want to tell.
- Fresh ideas for a new project or renewed direction for work you've already begun.
- Greater confidence in your instincts, your perspective and the value of what you create.
- Practical guidance from two experienced photographers who have taken the time to understand your individual needs and a creative salon of photographers each with their own unique point of view
- New ways of observing, editing and creating meaningful images.
- A personal creative roadmap to help you turn inspiration into action.
- A small circle of creative connections and friendships that can continue long after Venice.
- Resources, new skills and new found clarity
- A mini project of place
- Joy, friendship, passion and knowledge
Most importantly, we hope you leave with the desire to pick up your camera and create the work that only you can make.
Locations
MUDGEE, AUSTRALIA
January 2027
Lesvos, Greece
February 2027
VENICE, ITALY
November 2027
