Gather & Capture

A Creative Photography Retreat in the Heart of the Scenic Rim
For photographers who crave calm, creativity, and connection

📍 Lumière Farmhouse, Scenic Rim QLD
📅 2025 July 12, 8am – July 13, 5pm | 🎟️ Limited to 8 guests
📸 Led by The McHoldens

 

✨ Overview:

Take a breath. Step away from the scroll. Pick up your camera and come back to what you love.

Gather & Capture is a slow-paced, soul-filled photography retreat in the Scenic Rim, designed to help you reconnect with your creativity in the most beautiful way. Over two thoughtfully curated days, you’ll learn to work with natural light, master your camera with confidence, and capture honest, story-rich images—all without pressure or perfectionism.

Set along a winding dirt road, nestled among rolling hills and wispy grass, Lumière Farmhouse offers the kind of quiet that lets you see clearly again. Between golden hour shoots, local wine, and fireside chats, you’ll find space to pause, play, and shoot from the heart.

You might also meet Martha, the resident miniature dachshund (equal parts muse and mischief), or a few of the free-ranging chickens who roam the property like they own the place.

📸 What You’ll Learn:

• Manual camera settings (ISO, shutter speed, aperture) made simple
• How to use natural light—from golden hour to moody indoor corners
• Composition that tells a story
• Candid and movement photography with real soul
• Light editing with intention using Lightroom

Includes a printed workbook to keep notes and techniques at your fingertips.

🏡 Where You’ll Stay:

Hosted at the beautifully restored Lumière Farmhouse, a warm and character-filled retreat space, styled with natural materials and gentle textures. You’ll sleep soundly, eat delicious local meals, and soak in views from every angle—including the mango tree, paddocks, and the surrounding long grass that glows at sunset.

Choose from:

• Queen Room with Private Ensuite (loo with a view)

• Queen Room with Shared Bathroom

• Twin-Share Sunroom with pallet beds with shared bathroom

• Velma the Vintageish Caravan – retro charm + epic views with shared bathroom

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🔥 Evening by the Fire

As the sun dips behind the hills, we’ll gather by the indoor fireplace or outdoor fire pit for relaxed conversations, creative reflections, and a good laugh under the stars.

👥 Meet Your Hosts – The McHoldens

Suzanne McCorkell is a holistic interior stylist and lifestyle photographer with a talent for creating calm, meaningful spaces—and capturing the magic within them. Her approach is intuitive, slow, and soul-led. Her style? Effortless, grounded, and deeply human.

Tony Holden brings over 35 years of photography experience, including teaching, mentoring, and professional portraiture. Known for his practical wisdom and approachable style, Tony makes the technical side of photography feel accessible, empowering, and fun.

Together, they are The McHoldens—a creative couple with a shared love of storytelling, honest beauty, and helping others feel confident with a camera in their hands.

✨Itinerary:

🗓️ Day 1: Saturday 12 July

8:00am – Arrival & Welcome Morning Tea
Settle in at Lumière Farmhouse with coffee, baked treats, and a warm welcome from The McHoldens. Say hello to fellow guests, Martha the dachshund, and maybe a chicken or two.

8:30am – Retreat Introduction & What to Expect
Overview of the retreat, workbook walkthrough, and a friendly Q&A. Light-hearted but practical. We’ll set a supportive tone for the weekend ahead.

8:45am – Photography Essentials

What tools are in our hands? We will start with some basics – aperture, shutter speed and ISO- the Exposure Triangle. Guided by Tony with real-life examples around the farmhouse.

9:45am– It’s all about the light

Let’s look at light – how do we see it, what colour it is, when it changes, and how our brain differs from our camera sensor when it comes to capturing light. When do we want to take images, and why is the time so important?

11.00am – Creative Composition & Storytelling with Your Camera
Learn how to frame, lead the eye, and capture scenes with intention—not just aesthetics.

12:30pm – Farmhouse-Style Lunch
Enjoy a wholesome shared lunch made with local produce, served with relaxed conversation and Scenic Rim views.

1:30pm – Practical Shooting Session: Still Life & Storytelling
Photograph styled scenes using props, food, flora, and everyday objects. We’ll explore light, angles, and capturing real-life moments.

3:00pm – People as Subjects: Capturing Connection Through the Lens

This theory-based session focuses on how to photograph people in a way that feels natural, flattering, and real. Whether you’re capturing a loved one, a client, or a spontaneous moment, we’ll explore the art of building trust and confidence—both yours and theirs.

4.00pm – Sunset Glow Landscape Scenes
We’ll head for the hills for low-light landscape practice, capturing the Scenic Rim vistas in all its magic.

6:00pm – Dinner & Fireside Wine Tasting
Gather by the firepit or indoor fireplace for a hearty seasonal dinner paired with boutique Scenic Rim wines. Conversations flow, laughter is welcome, and cameras are never far away.

8:00pm – Unplug & Unwind
Feel free to keep shooting by candlelight or retreat to your room for rest. The night is yours.

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🗓️ Day 2: Sunday 13 July

6.00am – Sunrise & Soft Light Shooting Session (Optional)
For early risers, capture the misty light as it moves through the trees and paddocks, or for the more adventurous, travel to Wyaralong Dam and its wonderful forest of dead trees rising from the cold waters.

8:00am – Country Breakfast
Fuel up with warm pastries, fruit, local eggs, and your morning brew before we dive in.

9:00am – Photographing People Naturally
From gentle portrait prompts to candid moments—learn how to capture people with authenticity and ease, whether for personal storytelling or client work.

10:30am – Editing With Intention (Lightroom)
A relaxed walkthrough of editing basics using Lightroom to enhance your images without losing their honesty. Bring your laptop or device (optional)

12:30pm – Lunch & Free Time
A final shared meal and time to relax, wander the garden, and prepare for your final session.

2:30pm – Your Story in 5 Frames: Guided Creative Project
You’ll be guided to capture a short series of images that tell a story—whether it’s a feeling, a place, or a small moment. This is where it all comes together.

4.00pm – Group Sharing & Takeaways
Optional sharing circle to show your story series, reflect on your weekend, and talk about what comes next. Tea and cake included, always.

5:00pm – Farewell & Final Frames
Say goodbye to Lumière Farmhouse, new friends, and your retreat hosts—hopefully with a full heart and a full memory card.

💛 What’s Included:

• 2 full days of expert photography guidance
• All meals and snacks (locally sourced + lovingly prepared)
• Scenic Rim wine tasting
• Printed workbook for note-taking and exercises
• A blissful night’s accommodation at Lumière Farmhouse
• Fireside connection and relaxed conversation
• Quiet moments, wild views, and soulful shooting locations

🎯 This Retreat Is For You If

• You love photography but need a confidence boost
• You’re craving beauty, simplicity, and a reset
• You’re ready to learn without pressure—and shoot from the heart

🛎️ Ready to Join Us?

Spots are limited to 8 guests to keep the experience personal, relaxed, and deeply creative.

Bring your camera. Come with an open heart. Leave with full memory cards and even fuller memories.