Photographers Business Retreat

Northumberland Retreat

A Focused Two-Day Retreat for Photographers Ready to Get Clear and Move Forward.

Breathing space, supportive guidance & clear thinking designed to help you make confident, considered decisions about your photography business.

Two days in Northumberland, with the space

and quiet you need to think clearly again.

23rd – 25th February in Northumberland

Limited numbers available!

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Most photographers aren’t short on brilliant ideas.

Creatives have SO many ideas!

They’re short on space.

Space to step back.

Space to think clearly.

Space to make decisions without the constant pull of noise, advice, and comparison.

When everything is happening at once, even simple choices start to feel heavier than they should.

You keep things open.

You delay committing.

Not because you don’t care, but because you don't know what to focus on first.

This retreat exists to slow that cycle down.

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This Retreat Is...

Two focused days of real business conversations

This is a two-day, in-person business retreat for photographers, with a clear structure and a defined agenda - but delivered in a way that leaves room for thought, discussion, and individual context.

Arrive 23rd February for drinks and meal and then two days of business strategy, afternoon tea and a beautiful work locally. You also have the option to book any extra nights you want to stay too.

Across the two days, Jeff and Emma will lead sessions around the real building blocks of a sustainable, confident photography business, the things most photographers know matter, but rarely get the space to work through properly.

They’ll cover topics like positioning, pricing, authority, visibility, income, platforms, and long-term stability, looking at how those pieces actually work together, rather than treating them as isolated tactics.

Some sessions will be led.

Some will be discussion-based.

Some will be practical, others more strategic.

Nothing is delivered as a one-size-fits-all model. The agenda gives us focus; the small group gives us flexibility.

The aim isn’t to leave with a head full of ideas.

It’s to leave with clearer thinking, stronger decisions, and a plan that feels considered, not rushed, noisy, or borrowed from someone else.

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From Uncertainty to a Clear, Workable Plan

You’ll leave Northumberland with:

• A clear sense of direction

• A realistic plan you can actually work from

• Next steps that feel settled, not tentative

• A calmer head when it comes to your business

No exaggeration.

No fluff.

Just something solid you can act on.

WHO IT’S FOR

This retreat is for you if…

• You take your photography seriously

• You’re no longer figuring out the basics

• You care about doing things properly

• You’re tired of revisiting the same decisions

• You value clarity over constant action

You don’t want another course.

You want space, guidance, and time to think properly.

WHO IT’S NOT FOR

This retreat isn’t the right fit if…

• You want a formula to copy

• You’re still dabbling casually

• You want hype, hustle, or quick wins

• You prefer staying busy over getting clear

This is a quiet, thoughtful space, by design.

If you’re looking for energy and urgency, this isn’t the right room.

MEET YOUR HOSTS

EMMA DUNHAM

Emma Dunham is a multi-award-winning food photographer, mentor, and educator with over 20 years’ experience as a professional photographer.

She specialises in food and drink imagery that goes beyond aesthetics, combining photography with an understanding of psychology, emotion, and brand storytelling to help businesses attract the right customers and photographers build meaningful, sustainable careers.

Emma has been placed or shortlisted in the World Food Photography Awards (formerly Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year) for five consecutive years and is a two-time Winner in the Professional Category of the London Photography Awards (2024 and 2025). She has also received multiple Gold, Silver, and Bronze awards, including Commercial Food Photographer of the Year, South of England.

She is the founder of the Food Photography Academy, supporting photographers internationally, and the author of the best-selling Savvy Food Photography Diary, now in its fourth year. Emma is a regular speaker at The Photography & Video Show and The Societies Convention, and delivers workshops, retreats, and masterclasses across the UK and abroad.

Known for her straight-talking, down-to-earth teaching style, Emma helps photographers get focused, build confidence in their decisions, and create work that feels intentional rather than reactive both creatively and commercially.

JEFF BROWN

Jeff Brown is an international photography business mentor, best-selling author, public speaker, and President of the British Institute of Professional Photography.

A former Royal Navy photographer, Jeff went on to build and run four highly successful photography businesses before shifting his focus to mentoring photographers worldwide. He now works with photographers in over 20 countries, across all genres, helping them build stronger brands, clearer direction, and more sustainable businesses.

Jeff is known for his straight-talking, practical approach to business. His work centres on goal setting, brand message, consistency, and building an online presence that actually converts — particularly through website strategy, content, and LinkedIn. He is also at the forefront of teaching how photographers can adapt to changes in Google search, including AI and AEO-driven results.

He has written four internationally best-selling photography business books, recently published his first travel book, and regularly writes for photography magazines and associations. Jeff is an ambassador for OM System, The British Photography Awards, Studio Ninja, The Societies of Photographers, and is the UK and US Brand Ambassador for The Shutter Studio App.

Jeff lives in Northumberland, England, and when he’s not working with photographers, you’ll usually find him travelling, outdoors, or on a motorbike.

WHY THIS RETREAT WORKS AND WHY WE RUN IT TOGETHER

This retreat works because it brings together two different but complementary ways of thinking about photography as a business.

Jeff brings deep experience in business structure, positioning, authority, and long-term strategy. He’s spent years helping photographers step out of reactive decision-making and build businesses that are clear, intentional, and sustainable.

Emma brings the creative, commercial, and psychological side of the work. How your imagery is perceived. How food and visual storytelling influence behaviour. How confidence, clarity, and creative direction show up in real-world client work and marketing.

Together, we sit at the intersection of strategy and creativity.

Not theory versus practice.

Not art versus business.

But how the two actually work together day to day.

That balance is what makes this retreat different. Decisions aren’t made in isolation. Strategy is grounded in creative reality, and creative ambition is shaped by commercial sense.

Between us, we challenge assumptions, ask better questions, and help you see your business more clearly, so the decisions you make during the retreat aren’t borrowed from someone else’s model, but genuinely yours.

This isn’t about being told what to do.

It’s about having the right perspectives in the room to help you decide what makes sense and move forward with confidence.

THIS IS WHERE WE WILL SPEND OUR TIME

We’ll be staying at The Queens Head, located in Rothbury, a small Northumberland market town, tucked into the Coquet Valley and surrounded by open countryside and walking trails.

The accommodation is a welcoming Northumberland pub with rooms, offering comfortable bedrooms, a relaxed atmosphere, and shared spaces that lend themselves to good conversation.

The location makes it easy to step straight into a beautiful walk, giving you time to unpack what

you’ve worked through. There’s also space set aside for a relaxed afternoon tea, offering a

quieter moment to pause, reflect, and let things settle.

Evenings are cosy and informal.

Each evening, we’ll have dinner together in the pub, think welcoming, warm, and easy. There’s

no expectation to do anything else. Some people may choose to step out for a short walk

on their own or with others to clear their head, while others might stay put.

Everything is close by, unrushed, and simple with good food, comfortable surroundings, and

a decent selection of drinks on tap. It’s an easy way to wind down and let

the day’s thinking settle, without needing to be “on”.

TREAT 1

Afternoon Tea

At the Running Fox our outing features sandwiches, scones, and a choice of pie or quiche, served in a relaxed, welcoming setting. It’s a generous, unhurried moment in the day, time to sit, talk, and reflect on what you’ve been working through, without rushing or moving straight to the next thing.

TREAT 2

Cragside

We will spend time at Cragside, an expansive Northumberland estate known for its gardens, quiet paths, and sense of scale. It’s time away from tables and notebooks, with space to walk, think, and let ideas settle naturally, without rushing or needing to fill the silence.

BOOKING

We ONLY have limited space to book for the retreat!

It will be a small informal group working alongside Emma & Jeff

DOUBLE ROOM

1 PHOTOGRAPHER

£449

Per Person

or

£225

per month x2

**Prices for partners or sharing rooms

on request

The price includes:

✅ Bed & Breakfast

✅ Lunch

✅ Evening Meals

✅ Welcome drinks

✅ Tea & Coffee

✅ All tuition and sessions

This price does not include:

❌ Travel or transport to the venue

❌ Alcoholic drinks with meals

(You can bring food, drink and snacks with you)

BOOK ME ON

WHAT YOU’LL WALK AWAY WITH

A clear, workable business strategy

A plan you understand & trust

Defined priorities and next steps

A greater confidence in your judgement

Fewer decisions left hanging in the background

Momentum that comes from clarity, not pressure

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WHERE IS IT?

The hotel, is below....