Brighton, England – May 2024
Some things you plan carefully for months and they still exceed every expectation.
The first (and only) Camera Chameleons Photography Retreat was one of those things.
What Was Camera Chameleons?
Camera Chameleons was a photography retreat concept that Natalie Robinson and I created together – built around the idea that photographers grow best when they’re immersed in creativity, community and genuine encouragement rather than just technique.
We wanted to create something that felt more like spending a few days with brilliant, like-minded friends than attending a formal workshop. A shared house in Brighton. Portfolio reviews. Creative play sessions. A photo walk through the city’s famous street art. A live brand shoot. Real conversations about what it means to build a photography business you actually love.
We only ran it once. And we’re both so proud of what it was.
The Retreat – What We Got Up To
We based ourselves in a beautiful quirky house in Brighton – the kind of place that immediately puts people at ease and creates a warmth that a hotel conference room never could.
Over the course of the retreat we covered:
A live brand shoot at Village BN3 – giving attendees the chance to watch a real brand session in action and understand what goes into creating a gallery from start to finish.
Portfolio reviews – honest, encouraging, individual feedback on everyone’s work to help them understand what’s working and where their natural strengths lie.
Creative play sessions – experimenting with techniques, prisms, light and movement in a space where nothing was too experimental and everything was worth trying.
A photo walk through Brighton – shooting headshots against the city’s famous street art, practising what we’d discussed in real locations with real light.
A “Fund It” talk – practical ideas for monetising your photography at every stage, however small your current portfolio.
Vision boarding and direction-setting – helping each attendee get clear on what they actually wanted their photography to become.
And woven through all of it: connection. Real, genuine, lasting connection between a group of photographers who arrived as strangers and left as friends.
What Our Chameleons Said
“I’ve come home feeling refreshed, inspired and keen to try new things. I hope we get to do it all over again!”
— Louise
“The retreat was so much more than I expected. It has definitely helped my creative rut as well as giving me hundreds of new ideas. Since the retreat I’ve felt like a little ball of energy – I really have changed my perspective on what it means to be creative.”
— Rachel
“Bex and Natalie exceeded all my expectations. I came away with a newfound confidence and belief in my abilities. More things seem possible, and I feel empowered to pursue my passion with renewed vigour.”
— Kate Ainger
“I’d lost sight of what truly lights me up. Camera Chameleons gave it back to me and now I have a plan.”
— Jo
“You will come back motivated, see the world in so much more colour and have a cheering squad of fellow retreaters and teachers that you’ve actually met!”
— Grace
A Few Photos From the Week
And a few images taken by our students:
Will There Be Another One?
Due to personal circumstances, Natalie and I aren’t able to run Camera Chameleons again for the time being. But we’re both incredibly proud of what we created – and the WhatsApp group from that first retreat is still very much alive, which tells you everything about the community it built.
If you’re a photographer looking for a retreat experience, Kirsty Hamilton and I are now running Wanderlust Photography Workshops in Paris – a different experience but the same spirit of creativity, community and pushing yourself somewhere beautiful.
And if you’d like one-to-one mentoring from me – whether you’re a photographer looking to develop your work or a business owner wanting to understand your visual brand better – I’d love to hear from you.
