Unleashed Workshop 2022 Recap

Created by internationally acclaimed pet photographers Charlotte Reeves and Craig Turner-Bullock, the very first Unleashed Workshop was a winter workshop, held in August 2022 in beautiful Arrowtown, New Zealand.

Over three very full days, we explored our students' current knowledge and skills. We then worked one-on-one with each student to come up with a personalised plan so we could help fill in the gaps!

There was plenty of opportunity for image shares, inspirational chats, creative shoots and editing deep dives.

Amazing locations, delicious food!

We shot at three amazing locations - a braided river (with views of the snow-capped mountains), in the snow up in the mountains with epic views in all directions, and finally in the little village of Arrowtown. Our attendees found these locations so inspirational!

Our little conference room at Millbrook Estate was cozy and well equipped, with no shortage of snacks and a delicious cafe lunch each day. We finished off the workshop with a final dinner out in Arrowtown on the last evening. Our attendees were definitely well-fed!

Unleashed Workshop 2022 was the life changing experience that our attendees had been waiting for!

An exceptional learning opportunity that paved the path for everything that was to come...

This was the experience of everyone who joined us on this, the very first workshop we ran in August (that's winter in the southern hemisphere) in 2022.

Set against the stunning backdrop of wintery Arrowtown, New Zealand, eight students of varying experiences and skills put their trust in us to give them the experience of their lives - and we managed to do just that!

We are Charlotte Reeves and Craig Turner-Bullock, two of the most recognisable faces in the pet photography education sphere, and it is our mission to help everyone become the best pet photographer they possibly can be. With that goal in mind, we created the Unleashed Workshops, the chance for you to work with us in person over three consecutive (and very full!) days, to flex your technical, creative, and stylistic muscles.

"Epic shooting locations, one-on-ones from the best in the business, being around like-minded people, and of course the awesome dogs you get to meet! If you are on the fence about doing an Unleashed Education Workshop... just do it! You will not regret it!"

- Katie Crosse

Shoot one: Shotover Bridge

Our first shoot took place at the site of this 19th Century wooden bridge over a classic New Zealand braided river, surrounded by an array of interesting natural features for us to explore. We spent plenty of time looking for angles that weren't necessarily immediately obvious, to capture a variety of striking images of all of our gorgeous models.

Unleashed Workshops are an unparalleled opportunity to hone your skills with some of the industry's best pet photographers

Have you ever wondered just what it would take to propel your photography to the next level?

Have you been stuck in a creative or technical rut, quite comfortable in your zone, but knowing that you are capable of so much more?

Knowing that there's something else out there, but being aware you simply don't know what you don't know?

Finding the answers to these questions gives us just some of the reasons that people find in-person educational opportunities so fulfilling, and this is why we designed the Unleashed Workshops to provide the answers, clarity, and an unbelievable advancement of every individual's skills.

"We had three beautiful locations in New Zealand and wonderful dog models, enough to work in pairs and really time to get creative. Charlotte and Craig are full of knowledge, you learn so much in these workshops and get to be part of this community of brilliant pet photographers!"

- Rebecca Kostka

Shoot two: Crown Range Summit

Along the highest road in New Zealand, passing between Queenstown and Wanaka, we found ourselves snuggling down inside our warmest clothing as we rolled in the pockets of snow, creating our whimsical wintery scenes. 

As the sun set, bathing us all in glorious golden tones, not one of us would have chosen to be any other place on Earth. 

The joint location scouting and individual guidance paid dividends, as the participants found spot after spot which transported the models from the side of the road into their own magical wonderland, far from the madding crowd.

Three days of living and breathing dog photography

Each of our three days started bright and early, congregating at the beautiful Millbrook Estate at 8am, where we would spend our mornings with classroom sessions and one-to-one experiences, so we could get a solid understanding of where each participant was starting from, and what their individual goals were for the workshop.

We worked on editing skills and had a reveal of each participant's favourite images from the previous day's shoot, always to much delight and wonder as the other students would see how differently each of them had interpreted the same scenes.

After a delicious lunch, we would have a review of the main topics related to our afternoon shoot, before the short journey to the day's location, where we would spend some time scouting and discussing the best angles for shooting, given the lighting on the day.

And then the models - oh, those beautiful models! - would arrive and all the lessons of the day would be put into action, creating the most beautiful portraits of these amazing animals. We worked one-on-one with each participant, as well as in pairs, tailoring our instruction and feedback to each individual's needs for a truly student-centred experience.

By the end of each day, everyone was filled to the brim with new information, with the contented buzz of a job well done, and the fizzing anticipation of what was yet to come...

"I was absolutely buzzing with everything that I learned I could barely sleep. Definitely one of the best experiences I have ever had. Thank you Charlotte and Craig for sharing your knowledge, for your encouragement, for empowering me, and for the most epic memories!"

- Cheryl Halverson

Shoot three: Arrowtown village

Our third and final shoot brought us into picturesque Arrowtown itself. But more valuable than the gold that was once found in the waters of the river from whence it derives its name, were the glittering models who stepped up to show their own true sparkle in front of our cameras.

Being able to include some more urban elements in these images gave us an interesting variety against the more natural features that most of the students were more familiar with.

There is nothing on earth as uplifting as finding "your people"...

... and that is one of the many benefits of joining an in-person workshop. Whether you consider yourself to be an extrovert or an introvert, every single person who joins one of our in-person experiences has an undeniable passion for dog photography that makes conversation with the other participants, and the feeling of being part of a community so, so easy.

On this pet photography adventure, life-long friendships are forged between people from different walks of life and cultures, united by the desire to create magical artwork for dog owners to cherish forever.

From the outset, everyone knows  that they are all part of the same team, that there is no competition, and we are all there to push ourselves, and each other, forwards on our individual journeys. That we are travel companions who will walk alongside and offer a helping hand when needed. We are your people, your family, your tribe.

Join us on our next workshop to find your tribe. We're so excited to welcome you!

"Craig and Charlotte dedicated one-on-one time with each of the participants and see what areas they can help with. I met awesome people and got to photograph a variety of dogs at epic and awesome locations!! I highly recommend going to a workshop like this. "

- Ina Jalil

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