My intent for this retreat was not to just teach technique and editing, but to guide my attendees on a journey of self-reflection, self-worth, and self-love. It was my intention to inspire them in reconnecting with themselves in order to enhance their connection with their craft. I arranged photoshoots and activities with a focus on helping attendees recognize the deepest, most vulnerable parts of themselves, and embrace them.
KASSIE REESE: "I attended Raynie's Heart and Soul retreat at the Bonneville Salt Flats with hopes of gaining experience, new techniques both in shooting and editing as well as getting some amazing content from one of my bucket list destinations. I gained those things and SOOO MUCH MORE!! From the very first moments of arrival I was greeted warmly and welcomed in. All of the girls were so amazing and I truly feel like I gained so many friendships during this experience. I learned from every single person at this retreat in some way. Raynie was always very informative on how she was posing, guiding the models as well as what technical settings could help us achieve great results with the varying lighting situations. During the retreat we were truly challenged with every light scenario possible and the situations that I had feared the most are now the funnest to shoot in with the knowledge I gained during this experience, During our retreat we had IG critiques and editing sessions that have helped me tweak and elevate my craft to a new level. The models she chose for the different shoots were soooo dreamy!!! I am so beyond happy that I chose to invest in this workshop. I cannot say enough positive things about my whole experience and I definitely plan to take part in another retreat held by her!
KRYSTIN BERGSTRESSER: It was nothing short of epic. Raynie truly delivered so much more than I ever expected and we could feel her passion for her art, teaching, and connecting with others. Each shoot was beautifully crafted and there was so much diversity in the content, I'll be over here editing for years, going back to these images. What really made this weekend above and beyond was the group of talented, encouraging, and inspiring women we got to share it with. Our group was not afraid to strip the walls of small talk and get down to being authentic with one another.
Salt Lake City, UT
Heart & Soul
what attendees had to say . . .
Our intent for this retreat was to encourage and inspire the freedom to be bold in your art. We wanted to plan an experience that would assist artists in breaking down walls and expectations in order to produce art that truly speaks to the soul. When deciding on concepts for photoshoots we wanted to push the envelope and create sessions that would feel a little dangerous and a lot sexy. Something that fully contradicted the traditional and "trendy" sessions and became it's own embodiment of art. We pulled inspiration for styling from the culture and beautiful scenery to create something unique that embodied Tulum completely.
SHERRI FARMER: "Raynie, I learned more from you about light, angles, and color theory than I ever have from anyone. Thank you for taking your time - you have the patience of a Saint and encourage people to learn slowly and gently. If no one has told you, this is your superpower and your children are lucky to have you.
Destiny & Raynie - so grateful for this opportunity. Wherever the two of you are hosting together, count me in. Together you had such a powerhouse of experience + knowledge. I couldn't think up a better duo.
LAUREN STOTTS: The Tulum retreat was absolutely magical. Raynie and Destiny took into account every detail from where we stayed (absolutely stunning house) to where we would shoot, meals, and relaxation time because while yes it was a “work trip” we were in an amazing vacation destination and a little break is always welcome. I loved the diversity of the shoots from couples to solo models to an adorable family. I loved getting to know other photographers and bond with them. This retreat was the best thing I’ve done since becoming a photographer. I can’t wait to attend another!!
Tulum, Mx; Hosted with Destiny Morel
Boldly Entangled
what attendees had to say . . .
When planning this journey, Samantha and I knew that we wanted to lead an experience that really evoked emotion and challenged artistic vulnerability. We wanted to have an adventure while also teaching attendees how to infuse emotive storytelling into their sessions. Samantha and I each came up with concepts that were inspired by our chosen locations in order to highlight the amazing scenery but still maintained focus on the intimacy of the session. We both utilized non-traditional styling and included well thought out props and tiny details that were intended to elevate the sessions to create unique art. It was crucial for us to challenge our attendees with a variety of lighting scenarios. We successfully provided conditions such as sunrise light, harsh lighting, indoor natural illumination, sunset golden hour, and indoor low light at night. Our goal was to push our participants beyond their comfort zones, ensuring they left the retreat feeling enriched with a wealth of knowledge.
If you don't already follow Samantha, you definitely should! @samantha.j.photography on Ig to see her amazing work and more from our Minnesota retreat. We will be back again next year.
RACHEL HOLLINGSWORTH: Something I loved from the Shooting for the Shores workshop was that some setups pushed me out of my comfort zone from shooting in harsh light to low light. Thank You Raynie Day Photography and Samantha J Photography.
MARA NAOMI: Thank you for an amazing workshop!
Minnesota retreat hosted with sAMANTHA dELL
Shooting for the Shores
what attendees had to say . . .
WORKSHOPS
+shootouts
past
