The Summer Photography Loop
Learn. Explore. Create. Repeat.
This is the Summer Photography Loop; it’s your time to pick up the camera and see what happens.
Three months of learning, exploring, creating, and Looping it all back again.
In the studio, out in the wild, and wherever your curiosity leads.
What is The Summer Photography Loop?
The Summer Loop is for anyone who loves making pictures, whether you’re just getting started or you’ve been at it for years.
It’s not a course that talks at you; it’s an experience that moves with you.
Each month we explore a new theme and follow a simple rhythm: learn something new, head out and try it, come back to refine it, then share what you’ve made.
You’ll build real skills and confidence as you go, without pressure or jargon. Use whatever you shoot with – phone, film, or digital – and discover new ways to see the world through your own lens.
By the end of summer, you’ll have a handful of photographs you love, a few prints you’re proud of, and a creative rhythm you can keep looping long after the season’s done.
How It Works
Each month runs as a 4-week Loop:
Week 1: In-Studio – Learn the basics of light, composition, and working with your subject.
Week 2: Excursion – Take your camera outside for a small adventure, from local spots to city explorations.
Week 3: Edit & Print – Pick your favourite shots and create your own prints with hands-on guidance.
Week 4: Critique Night – Share your work, get feedback, and see what others have created.
Sessions run on Friday* evenings from 6pm for 1 hour.
Just bring your camera, a computer for editing, and your curiosity. Some months have a small prop requirement (like a 10–15 cm vase for the floral session).
*1st critique session in December is on a Sunday morning.
- Learn: Flowers in the studio
Friday 5th of Decmber @ 6pm
Learn to select & arrange dried flowers then photograph them in the Loop Studio. Bring your own 10-15cm vase.
Special guest from Fern Grove Florals - Explore: Out into the garden
Friday 12th of December @ 6pm
Let's head outside and into the local gardens to find and photograph plants & flowers in their natural habitat. - Create: Editing for print
Friday 19th of December @ 6pm
Head back into the Loop space with your photos ready to import into Lightroom for a simple editing to print session - Repeat: Feedback Loop
Sunday 28th of December @ 9am
With expert guidance along the way, this session is designed to bring it all together and help you push your photography further with real time critique & question time
- Learn: Light & Shadow
Friday, 2nd of January @ 6pm
Create interesting shapes with light & shadow with available & studio lighting. - Explore: Scenes in Belgrave
Friday 9th of January @ 6pm
Exploring Belgrave. As the Sun goes down, we wander in search of shapes created with light & shadow. - Create: Editing for print
Friday 16th of January @ 6pm
Head back into the Loop space with your photos ready to import into Lightroom for a simple editing to print session - Repeat: Feedback Loop
Friday 23rd of January @ 6pm
With expert guidance along the way, this session is designed to bring it all together and help you push your photography further with real time critique & question time
- Learn: Wet Portraits
Friday, 6th of February @ 6pm
Creating portraits in studio using reflections and a water spray bottle - Explore: Creeks & Waterfalls
Friday 13th of February @ 6pm
Wander some of our favourite parts of Olinda and discover how water makes for really amazing photographs. - Create: Editing for print
Friday 20th of February @ 6pm
Head back into the Loop space with your photos ready to import into Lightroom for a simple editing to print session - Repeat: Feedback Loop
Friday 27th of February @ 6pm
With expert guidance along the way, this session is designed to bring it all together and help you push your photography further with real time critique & question time
FAQs
Who can attend?
The Summer Photography Loop is for anyone interested in photography. Anyone can join in. Whether this is your first time using a camera, or you’ve been shooting for years.
Do I have to sign up for all the sessions?
No, not really. But, think of it like a good sitcom; each session works on its own, but there’s a bigger story if you follow the series.
What are the themes?
Each month has a theme or subject;
December:Plants & Flowers
January:Urban Light & Shapes.
February: Water & Portraits.
How much does it cost?
Each session on its own is $90 but, as you book more, you’ll save more.
When booking one month (four sessions) up front, they’ll be $67.50/session.
Want to do the whole series? Yup, that’ll only be $50/session
Are there any discounts?
A 20% discount is automatically added for Loop Members.
How long is each session?
The Summer Photography Loop sessions run for an hour each.
Where is this held?
Most sessions are held in the Loop Studio in Olinda. Well, except for the ‘excursion’ where we head outside.
4/540 Mount Dandenong Tourist Road, Olinda, Vic. 3788
Where are the excursions?
December: we start & finish at Loop and walk the local paths in search of interesting plants & flowers
January: starting at Belgrave train station at 6pm, we wander the streets of Belgrave in search of pockets of light & shadow
February: water is our theme so we head down to a local creek.
Attendees will be sent details when they book.
Special Guest/s
In the very first studio session, we’ve invited local flower specialist, Fern Grove Florals, to help design and create stunning flower arrangements for us to photograph.
Join Claire at the very first session on Friday 5th of December at 6pm.
December: Plants & Flowers
We’re kicking off summer in full bloom. Local florist Claire from Fern Grove Florals joins us in the studio to guide you through creating your own floral arrangement and then we’ll photograph it like a pro.
The following week, we head outdoors to find natural compositions among local gardens and parks. It’s all about slowing down, noticing the details, and learning how to bring still life to life.
January: Urban Light & Shapes
Back in the studio, we’ll explore how light transforms the simplest objects, from the soft fall of window light to the punch of a studio strobe. You’ll experiment, play, and start to see shape and shadow everywhere.
Then we’ll take it to the streets, an evening excursion to Belgrave, chasing light as the sun drops and the town glows. Expect silhouettes, reflections, and that perfect golden-hour magic.
February: Water & Portraits
To round out summer, we turn our lens on people and the way water changes everything. In the studio, you’ll experiment with a sheet of misted perspex to create moody, cinematic portraits.
Then we head to a local creek, where reflections and ripples become part of the story. You’ll get your feet wet (maybe literally) and your camera filled with images that shimmer.
