Mexico Workshop 2011

THIS YEAR MARKED THE 5TH ANNIVERSARYof the Mexico Workshop held at the stunning Hacienda El Carmen in the valley of the Agave in the heart of my homeland. Each year

I have the utmost pleasure of meeting and sharing a week with some of our industries newest talent. This year was no exception! I was blown away by not only the talent, but their passion to learn

and to explore new ideas all while enjoying the Mexican sun. Im honored to call each of them my lifelong friends.

- jose

I learned a lot about photography, but above all I learned how to be a better person.

I’m the co-owner of Brancoprata, a Portuguese wedding company. I started shooting weddings in 1999 but in 2004 I decided to stop, when digital took over the industry. After a 5 years absence I started to photograph weddings again and

since then, I really feel that now, I’m doing what I love.

Simply amazing! Network with and learn from the best in the wedding industry - and make

life-long friends along the way!

As a wedding photographer, Amberlee Christey is known for her artistic vision and capturingthe moments of the day in fun and creative ways.

Jose’s workshop changed me. I left Mexico with unbound confidence, a wealth of knowledge, and

new friendships I’ve already begun to cherish.

Anne Robert’s work is romantic without affectation, self-assured, and feminine. With an eye for the blissful and beautiful, Anne

provides her passion and artistry to her clients in New York City and around the globe.

Jose: So A.Y. what’s this workshop worth to you?Me:  3.5 pesos.

Said because priceless is not the balance on my account.  Do yourself a favor, have the courage to be inspired.

Together with his wife, Bijal, is humbled to photograph people experience love and laughter on their winding way through life.

The workshop was one of the best experiences of my life photographically, for my business and as a person.

It was one of the best choices of my life.

I am a film wedding photographer based out of New York, New York that loves to travel, skydive and say yes to whatever adventure comes before me. I love capturing people’s true emotion and feel honored

photograph so many special moments in life around the world. 

The best way I can describe the Mexico workshop is as a chrysalis; I felt like I was wrapped up tightly and nurtured in a way that brought forth a new creature

entirely. I highly recommend it!

Buffy Dekmar works in Georgia with her husband Chris. They offer wedding and portrait photography as well as super 8mm cinematography.

Jose is so open and honest & willing to share ALL of his knowledge with the workshop attendees. The workshop is really wonderful & I’ve met so many lovely people & learned so much

along the way - I’m tempted to come back next year too.

After graduating from a degree in photography, Catherine embarked upon a career as a press photojournalist for British newspapers and her

work has been published in every newspaper in the U.K. As seen in Brides Magazine & member of Style Me Pretty’s Little Black Book, Catherine

now photographs weddings across Britain and Internationally.

A must have experience for every photographer. Such amazing and talented people + incredible

location, the result is pure inspiration

My goal in life is to capture emotions and memories the way they truly feel and from the heart.

Jose’s Mexico workshop was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and the best investment I could have ever made for my

business. The love, kindness, and knowledge put forth by Jose & his amazing team was fulfilling, encouraging and game changing for both my personal love of photography as well as my career.

Erich McVey is a fine art wedding and portrait photographer based in the northwest and available for travel worldwide. Erich’s approach to photography focuses on creating beautiful, timeless

images that capture all of the love and emotion of a wedding day.

I never knew 4 days could change my life so much. Being given the opportunity to learn from the one-and-only Jose Villa, his team of experts, and with this group of amazingly

generous, passionate and talented photographers have inspired and touched me, in photography and in life, so

much more than I had imagined.

I’m a lucky girl from Hong Kong, who is thankful for all the love and passion she has found in photography, and the visions photography has given her. I have

always thought of the Hong Kong wedding scene to be a bit boring, obligatory and formulaic, and I hope by capturing the love and personality of the couples in my images, I can let people in my hometown know that they can let them-selves show through in their engagement and wedding images and have fun!

Rather than retreat at the end of the day, or during a lunch break, Jose and all the other professionals made themselves

wholly available to the attendees throughout the entire workshop.  I was amazed by their generous spirits and by

how dedicated they were to our professional development and personal enjoyment.

Jaime Fenwick is a Canadian photographer now living outside of San Francisco with her husband Will.  She loves train travel,

latin jazz, Arabic, and deer hunting.

I just thought I was going to the workshop to learn about wedding photography???  Little did I know the adven-ture Jose had planned for us!  It was a dream vacation

coupled with amazing photo-shoots while learning from THE VERY BEST professionals in the business!

I‘m a Pittsburgh-based wedding photographer specializing in the fine-art approach for destination weddings.  I started my wedding business in 2008,

but after taking two of Jose’s workshops, my career has taken off!

An experience that delivered more than I had ever hoped for.  We travelled a great distance to meet Jose and his team. They each gave openly such valuable opinions and strategies

to reach the next level in shooting weddings.  I was really impressed by the heartfelt desire to help each photographer that attended this workshop.  It was an amazing time spent

with some truly genuine and talented people.

I am a RMIT graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Commercial Photography, that after leaving advertising work to start my family made the most natural

progression to find a real love of photographing weddings and portraits.

Simply imagine 40 creative, passionate and fun-lovin’ people taking over a gorgeous villa doing what they love to do most...add in tequila, bonfires, sun and a spa and life doesn’t get any better! 

The experience, knowledge and friends gained was priceless!

Kristy Ryan, owner of Blush Wedding Photography, specializes in stylish and creative wedding day documentation. Based in Vancouver, Canada.

The workshop was unlike anything I have ever experienced... I have never felt so welcome, encouraged and inspired. It truly help transcend my work and myself to the next level...I am so

thankful for my time in Mexico with Jose and his amazing team, and most importantly the lifelong friends and colleagues from

all over the world, whom I still talk to on a daily basis....

Native Californian, Vegetarian::Hippie::Camera Nerd:: Proud owner of LMarie Photography....Have camera, will travel!

Simply be ready to be enlightened and inspired.

I am an artist at heart, who can’t live without expressing through writing, dance and photography. Through photography, though, I channel my

love and passion for people, nature, sunsets and of course...chocolate.

I have been trying to find the perfect words to describe the Mexico experience... and I just can’t. It was so amazing and life

changing that there is no combination of words or sentences that can describe how thankful I am for everything I learned, and for my new Mexican family that I hold very dear to my heart. It was

and will remain one of the greatest decisions of my life.

Sarah is a lover of coffee, sunsets, and exploring the unique forms beauty takes around the world. Photography is the medium that she has

focused on to express her inner passion for life and love, and is especially honored to preserve the love her clients feel on their wedding day.

Every now and again it is important to step out of your routine and reflect on who you are as a photographer and where you want your

business to go. From the moment we arrived at the (stunningly beautiful) hacienda it was clear that Jose, his team and the speakers

were all so excited to be creating the perfect environment for us to do this in.  I came away feeling inspired and enthused to make some really positive changes in life and in my business - I wouldn’t

have missed this experience for the world! 

Hello, I’m Sarah Gawler, a photographer living in London and shooting weddings all over the lovely (albeit sometimes rainy) UK.

I’m on Twitter, come say hello @sarahgawler!

Firstly can we change the name to the Jose Villa Experience!! This was such a great journey for us, aside

from the fact we travelled from Melbourne, Australia, but to the wonderful people we met to the remarkable team

who ran the show and shared so much of their knowledge with us... it was a truly an amazing experience we will

never forget and have benefited from in so many ways. We thank you Jose & team from the bottom of our hearts.

We are a husband & wife team based out of Melbourne, Australia. My wife Kalimna, who also attended the course, handles the weddings and bookings and I shoot with her

on the day. We love documenting weddings together.

LOCATION Hacienda El Carmen http://www.haciendaelcarmen.com.mx/ingles/inicio.php

JOSE VILLA WORKSHOPS http://josevillaworkshops.com

ABBY OF STYLE ME PRETTY http://www.stylemepretty.com

JILL LA FLEUR http://lafleurweddings.com

JOEL SERRATO FILMS http://joelserratofilms.com

BRIAN OF RICHARD PHOTO LAB http://www.richardphotolab.com

JIM CAGEL Accountant

MAR OF TEAM HAIR AND MAKEUP http://www.teamhairandmakeupservice.com

KATE OF FLOWER WILD DESIGNhttp://www.flowerwild.com

APER GOODS DESIGN Amber Moonhttp://www.pitbullsandposies.com

CALLIGRAPHY Mara, Neither Snow http://www.neithersnow.com

CAKE Erica O’brien http://www.ericaobrien.com/index.php

WEDDING GOWNS Claire Pettibone http://www.clairepettibone.com

HAIR PIECES Mignonnehttp://www.etsy.com/shop/mignonnehandmade

ENGAGEMENT SESSION GOWNS Everly http://everlyclothing.com

SPONSORS RICHARD PHOTO LAB http://www.richardphotolab.com/

FUJI FILM http://www.fujifilm.comVELVET RAPTOR http://velvetraptor.com

CYPRESS ALBUM http://www.cypressalbums.comKRAFT AND JUTE http://www.kraftandjute.com

THINK TANK http://www.thinktankphoto.comRYAN OF FINCH DESIGNS WEBSITE SITES http://finchdesign.us