Testimonials | Shoot Smart Photography Training

Shoot Smart Testimonials We aim to provide the best learning experience possible for everyone. Below you will find recent testimonials from students who have attended one of our many courses.

Kaz178 (24 Apr 2012) "Thank you so much Gary ,,, this was a fantastic course - thoroughly enjoyable!!! Gary has an amazing passion for photography that rubs off on all his students. The course is taught in a simple, understandable way starting with basics and quickly progressing to more technical concepts. I cannot beleive how much I have learned in five days, thank you so much! I now feel much more confident with my photography and am looking forward to taking it further! Thank you also to Paula for looking after us so well - specially the fish 'n' chips on Friday :-) Thank you once again - hopefully see you again on another course! Best wishes" Carol x Click



George (23 Apr 2012) "From the minute you walk through the door you are made to feel very welcome. Paula and Gary are a very easy going couple. ( Although in 5 days Gary still thought I was a geordie and not a jock ! :-) Even Scooby wants to say hello :-) Gary has so much knowledge about his subject. He is bursting with enthusiasm and can talk all day about photography and sometimes does :-) The course is non-stop but at a pace that is comfortable. I learnt more in 5 days than in the 3 years I've owned a camera and for that I want to thank both Gary and Paula. Also want to thank Paula for looking after us and making sure we always had something nice to eat and plenty of tea to drink. Thanks again to you both-and Scooby. Will hopefully be back" x George Click

Gill (23 Apr 2012) "Excellent Course. If you read all the reviews below I can only agree with them all. I attended the full week course Before I booked on this course I researched courses thoroughly, throughout the U.K., after all I can't afford to waste my money. I looked at the course content and the reviews. By comparison with other courses that I have seen this seemed very good both on content and value. I was slightly apprehensive before I attended, afraid that my expectations were too high, I was expecting quite a lot from this course. I am happy to say that Gary and Paula exceeded my expectations. I can't believe how much was covered during the week, even though there was quite a lot, each area was covered thoroughly and Gary always checked our understanding before moving on. I now have the confidence to go ahead and get my business started. Which I think is not bad for someone who couldn't hold her camera properly one week ago. Thank you so much Gary and Paula this course is brilliant.x" Gill Click



Slow Draw (22 Apr 2012) "Gary is now regarded, by me, as the modern 'David Bailey of the North' and for a good reason - he has a fantastic approach to and knowledge of photography and post production work. His enthusiasm for the subject is almost tangible and rubs off on his students. I thoroughly enjoyed this fantastic course and went back to my hotel each evening flooded with information and enthusiasm for more photography. The only regret I have about my experience on this course is 'I should have done it years ago'. Thank you Gary and Paula for a very enjoyable experience. Steve T " Click

Stevie W (22 Apr 2012) "Great course, Great couple. 5 star all the way. The course was five days and was delivered with Enthusiasum and a sense of humour.Gary made all the group relax right from the start.The course was delivered at a great pace that everyone had no problems taking in the information.The course has gave me the confidence to take my hobbie to the next stage.Thank you for going that extra mile looking after us all on the course.Hope to see you in the future on other courses.Stevie Watts. Thank you to you both" Click

Peter (2 Apr 2012) "A great day. You took us at the right pace through all aspects of off camera flash. The practical work in the afternoon was so useful too. You are a great tutor and I hope to be back for another course soon. Thanks go to Paula too ! Cheers" Peter W Click

Andrea (1 Apr 2012) "Thanks Gary, Paula and Scoobs for a fab day on the Off Camera Flash workshop. We had fun and enjoyed Garys informal teaching style! I can`t believe how much we learned and can remember and we haven`t felt so inspired in a long time. It is always a little daunting going to a professional studio but Gary explained everything until everyone understood and was happy to move on and in fact he was more than happy to answer ANY queries we had even down to advice on Bridge and Photoshop. I have no hesitation in recommending this talented team or going back for another session - and there are a few more I`d like to try out .... Cheers Gary - had a blast!" Click

Kathy (28 Mar 2012) "I found the motivation I was looking for after attending a 1 to 1 course with Gary (ably assisted by Paula). Gary was able to tailor the one day course to suit my personal needs. I had owned my camera for over 18 months but never learned how to use it to it's full capacity. I had also fallen a little bit out of love with photography and needed a friendly kick in the rear. After my day with Gary I felt much more in control of my camera and confident that I will be able to take much more imaginative and creative photographs. Thank you Gary" Click

Rich Foister (27 Mar 2012) "Gary and Paula firstly can i apologies for the late posting of this review its been a busy few months. I attended the week long wedding and portraiture course with Gary in December. Like everyone else who reads these reviews i spent a long time researching courses before i actually booked. In my case i wanted a course that ran over a number of days that was practical in approach and provided access to models in practical scenarios with a full breakdown as to how and what to do with a level of assurance that on completion of the course i would be able to take photos on a more professional footing. Of all the courses i looked at "Shootsmart" was the only course that offered this. Im guessing that anyone reading this is in the same boat and you have already looked at Gary's website and are wondering whether the advertising literature will live up to expectations. Well, i would advise you to stop looking and just book the course it is exactly as advertised. Gary is superb- from basic exposure to studio lighting to on and off camera flash to a walk through of a family studio shoot and a wedding from bride preparation to lighting for first dance, workflow, business basics, presentation and advertising. All presented and taught from the perspective of a working photographer teaching what actually works. It's fair to say that no-one will leave any course knowing everything but you will leave with enough knowledge to seriously consider the prospect of taking photographs as an alternative career. I have already done a number of portrait shoots and have a wedding booked in April - all portfolio builders and all for free but you have to start somewhere and i wouldn't have been able to even consider taking them on without Gary and "Shootsmarts" input. Book the course you will not regret it!" Click

Hobby (8 Mar 2012) "David Hobson would like to say a massive thankyou to Gary and Paula, if your reading these reviews, as I did before I booked with Shootsmart, then stop reading and just get yourself on one of there amazing courses. I have had a wonderfull 3 day's of learning, laughing and having a real life changing experience in terms of how my wedding photography is now going to stand side by side with the creative professional, and you will also be able to create images that will make you smile from ear to ear as I did after the course. You will have several Ha Ha moments regardless of how much you think you know. Fantastic!!!!!!! Click

Lisa G (Feb 2012) "The most inspiring week imaginable. I don't really know where to begin. Over five amazing days I learned so much more than I ever thought possible and found myself on many occasions in complete awe of Gary and Paula, two people with more passion and dedication to what they do than I, up until attending the course, only ever dreamt of having. But thanks to both Gary and Paula I have come away so much more knowledgeable than when I first arrived and with a much greater understanding of the skills, effort and most importantly the desire, necessary for embarking on a journey as a successful full time photographer. Whether this is your long term ambition or be it you simply wish to build on a hobby or even just learn a new skill, you will get everything you want and more on a Shootsmart Photography Training course. From an in depth look at the basic camera functions right through to the outstanding practical sessions providing invaluable hands on experience, including a run-through of a... Click

Mark (Feb 2012) "I would like to say a big thank you to Gary and Paula for a fantastic week. Gary is the most passionate photographer I have ever met he has such an enthusiastic way of teaching you the right way of doing things. If you what to learn in a relaxed environment this is the course for you. I really enjoyed the wedding shoot and on site at the brickworks. I learnt so much, how to shoot in manual correctly, how to use a light meter and most of all how to start your own business. Thank you once again. Regards Mark" Click

Marvin (Feb 2012) "I am glad I chose this course! You are probably reading this reviews in the hope that it gives you a sound piece of mind to opt for this course. I can honestly say that all the reviews listed below including mine is a true reflection of what you will get when walking through the studio door of Gary and Paula,so go on and book this course you won't regret it! I spent a wonderful week at their studio and have come away feeling extremely confident and this is all down to the teaching of both Gary and Paula. The course is packed with loads of information some of which you will only receive from a tried and tested and vastly knowledgeable and experienced photographer such as Gary. He is not only a passionate photographer but also a passionate teacher and strives to go that extra mile in order for .. Click

Mikey W (Feb 2012) "What an amazing week i had at Shoot Smart, Gary and Paula are both very professional and very passionate about what they do, from day one i was made to feel very welcome in there studio, they are both lovely people. Oh and i cant forget Scooby, you will get to meet Scoody if you go on the course :-) The group is kept to a maxiumum of 5 people so that you all get plenty of chances to use your cameras. This course is very hands on and plenty of paper is required to take lots of notes. Gary and Paula squeeze years and years worth of knowledge of the industry and condense it down in to 1 full week. Gary is an excellent teacher of photography, I can honestly say that he doesnt miss anything out. I thought i had a bit of knowledge of photography, looking back to last week, I hardly knew anything compared to what i know now. Gary takes whatever time it takes for you to understand, he loves to have a laugh and he was always cracking jokes. You start to learn so much from the 1st minute of being in the studio... AMAZING!! Gary ..." Click

Ian (Feb 2012) "a full on week of learning, whatever your standard you will learn something, most will learn lots. wether you want to become a pro, or like me want to move your photography up to a much higher level,gary and paula will take you there.advise and help all the way through,with time taken to explain anything your unsure about.if you want nine to five these are the wrong people,they are gen pasionate about what they do.tyou'll learn from simple but stunning lights to full studioset up,learn to give your model/bride that bit extra to make you and your work stand out" Click

Doug (Jan 2012) "If you are contemplating signing up for a training course with Gary and Paula at Shoot Smart don't hesitate book now with confidence and I promise you will not be disappointed. I attended the 5 day wedding and portrait training in December 2011 and right from the off was made to feel welcome and at ease by Gary and Paula. The course content was excellent and we had five full and very informative days. Gary has a friendly and easygoing style of training and was more than happy to go over the basics where required. Every day new pearls of wisdom were uncovered in areas covering equipment, technique, image processing, human interactions and business acumen. We shot a mock wedding using two fantastic models from the bridal preparation, in church, an outdoor off camera flash session, and in the well-equipped studio setting. The following day we covered a studio shoot with a couple of kids, which was great fun. During both studio sessions Gary lead us through lighting set ups and simple ..." Click

Aarron (Dec 2011) "Had 1 to 1 training. Excellent day, Gary & Paula made me feel relaxed from the start, we discussed what I wanted to learn then got straight into it at a pace that I was comfortable with. Gary makes sure that you understand everything as you go along and happily recaps if your unsure. In the 1 day I asked to cover studio lighting, off camera flash and some basic photoshop techniques, Gary more than delivered giving me advise on how to pose a model and to get different lighting effects using readily available materials that don't cost a fortune. At the end of the day I was happily exhausted and very much more educated about lighting and photoshop, and now feel that I have the knowledge and confidence to start building a career out of my hobby. Thanks also go to Paula for the lunch, endless cups of coffee and helping the day run smoothly. They really are a professional team and I would recommend their teaching services to any ..." Click

Peter Baldwin

"Attended the wedding and portrait training and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Gary is a true professional and really shows a caring, patient attitude. I had a knowledge of photography before the course, but soon realised how limited that knowledge was. A big thank you to Gary for his excellent, clear delivery and explanation. I now feel much more confident to "go it alone" and hopefully acheive professional results myself. Thanks too to his wife Paula who clearly is just as passionate about her role and supportive with sound advice and knowledge of the business. For anyone debating if a full weeks course with Gary is for them or not, as I was, my advice is go for it, you won't be disappointed, whatever level you are at. Oh and one last thing, Scooby is adorable. If you want to know why, you'll have to go on the course!!!"
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This is just a small sample of Peter’s images taken during his time at Shoot Smart. These photographs are excellent and would easily adorn any bride’s wall.

Well done Peter and good luck - Gary Gough

Jo

"Initially was really nervous that I was in over my head doing this, but I shouldn't have been worried at all. Gary and Paula are so welcoming and really know their stuff. The structure of the course was really well thought out, a great variety; combining theory and practical work each day. We did photo shoots with a mock wedding, where a church had been hired out so we could really capture the lighting. Our models for this day were super stars and nothing was too much trouble - mid November standing on a hill freezing and no complaints from either of them. We also did another photo shoot with 2 sisters, who were also great fun. This allowed us to create the vibe of a studio shoot - setting up the lights ourselves and various poses. Obviously without the tutoring from Gary I wouldn't have been able to get to this point and achieve the results I did. I feel so confident now - I've done 4 photo shoots for friends and family who have been astounded with the results. I have my first wedding already booked, and this is purely from showing them the work I've done on this course. I could tell you loads more about this course as everyday is really jam packed full (value for money), but I think if your serious, just do it! Big thank you to Gary and Paula - very happy customer xxxx"
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Jo very quickly settled into the course and her enthusiasm and work-rate really was first class. She is totally committed to making a career as a photographer; in fact she was ordering new equipment whilst she was still with us learning.
Like I always say, there are thinkers and doers, Jo is clearly the latter!
She was an excellent student and will clearly do well as a Pro!
Well done Jo and good luck - Gary Gough

Andrew Rudge

"I attended a 2 day training course with Gary, whichwas very relaxed and informal. The course was tailored to my specific needswhich was a great help.
Gary is clearly passionate about his work and his enthusiasm certainly rubs offon you. Off camera flash is a must!!"

KL

A big thank you to Red 5 studios My training course was excellent in so many ways. I absolutely loved it! I started this course with a lot of enthusiasm but very little knowledge in the world of Digital SLR photography, I've found the course very useful and I feel it has helped enormously.
It has helped me understand that there is a lot more to photography than just taking photographs. I feel much more confident to experiment with my camera rather than rely on the automatic setting and I'm increasing in ability with Photoshop too.
Gary was available constantly to answer any questions or queries, which was very reassuring. He was very professional, friendly and encouraging which was great. The assignments were very good, interesting and varied. I loved the assignments most, putting into practice what I had learnt in the studio and being creative.
It's been an amazing course that I'd recommend to anyone...

Alex Abbott

"I booked a day's trainig with Gary looking at using off camera flash and its practial application in wedding and portrait photography. I found the style of teaching well paced and informative, while making the most of the time that we had. Gary is keen for you get the most from the time spent with him and his investment in my time was evident from the start. The day represented good value for money in terms of the amount of things that we covered and the tips and industry secrets that where shared!"

Alex attended a 1 day course (£149) specific to off camera flash and his first attempts are so impressive I thought I should let others see what is possible with just one days training. Excellent work Alex - Gary

Here are some of Alex' photos after the Shootsmart course

Malcolm (Halifax)

"I would just like to say I had 2 really enjoyable days training, Gary is a first class teacher who made the time I was with him a worthwhile learning experience & was worth every penny, I will not hesitate to come back if I feel I can benefit from further education, my photos look better too!"

Darren C (Huddersfield)

"Outstanding teaching skills. Couldn't have asked for better tuition."

Darren attended a 2 day course, one in the studio and the second by the sea at Robbin Hood's Bay. Unfortunately the weather was awful and after burger and chips and several coffees later, we decided to postpone the day. A week later, Darren's second days training resumed in York. Darren sent me images taken post training and I have to commend his efforts, Superb. Gary