Guestbook from Five Special Years of Helping Wonderful Guests Take Beautiful Photos Just Like You
Dear Guests,
Thank you for visiting my website. I have really loved having such
fantastic feedback since launching these courses four years ago and
have been overwhelmed by such lovely comments from guests whose photos are getting heaps of praise on Flickr, from Chairmans of BSAC Clubs and envious looks from friends and family! If you didn't get
the chance to sign my guestbook on my travels and would like to do
so, guess what, this page is dedicated just for you! Don't forget
to subscribe to my newsletter to keep up-to-date with events and special
offers and to enter the new quarterly competition. I look forward to
seeing you very soon. Stay safe and Happy Snapping Maria
Guest feed back and testimonials. Sign
the guestbook
FEATURE STORIES
Howard Sawyer, Course Guest who has gone on to be a published journalist in Diver and London Diver Magazine. His articles are simply brilliant. For a peek visit here
"Terrified of the water as a child, 'H' learned to dive in 2000.
It's fair to say he was not a natural, but persevered in order to have a legitimate excuse to wear neoprene. And a mask. Initially interested in underwater photography, he lugged a Sea & Sea Motormarine II around, shooting on film.
Limited by his diving ability, photographic ability, and 36 exposures, mercilessly ridiculed by the Swiss, the Dutch, and even the Germans, with their 'Fancy Dan' digital technology, he finally bought a Canon Ixus 950 last year, and went off to see Maria Munn, who taught him how to use it. And gave him chocolates.
He now writes wreck articles, predominantly for London Diver. He has not given up the day job."
|
Jason Starmer
|
Jason has been diving for 15 years, since getting his Openwater
at Aliwal Shoal, South Africa, in the early nineties.But it took him
till this year before he got round to buying a camera and housing.
He came along to my One Day Introduction Course at Eynsham Hall in
March and then took his camera into the sea for the first time a few
weeks later, during a trip to the Caribbean.
"Going to the Caribbean so soon after doing the course was great,"
he says. "The diving was really unchallenging and I also spent
whole days just snorkeling and practising the things I'd learn at
Eynsham Hall."
In June Jason went on holiday to Cocos Island. "Cocos was amazing,"
he says. "We had so many close encounters with big animals, that
it didn't matter if you messed up a shot... the animals just kept
coming back to give you another chance."
And Jason says the holiday wouldn't have been the same if he hadn't
come on the course. "I've always been a useless photographer,"
he wrote to me. "My above-water photographs have always been
terrible. And I was really worried that I'd come back from this amazing
holiday in Cocos with nothing to show for it. But, thanks to everything
I learned on your course, and the confidence you gave me, I've got
loads of beautiful photographs to show my friends. Being chosen as
a finalist newcomer in the BSAC 2008 competition is just the cherry on
the cake."
|
David Kittos
|
"The Nuweiba workshop was just what I needed to give me that
crucial confidence boost with underwater photography. I'm interested
in doing freelance photojournalism and writing for diving magazines,
so I am hoping that having good photography skills as well as being
able to write good articles, will eventually get me noticed. I'd already
been on two other underwater photography workshops, but these didn't
help as much.
"It's by no means easy to take competition-winning underwater
photographs. However, when the opportunities present themselves to
me, after attending your workshop, I'll be able to get the best out
of my camera.
"Winning the Sport Diver "Readers picture of the month
competition" was amazing - let's hope it's the first of many!"
David Has Since Gone On To Be Published with an Article in Peter Rowland's fantastic UWP Mag and also has won an International Photo Competition in Bonaire with Jack and Sue Drafahl. He has another article coming out in Digital SLR Magazine in February 2010.
|
"Just wanted to say thanks for all your help yesterday.
It was a very enjoyable day and I can see already that my
photos have made a big improvement. I can't wait to try my
new skills on a 'proper' dive." Martin Bruce, Deputy
Editor, Sport Diver
"Had a fantastic day with Maria on the photography course in Bromley...was made to feel very welcome...learnt loads and looking forward to putting it into practice on our first dive holiday."
Tracey and Simon Hill
"Hi Maria
Just came back from our holiday and all we kept saying was "Thank God for Maria" whilst we were taking photographs in the cave as we could finally remember what to do. We are so grateful"
Lucy and Beverley Chamberlain
"Hi Maria
Just come back from my holiday and can't believe that people I don't even know are voting my photos as their favourites on Flickr. I am so amazed. Thank you so much." Paul Griffin
"Hi Maria
I had real enjoyable time Saturday, the course was very relaxed
and friendly. It covered all I wanted and has left me feeling
confident to move away from the auto mode and set up the camara
as i want and need. Thanks again" Simon McGhee
"Maria, I just wanted to say thanks for such a great
'Get Creative' course yesterday. Your new pool is ideal for
practice and the fish and plant models really helped me put
into practice the techniques I had learned in the morning.
The best bit was having the pool to myself and you on hand
to go through my queries before and after each shot, the personal
touch really made it for me! Thanks again Maria and I hope
to show you some photos I'm proud of very soon!" Zara
New
"Hi Maria,
Just had a week away. It was the first real chance to put
all good things I leant to good use. Thanks to the course
I think I am now getting about 80% good quality photos which
is a vast improvement on previous years. Thanks again for
a great course." Kevin Hampson
"Thank you Maria for a fun and informative course. We
had a great day and felt we had learned a lot. Can't wait
to get in the water and see the results. Thanks again tracie
--- danny oasis scuba Tracie Podger
"I really enjoyed your course yesterday and thought your
teaching style and general professionalism was par excellence!
Thank you for all the time and help. You really offer an amazing
service and I would thoroughly recommend you to anyone else
wanting to learn." Rachel Clayton
"I had such a lovely time and learnt so much about photography.
It is really nice to understand F stops and shutter speeds
at last after all this time as well as good composition. It
really couldn't have been any better. So well done you. It
was a huge success and so much fun. Thank you so much, and
let me know when you plan another one!" Hilary Hickmott,
Underwater Workshop Week in Nuweiba
"Without Maria's passion for photography and helping
others like myself, I would not be producing such wonderful
underwater photographs, something that I've been striving
to achieve for some time. She quickly helped me overcome my
fear of the technical side of photography and helping me learn
the advanced topics with ease and lots of fun. The results
of my photographs have hugely improved. Thanks immensely."
Helen Denholm-Simmonds
"I can't express my thanks enough for everything you
did for us. It was great Maria, so well done you!" Amanda,
John and Joe
"Thanks for an excellent day on Saturday , I really felt
I learnt a lot about my camera ! Just got to use what I have
learnt so I don't forget ! Thanks once again!" Hazel
Farrow - London School of Diving
"You've thought of everything Maria. Most enjoyable,
will be happy to recommend your course." Sally Tobin,
Eynsham Hall
"Just a quick one to say thanks for yesterday. The venue
was superb, the lunch was great and the lesson was interesting
from start to finish.
I now feel confident I'll be able to come back from the Galapagos
with photo's that I can be proud of and that will do the trip
justice. It was exactly what I was looking for." David
Hayden
"Thanks for the underwater photography course, I found
it very informative and the content was spot on, I can't wait
to put some of the advice you have shared to use in the open
water, I am absolutely convinced my pictures will be better
for this. I shall be recommending you to all my dive friends"
Darryl
"Thanks for a really great day, I certainly learned a
lot and now me and Kei are both really buzzing to go out and
use her camera" Geoff Davies
"Thanks for such an excellent course.
It was a really relaxed and enjoyable day, but I learned a
huge amount. Thanks for achieving such a fantastic balance
- I can't wait to get practicing underwater." Peter Bowen-Walker |
 |
