Testimonials

“Mary is very generous in the sharing of her own Personal Photography Projects.  She creates a safe place for participants to share their personal story/stories that go with the photography being shared.  Mary’s passion for the personal project is evident as she seeks out and introduces workshop participants to other photographers from around the world who create Personal Photography Projects.  Seeing and hearing about Mary’s projects and those of other photographers as well as my fellow participants was very inspiring and has given me many new ideas of directions to go in pursuing my own.  Thank you for an inspiring workshop Mary!”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Levia H.

 

“Mary Presson Roberts is a technically knowledgeable and skillful photographer and outstanding instructor who teaches with clarity, wit, honesty and kindness for her students.  She is a courageous and gifted creative who uses the material of life as we find ourselves experiencing it and turning that raw material into art that benefits the learner with the opportunity to learn, grow, explore, have fun and even heal the hurts.  I have benefited greatly from the private instruction I have received from Mary, as she listens carefully to what is wanted and then delivers above and beyond.  Her Personal Projects class is unlike any workshop I have taken and I am looking forward to continuing to learn from Mary, both virtually and in the field.”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Sharyn W.

 

“Thanks Mary for a great Personal Project class.  I’ve been thinking about doing a personal project but thinking and doing are two different things.  Your workshop inspired me to get started on a project and got me excited about continuing with it after the class was over.  I loved the examples you provided, especially the project you did while your mother was in Hospice.  It was such a personal and meaningful project and your approach was creative.”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Kathy C.

 

“I have recently finished Mary’s workshop on personal projects.  I have followed Mary online for several years and I have always enjoyed seeing the personal projects that she creates.  I wanted to learn more about coming up with more of my own personal projects.  Mary takes a considerable amount of time letting us learn how she created her projects and what motivated her to do each of them.  She also shares many resources from other photographers that I found helpful in my thought processes around personal projects.  Mary is always well prepared and is encouraging to each of her students to help them create their own projects.”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Jim T.

 

“Mary’s book study session was a wonderful experience for me.  The class was so much more than I had anticipated.  Not only did I read three fantastic books, but the assignments given were challenging.  As a result of taking this class I have grown as a photographer, and as a person.  I highly recommend the class.  It was worth every penny.  Thank you, Mary”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Marcy M.

 

“I felt like I went on a wonderful journey with Mary of learning more about myself and my photography through books.  I loved our image assignments and the support I received from Mary and the other ladies in my group.  I feel our book study has helped me look at photographing subjects more freely.  I am looking forward to learning even more about my passion.”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Jenny L.

 

“Reading and writing have become a part of my daily life as I set new goals using my newly enhanced skills in seeing and thinking about my photography practice as a result of Mary’s Guided Book Study. I have and continue to acquire not only photography books, but other art genres as well, ranging from biographies and coffee table photo books to technical and “how-to” to philosophical writings and musings. I have read many of these and moved on to the next often with little thought and study given to each. For this class Mary thoughtfully choose three books for us to study – a Master, a Composer, and a Philosopher. The assignments for each book found me reading carefully and taking notes. I was continually thinking about the assignments as I read and as I went about my daily life. I have begun “seeing/looking” a little differently now that I have incorporated many of these new ideas into my daily thought processes, my photography practice, and my life. I will revisit the books read in class, but also explore the many books I have on my shelf. While I occasionally wrote a note or marked a quote from a book, the daily practice of reading deeply AND making written note of quotes, ideas, and “AHAs” from each as well as writing down my own thoughts inspired by these books over the last 3 months is a practice I will continue. Mary’s Guided Book Study class and the assignments given each meeting provided a guide in reading and forming my own interpretations of the books. After working alone for several weeks, we came together discuss our ideas about the texts and to share our photographic interpretations of the assignments making this a very rich and engaging experience. As a result of Mary’s Guided Book Study, I have begun writing goals for my photography practice.”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Levia H.

 

“I’ve just finished Mary’s online Book Study class and it’s nothing short of amazing! The books were carefully chosen by her were educational not only for photographic technique, but delve into the history of photographers and inspiration for creativity in making my photos more than just a snapshot. The assignments were geared to inspire and be more imaginative in making photographs. Highly recommend!”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Lynne D.

 

“I would highly recommend The Book Club. Being a part of this Club exceeded all my expectations. The books were thoughtfully selected and built upon each other. We were given assignments that stretched me creatively and made me think differently about my approach to creating images. I feel like my images are less about documenting where I am or what is happening and more about creating an image that has something to say. I loved seeing the images created by others and appreciated the support you could feel from the group. I look forward to continuing the learning experience with these lovely ladies!”Photographs, writing, and quote courtesy of Stephanie J.

 

“Mary started her critique of the participants’ images by first asking each person what they were trying to accomplish. Only then did she offer her own gentle and constructive critique. This approach allows for self expression and personal growth.”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Joan E.

 

“It was a pleasure working with Mary.  She put in many hours to provide a wonderful workshop.  She was attentive to all the participants and went out of her way to see that everyone received the attention they needed to have a successful workshop.”

Photographs and quote courtesy of Al H.

 

“I highly recommend Mary’s Wherever You Go…There You Are Workshop.  Mary is extremely organized in her approach.  The first Zoom session give  you the opportunity to get to know Mary and her photography journey.  Mary will give assignments for you to focus on during the field workshop.  This is an outstanding way to focus your creative energies.  In the final Zoom session Mary critiques the images submitted for the assignments– a fabulous learning opportunity!  Most of all, Mary has a great personality and makes sure that everyone participates and has FUN!

Quote courtesy of Rebecca B.

 

“Our teenage daughter has been taking lessons from Mary Presson Roberts for more than a year as her school, work and extracurricular activities permit. Not only has she gained a tremendous amount of knowledge, she also really looks forward to and enjoys time spent with Mary. We have found Mary to be skillful in her approach to younger inexperienced pupils and see that she clearly loves what she does. We would not hesitate to recommend Mary to anyone, of any skill level, seeking lessons. ”

Quote courtesy of Eric N.

 

I met Mary during a Carolina Nature Photography Association (CNPA) workshop on Creative Flower and Garden Educational weekend.  We spent several days photographing gardens around the Raleigh Durham area.  Mary began the workshop with a presentation that set the mood for the workshop with her fabulous photos as well as ideas on how to be creative with flower photography.  In the gardens, she would spend time with each photographer to answer any questions and help us with trying out new techniques.  It was an awarding experience and I would recommend any workshop that Mary leads.”

Quote courtesy of Minnie G.

 

“In the beginning of this Mentorship, I really didn’t know what to expect and was apprehensive. It turned out to be one of the best six weeks of my life. I love learning, creating/designing so I had a truly amazing creative experience and can’t believe how far I have come!  Mary Presson Roberts’ assignments were challenging but focused and concise which provided me with a clear direction each week.  A huge thanks to the woman who loves to teach and it shows, Mary Presson Roberts. I am eternally grateful.”

Photo and quote courtesy of Angela Migliore

 

 

“Thank you so much, Mary Presson Roberts, for all of your encouragement, your lessons, and all the work you put into the mentorship.  And thank you for sharing so much of yourself!”

Photo and quote courtesy of Angie Phillips

 

 

 

“Most especially I would like to thank and appreciate Mary for being such a great person and mentor. She created an outstanding set of assignments liberally sprinkled with the hallmarks of good adult ed., which the near-M.Ed. in me applauds.”

Photo and quote courtesy of Brian C.

 

 

 

“Mary gave us full in depth, cohesive assignments every week…

Her assignment lessons made us see things clearly, made our imaginations work…”

Photo and quote courtesy of Marilyn Benham

 

 

“I recently completed the Practice Makes-Perfect-Magic Mentorship with Mary Presson Roberts through the G+ Mentorship Program for Photographers.

Honestly, before I signed up for the mentorship, I  looked at Mary’s posts.  I thought the mentorship was going to teach us some Lightroom or Photoshop magic ( she’s very creative).  I soon learned the magic was in the details.

It started with Mary’s style of teaching.  She wrote simple, beautiful blog posts featuring her own work, her own experiences.  The magic dust sprinkled on to us.  She inspired us to want to make beautiful, creative images.  A camaraderie developed.  I don’t know how to really describe what happened.  Only let me tell you, none of us want to leave the group.  So Mary assigned us an ongoing project so we can keep sharing.”

Photo and quote courtesy of Renee McDaniel