About Me & Devon Photography Training:

Devon Photography Training was first launched in 2012 by me, Gemma Varney. I’m a Devon Girl, born in Exeter and currently living in Honiton. My personal aim is to inspire people to do what they love in the time they have on this planet. My work mission is to empower aspiring and professional photographers with practical skills, creative confidence, and business knowledge — through accessible, jargon-free education, personalised mentoring, and structured resources that support both artistic growth and sustainable careers.

 

Me Personally…

I love teaching, learning, board games, video games and spending time with awesome people, especially those who are living with purpose and inspire me too!! I spend my down time walking my rescue dog in nature, snoozing in the bath and being by the sea.

Gemma Varney Holding her camera on the beach with a smile, sunglasses on head and blue dress, the light is well balanced on her and the background

Doing What I Love…

Teaching photography to small businesses, solopreneurs and non techie creative people makes me feel fulfilled. I help people master their camera settings, create efficient image editing workflows and confidently use their lighting equipment to create images that bring them joy, and/or grow their businesses. I work both on location and from my home studio in Honiton.

Portraiture is my favourite type of photography, and in 2017, out of 13,000 entries I won runner up (2nd Place!) in The Guild of Photographer’s Image of the Year Award for the Avant Garde Portrait Photography Category with the first image in this blog post. Warning it is not safe for work (but also not what you might expect)

Gem holding her award from the guild of photographers in front of a branded wall

 

My Educational Background…

Taking Photography seriously from 2007 I switched colleges and worked hard to gain a Triple Distinction in a BND Photography BTEC course at East Devon College now known as PETROC. I then went on to study Commercial Photography at The Arts University College at Bournemouth (Now AUB) in 2010 under Paul Wenham Clarke and Aaron Schuman. More recently I have gained a Level 3 Award in Education and Training from Cornwall Adult Education to ensure my teaching is of a high standard.

I’ve also gained qualifications in Law, Sociology, Psychology, Business and Google Digital Garage. I also have certificates in Safeguarding and the somewhat controversial PREVENT program and I hold a clean DBS Certificate too.

 

Employment History…

My previous employment experience includes working for a large portrait company where I photographed children and worked with the public extensively throughout the UK in a mobile studio setting. I was often within the company’s top 3 photographers and sales people in the UK and won their nationwide portrait competition, shortly before leaving in June 2012. UH thanks and bye..!

From 2012 I started my own portrait photography and training business and have had some incredible opportunities, such as shooting school portraits throughout Europe in 2014 at private schools and directing studios throughout Devon.

I’m also an experienced published photographer in Band, Food and Commercial Photography so I’ve worn lots of photography hats but I find the most satisfaction in sharing what I’ve learnt along the way. I was previously the chairperson of Ashwater Camera Club where we held many practical sessions throughout the year and learned together. I now offer guest speaking, judging and studio demonstrations to camera clubs and photography groups in the South West of England.Gemma stroking her collie dog on the beach whilst holding her camera with sunnies on her head and a royal blue dress on a cloudy day

What I’m Doing Next…

Next on the cards is learning more about SEO, making websites with WordPress and continuing learning how to use AI and automations to better support my business processes and systems (and those of my clients too) I’ve also got course on video production, maintaining a youtube channel, editing video, mastering Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook Ads and creating digital products. I have had to start writing everything down in Notion so I don’t forget what I’m learning! I also plan to make lots of mini courses in my Membership site – Photogemic so my lovely students can learn independently of me using my easy to understand resources over at www.photogemic.co.uk.

If you would like to know more about me and how we can work together, request a discovery call by emailing me at Gem@devonpt.co.uk or you can read my extended Bio on my blog here.