Karen from Brisbane, Australia:

Sab was fabulous, I had a brand new camera and he taught me how to get the most of my shots , utilising many of the features on my camera. I wanted to learn how to structure a shot to make it more interesting. He was very patient and gave constructive criticism. We rambled around Montmartre and the old town area and discovered some interesting sites to photograph.

It was a great day and I didn’t want it to end. Had a fabulous day and would recommend this tour to all inspiring photographers, whatever your experience.

Ruthie from Wilmington, Delaware, USA:

I can't even begin to describe how much I learned from this tour. Not only did I get to see the Latin Quarter and Montmartre with an "insider" - our tour took us off the beaten path (which is what I wanted), but Sab told me interesting facts about the areas as we were walking around.

He pointed out areas to photograph that truly give you the flavor of Paris and he actually discovered new things himself as we walked.

I learned a lot about my camera and really did get a whole new perspective on photography.  I will hopefully be able to incorporate my new knowledge into my photography business at home.

I highly recommend this to everyone - it was the absolute highlight of my trip.

René & Lisa from Antwerp, Belgium:

Lisa and I want to thank you very much for the wonderful Saturday along the streets of Paris!

Our encounter was not only a complete (but very much welcome!) surprise for me, it led to hours of pleasure exchanging views and approaches, and discussing photography in general.

I thoroughly enjoyed this inspiring experience: you brought us to places full of visual opportunities, you were great at challenging what I was seeing and doing, and above all you helped me find some ideas and directions to explore in the future. For now more than ever I remain convinced that I simply have to make photography a bigger part of my life.

I only feel bad that we had to end the day so abruptly, without even having the chance to offer you a coffee! But as you know we were in a hurry for the next event, another pleasant surprise (and leading to more photo opportunities!).

I so far found only a few moments to discover your website - it's so rich that it will take me some time to enjoy all of it! So more fun for a couple of evenings…

I have kept notes on what we discussed and on the items I promised to get back to you about. That will happen in the days to come. I am looking forward to send you some shots for critique, and I also will send you a link to the resulting 'Paris collection' as soon as I complete my post-processing.

I wish you all the best with your many Paris activities and with your exhibition in Brussels. If you ever get the chance to spend some time in Antwerp (or any other place in Belgium) feel free to let me know, and if at all possible we'll link up.

For now, once again many many thanks!

Daniel from Newmarket, UK:

I have thoroughly enjoyed the eight hours I have had so far, although probably still not enough!

Aside from enabling me to understand the camera, Sab really gave me a great insight in how to "see" interesting subjects and shapes, and subsequently how to best enhance their value in a photographic context.

I am very proud of the portraits I took and hope they will make great gifts to family members.

Sab knew Paris really well, so we wasted very little time getting to the best locations to capture the heart of the city. I would certainly recommend Sab to others who wanted to expand their photographic experience.

Anne & Jonathan from Sydney, Australia:

Sab offered a different perspective to photography touring I've previous participated in.

He provided context by briefly dabbling into both the history and social idiosyncrasies of the area prior to shooting.

He focused on perspective and viewpoints without delving much into the technical aspects of the camera. Just what we preferred. Learnt new techniques and had a good time.

A friendly and knowledgeable tour guide he made the event very enjoyable and memorable.

Zvonimir from Zagreb, Croatia:

I very much enjoyed our photo tour in Latin Quarter. Sab made it possible for me to see beyond classical „tourist“ attractions as I wanted a bit different photo experience of Paris. He also shared many technical points in order to improve my overall photo skills.

We had few hundred pics together, now I will have a hard time selecting really best among them to represent my experience of Latin Quartier this January.

Testimonials ~ 2008

Stephanie from Bristol, UK:

When I first contacted Sab I had a plan to spend a week in Paris wandering round, experiencing the beauty of Paris, and taking some great photos with my new camera which I didn’t really know how to use.  However, as soon as I got in contact, the week became something very special.

Having seen Sab’s inspirational website, I contacted him about a custom made photography tour/course. He put together a fantastic ‘package’ of individual lessons for me, scheduled over the week.  Sab had planned the schedule really carefully, based around the areas that I had said I was interested in.  I met with Sab each day, sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the evening for night photography, sometimes for the whole day, and sometimes just for a few hours.   Around the lessons I was able to explore Paris and take photos on my own, and Sab always gave me great suggestions for places to go, and also suggestions for areas to focus on.  We then reviewed what I had done at our lesson the following day.

From the moment I met up with Sab, on a rainy Sunday morning at St Michel Fountain, he made photography exciting and fun.   I was pretty much a beginner to photography, and was scared of being creative with the camera.  Sab has an energetic and fun approach to teaching.  As we wandered around the city, Sab had endless creative ideas of how to get great shots.  Very quickly he helped me to find the shots myself.

I took hundreds of wonderful shots with Sab, but he helped me to create a digital Paris Album, and to select the best shots to keep in it.  He also spent a lot of time helping me to master the basics in digital editing, which has improved my final images dramatically.   Since I’ve been home, my family and friends have been amazed at the photos in my album.  Before I left, I had never taken anything that I was happy to show people, and after my week with Sab I have an album of shots that I am really proud of.

When I planned my trip to Paris, I had hoped that I would return a better photographer, and I certainly have.  However, what I hadn’t expected, was that I’d have such an enjoyable week in Sab’s company.  Sab is a very talented artist with an infectious passion for Paris.  I felt very lucky to be sharing in his inspiration in the city that he loves.

Thank you so much Sab for a wonderful week!

Sue & Gordon from Australia:

“I do feel bad not getting back to you earlier to thank you as both Gordon and I had a great time with you on your Latin Quarter Curios tour. We found it a fantastic introduction, not only to taking much better photos, and seeing things we may not normally notice, but also to Paris itself. You helped us to feel more confident using our cameras while showing us the beauty of Paris. And to top it off we now have some terrific photos of Paris that we certainly wouldn't have if not for your help!

The holiday seems like ages ago but it has whet our appetites for more, we just need the economy to spring back!”

Dirk from Beeskow, Germany:

“The tour with you was absolutely great. I think we had a lot of fun together. I could take home a lot of suggestions and experiences. You have shown me nice, quiet places in Paris outside the touristical mainstream.

I have visited often you homepage. It is nice, I like it. But I need a little bit more time to look at and to read everything.

It was very important for me to change our experiences concerning photography. Once again: Thank you very much for all.

I would like to do the next photo tour with you in Beeskow !!!”

Maureen from Wexford, Pennsylvania, USA:

“Sab is a traveler, a writer, a poet, a painter, a photographer, a man with several lives and loving his current one deep in the state of helping others capture images of what he loves – the Paris scene. Indeed, he made the scene and reinvented it for us.”

“He is full of playfulness and insight, novel perspectives and quirky charm.”

“Why is it that travel magazines, lavish with tips and sumptuous photographs leave us so empty? Because they are gauzy tributes to the faux magic and trying so hard to be sincere. Instead, traipse around with Sab for a couple of hours, hear about his life, go to a local bookstore, which is clearly a hangout for him, hear him chat with a friend, meet a dog and throw a ball, sneak into a courtyard surrounded by dance studios with a belly dancer learning to isolate her top from her bottom and hear him talk about his own dance class attempt that no doubt had him smiling with glee.”

“When you are either too nervous to hold the camera to your face because the lens gets in the way of the beauty or when you are swamped with the emotion of a war monument, Sab is a thoughtful guide – helping you make sense of what you witness.”

“And finally, thank you. Wish I could just ring you, say I’d meet you at the bookstore and head out for gunpowder tea then a romp through the modern art.

Teresa from Levittown (Long Island), New York, USA:

"As an amateur photographer who has been to Paris 3 times prior I wanted to see the less "famous" details of the city.  Sab took me to just such places where I was able to capture my kind of images and incorporate his insightful suggestions.  Because of that, my pictures have a new clarity of vision for me and hopefully the viewer."

"I also have to thank him for giving me tips on the usage of some of the bells and whistles of my camera that I had no prior experience with...using them now I am able to take better technical and artistic shots."

"The tour was a perfect balance of photographic "event", history lesson, comfortable stroll with a new friend, and seeing photography and Paris with new eyes.  Thank you Sab, for the highlight of my trip!"

David from Edinburgh, Scotland, UK:

"Great day out made even better for just being the two of us – Sab pointed out ideas and angles that might have passed me by otherwise.  The day was aided by great weather / sun / shadows which added to the outing and quality of the shots taken.

Great knowledge of the areas walked – (Montmartre).  I returned the next afternoon and took more but with the benefit of the previous day.  Highly recommended."

See more of David's photos

Testimonials ~ 2007

Frank from Philadelphia, USA:

"I took the Montmartre Paris tour in November 07, and had a great time. It was just me and Sab so he had a lot of time to help me compose my shot and explain the area and its history. We had similar Nikon cameras so he also showed me a few tricks on how to use some of its features which I have never used before."

"Its amazing how quickly Sab could find an interesting angle or subject to take pictures of where I would have never even noticed it. I was so glad I found his tour when I was booking my Paris trip."

"If you like to travel and like to take pictures, I feel its so important to know how to take a good photograph no matter what type of camera you have. Thanks Sab!"

Jason from Phoenix, Arizona, USA:

"Unbelievable! A single day that I will never forget! Highly, highly recommended!

"My study was in Italy actually. But I  arranged a long layover in Paris as I really wanted to include her. When I had discovered that I was the only person on Sab's tour for that evening, I told him a bit about myself and asked if he could redirect the tour to whatever he thought I may be interested in seeing/photographing.

"WOW, did that work out nicely! Sab turned out to be brilliant and very accommodating. He put so much more into the tour than was even required. Those who see the photos here at home have a hard time believing that this was all done in one day. Then I tell them the tour didn't start until 4pm and they surely think I'm telling stories! If you have an opportunity to extend/customize your photo tour, I highly recommend it. Sab makes a point in showing you how to really 'see', not just photograph. If you can't see the shot, you can't get the shot. Therefore, you begin to see things that you would have never normally given a second look. Sab helps you to view things as an artist, but the 'postcard' shots are still available if you want to shoot like that as well.

"Next tip - Do this first BEFORE you vacation begins. I went to many other towns in Italy after my experience with Sab. I would have never taken the kind of photos I did if I had not had the lessons. In fact, there were many places (churches) that didn't allow photos. Yet I was still looking at things as a photographer. It was commented many times by my group that I pointed out things that they just passed right up. One person began to consistently ask me, 'what do you see here?'.

"Now as I am home, my photos are amazing me every time I look at them. Book quality... I mean sell-able! This single trip with Sab has truly changed my life as an artist as my 'eye' has not stopped and I plan to continue to improve as I see such an importance in doing this for my own creative growth. For you can't paint it if you can't 'see' it."

Joanna from Toronto, Canada:

"Just took a peek through some of your blogs and am reminded of what a fabulous photographer you are!  Thanks for posting so many great & inspirational pictures online... it's so great to be able to see the work you're doing!

"I recognized 2 photos on the blog that I think you took on our tour in Montmartre (kind of cool!)  I guess your camera must have been working at the beginning of the tour! (The pics from mid Sept are the ones I recognize).

"Anyway... just stopped by to say hello & encourage you in your art and your work - amazing!"

Marsha from New York, USA:

"Sab, the tour was an inspiring learning experience with guidance not only on wonderful 'things' to take photos of, but different ways to approach a particular photo to make it different from a 'front on' shot.  (Also, help with my camera and terminology.) 

"As we discussed, perhaps art can't be taught, but it can be unleashed!  I'm looking forward to having another session."