How did I end up in Provence?

My story

Did you know (why would you!) that it has been almost 18 years to the day that I decided to set up my business in France as a photographer? It has been almost 20 years that I have lived here. When I say it out aloud I find it hard to believe. It has been almost 18 years that I have known Mike my husband. I became a step mother to a 9 and 11 year old before I became a mother to my own daughter who is nearly 14 and my step children are now 26 and 28.

It has been about 22 years since I came back from a workshop in India with David Bathgate and decided that I wanted to become a photographer. I quit everything to follow my dream. I then decided to move to another country where I didn't speak the language and follow that dream.

When I turned 50 last year I celebrated. Not only because it's a great age but because I look back at all that I have achieved and all that I would like to achieve with pride. What's more I have achieved this on my own with a good network of support beside me.

I am going to say something that may shock people. I had no real desire to live in Provence. It wasn’t on my radar. I had been working with a photographer who happened to work for the World of Interiors, hence why I ended up working in Interiors.

My mother was living in Provence at the time and this photographer said you should go and live with your mum for a while because ‘You can always sell an article from Provence’

So off I went. I had no desire to live in the UK, I didn’t know where I wanted to be. I still have no desire to live in the UK, 20 years later. I arrived as a barely 30 something to the South of France to try and make it as a photographer.

I went up to Paris and saw all the French magazines barely understanding if they liked my work or not. I went up again 9 months later and sold 4 articles in a day. It started from there.

One of my dreams was to get into the World of Interiors magazine. I was determined to get into it. I’ll talk about magazines at a later time but you need to persevere and not only that you need to understand that in this industry you will get a NO 90% of the time but when you do sell, especially to a magazine like this, it’s honestly the best feeling ever. Not only did I get a 12 page article I got the front cover. It was ‘ a story from Provence’!

I look back at it now and think I must have been mad but the one thing I have never been afraid of is just going for it. Would I have changed anything? No probably not. Did I know what I was doing? Absolutely not!

So if I can offer any advice it is to just go for it. You can’t wait for things to happen sometimes you just have to grab the pull by its horns. It might not work out but it might - nothing is ever a failure it’s a learning experience.

Joanna x

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So would you like to discover more about Provence?

Why not join me for a Photography Workshop in Provence :

16 - 23 September 2025

I will be running my Provence Photography Workshop once again from 16 - 23 September 2025 and for those who join me, I will be sharing my home and studio which we will use as a base to practice your photography.

You will be staying in one of those more gorgeous private homes I know, close to the beautiful village of Eygalières nestled in the heart of the Alpilles and just around the corner from my home and studio.

There will be a few new surprises this year but we will visit brocantes, food markets, private homes and spaces of friends I know and have photographed. At the same time I will help you improve and hone your photography skills whether you are beginner, amateur or professional - mobile phone or camera user.

We will learn and discuss Travel, Interiors, Lifestyle, Still Life and Portraiture during the week as well as discovering the Alpilles. It will be a creative photography experience in the heart of Provence.

My lovely French husband @mike_sajnoski will be creating wonderful culinary dishes during the week. He will also be there to help you buy Antiques and if you ask nicely he will also pose for a photo (he does do it well!).

We look forward to inviting you into our home and studio and showing you our Provence.

Places are limited so don't miss out.