After discussions with many students re their equipment I have set a date for a new event. It's not a course or even classroom teaching though there will be plenty of advise given and practical demonstrations.
The 3hr event will provide you the following:
A sensor check for dust and if needed a clean/swab using professional cleaning equipment
A check to see if your lens (up to two different lenses) are forward or back focusing and if your camera supports adjustment we will adjust the focus accuracy to be 100% spot on. (most lenses are not accurate as you would expect!)
A walk through camera settings so you know which seeting to use and what difference it will make to your shots - set your camera up for optimal performance.
A walk through your gear and mine - what's it for, how to use it and practical demonstrations
Q&A on any equiment you are considering buying or own and want to know how to use.
The evening is limited to 8 people to ensure all of the above can be achieved - At £50 this event represents excellent value for a camera/gear service, advice and you don't even have to send your camera/lens away and be without it for weeks!
Book now to avoid disappointment and optimise the gear you have and know what gear you really need.
I have now added my last book to the iTunes store and will be aiming to get the second edition of escapes out in the 3 months before my next Gallery Exhibition starts.
I am working hard on the content but the second edition will contain more around the techniques and reasons I took the shot as many of my students have asked me what's behind each shot. Hope to bring you more news of this soon.
My annual trip, the only holiday I have each year without my beautiful children, to the Lake District which has become a bit of mecca for me photography wise because it's where I caught the "bug". Back in 2007 I attended a Photographic Holiday based with Lakeland Photographic Holidays in Braithwaite, just outside Keswick in the Lake District.
Since then I have returned every year, around Autumn time, to enjoy the hospitality, food, friendship of all those hosting and of course guests on the week long holiday not to mention the fabulous locations that are available to create great images from.
This year was no different in respect of the above other than the guests were largely the same group of guys I met for the first time last year in the same week.
So a reunion in some senses which certainly made for many laughs and plenty of banter but importantly a sense of friendship and understanding of each others, direction, ability and perspective when it comes to photography.
Its hard to put into words what this annual trip means to me as so much has changed in the 5 years since I have been going to LPH, not only in terms of my own vision and understanding but also in the way I prefer to work and how given the last year I have been running my own tuition as evening classes and weekend workshops I would feel about attending someone else's.
I am happy to say that I still felt privileged to be there and with John's insightful eye and honest (though, often not blunt enough for my own taste) I felt comfortable and still inspired.
I can't recommend LPH highly enough, not just for the fact that you get the chance to shoot for a week in the some of the UK's most stunning landscape areas but because the whole experience (whatever level you are at) is so rewarding and enjoyable. Year after year I have seen keen amateur, enthusiast and experienced photographers produce stunning images and progress as each day passes - despite the weather conditions and barriers - John and the group somehow manage to find a way to focus energy and inspiration to go out in all weather and adjust their creativity accordingly.
This photo diary is a record of my week there, a mixture of "less than ideal" weather but ironically, I think I probably created my best images when the weather was at its worst as it forced me to think harder and work harder to find the shots that would work in those conditions.
If you have the good fortune to be able to take a week out and have a desire to learn on location with expert support and guidance and constructive feedback then I would not hesitate to recommend LPH to you for its warmth and hospitality and the opportunity it will give you to develop your eye and technique and make a whole bunch of new friends!
I released a set of poppy images this week in commemoration of Remembrance Sunday and to my surprise it has been picked up by the Daily Mail and published - I am really pleased that I had the opportunity to tribute the pictures to so many forgotten heroes who died in so many wars from so many different nations:
Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 12:40PM 