Workshops

I took advantage of a 1-hour ‘Photography On Demand’ Skype tutorial with Simon Booth, someone I follow on YouTube and have much respect for his work. Simon achieved ARPS with a nature panel and has a professional background in ecology. As part of the ‘On Demand’ tutorial Simon critiqued some of my images and talked through the strengths and weaknesses. He was very friendly and helpful so I booked a ‘One-to-One’ workshop with him to work on my weak spots. Nearer the time, we spoke on the phone to agree a location and a rough plan of action. Simon also offered me the opportunity to use a set of Kase filters; he is a Kase ambassador.

It was clear from the start of our communication that the workshop was going to be a thought through affair; your study of tide tables for times and heights, similarly for sunrise and as the day approached, your study of the weather forecasts too made me see that you are very dedicated to your craft. Groundwork done, the day was then approached with great flexibility and adapting a choice of locations to suit the conditions made for a variety challenges all handled in a very pragmatic way.

Simon you have a very discerning eye for composition which was the reason I contacted you in the first place, and to spend time with you for some of that to rub off was well worth the time and effort. You described your considerations in uncomplicated terms, never setting yourself up as the last word but offering suggestions where you saw fit. I particularly liked your style of working; to whittle away at all the stuff that detracts from the image you see in your mind’s eye and arrive at the closest possible interpretation, clearing away the distractions from the image by so many different means.

I found the experimentation work we did with various lenses in similar situations very useful and this has really helped me to understand the wider applications of the tools I already have (and the ones I don’t) in capturing images that are very satisfying to look back on. And really that is the nub of it! To come away from a day’s shooting in the field and be pleased with the result. In that way I can say most definitely that you have widened my armoury of skills and thought processes, and given me something to take forward that no piece of kit ever can.

In short, for someone looking to expand their horizons from an artistic or creative point of view through composition, or to better understand the technical and practical elements of camera craft I cannot speak highly enough of your skills and approaches in your workshop. You make for good company Simon in many ways, and your knowledge of the countryside was interesting certainly but it was entertaining too. For people like me with an interest though no great knowledge of the various species of plants and birds we encountered, or ecological matters generally, it was an added bonus and a great part of a very enjoyable and worthwhile day.