Camera Club talks have become even more popular over the past 2 years with the advent of Zoom and unprecedented access to speakers from around the world. I have a selection of talks that I am happy to deliver in person to clubs in the North-East of England, or via Zoom (where indicated) to clubs further afield. A brief summary of the talks are given below:
The language of photography - communicating through imagery
<Live> <Zoom>
Duration: 1.5 hours approx
Amateur and enthusiast photographers invariably take up the hobby as a form of expression - we believe we have something to say through our photography. But just as a writer needs to understand and master the fundamental structure, styles and nuances of the written word, so a photographer needs to understand and master the characteristics of the photographic medium. We need to analyse how images are read by viewers, and how we can influence their interpretation through the use of photographic techniques. This talk is an introduction to these ABC's of photography; a primer in getting your message across and creating images that are more deliberate in communicating our intent. It is intended to be the beginning of what will hopefully become a life-long journey towards refinement, improvement and photographic eloquence.
Analogue photography in a digital age
<Live>
Duration: 1.5 hours approx
Film photography is not dead! There remain significant benefits to shooting film, and it is perhaps easier now than it has ever been. This talk is in 2 parts - the first is a portrayal of my own journey with film photography, used as an example to highlight its value and also to provide some information and tips as to how to try it for yourself. The second part is an introduction to pinhole photography, using examples of some contemporaries as well as my own, and including an explanation of the unique characteristics of pinhole photography, how to do it yourself, and what cameras to use.
This talk includes a live display of some of my own film and pinhole cameras.
Working in projects and developing a style
<Live> < Zoom>
Duration: 1.5 hours approx
Club photographers often bemoan that they are unable to find their own 'style'. In this talk, we discuss what it means to have a 'style', how we could go about developing our own style (and why we don't necessarily have to) and the value of working in projects. We also discuss the tricky business of finding suitable subjects or themes for a project, and how to go about shooting them.
Black and White photography
<Live> <Zoom>
Duration: 1.2 hours approx
Black and white photography has a timeless appeal that persists despite all the major advancements in colour reproduction and fidelity, and will always remain so in my opinion. However, good black and white photography is about far more than a simple button-click in software. The process starts in the field and involves a sophisticated, considered and involved processing workflow that is very different from that used for colour photography. In this talk we go through all these aspects, from camera set up to shooting, processing and printing. Hopefully, you won't think about black and white photography the same way again!
