Workshops
Develop an infallible technique, then put yourself at the mercy of inspiration. Zen maxim
At Light & Land we recognize that mastering technique is the foundation of good photography. Creative photography depends upon the camera becoming an extension of your body and mind. All too often, however, we feel constrained by our inability to manipulate the camera; the camera feels more like an obstacle on the path to our image making rather than the golden road.
Light & Land offer a number of different technique and specialist format Workshops to allow you to overcome these obstacles. In all cases you will be provided with comprehensive technical notes for you to refer to both during and after the workshop.
Large format
Phil Malpas and David Ward's Large Format Workshops will guide you through all the intricacies of using view cameras out in the field. With more than forty years' experience of large format between them there's no one better equipped to help you get the most form this great format. The courses cover everything from what you'll need in a basic large format kit, to the fundamentals of using camera movements, to lens choices, to spot metering technique for perfect exposures and the careful use of filtration to enhance your images. Our specialist format workshops offer a mixture of classroom tuition and fieldwork.
We even have complete L.F. kits available for hire for those who would like to experience using an L.F. camera but haven't yet taken the plunge by purchasing one.
David also runs an Advanced Large Format course with Joe Cornish. Designed for those who already have a basic understanding of L.F. photography, these workshops aim to take the participants to a new level of technical competence and hence to better realise their creative potential. in addition to the usual fieldwork there will be extended critiques of participants work and in-depth discussion of some of the deeper aspects of the art of photography. Joe and David have over 50 years of photographic experience between them. Both are long term advocates of the L.F. approach and have written extensively about the art of landscape photography.
Digital imaging software
Adrian Beasley's Digital Imaging Workshops are designed to help you learn how to use the latest computer software to make the most of your digital images. The two day courses will lead you through the basics of Photoshop® from importing images or finding your way around the Toolbox through to creating and using adjustment layers and on to controlling the final output of your images to print.
From 2010, we have added a Lightroom® workshop, teaching you how to get the best from this popular RAW processing package. These two-day courses are designed to lead photographers through from the very basics (like importing images, adjusting exposure and colour) through to advanced topics (like detailed selective adjustments, organising smart collections and creating web sites). The modules have been designed by Adrian so that photographers of all abilities will be able to quickly learn how to master the relevant techniques.
Introduction to digital
Phil Malpas and Clive Minnitt lead our Introduction to Digital Photography Workshop. Introduced in 2009, this workshop covers all the essentials on how to get the best from your digital camera: shooting RAW vs jpeg; colour vs monochrome; finding an image & composition; which lenses and accessories to use. You’ll also look at the secrets of perfect exposure, including how to interpret histograms, the use of white balance and using filtration. The best news of all is that if you haven't yet made the leap to digital you won’t need a camera to take part. We have a number of high spec digital compacts for participants to use whilst getting to grips with the basics of digital photography.
Start & finish...
The location workshops normally start around 6pm with an introductory talk and discussion about each participants needs and aims - an essential aspect of ensuring that every participant gets as much as possible from the course. If conditions are right the tour will finish with the last light on the last day; we don't want to see good light going to waste. Weather permitting the group will start each day with a dawn shoot. Don't worry though if you're not by nature an early riser. Dawns are optional - you only need worry about the peer pressure as everyone describes the wonderful light over breakfast!
The classroom based workshops normally start around 9:30am and continue through until 4pm.
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