Photography workshop
The Photography workshop leaders | The Photography workshop | Scheme of work | Certified qualification | Evidence of participation | Booking
The Photography workshop will inspire you to start seeing the world in a different light, that from the eyes of the camera. Start to capture the world around you, what you do, the journeys you make and the interests you have. Young people are very familiar with terms such as image, identity and first impressions. How is that achieved? How is it embellished and imprinted into our mind. An image can speak a thousand words and the power and importance of the photograph can never be under estimated. Photography is here to stay and the recent advancements of digital have made it even more accessible to all, to share both on the printed page and on the internet.
The Photography workshop leaders
Our resident photographer, Simon left college in 1991 with a HND in Photography after coming top in his class. The following 10 years were spent as a freelance fashion photographer until completing his degree in visual communication design at Middlesex University where he attained a first class honours degree. Over the past 4 years, on his own initiative, Simon has built a library of over 25,000 images (all taken by him). Subjects range from products, lifestyle, people, portraits, architecture, close-ups, and nature to landscapes, and in fact just about anything and everything.
During his time as a freelance photographer Simon worked for clients such as Armani, Boss Models, The Scotsman Newspaper and Vidal Sassoon. He has had various photographic exhibits and shows including a piece of work in the Victoria and Albert Museum. He has organised a charity fashion show in London and had images in magazines as well as working on photo shoots in New York, Paris and LA. Recently Simon has explored the area of Band and Artist photography and has his own business at www.bandphotography.co.uk.
The Photography workshop
The workshops can take place on one day aimed at students needing an introduction to photography. Alternatively on longer workshops (spread over several sessions) students can be given simple introductory photographic assignments and bring the work back into class. Photography subject can be anything the student wants and practical and creative discussions can take place over what is good and bad about the images. There will also be opportunities to take photographs during the session under supervision and with technical and creative help on hand from the tutor. Notes will be given out on the more technical aspects and guidance on composition, use of light, choice of subject etc.
Emphasis can be on either:
- Film based photography
- Darkroom processing and printing of black and white photography
- Digital photography and camera equipment
- Photography for the internet using film or digital based cameras
Scheme of work
Principal purpose:
Benefits include:
- Encouraging and enabling their creativity to be seen by the wider community
- Introducing them to a potential vocation by learning a new skill
- Getting the most from a camera
- Getting images from a camera to a PC and potentially the internet
- Compiling a set of images concerning an interest or some other ability/skill
Highlights of the workshop:
- Learning what makes a good image and building on that to take some excellent photos of your own
- Taking control over the camera and subject
All participants will have the opportunity to:
- Learn the difference between poor and excellence in photography
- Encouraged to think, what are the most important aspects of a good image
- Find out what depth of field is, how to best use it, and how aperture controls it
- Learn how to use PhotoShop - image editing software (on courses with access to PCs or Apple Macs)
- Find out what shutter speed is and how to achieve motion or freeze an image
- How to process black and white film (darkroom workshop only)
- How to print black and white photos from negatives (darkroom workshop only)
- Learn about pixels (size of an image) and how to get the most when using Photoshop to print an image or save it for the web
- How to use the light to good effect
- Basic tutorial on studio based lighting and using flash use and techniques
Certified qualification
Top Dog Certificate of Achievement in PHOTOGRAPHY
All of our workshops are accredited with a certificate that all partakers can take away with them at the end as proof of their participation and to mark their achievement in learning a new skill.
Evidence of participation
Many youth schemes require evidence of learners' participation and achievements in wider learning projects to contribute to the young persons file or CV. Top Dog support this by providing other supporting evidence of participation in addition to the Top Dog Certificate of Achievement. Available for this workshop are:
- Depending on on-site computer availability participants can scan their photographs or download and copy to a CD to take home
- Students can take away a CD full of freely available image editing software, course notes, resources and tips, links to photography web sites (good and bad) that will help them on a journey of becoming a photographer
- Records of attendance and evaluation/feedback forms are completed by all participants