Angkor Photo Workshop – soundslides presentations and farewell
When a group of 18 people get together there is an expectation that everyone will become fast friends, that everyone will get along. Throw in the creative temperaments of 18 photographers, and at least 7 different nationalities and statistically you are pushing your luck. For this reason alone the last two weeks on the inaugural [...]
Essential iPhone and iPad Apps for the travelling photographer
Inevitably when a crowd of photographers gather for a workshop there is the usual conversation about cameras, lenses and gadgets and there is nothing better than a 3 hour coach ride between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh to draw up a list from the combined wisdom of so many Apple aficionados. I thought it might [...]
How to guarantee great images on a photo workshop
Sitting in the colonial grandeur of the FCC hotel in Siem Reap whilst helping Karl Grobl to run the inaugural Angkor Photo workshop I was chatting with a number of the participants about their varied experiences of attending workshops with different leaders. Most had some horror story to tell until they had found Karl’s, Gavin [...]
Angkor Photo Workshops – Monks
I try not to go to a new location with pre-conceived ideas or expectations, even if I have researched it because sometimes the weight of expectation will stifle my ability to see something with fresh eyes, or it will lead to disappointment because I couldn’t create a shot I was after, perhaps because the sky [...]
Join a workshop and help a charity
Workshop opportunities with Gavin Gough, Matt Brandon, Karl Grobl and Marco Ryan that will help fund projects with NGOs
Why you need a pullover to visit Humayums tomb
The first of those was Humayum’s tomb, which I chose to visit at dawn, to catch the tranquility and the golden light and watch the sunrise over this beautiful mausoleum and park.
Are you in denial? Is Cairo just a pretension?
Thankfully my day job is not as a comedian. Sorry! The “de-Nile” joke is pretty over used isn’t it, but its late and I needed something for the title. I bet Google would have preferred something different too! Last week, I announced the launch of the Cairo Photo Tours, part of a new and active [...]
Cairo Photo Group is launched: School Studio, Tours and Services
It has been a busy week., because on top of my day job as an ecommerce strategy consultant, a number of fun photography projects have been brewing
The early part of the week was consumed with launching Focus for Humanity – a new Not For Profit foundation that supports – that was the subject of my last post.
The middle part of the week has been taken up with writing a guest post for Matt Brandon’s Digital trekker blog this Friday all about the inspiration behind Focus For Humanity and how to help unlock value for organizations in using images and making plans to do a trip down the Nile in a couple of weeks with Matt when he visits Egypt to start planning some new workshops and tours here.
I took that image – inspiration or plagiarism?
One of the challenges that I guess many of us face on a photo workshop is finding the unique angle or shot that allows our own style or approach to be translated into a compelling image, especially when 8 other of your new found photo friends are standing next to you trying to create the [...]
Heat, luxury and a land of opportunity – How Egypt offers great workshop potential
At 50c, a Canon 5d Mk2 becomes too hot to handle! Literally and figuratively. The L series lens with their metal fittings burn the hands and the camera body itself is uncomfortably hot. Sweat gets into the eyes and onto the palms making it difficult to see the settings or make any adjustments.
But, despite this, we are striking a rich seem of cultural images.
The clash of culture and tourism in Upper Egypt
The scene is almost biblical. The earthen streets, the half naked child peering out of the mud brick house or the old man resting on a simple wooden bed against a bright blue wall. Right up to the point where the child runs out and says “Hello. One dollar. Baksheesk”. Not even the usual “Welcome [...]
Why location, luck and gear is not enough
When I first started taking photography seriously about 18 months a go I naively thought that taking a powerful portrait – particularly travel or street portraiture – was really just because the fulltime photographer was always in an exotic place, with a great camera and of course in those type of locations you really just [...]
Bangkok Redshirts Protest
The third day of the Red Shirts protests against the Thai government was potentially the day when things would happen. The unrealistic deadline for the government’s resignation had come and gone, and the Red shirts had decided to fan out from their central base at Phan Fa bridge, and take their protests out further into [...]
The Compelling Image portfolio review with Ami Vitale
For those of you that think this blog is an interview with Ami Vitale or a review of Ami Vitale’s wonderful portfolio, I am sorry to disappoint. If you do want to listen to an outstanding interview with this great photographer then download Matt Brandon’s – aka The Digital Trekker’s – excellent Depth of Field interview with Ami here. [...]
Graft and vision
I learned the hard way this week that it really isn’t about the kit. It really is about the years of experience, the years of study at the school of hard knocks, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. I wrote recently how through a combination of factors my 5Dmk2 and f2.8 70-200 lens and I [...]
Kumbh Mela workshop – Amazing trip announced
Gavin Gough and Matt Brandon have just formally released the details for an amazing workshop in April 2010 to the Kumbh Mela festival in india. According to Gavin’s own post . they’ve arranged the trip to “coincide with the most auspicious bathing day, on April 14th, when the river Ganges will be the centre of [...]
New depth of field Interview
Matt Brandon has just released a new a great new episode of his Depth of Field series – interviewing David duChemin during their recent workshop, Lumen Dei. This great series of audio podcasts – also available via iTunes (just search for Depth of Field) – interviews working photographers and give you a beyond the scenes [...]
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