Angor Photo Workshop participants - Copyright 2011 Gavin Gough

For this reason alone the last two weeks on the inaugural Angkor Photo Workshop, led by Karl Grobl, Gavin Gough, Matt Brandon and myself has been remarkable. I can’t think when I last so enjoyed such a large group’s diverse experience, humor and company.

Looking for Matt Brandon - the fourth Musketeer

And now it is at an end. We leave this morning for Siem Reap and the airport – although Gavin and I are staying on for a few days of personal shooting. It has been a humbling experience to watch each and everyone of the participants blossom (photographically!) and as is so often the case on workshops we have learned as much from them as they have hopefully taken from us. Below is a slideshow with a few images contributed by each of the participants:

I’ve also included the 4 winning Soundslides presentations that were competed at the end of the first week, to give you a hint at some of the talent and creativity we so enjoyed. Without exception, none of the group had used Soundslides and Audacity before, yet everyone mastered it and produced wonderful multimedia presentations.

To Ruti, Scot, Jasper, Melissa, Catherine, Lisa, Chris, Ursula, Carl, Jenny, Darrell, Andrew, Tim and Ayn thank you for your energy, passion and friendship.

And to each of you reading this – save the last 2 weeks of July 2012 and come and join the four of us on the second Angkor Photo Workshop.

First place, Lisa Brockman and Scot Sargeant

Second Equal: Ursula Wall and Carl Johan Ragnarsson

Second Equal: Ayn Brown and Chris Choulos

Third Place: Catherine Wisner and Jenny Krasner

I thought it might be useful to list some of the iPhone, iPad & iTouch apps (and I guess they would be available o ANdroid too) that we have all been sharing on the Angkor Photo Workshop with Karl Grobl, Matt Brandon and Gavin Gough. My thanks to them and to the participants for letting me take most of the credit for sharing these with you! I’ve also added some essential software that is either free or low cost that I think you should all consider using.

iPhone & iPad Photography Apps

PhotoSmith – If you are an Adobe Lightroom user and have the camera connection kit, Photosmith allows you do the first part of your workflow on the road right on your iPad. The app allows you to import, rate, label, keyword, tag your images exactly as you would in Lightroom, before then importing them to Lightroom when you get back to base. A wonderful tool to save time when on the road. Read a review here

Light trac. This iPAD app lets you find out when the light is perfect at a specific location by showing you exactly at what angle the sun hits your location at any given time of the day. I’ve reviewed this previously, but this is a superb app for making sure that you are in exactly the right place at the right time, as it links to satellite imagery to ensure you can be pinpoint accurate. Want to know where to get a star bust effect over Angkor Wat at Sunrise, then use this app to go to precisely the right place. Check out Light Trac’s website for screenshots

Filterstorm – A favorite of Photojournalists, Filterstorm is at home in a professional workflow, or for anyone who simply wants to get the most out of their pictures while on the road. Filterstorm contains a suite of powerful tools including curves manipulation, color correction abilities, noise reduction, sharpening, vignetting, and black and white conversion fine-tuning. It also includes the powerful ability to apply any of the available filters by brush, color range, and gradient. Read a review or check out the pro version in iTunes

GPS4Cam – This excellent and intuitive Geo location data app allows you to append GPS data to your images prior to importing them into Lightroom, Aperture Or Camera Raw and is by far the most cost effective way to geotag those images. By simply synchronizing you iPhone and your camera’s clocks, you can then turn the app on. We has it “pinging” every ten minutes to save battery life as this was accurate enough for us at the pace we were walking. It Works with any and all digital cameras. Any model, any make (even Leica!).and runs in the background leaving you free to take pictures, listen to music, use maps or browse the web and does not even need wifi to work. Then tap the “Export” button. This will generate one or more picture codes that you then take a picture of, with each code containing all of the time and location information. The free desktop application uses these codes, along with your pictures to synchronize precise times and locations and then embeds that info into each picture file. You are then free to import into Lightroom etc.

Hipstamatic – iPhone photography never looked so retro! For those wanting the look and feel of plastic toy cameras from days long ago, Hipstamatic is the app for you. Not only will it turn your photographs into creative works of art, the app does an amazingly great job and transforms your iPhone into a whole new camera. The app itself recreates the look of an old square-frame camera and takes Polaroid-style pictures. With the swipe of a finger you can change its virtual lenses and film formats to create a variety of over-saturated or discolored effects. You can read more on the Hipstamatic Website.

Easy Release This is an essential app if you need to create an on the spot model or property release. The app allows you to create a legally binding release (based on Getty Images own releases), including the image of the model or property, their signature, your signature and a witnesses signature. It then send all parties a pdf copy. Any changes made at a later date require the original parties to sign again. Matt Brandon – aka The digital Trekker – did a detailed and superb review of this great app on his blog

PerfectlyClear It’s fast, easy Dynamic Range Correction (DRC) that balances luminance and color, adds sharpness, and in more recent versions helps to reduce noise especially in processing images with a lot of darker areas. Perfectly Clear helps to overcome the deficiencies and limitations of the iPhone’s camera. This is a great way to quickly process an image before sharing it on social media, facebook or email etc

PhotoMeter – Photometer will turn your iPhone into a reliable Exposure Meter, a modern interpretation of what it should be in times of retina displays and touch screens – for old times sake they have included a classic skin that feels and behaves just like the real thing. Perhaps more a but of fun than an essential tool, it is useful bnever the less!

Productivity and Photo Sharing Apps

PhotoShare – Transfer photos and/or contacts between two iPhones and/or iPod Touches over bluetooth. Requires iPhone 3G or later or 2nd generation iPod Touch or later (Bluetooth data transfer cannot be supported on the original iPhone or original iPod Touch due to hardware limitations). Does not require any 3G or WiFi connection. This is the best bluetooth photo sharing app out there, and it’s free!!

Dropbox – Dropbox is a free service that lets you bring all your photos, docs, and videos anywhere. After you install Dropbox on your computer, any file you save to your Dropbox will automatically save to all your computers, your iPhone and iPad and even the Dropbox website! With the Dropbox app, you can take everything that matters to you on the go. You can read your docs or flip through your albums when you’re out and about. Save photos or videos to your Dropbox and share them with friends in just a couple taps. Even if you accidentally leave your iPhone in a taxi, your stuff is always safe on Dropbox.

Goodreader – GoodReader is the super-robust highly-rated PDF reader with advanced reading and annotating capabilities. Reviews worldwide hail it as “essential,” “the best,” “magnificent” and “the killer app”. With GoodReader on your iPhone, you can read virtually anything, anywhere: books, movies, maps, pictures. Use it once and you’ll be hooked. GoodReader has earned its accolades by the way it handles huge PDF and TXT files, manuals, large books, magazines. The ability to mark-up PDFs opens up new doors to GoodReader users who can now use typewriter text boxes, sticky notes, lines, arrows, and freehand drawings on top of a PDF file.

WorldCard mobile – WorldCard Mobile, the leading business card scanning application for iPhone, uses OCR (Optical Character Recognition) technology to instantly transfer information from business cards to the user’s native contacts. With a simple click of the camera, you no longer have to manually input contact info from business cards or email signatures. This is a great tool that helps you keep the details of all those key contacts for a given location: fixer, travel agent, photographers.

Dragon Dictation – Dragon Dictation is an easy-to-use voice recognition application powered by Dragon® NaturallySpeaking® that allows you to easily speak and instantly see your text or email messages. In fact, it’s up to five (5) times faster than typing on the keyboard. With Dragon Dictation you can also dictate status updates directly to your Social Networking applications (Facebook and Twitter) or send notes and reminders to yourself….all using your voice. So when you’re on-the-go, stop typing and start speaking – from short text messages to longer email messages, and anything in between.

Softsign gives you the ability to sign legal documents, contracts and forms on your iPhone and iPad. Whether you’re a photographer or filmmaker needing a release form signed, an entrepreneur who wants to potential investors to sign a non-disclosure agreement or a tradesman who needs a client to sign an estimate, Softsign is the App for you. Softsign is reliable, easy to use, and environmentally friendly. Importing PDF documents to Softsign for signature couldn’t be easier. You can open PDF documents direct from Mail, Evernote, or Dropbox – simply tap the attached file and select “Softsign” from the pop-up menu and your document will be automatically saved in the templates section of the App. When you need to get a document signed, simply head to the templates section, open the document and in just a few simply steps you will have the signed document processed and you can share it directly from the App via Mail or by printing a hard copy directly from your device.

iSupr8 – Once a staple of home movies and student films, Super 8 mm cameras are used by today’s filmmakers to achieve an authentic, vintage look. But if you don’t want the hassle of good old fashion film, or you can’t make it down to the Levi’s Film Workshop in Los Angeles, for a limited time only Levi’s is giving you this tool totally free. So download away and get busy turning your videos into gritty, grainy masterpieces.

iTalk Recorder is a full-featured recording app with a streamlined and intuitive user interface. Press the big red button to record; press it again to stop. You can append to existing recordings, choose from three levels of recording quality (11.025, 22.05, or 44.10 kHz sample rates), and manage your recordings, all with just a fingertip. You can email recordings straight from iTalk. iTalk also supports direct file sharing through iTunes. Whether you’re recording minutes of a meeting, a lecture, or the sounds of birds singing in a meadow far from any electrical outlets, iTalk Recorder Premium puts the sound quality you need in the palm of your hand.

Essential travel apps

TripIt – TripIt is an easier way to organize travel. No more frantic searches for flight numbers in your inbox: access all your travel plans in one place on your iPhone, iPad, in your calendar, or online – no matter where you book. To get started, simply forward your travel confirmations to plans@tripit.com and TripIt automagically creates a ”smartinerary,” combining your travel plans with maps, driving directions and more, which can easily be shared with others. TripIt Pro acts like a personal travel assistant who takes care of you while traveling, by keeping you in the know with status alerts and alternate flight options, storing all your frequent traveler points in one place, and helping you save money on flights. Greater peace of mind while traveling is available for $49/year.

iTranslate – iTranslate features a well-designed user interface that suits well with the iPhone’s screen. You can easily switch from one language to another easily with the use of a pull-down menu. One good thing about iTranslate is the fact that it doesn’t entail too much data charges since the app uses a small amount of data. This iPhone app also lets you keep track of the previous texts which you have translated already. You can easily go back at these texts and then translate them to another language. It stays in your iPhone’s memory so you don’t have to enter the texts again. It gets more fun whenever you are trying to communicate with someone in a foreign country. You can let them enter what they want to say in their language and then you translate it on your own language

WebMD – Feeling Ill? Responsible for other on a workshop in a remote location? This tools helps you diagnose possible symptoms and provides some basic guidance to alleviate them. It’s feature include: WebMD Symptom Checker – Select the part of the body that is troubling you, choose your symptoms, & learn about potential conditions or issues; Conditions – Find medically reviewed information about Conditions relevant to you & learn more about causes, treatments, & related symptoms; Drugs & Treatments – Search their extensive database for information on Drugs, Supplements, & Vitamins. Access content such as Uses, Side Effects, Warnings, and more; Pill Identification Tool – Identify your prescription drugs and over the counter medicines by pill shape, color, & imprint; First Aid Essentials – Your handy guide for medical emergencies. From insect stings to broken bones, helpful treatment tips are always available, even without an Internet connection.

TuneInRadio- TuneIn radio is simply an internet radio for the iPhone. Is the concept new? Not at all. However, that does not mean that TuneIn RadioTunein Radio does not have the chance to bring some unique features to the iPhone internet radio application market. TuneIn Radio aims to be the best of the best for iPhone internet radios. It locates local radio stations, has a huge list of radio stations, can play custom radio stations from the web and even aims to record live radio stations so you can go back and listen to a particular broadcast or song that you previously recorded.

Packing Pro Packing can often times be a tedious and annoying task. While the end result means you are set and ready to venture off to your desired destination, the process can be a little stressful as you scramble to make sure all the necessities are accounted for.Many have a hard enough time planning an outfit a day in advance, let alone being prepared for multiple days (or weeks), which is where Packing Pro by Quinn Genzel comes in. Essential for anyone who appreciates having enough clean underwear, Packing Pro helps you plan out a well-developed list so you will hopefully leave nothing behind.

Powerplug – PowerPlug is a free reference guide to the power plugs and electrical power systems of the world. Each country is listed along with its commonly found outlet types and power requirements. Search by map, country, or outlet type. Designed for both the experienced traveler and those just curious about the world, PowerPlug provides an easy to use interface that simplifies your search for information.

Genius Scan – Genius Scan turns your iPhone into a pocket scanner. It enables you to quickly scan documents on the go and email the scans as JPEG or PDF.The Genius Scan scanner technology includes smart page detection, perspective correction, image post-processing. It allows you to build PDF documents with multiple scans. This app really comes into its own when you combine it with Travel Tracker (below) so that you can scan all of your receipts whilst on a trip.

Travel Tracker – TravelTracker is your ALL-INCLUSIVE personal travel assistant. It stores all vital information for your trip and displays it in convenient, easy to use itinerary screens. Additionally, it will allow you to record all of the key pieces of information you may need after your trip. It links with trip it, allows you to record recipts, ntes etc during your trip. This is the only product you’ll need to organize all your trip details for both personal and business use.

Bayan Temple, Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia

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 Gough’s or Matt Brandon’s workshops and with each of them having some of the highest repeat customers they are clearly doing something right.

But it got me thinking and I realized that Photography Workshops are strange beasts.

Typically ( and I should stress that I am NOT referring to the current workshop!), for a period of typically 10 days or more a group of enthusiastic photographers, most of whom – if not all of whom – will never have met, descend on an exotic location full of expectations and normally weighed down by enough camera gear to solve certain small African states’ national debt crisis.

Throw into this mix a highly creative, perhaps even quirky, “named” photographer, who as sure as eggs are eggs can shoot a cover story for National Geographic, but who probably lacks the mild OCD behavioral traits required to ensure that 8 tuk-tuk drivers – none of whom can speak a word of English – are at the appointed spot on time and you have the potential for a major meltdown.

Young Monk, Leaning out of a window in Siem Reap, Cambodia

To add to this dynamic, the group is at different skills levels photographically (and socially), many are jet-lagged and after three days of early mornings “to catch the light”, frustrations levels have risen, tempers are frayed and the quality of your photography is suffering.

If any of this sounds familiar, then I have a couple of solutions for you that will allow you to get the most out of your workshop.

Firstly, relax. No, seriously, relax. Many of us need time to decompress from the pressures of work, the long haul flight, the excitement of being on the long awaited trip and we create a huge burden of expectation that is almost impossible to live up to. There is a well documented phenomenon called the “Emotional cycle of change” which identifies that on any progressive journey of change there will be a period where things get worse, where tempers fray, where the group dynamics will impact us and….here is the crucial bit… by knowing that this dip is part of the journey, we can understand that working through this allows us to emerge stronger, more focused and more aligned. Knowing ahead of time that this period of tension will exist – whether personally or even within the group – allows us to embrace it rather than be thrown off guard by it.

It is completely true of most of us on a photography workshop. We all go through it. It is normal. So don’t increase the pressure on yourself. Accept that it is the case, welcome it even, because you know that by accepting it you will emerge in a far better place. Honestly.

Messrs Gough and Brandon hoping that Buff Headgear will sponsor their next workshop

2. Choose your photo workshop wisely. Be less tempted by a great name, and more tempted by a great workshop. Check the blog posts of former participants to find out about the tour leader. What is there style, there approach. Is it really a workshop or just a guided photography tour? Neither one is better than the other, but they are different. Are you going to be frustrated for example if when getting to a location, the leader shoots all the time, rather than help you with your technique? What have others said about the way the tour was run? Were the hotels good? Was the itinerary too packed? Did you have enough time to process images or get critiques? Were people free to shoot or were they given assignments? Was there enough free time to relax by the pool if you wanted to – it is after all your holiday?

If you need some suggestions on some excellent workshops which are superbly organized and led by photographers with world class reputations for their images AND their coaching and mentoring mentoring then look no further than any or all of the following photographers (in no particular order): Karl Grobl and Jim Cline, Nevada Wier, Gavin Gough, David DuChemin and Jeffrey Chapman, Matt Brandon, Edoardo Agresti or Ami Vitale

Young school girl in Siem Reap, Cambodia

3.Lastly slow down when you are out shooting. Try and do as much as you can “in the camera” rather than in Lightroom or Photoshop. Find your subject, think about where you want them placed in the image. Put your camera to your eye. Now bob around like someone had put ice in your shorts – all the way keeping the camera to your eye – and see what happens to your composition as you subtly change your point of view. Once you have got the composition right, do a “Sweep” around the background. I start at the top left, go around the rectangle of the view finder and then zig-zag across the 2 diagonals, all the while looking for things that would distract: something red, something too bright, an old cloth etc. Only then do I take the shot. I immediately check the image and the histogram, for both exposure and composition. If ti is good, then I start to work the shot, making sure that I am getting a variety of expressions or composition.

OK, so this post has ended up being much longer than I imagined, but honestly if you have made it this far and you can follow these 3 simple guidelines, I can guarantee that you will get the most out of your workshop and your images will raise in quality, composition and impact.

Modern day monk in a motorbike helmet

Yet some places, however many documentaries you watch, travel guides your read or hours you spend researching on the web cannot fail to impress or deliver on those expectations.

Once such place is the Angkor Wat temples complex, in Cambodia, where I have just spent the first day of a workshop along with Karl Grobl, Matt Brandon & Gavin Gough. Our fourteen participants could not be a more delightful, engaging and talented group and If the remaining twelve days are as good as the first then this workshop will far exceed any expectations.

Sometimes on a first visit to a location is it impossible not to be a little over-awed. I experienced this today at Angkor Wat I had long wanted to come here. I also knew that I wanted some evocative and unusual photos of these magnificent temples, and with a little bit of luck I might find an angle or a situation with a saffron robed monk, that allowed me to explore my own creativity.

But I’ll be honest, I got seduced. I was seduced by the extraordinary majesty and magnitude of the temple complex. I was seduced by the intricacies of the stone carvings and, dare I admit it, I was seduced by the cliched contrast of the bright orange robes of the monks against the granite grey of the temples.

I need your help.

For a very good cause. For Focus for Humanity – the charitable foundation that I set up to support Humanitarian, travel photographers and NGOs.

The purpose of this post is shameless self-advertising. But I hope as you read the next few paragraphs you will realize that this self-advertising is not for self benefit, but to support Focus For Humanity.

We are extremely fortunate in Focus For Humanity to have some of the world foremost travel and humanitarian photographers on our board. We are equally fortunate that all of them run world-class workshops. Sometimes together – like David duChemin and Jeffrey Chapman or Gavin Gough, Matt Brandon and Karl Grobl or sometimes independently.

This year, as part of my Focus for Humanity work I have agreed to organize with some of these photographers some workshops in Egypt and to support a third in Cambodia, with any fees/income that I generate from these workshops going directly to support Focus For Humanity grants and investments. Specifically in providing fully funded places on other workshops with these internationally acclaimed photographers.

For the avoidance of doubt, the workshops are run on commercial grounds, but my fees will go to Focus For humanity. The photographers still – and quite rightly in my view – get paid for their time.

The first is with Gavin Gough in the Black and White Desert region of Egypt. The itinerary is varied and exciting – and completely unique. A mix of desert, oasis, villages and towns, providing a variety for landscapes, portraits, environmental and cultural photography. You can find out about this amazing trip on the Cairo Photo Tours Website. We currently have about 3 or 4 places left and I want you to pass the word and help get these filled. Remember a full trip means a considerable donation- in the region of $5000 to Focus For Humanity and our ability to launch 2 workshops grants that will provide fully funded places on workshops later in the year.

The second is an extraordinary opportunity. A workshop in Cambodia hosted by Karl Grobl, Matt Brandon and Gavin Gough. This two week workshop covers tuition on multimedia, color management, Lightroom, social media and blogging AS WELL as the usual extensive shooting opportunities, critiques and mentoring. The second week is spent on assignment.

This is truly a world first and unbelievable value. You have 4 professional photographers at less than the price of most other workshop where you only get 1 or 2. Based in Ankor Wat in Week 1 and then across Cambodia in week 2, this is a unique and unmissable opportunity. There are currently about 7 places left on this. You can find out more about this on Karl’s workshop partner, Jim Cline’s site.

Lastly Matt Brandon is running a unique workshop down the Nile in October. We have created an amazing trip on a luxury sailing boat, where partners can also come and have a similar itinerary, yet not impact your need to slow down, dwell and shoot a location whilst feeling guilty that you are holding others back. The trip includes all the great cultural sites like Luxor temple and Valley of the Kings, but also we have special permission to go off the beaten tracks to villages, towns, mosques and unusual locations such as the Nubian villages that are devoid of tourists.

The afternoons are spent processing images, critiques sessions and mentoring before heading out at the golden hour for more cultural photo opportunities. Dinner every night is gourmet food on board as we gently sail down the Nile. You can find out more about this trip on the Cairo Photo Tours site. There are currently only 4 places left on this.

So please spread the word. If you are a photographer that already runs your own workshops, please consider still sharing this post as we need this to get to as wide a distribution as possible. It is all in a good cause.

Come along yourself, or at least blog about it, tweet about it, email about it or chat about it. You can scrape any images you need off the Cairo Photo Tours website or any content that might support anything you want to help promote.

Every place we fill means support for Focus For Humanity. Whilst Focus for Humanity does not organize or formally endorse these projects, as its role is purely to distribute grants, this is one of my ways this year of trying to build and grow this foundation.

Don’t hesitate to contact me. Below are links to each of the advisory board’s workshops. Help promote theirs too!

Matt Brandon
Gavin Gough
Edoardo Agresti
Karl Grobl
David DuChemin
Jeffrey Chapman

Not perhaps the normal advice you get in answer to “I am off to Delhi next week, any suggestions?”, but as a Delhi native living in Cairo, Sonali Soni (whose beautiful eyes adorn the header images of this blog) realized that for me the seething mass of humanity, noise, pollution and poverty that has such an impact on most visitors, would seem relatively tame for me after living in Cairo for 3 years.

Huddled in the back of the auto-rickshaw at 5,30 am, with the wind whipping around my ears, I was grateful for her thoughtfulness.

Delhi is a fascinating city that can be overpowering, fatiguing and beguiling all at the same time. I was fortunate enough to a have a couple of days at the end of a business trip to explore what I could find photographically. Armed with detailed suggestions from Karl Grobl, Gavin Gough and Matt Brandon, – as well as the pullover recommended by Sonali – I had planned 6 or 7 locations I wanted to explore, most of which I will share with you over a couple of the next posts.

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.

The first example of the grandeur and Indo-islamic style of Mausoleum and The unprecedented scale and grandeur of the monument, however, are aspects that were to define much of subsequent Mughal tomb building, and are among the similarities commonly cited between Humayun’s tomb and the Taj Mahal in Agra.

When we arrived at 6am – suitably chilled – I was an hour ahead of the official opening time, but a smile, a quick snap and a print on the indefatigable Polaroid PoGo printer, and I was allowed in. The only person in the whole place. Wonderful.

Inside the tomb the small marble sarcophagus lay in the centre of the rotunda, basked in light, whilst the rest of the chamber still remained dark – almost as if was half asleep, refusing to rise to greet the dawn. Off the main chamber are a number of smaller antechambers with beautiful Islamic fretwork and I imagine later in the day stunning light, reflections and patterns.

I wandered around, waiting for the dawn light to bathe the beautiful pink buildings in that distinct warm glow, checking some angles and positions. I had done some homework the night before using the amazing LiteTrac app on my iPad, that allows you to see the angle of the sun at any time of day over a satellite image (shown here shoing the research for the shot above). >

I was not disappointed. As the sun rose the mausoleum took on a duty pink hue, providing some wonderful contrast with the clear blue sky that was developing at the same time.

The price of course of having the place to yourself and completely free of anyone in your line of sight is that the sky ad not quite developed its rich blue color that heralded the transition form dawn to day. However I small price to pay to see this remarkable site completely unspoiled by tourists or souvenir sellers.

By 8am the place was alive with the workers setting up for the days; visitors, and just as finished a camera crew turned up with 5 models resplendent in their saris to shoot a corporate video. And there begins another story, but perhaps not one to share on the blog but over a glass of something when next we meet!

Last week, I announced the launch of the Cairo Photo Tours, part of a new and active group of companies based here in Cairo Egypt, and it has been fascinating watching on Woopra where the interest, responses and traffic has come from. If you don’t know about Woopra, you must. It is totally addictive!

With the launch of the Group, The Photo School and the Photo Tours, as well as the Focus For Humanity Foundation, some of the detail about the Nile Photo workshop with Matt Brandon that was also announced, may have been a bit suppressed, so forgive me if I soap-box for a minute and share with you again why we think this is such an unusual workshop and why you should come on it. In fact in some difficult to justify self-promotion, you can watch Matt and me chat about it in the short video clip below too:

What marks this workshop out are 5 main differences and in no particular order these are:

1. There are currently no other photo workshops that are run in Egypt, which despite the challenging bureaucracy here, surprises me. The weather is always good here (sometime a little too hot if you had read some of my earlier posts from the planning trip!), and in October – when we are doing the workshop – the temperature is a very comfortable 34-36 degrees Celsius in the day and high 20C in the evening. But what marks Egypt out, as a really wonderful workshop location, is the extra-ordinary wealth of cultural photography opportunities and the warmth of the Egyptians’ hospitality.

2. Secondly this is not a workshop spent in basic hotels, in guest housed or on long train journeys – not that those are bad things as they often help you immerse yourself in your environment. But on this trip we are based on a luxurious private Dahabiya- a large twin masted Sailing boat – that has no motors and therefore is in harmony with the wonderful sites and culture we will see. If the wind fails us, then a small tugboat will help us keep on schedule. The Dahabiya is in effect a luxury floating hotel – the standard of the rooms and en-suite facilities, the cleanliness of the public spaces and the kitchens were the equal of many a small luxury hotel (and arguably I should know as that is part of my other day job!). There are all mod cons including wifi, Satellite TV, laundry, free soft drinks and as far as I can work out, hot and cold running staff to cater for every eventuality. The food promises to be great, and the only potential fly in the ointment is that the boat does not have a liquor license – but worry not. I already have a cunning plan that solves that!

3. Thirdly we are mixing the traditional “must see’ locations between Luxor and Aswan such as the Valley of the Kings, Karnak Temple, The Colossus of Memnon, Edfu and Philae temples with a host of unusual, seldom visited locations. Ancient mud-brick villages, livestock markets, ruined mines and a range of different villages including the Nubian village near Aswan that completely astounded Matt and me. In this last village we will get to spend a whole day with a Nubian family – sharing their lives, building a relationship and hopefully getting a compelling photo essay into the bargain. It is this mix of formal and informal and of ancient and modern that helps to make this trip so unique. In all these places – the only exception being the Valley of the Kings where cameras are banned – we have chosen them because of the richness of cultural, landscape, street or environmental photo opportunities that they will provide.

4. Fourthly – and unusually – we have some space for partners to come along. Not many, so you need to be quick, but we are hoping that this might encourage some of you who would otherwise find it difficult to come to such a remarkable place without your beloved other, to convince them that this is finally a photo workshop that they can come on without having to play second fiddle to a camera all week! The Partner program is really a relaxed Nile cruise. In the mornings they are with us when we visit the temples, tombs and historic places. In the afternoon they are able to relax on board or explore the local town and market. Relaxing on board is pretty civilized too – endless free soft drinks, a jacuzzzi, sun loungers, books, board games and Sat TV should occupy most people! In the evenings we are all then together for dinner.

And if that was not enough to persuade you, there is also the option of a Cairo pre-extension – perhaps that should be ”pretension”! A few days soaking up the atmosphere, getting into the groove, visiting some of Cairo’s extraordinarily rich cultural opportunities. We plan to have dawn at the pyramids including a photo opportunity with a camel train; visit the camel souk (check out Matt’s superb photo essay on this); whirl with dervishes, barter in the souks, bazaars and explore the narrow streets of the Old City full of artisans and daily life.

Anyway, enough from me. Please check out the itinerary for both the main “cruise” and the “pretension”. All the details, the costs, lots of images, the prices, what to bring and how to book are over on the dedicated tour website, Cairo Photo Tours.

In the few days since we soft launched the tour, we have already sold a number of places, and several firm expressions of interest. So don’t tarry. You know you want to come. Print out the itinerary, sit down with your loved one, talk it through and then book the trip of a lifetime in October 2011 down the Nile.

A couple of weeks ago we launched Focus for Humanity – a new Not For Profit foundation that supports photographers and NGOs. This was the subject of of a previous post.. Well today the main annual Foundation grant of $15,000 was formally announced. This helps s a semi-pro photographer turn pro. You can find about more about this or how to apply at Focus for Humanity

Last week was primarily focused on work a “recce” for a Photo workshop down the Nile that Matt Brandon will be leading in October 2011. You can read all about the exciting developments in my last two posts, here , here and here.

But my real news for this week is the launch of a new photography business here in Cairo – The rather grandly named Cairo Photo Group. What we have done is to establish 4 different but interlinked companies that each focus on a much needed area of photography support here in Egypt.

The first is the Cairo Photo School We are very honored to be the first “franchisee” of Gavin Gough’s Bangkok Photo School, looking at teaching travel, street and cultural photography to expats and visitors, as well as the local Egyptians. The school focuses mainly on practical half day or one day workshops exploring Cairo and working on an individual’s requirements. This is supplemented by some classroom work on Lightroom, creative concepts and also studio lighting. Which brings me onto the second company, Cairo Photo Studio.

Cairo Photo Studio is a commercial photo studio run by an up and coming Egyptian photographer, Ramy Salem. Together Ramy and I have created a dedicated photo studio and some classrooms, filled the studio with some great lighting equipment (no mean feat getting hold of this stuff in Egypt) and are mixing the use of the studio for teaching, the rental of the studio to local photographers to explore their own ideas and the commercial use of the studio by Ramy to deliver client work in product, fashion and event photography.

The third company is Cairo Photo Tours. It seemed strange to me that no-one was offering tours or workshops to some of the amazing site and locations around Egypt, so we decided to fill the gap. With guest leaders such as David duChemin, Gavin Gough and Matt Brandon, we will be offering a series of photo tours/workshops with a difference. There will be a strong social responsibility angle to each of the tours. We will be working with local NGOs and charities (including some hopefully chaired by Egypt’s President’s wife, Suzanne Mubarak) and making some donations back into communities that we visit or spend time with.

The first of those – announced today – is an amazing tour down the Nile between Luxor and Aswan that Matt Brandon and I have been investigating.

Based on a luxurious privately chartered Dahabiya we which allows us to stop off the beaten track and explore some of the lesser known temples, ruins and villages. There full overview, some great images, the price, what to bring and how to book are on the dedicated pages on the Cairo Photo Tours site. Other tours we have planned include the Western Desert including spending time living with the Desert tribes at an Oasis, crossing the dunes by 4×4 and camping out under the stars) and the there is also the Cairo Explorer tour – a week of photo opportunities in Cairo, Alexandria and the immediate area.

Lastly we will be opening in the near future a much need service here in Cairo, Cairo Photo Services. Getting hold of camera accessories and support equipment here in Egypt is both difficult and expensive, and yet photography is one of the fastest growing hobbies within Egypt. We are thrilled to be representing both X-rite – whose product we use in the studio, the school and on the tours and THINK TANK PHOTO in Egypt. In the future we will also look to offer a simple rental service of lenses, cameras, tripods, flash accessories etc to help people try out new equipment and to have access to the right gear for special occasions.

Lots going on!

As many of you know, Matt Brandon and I have been scouting for potential workshop locations In Egypt this past week or so and at times we both wanted to take the same image from the same location at the same time. Indeed at a quick glance at some of the images that we have both posted on our respective blogs they might look identical. Look closely though at those images and the differences start to appear.

We had a laugh about it but we also discussed which images each of us would put up on our blog or Facebook so that we didn’t “steal each others thunder” – as they say in England. But it made me think back to some discussions and experiences I had had on a workshop recently with David duChemin and Jeffrey Chapman, where it felt at times that I was following David around letting him create the compelling image and then I would pole up, ask him what he was doing and think “ooh, I like that” and then set about creating a similar version.

Now I should say at this point that I was not DELIBERATELY following David around, nor was intent on copycatting, but in these tiny seaside towns (population:4 old ladies, 3 vespas and a black cat) it was difficult not to bump into each other. My approach was to try and learn from David what he had seen, what aesthetic he was considering, what setting he was thinking about etc as he composed his image.

Those of you that know David will realize that he is incredibly generous about sharing ideas and helping others to learn. He would show me his image on the back of his camera, discuss with me what lens he had selected, what f-stop he had chosen or what to look out for and then allow me to have a go. And Matt, Jeffrey, Gavin and many others that run these sorts of workshops all share this ethos.

And the result? Well once or twice I got close to a duChemin or Brandon “original”, but mostly they became my images that I had sweated over, albeit inspired by someone else. But mostly – and this recent trip with Matt Brandon was no exception – I just learned a whole lot.

I learned how to really look within the Frame: what was the background doing? What tonal range was I looking at and what options did I have? Was there any hot spot or distraction that would change the viewers [perception of the image? Was I telling a story? Was I using the right focal length to draw the eye or did I have enough visual mass or negative space to balance the image?

Now I wouldn’t have got all of that insight If I had just copied the image carte blanche and if I hadn’t asked – and those of you going on a workshop this year, never be afraid to ask. What you think is a dumb question is only dumb if you don’t ask it. I could have got some of that knowledge or inspiration by reading, but the impact was so much greater when it was a practical example, on the ground, camera in hand. And that was when I started to learn. To me each of these images became sketches that I want to adapt and to make my own, probably at a different time and in a different country.

So although Matt and I might have very similar images from our few days together, we interpreted the scenes we saw differently. Our angles were different, our light was different, our choice of lens was different (I always seem to be coveting Matt’s 85mm f1.2 lens. I am sure there is a commandment about that: “thou shalt not covet another man’s lens”!) and our post-processing is different.

So the morale of the post is what? Well if your intent is to learn, to be inspired by a great image and to use that as a vehicle to further your own vision, then go ahead, emulate, practice, ask copy whatever. If the person is there then for heaven sakes ask them to explain things to you. In my experience photographers are happy to help fellow enthusiasts.

If your intent is to copy without your own subjective vision, or to deliberately mislead, then good luck to you. I suspect you will still be doing that in a few years time – if you have not been caught and had the copyright law thrown at you – whilst the rest of us have moved on and developed our own individual style or vision.

So to Matt – thanks for sharing, for taking the time to explain and for continuing to inspire. I love the image of the camels walking down the hill with Cairo in the background – but I still prefer his! Check out his recent blog to see his (better) version and get inspired.

Then go out and take some fun pictures.

But, despite this, we are striking a rich seem of cultural images.

My hopes that we would uncover a rich tapestry of life, culture and opportunity seems to have been borne out. We have had to work really hard to educate our guide and driver what we mean by “cultural photography”, but as each day progresses he takes us to better and better locations.

For someone whose life is lived showing people the ancient culture of the pharaohs, he looked at us slightly quizzically at first when we said “Yes, that temple is really great, but we want to see culture that does not include temples or tombs”.

“Why”, you could see him thinking, “did you decide to come to Luxor and Aswan then?” Why , indeed!

Well I think our images begin to hint at why. Matt Brandon has just posted some wonderful images that he took yesterday in the camel market and a Nubian village, and given that we are only spending an hour or so in each location, and not really “working” the opportunity, it highlights just how exciting and rich that opportunity could be.

The contrast between the dark skinned Nubians in their colorfully painted villages and whose women are happy to be photographed and the lighter skinned Luxor West bank Egyptians in their traditional mud brick houses is interesting in itself. There is a common thread though that emerges: The welcome, the hospitality and the offer to sit and drink “shay” – the leaf tea laden with sugar that is an excuse to stop and rest but also provides much needed energy to combat the sapping nature of the sun. It was 50C at 6pm last night! But beyond this the different mosques, culture, villages and variety provide plenty of opportunity.

Quite why we chose to recce a September/October workshop (cool breezes, a balmy 35 C during the day and a comfortable 25C in the evening) in the heat of June is something I am still scratching my head about. Well of course I know the answer. A combination of my availability and the opportunity to garner advice and insight from Matt Brandon whilst he is here on vacation, but I think we are both realizing just what a challenge the heat is and what we must avoid to make it comfortable for workshop participants.

Anyway, the workshop is really taking shape. We have adjusted some of our thoughts and ideas since my last post to accommodate a better use of the right time to shoot photos and enough time to relax, reflect and discuss.

We have viewed a number of different boats and Dahabiyas – the large sailing boats of the old nobility that look like Feluccas on steroids – that ranged from cheap health hazards with no soul or personality but masses of space, to undisputed luxury.

The actual Dahabiya

Inevitably with such exclusivity and luxury comes a more intimate experience and fewer cabins, but I think from some of the pictures below you will agree with us that this is worth it. I was blown away by the facilities and luxury on one Dahabiya, and this has helped us shape the workshop into a more exclusive and defined proposition.

So our current thinking is to take a luxury Dahabiya with up to 10 participants. The single supplement is very expensive (although available) because space is at a premium, but one other option is a “partner program” that will allow your partner to share in much of what you do on the cultural side and enjoy a luxury cruise down the Nile with you – though the places may well be limited for this, given that priority must be given to photographers.

The lessons we learned about the heat and the light, suggest a program geared around early mornings and late afternoons, with time in between spent cruising down the Nile in luxury, undertaking critiques, mentoring sessions, processing your images. Each lunchtime is taken on deck by the BBQ as we sail to our next destination. For the partners they get to see all the temples and tombs with us in the morning and in the afternoon can sunbathe on deck or be pampered on board, as we sail gently down the Nile to the evening location and shoot.

A luxury bedroom onboard

The afternoon/evening sessions will focus on cultural photography in villages, markets, mosques and some other locations, before returning for cocktails and dinner on board.

It is different, compelling and given the level of luxury, the number of guided visits and the uniqueness of what we are offering, tremendous value. And if you decide to bring your partner along you can fell less guilty about the luxury and the sites!

We are also investigating a Cairo pre-extension. Arrival for example a few days before the main tour to spend a day immersed in the souks and bazaars of Old Cairo, a day out at the Wadi, Oasis and ancient pottery villages at Fayoum, a morning at the fascinating Camel market and probably a dawn visit to the Pyramids to watch the sun rise and the camel trains pass in front of these majestic structures before joining up with the main group on the Saturday.

Details will appear within the next week or so, so keep an eye out, and we are expecting that places will go very quickly!