A Camera Doesn't Take Photographs.

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Tomorrow, I start my new venture in tutoring hobbyist photographers, by providing a workshop that will help them to understand their cameras' much better but more importantly, how to make a good photograph.  

Firstly, a camera doesn't make a good photograph anymore than a typewriter wrote a good novel.  It's all about the person holding the camera and what is in their hearts.

There's a scientific formula for creating a strong photograph but those that already know how to make one, can spot these scientific creations a mile off.  Anyone can use the magic rule of thirds with leading lines through the photograph as it dodges repetitive features etc.  Landscape photography is probably the easiest genre of photography to start with.  The landscape rarely moves in front of you.

In my workshops, I'm going to teach people how to see properly.  What makes a good photograph and how to turn the simplest of things in to something so majestic looking (if that's your cup of tea).  Some photographs work well when they don't look majestic and look dilapidated.  It really does depend on what the World says to you.  How do you view our amazing planet and the creatures that inhabit it?

As this is my new venture, I'll be considering running additional workshops in the future. Tomorrow's will be ran from The Clock Tower Tea Room by the waters edge in Hartshill.  All of the photographs in this blog post was created in the location of the workshops.

Click on each photograph to enlarge.


11 Reasons to be a Brummy

Everyone that lives outside of Birmingham mocks the Brummy accent.  All is well until they speak.  Even in the business district of Birmingham, the multi million pound call centres train their employees to remove their vocal afflictions.  Yet, they're perfectly normal people, going about their supposedly normal daily lives.  I went to Birmingham to have a look at them and do some street photography.

If you'd like to see more of my street photography, please follow this link.

Landscape Photography Workshop for Hobbyist Photographers

I'm running a Landscape Photography workshop on Saturday 17th October (weather dependent) with Saturday 24th October as a back up.  It will start at 2pm and run til approximately 8 / 9pm and be inclusive of a vintage teas / coffees and a meal.

The workshop will cover:

  • Setting up your camera
  • Using Manual Mode
  • Metering for the light
  • How to see the landscape
  • Composition Techniques
  • Low Light Photography
  • Post Processing with Adobe Lightroom & / or Photoshop

The workshop is for over 18's at this stage and an alternative workshop could be set up in the future for under 18's.

The workshop is £75 and there is only 2 places left, so get in touch by clicking on this link, email me at info@handsonphotography.co.uk or call 07854 956 970





This Is How The Australian's See Us

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I spent the day in Birmingham doing some street photography today and created a small series of imagery based around shadows with the sole intention of flipping them on their heads, literally!

I've always wondered why the water doesn't fall out of their sinks and toilet bowls, when on this side of the planet it stays exactly where we want it.  So I flipped the way in which I feel the Aussies view us Pommies.

Monster Munch and The Perseid Meteor

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I spent most of the night in the dark travelling around Warwickshire searching for a good spot to make some night time landscapes of the Perseid Meteor Shower.  It wasn't all that successful in terms of getting the shot I wanted but I did get some really nice photographs.  I suppose that isn't all truthful, I did get the shot I wanted and it was one in a million but I knocked the aperture ring and sent the photo slightly out of focus.  I landed Chesterton Windmill at night with a perfect exposure at the exact time a meteor flew directly over the windmill and in a small gap in the clouds that is in the shape of a Monster Munch crisp.  Here it is...

Click on each photograph to enlarge.

It wasn't all a failure last night, I did manage to bag myself some beautiful landscapes that were so sharp and in complete focus.  They're very dramatic photographs and I'm quite proud of them.

I also created different compositions of Chesterton Windmill.

I created this photograph at Draycote Water near to Dunchurch in Warwickshire whilst hunting for some good spots for photographing the meteor shower.

I particularly like this frame because I included my good friend Charlie who's recently taken up photography and can be seen making an exposure with his own kit..  Charlie introduced me to this landmark, which I'm very thankful for.

Where's Boudica?

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The legend of Boudica is said to be still laid under the ground somewhere near to Atherstone.  Boudica led an uprising against the occupying forces of the Roman empire roughly in AD60 / 61.  Boudica was Queen of the British Iceni Tribe and led a supposedly 100,000 strong army.  They defeated the Romans in Londinium which is now St. Albans but eventually lost out to the Roman empire during the battle of Watling Street.  The precise location of the battle remains a mystery amidst speculation that Mancetter next to Atherstone one of the likely battle grounds.  The probability of this area being the battle ground is based on Roman principles of fighting, Watling Street being the main route from South to North and likely place to be met with the empirical forces coming in land from the Welsh borders.

I took a nice stroll along the possible routes Boudica and her army could have moved between British strongholds in the area.  This led me along the canal from Hartshill to Atherstone.  It is a lovely walk and here's some landscape documentary photographs covering the route.

The Clock Tower Tea Room

Yesterday I spent the afternoon with friends at their tea room near to Hartshill.  It's such a beautiful location and right by the canal bridge on Atherstone Road.  They serve the most delicious food, cakes and cream teas in a relaxed vintage setting.  Well they've offered me some space to exhibit my work on their walls, where all framed prints will be for sale.  So I took the opportunity to make some photographs there for that purpose.  I even went back after dark to take advantage of the full moon.  Here's a small selection of just some of the photographs that I created.

There is also a series that I created whilst following Mike around and walking along the canal in Atherstone and at the same time learning about the history of the area, the Sparkenhoe, the times of Bodeca and has sparked a curiosity that could lead to an almighty project.  I'll share those photographs another time but for now, have a look at last nights work.

Click on each photograph to enlarge.

Missing Street Photography

I'm aching.  My bones are twitching!  My eyes are doing somersaults.  I've been researching some of the most amazing street photographs and it's breaking me.  I just want to get out and do some.  It means taking a trip in to the city so I have more subjects, backdrops and people to work with. 

Just take a look at this absolutely perfectly timed street photograph by IIan Burla...

This sort of a shot is sometimes a once in a lifetime opportunity and requires such speed, skill and observation from the photographer.

The one time I managed to get something close to this is this next photograph that I created in Paris, Montematre, Artistes Square...

So, in light of this affliction, I'm going to plan a day or two in the city, perhaps Birmingham.  Yeah I'll go to Brum, I'm sure I'll find something there.  Just need to be carefull carrying around expensive kit.  I've been there many times and know just what it's like!!!  Perhaps I'll take a friend with me, one with a big stick!