2020 Full Programme of Photographic Workshops

November 10, 2019 in Photography Workshops, Photography Classes

Local Photography Workshops

2020 is going to be a fully packed year for photographic workshops.

I’m planning a large series of photography workshops locally to Hinckley and all will be based around enjoying photography, having fun and playing with making pictures, making photography accessible to almost everyone.

Photography isn’t always about making beautiful and dramatic photographs. My philosophy has always been to be playful with photography. I explore my imagination to create mini stories that use my photographs to help the viewer visualise the scenes in my head.

I create photographs with context that transport you to a place where the world doesn’t exist and only your ideas do, making the ordinary seem extraordinary!

I’m designing a programme of workshops that covers a variety of genres to suit your desires. So far these are the ideas I have for workshops and depending up on the level of interest will depend on how far I delve in to making these workshops happen:

Landscape Photography in Hollycroft Park
Learn how to make something from nothing - Ashby Canal
Landscape Photography - Croft Hill
Night Time Landscape Photography & Private Post Production Tuition - Croft Hill
Urban Landscape Photography - Hinckley
Street Photography Using A Mobile Phone -Birmingham (inc. train)
Landscape and Woodland Photography - Burbage Common
Night Star / Landscape Photography (Secret Location) & Private Postproduction - Exclusive Workshop
Bluebell Photography - Hartshill Hayes
Rural Ramble - Location currently unknown.

These are the ideas I have for workshops next year.

Also available is private photography tuition:

Half Day - £175
Full Day -£300

Please ask about this by contacting me directly - paul@paulhands.co.uk

Also available to buy as a gift for your loved ones.

On each workshop, I’ll work closely with your current skill level to help you get to grips easily with how to do what you want to do and if you don’t know what you want to do, I’ll help you to realise what that is.

Then I’ll elevate your skill level to be more self sufficient in terms of using your camera and managing your ideas.

If you need to learn more about using your camera, you’ll learn that. If you want to learn more about composition, I’ll teach you easily and If you need to work on developing ideas of what to photograph, that’s in the bag!

Let your imagination go wild, for anything is possible!

For me this is so simple, I live and breathe photography and filmmaking.

I can teach anybody at any skill level, unless you’re a master of photography because once the technical side of photography has been succeeded, the rest is about imagination and I’ll help you to tap in to that and begin making work that surprises even yourself.

That terrifying night, creatures from afar, from worlds we didn’t know existed, arrived on Earth. They appeared / materialised in a way that we couldn’t understand. They landed and the first began to open…

Playful Photography is where it’s at!

I’ve been honing my craft for almost a decade professionally and have been taught by the best through official tuition at NWHC (level 3 and HND) and De Montfort University, where I graduated with a High 2:1 BA Honours in Photography and Video.

I’m more than just a photographer, I consider myself as an artist that uses a camera and my intentions are always to make work that I love. I wish to pass on my love for photography and help you to develop a similar passion.

I’ve learned my profession from the masters and offer much more than just how to use a camera.

Street Photography Workshop - Birmingham

This programme of workshops is currently in the design stages and are subject to change.

So for now, please simply register your interest either with an email to me paul@paulhands.co.uk

or subscribe to my blog via email for news as they come to fruition below…

The Norcups - The Wedding Day

November 07, 2019 in Wedding Film, Filmmaking

The Norcups Wedding Film

This is the beautiful story of Clint and Gemma Norcup on their wedding day at Bosworth Hall Hotel in Market Bosworth.

Clint and Gemma have been engaged and living together in Hinckley, Leicestershire for 19 years now and have 6 children between them, including two sets of twins. They have a wonderful and large family that bonds them together so tightly.

They commissioned me to create a film for their wedding day, even though I’d never filmed a wedding before. I’m becoming quite experienced at making films per se but have only ever done still photography at a wedding, until now.

I have 8 years of wedding photography experience but was very nervous about filming, just through understanding the pressures of not missing a thing. As it happens I absolutely loved the process and felt more at home filming the wedding than being the main photographer. I think I’ve found my calling!

I made plenty of mistakes in the recording and naturally so with it being my first ever wedding film. I had problems with the audio and some of my kit just wasn’t up to recording in the low light conditions that sometimes presented themselves. The beauty of these mistakes is that it hasn’t affected ‘The Norcups’ film badly and they absolutely love it and I now know what I need to do, to not make those mistakes again, meaning my next wedding film is going to exude a much better quality. I’m not unhappy with what I’ve produced here but I know I can do better, if you know what I mean?

What I’m extremely happy about is that despite the kit issues and audio quality, I’ve got the story and that’s the single most important factor. Their story is beautiful and I believe I’ve told it in the right way.

You may not even notice what I do but I strive for perfection and excellence and it disappoints me when I don’t live up to my own expectations.

So please be the judge of that for yourself and watch ‘The Norcups’, then leave me some feedback.

If you’d like to discuss making a film about your wedding day, then please by all means get in touch and let’s chat.

Contact

Photography Service For The Self Employed

November 04, 2019 in Business Photographer, Commercial Photography

Photographic Content Creation.

A service that gives you regular photographic content for your social media.

It’s commonly known that to maintain a strong image on social media, you need to continually update your social pages with attractive visual content and strong supportive text.

A picture is worth more than a thousand words
Research proves that to get good engagement on social media, you must use good photography.
Photography offers an 87% engagement rate on social media.

Karen at KJ Interiors in Hinckley is the first to book me for this new service and it’s going really well.

The service consists of one visit each month to create bespoke visual content for the business owner to use on social media and their website.

It’s a straight forward subscription service that delivers professional photography at a price that is extremely affordable for any self employed business owner.

£150 per month.

For that, you get 10 professional photographs every month, designed to target specific audiences and for particular reasons.

You also get inclusive marketing on Hinckley Photographed.

This service is only available to the self employed and businesses with fewer than 5 employees.

Take a look at what some of my customers have said about my services…

“Paul is a highly skilled professional photographer for all types of stills or video, and we can recommend him.”
Steve Wegerif, Hinckley BID

“I worked with Paul on a recent commission and was impressed by his enthusiasm and attention to detail. He took time to understand exactly what we needed and delivered some fantastic quality photography and video for us to use in our marketing. He made everyone feel relaxed and comfortable on the shoot and has great customer service and follow-up.”
Kate Addison, Diabetes UK

I’ve discovered that small businesses need to boost their social media more than ever because they’re 100% reliant on themselves to generate their own work and social media is a solid route to your customers.

The best thing to do is get in touch and we can share ideas.

Contact Paul

Business Calendars 2020

October 17, 2019 in Hinckley Calendar, Landscape Photography

Give your customers a calendar for 2020.

They’ll see how much you care about your customers, be reminded of your company every time they look at, use or turn the page.

They’ll also feel how much you care about your local community.

Click the photograph to go to my online shop and buy a calendar.

The calendar comes with 12 high quality professional landscape photographs of rural and urban places around Hinckley, Leicestershire.

Hinckley Photographed is a project that I created in 2012 and have built an archive, which I’ve curated some of my favourite pictures from the past 8 years to be used in the first ever calendar for Hinckley.

Printed on 250gsm paper, these calendars have an artistic quality about them that feels expensive.

The days are spaced nicely apart so there’s enough space to write comfortably.

A true work of art.

Click the photograph to go to the online shop and buy a calendar.

What’s the deal?

I will produce a specific photograph to go on the cover and one that relates to your business. Perhaps one of your business or in your premises and there’s also the possibility of another stunning local landscape but with your business name and logo on the front.

On each page, there’ll be your logo and company details so that each month, your customer is reminded of your company.

Calendars are £10 each with a minimum order of 25.

Orders take up to 3 weeks to design, proof and print.

So let’s get talking about this now!

The calendar is available to buy in the current Hinckley Photographed form online in smaller quantities but not personalised to your business. Click on any of the photographs in this blog to go to the online shop.

We’ll need to discuss the artwork for your calendar so contact me asap.

Get in touch with enquiries about producing a personalised calendar for your business.

Get in touch

Restaurant & Public House Photography

September 19, 2019

Professional Photography Service For Pubs And Restaurants

Case Study: The Bulls Head, Leicester Forest West.

Natural Looking Photographs for Website and Social Media.

Tara & Trish Byrne have recently taken on The Bulls Head Inn Leicester Forest West and wanted to elevate the business to be more successful for them and to create a vibrant place to entertain, feed and water the people of Leicestershire.

My brief was to produce a series of natural looking photographs that promote the pub and restaurant as a new venture.

Tara wanted to have a classic feel by using black and white photos on the home page of their new website and when his customers enter the site, they’re met with vibrant colour and a lively set of photographs that invite the customer to experience their hospitality.

Looking through to the bar area from the restaurant

Central lounge bar with wood burning stove

The power of photographs used in a commercial capacity like the promotion of a pub or restaurant, lies in the fundamentals of human nature; we’re just wired to notice, remember, learn from and respond emotionally to visual imagery.

Statistically and on average, people remember only 10% of information three days after hearing it.
Adding a photograph can improve recall to 65%
On social media, articles with a relevant photograph get 94% more views.
Images on social media receive 352% more engagement than a link.

The family friendly garden within a rural setting.

Adventure playground, ideal for keeping the kids occupied

Tara and Trish have used the photographs they commissioned me to create, on their new website and social media. They currently have a recruitment campaign using photography to draw attention to their adverts. This is giving the potential new employees an impression of the business, showing they care and intend to promote, keeping everyone securely in employment.

Check out their website.

It solidifies trust in your business when you invest in the image.

Get in touch with me to request a quote.

The Bulls Head, A47, Leicester Forest West

The Bulls Head, Leicester Forest West rural setting, public house and restaurant

Professional Photographic Service

Ideas consultation
Pre-production planning
Photography creation
Post production
Delivery
After care

Upgrades are available:

Documentary filmmaking
Promotional video
Social media promotion / support & marketing

Please ask about my additional services.

get in touch

Landscape Photography Workshop - Hollycroft Park

August 30, 2019 in Photography Classes, Photography Workshops

Autumn Photography Workshop in Hollycroft Park, Hinckley

Join a like minded group of beginner photography enthusiasts to learn how to improve your photography skills.

On this workshop you’ll learn the following:

How to set up your camera for landscape photography
How to design a frame and use professional compositional techniques
How to study the light and create form in your pictures
What to photograph and how to identify a good picture before you look through your viewfinder
You’ll learn how to adjust the settings on your camera to go with the flow and be more natural making photographs
You’ll learn this on a nice Sunday evening in September during Autumn and be with a group of like minded people.

All you will need:

Clothes, shoes, digital camera, a tripod (if you have one) and a love for nature.

You can find more information and book one of the limited places using this link.

If you can’t make this date, sign up for news to your email inbox about up coming workshops.

Adapting As An Artist

July 31, 2019 in wedding photographer, wedding photography

To Adapt with changing times, understanding you need to change is the first step!

I’ve recently had to thoroughly scrutinise myself and my work to figure out how to use my skills for the good and benefit of everyone connected with me.

It’s quite a difficult thing to do, really look at yourself and work out where you’re going wrong, who you are and who you want to be etc. When you discover the bad parts about yourself, it kicks you in the gut but is great for an idea of where to start.

My work life wasn’t really going anywhere. I was picking up the odd job here and there but nothing solid enough to support my family and everything I do is to help them to survive. Our survival was coming in to question because of the lack of direction I had. I felt like I was letting them down, which I was and these alarm bells were ringing for me to take notice.

This is one of the very first photographs in the first portfolio I put together to get accepted on to a level three photography course at NWHC in 2012

Looking back to correct your ways.

There’s not a lot of point in looking backwards but you must remember the mistakes and don’t make them again. It’s how we all grow and the more mistakes we make, the more lessons we get and as long as we understand how to grow from those mistakes, it should be easy to pass through the lesson.

I’ve had to look back at my website because I've had a dry spell where I’ve had no work after working in temporary jobs through an agency. Some good jobs and some truly terrifying! Last week I came in to a bit of good fortune because a talented photographer Simon Turner hired me to second shoot for him at a wedding within the grounds of an old Granary deep in the countryside of Fawsley, Daventry called The Granary Hotel and Wedding Venue. That was awesome, although a real challenge with it being the hottest day of the year and the guests didn’t want to move much, nobody did!

This photograph is from one of my recent weddings. I love this picture because it offers some anonymity to those in the picture with their identities are not completely revealed and the photograph still tells you a story.

A Wedding Theme Developing.

I’ve had to look at where my talents lie in photography and it always boils down to street, documentary and the landscape / environment. Wedding photography requires the perfect combination of each of those genres because my street shooting experience keeps me on my toes, I’m alert to my whole surroundings, aware of the little stories developing around me as people live through their lives, interacting with each other.

Documentary style helps me to see where the stories are happening and know where and how to get the photograph without interfering with the scene (as little as possible anyway). The landscape and the environment is the stuff of features and backgrounds. My understanding of combining these skills to produce what I feel is my best work, is where I need to place my efforts.

My filmmaking is an entirely different entity with regards to weddings but it’s a talent that I need to develop.
So I’ve reshaped my entire website to represent myself as a documentary wedding photographer and storytelling filmmaker. I’ve placed my photographic practice in a personal box that can only be commissioned privately or for a wedding.

Ratcliffe On Soar Power Station. I made this while on the way home from photographing a family day with SSAFA (The Armed Forces Charity). This is the kind of image that I’ll be including in with my personal practice from now on.

New Website

With taking heed of my thoughts and desire to develop more as an artist, I’m placing my focus on documentary wedding photography and the production of promotional films. I’ll still be practicing photography as an artist but my main focus of my website is now aiming for employment. I have a family at home and a little girl that I intend on giving a good childhood to.

So if you’re familiar with my website, you’ll notice the stark differences.

I hope this new design works and does the job I’m trying to train it to do. Only time will tell.

This photograph forms part of a nationwide project I have been putting together for the past 12 months, The Quirky English Countryside. I’ll still be building projects like this for the good of my soul and the benefit of the wider community but mor… — This photograph forms part of a nationwide project I have been putting together for the past 12 months, The Quirky English Countryside. I’ll still be building projects like this for the good of my soul and the benefit of the wider community but more on a personal level.
Burbage, Hinckley, Leicestershire.

Please have a browse around my website, starting with my home page, which is where people will land when visiting my site and also let me know what you think and I’d love to hear if you find any typos or spelling mistakes.

Thanks for reading my blog.

Islastones World Record Breaking Day

July 16, 2019 in Documentary Film, Film Production

A short film documenting the community of Hinckley and Islastone’s smashing the world record.

Isla ‘Smiler’ Tansey would be so proud of her legacy.

This film is dedicated to Katherine, Simon, Harrison and all of the Islastones team.

Creating this film was good for the soul and something that I needed to do to help raise awareness for Islastones and Abbies Army, partly because I feel so close to the cause and it’s a way of me giving back to the community. I also get to practice doing something I love, for filmmaking and telling stories has become my way of life. I’ve made this completely for free. It has cost me very little to produce except for my time, resources and use of my equipment, staying up until the small hours, til 2am, editing and tightening up the timeline but it’s been great fun.

I hope you enjoy the film and please do leave me comments, so I know the hard work I’ve put in to it was worth it. You can leave comments at the bottom of this page or on the social media posts.

Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog, which will help me reach wider audiences with my work.

If you're interested in having a film like this being produced for your business or organisation, then please don’t hesitate to get in touch so we can share ideas on how to help. Contact me.

The Bright Side Of Life

June 20, 2019

In all that life throws at us, in every place where life exists, there’s a bright side to everything. If we look with an open mind and see the best in life’s challenges, situations and the environment, we can live with gratitude, appreciating our experience.

I spend much of my time watching life happen around me as if I don’t exist sometimes. I often forget about my own presence and make photographs that help me to understand the world around me in a visually attentive way.

Please click on the gallery to view the pictures with a picture viewer.

These photographs have been made in a wide variety of locations around the UK over the period of 12 months between 2018 and 2019, as far north as Liverpool, south to London and across the width of the land.

Documentary Wedding Photography Showcase

June 07, 2019 in wedding photographer, wedding photography

Documentary Wedding Photography Film Showcase

This short slideshow has been put together to benefit engaged couples looking to choose their wedding photographer.

I’ve carefully crafted and designed this beautiful film with the most amazing song in the background to help carry the emotion of being in love and starting out on the journey to married life.

Before watching this video, I’d like to explain something about my style because you’ll notice that my work is different to what you would normally see. I’ve been trained as a classical documentary photographer through various institutions, finishing with De Montfort University.

My style is documentary / street photography. What that means is that most of my work is unstaged, not posed and mostly natural, reportage styled and candid. Sure I do some posed photography for group shots and special ones for the Bride and Groom but largely, my clients love my work because it’s shows the real story of your day with such a great sense of fun that when you look back at your pictures, you’ll laugh, smile and cry, all at the same time.

I suppose that what I’m trying to say that promotes my style and without coming across like a love myself a bit too much, is if you want unique photography that blows you away for the rest of your life, watch this and get in touch with me.

Did you like it then?