Photography and Visual Design
Akaroa, New Zealand - 2009
“It isn’t any old workshop. This workshop is a life-changing experience”
-Sue
“This workshop is way more than design. It may teach design, but it facilitates Art.”
-Ian Walls
INSTRUCTORS
Freeman Patterson
Freeman has been a freelance photographer for over 40 years, and his contribution to the medium is recognised around the world. He is the author of five best-selling instructional books on photography, and seven other books including his latest, The Garden, a collection of images and writing about his home at Shampers Bluff. Freeman believes a sound knowledge of visual design is fundamental to clear visual expression, and focuses on this in his illustrated lectures. Freeman has conducted annual workshops in Canada since 1973, in South Africa since 1984, and in many other countries.
Read his art statement here
Tony Bridge FPSNZ, ACPP (Dist)
Tony is a professional photographer, fine artist, writer and teacher who has taught in New Zealand, South Africa and the United States. He has co-tutored with Freeman since 1997. Currently based in Christchurch, he divides his time between commercial assignments, working on his second and third books, workshops in New Zealand and abroad, where he teaches both the digital process and creativity. He believes that that creativity comes from understanding Self and applying this to one’s photography.
Tony has variously been a Kodak Professional Mentor, curriculum developer with the New Zealand government and has been heavily involved with the development of photo-education in this country for the last 25 years.
Read his artist’s statement here
Sally Mason FPSNZ
Sally is a popular and enthusiastic tutor who delights in creative play with her camera. Through this playfulness, she encourages students to explore the child that is within all of us. All learn to understand themselves and tune into their reactions and feelings towards the spaces in which they find themselves. This awareness can then be infused into the very personal images they will create, alongside camera techniques learned to compliment and enhance these feelings. Images reflect the photographer, but first you have to know who you are ……..
“We see what we know until we know who we are, then we see what we feel.” Ernst Haas.
Sally enjoys co-tutoring with Freeman Patterson and Tony Bridge and has done so for several years. As well she runs her own popular workshops throughout New Zealand, in creative photography and photomontage / abstract montage - playing with prints. She enjoys travel and in September this year will travel with a group of Kiwi photographers to Canada and while there she will teach a Creative Autumn workshop in New Brunswick.
Sally is a Fellow of the Photographic Society of New Zealand. She has a passion for the outdoors and the natural world, loves flowers, trees and her garden - which is a challenge as she now lives beside the sea at Rarangi Beach near Blenheim, in Marlborough, New Zealand.
WORKSHOP Programmes
WORKSHOP ONE : DIGITAL INTENSIVE - GOING TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Instructor : Tony Bridge
For the digital photographer making great prints involves understanding the whole process, from pre-visualisation to post-visualisation. This workshop is for those who want to lift their post-production skills to a new level. The workshop will look at techniques which enable you to make the most of a file and get the best possible quality in preparation for printing. It focuses on using PhotoShop CS3 and Adobe PhotoShop Lightroom together, and introduces advanced techniques which make the most of a file. Topics will include:
1. Optimising your workspace
2. The importance of Scratch disks
3. RAW basics
4. The power of the Smart Object
5. Smart Filters
6. Pre-visualisation to post-visualisation
7. The Fine Print
8. From the Darkroom to the Lightroom-techniques that carry across
9. Making a printing plan
10. Using adjustment layers
11. Layer masking
12. Creative Use of Blending Modes
13. Advanced Sharpening techniques
14. Advanced Noise reduction
15. Getting the most from your printer
A field shoot will be held as part of the workshop.
Students will need both Lightroom and PhotoShop CS3 and a laptop or desktop equipped with these. A card reader would also be invaluable.
WORKSHOPS TWO AND THREE : Photography and Visual Design
Instructors : Freeman Patterson, Tony Bridge and Sally Mason
The workshops will focus on visual design and creativity. Through an understanding of the building blocks of visual design and the study of a variety of ways of approaching the making of a photograph, we are able to make rather than take photographs.
Everyone, from the novice to experienced amateur or professional, will benefit from the workshop.
Each day there will be instructional slide lectures on photography and visual design, a field trip with the instructors, and evaluation of your previous day’s work. Towards the end of the week each participant will receive a personal assignment for presentation as a slide or digital essay on the final day, when there will be a special programme featuring students’ images from the workshop, for viewing by guests from the community.
While we believe the workshops must have definite structure in format and instructional content, we continually adapt programs to meet the needs and interests of students and constantly encourage personal ways of seeing and expressing. To ensure that we can work effectively with everyone on a personal basis we limit enrolment to a maximum of 15 persons per workshop.
WORKSHOP DATES
Mt Vernon Lodge, Akaroa
Workshop One:
Digital Intensive - Going to the Next Level
10 - 14 February 2009
Workshop Two:
Photography and Visual Design
14 - 21 February 2009
Workshop Three:
Photography and Visual Design
21 - 28 February 2009
Please note: Workshops One and Two are for digital photographers only.
TUITION AND ACCOMMODATION
The fee for the workshops includes tuition, all meals and accommodation on a 50 acre hillside estate.
Workshops Two and Three include a boat trip around Akaroa Harbour, where we will see Hector’s Dolphins, marine life and some wonderfully dramatic landscapes.
LOCATION AND VENUE
The workshops are being held at Mt Vernon Lodge on the hillside above the township of Akaroa, about 1.5 hours drive from Christchurch.
Accommodation will be in self-contained units with all facilities and most participants will be required to share a unit with one other person. In the main lodge there is a double bed on a mezzanine floor above 2 single beds on the ground floor. If you are unable to walk comfortably uphill please contact us before registering.
Arrival, Departure and Transport
Participants should arrive at Mt Vernon between 3.30pm and 5.30pm the first day, and depart by noon on the last day.
Each workshop begins with dinner at 6.00pm on the first day, and ends with morning tea on the last day.
We can arrange transport from Christchurch Airport on the first and last days. Please contact us for further information, and provide us with your intended arrival and departure times.
Clothing
Waterproof shoes or boots are recommended for shooting in the early morning, and walking around the nearby hills. Sunscreen is essential. A sunhat, waterproof jacket and a flashlight are also recommended.
Equipment
Tripod : bring a sturdy tripod with a reliable head.
Lenses : bring whichever lenses you have, but there is no need to purchase any for the workshops
Transparency photographers : loupe/magnifier for slides, and slide pages (10-20)
Film photographers : bring film and expect to shoot approximately 20 rolls. Fuji Velvia or Kodak slide films of ISO 100 are recommended.
Digital photographers : Laptop, card reader, flash drive - and battery chargers.
FEES
Workshop One - Digital Intensive: Going to the Next Level $1293.75 inclusive of GST
Workshop Two - Photography and Visual Design $2700.00 inclusive of GST
Workshop Three - Photography and Visual Design $2700.00 inclusive of GST
Note: these fees include tuition, accommodation, meals and fieldtrips. You cover only your travel to the venue, incidentals and bar tab!
Deposit : A deposit of $750 is required to confirm your registration, with the balance payable by 15 November 2008. The deposit is non refundable. Bookings are taken on a first-come first-served basis.
In the event of the workshops being oversubscribed we will maintain a waiting list.
Cancellations :
On cancellations up to 31 December 2008 we will refund your fee less an administration fee of $900. We will not refund cancellations after 1 January 2009.
Film and Processing : On Workshop Three (only) transparency films will be processed overnight and returned the following day in time for you to choose slides for the evaluation session. Film processing is not included in the price of the workshop.
Digital: Workshop participants who shoot digitally need to bring their own laptop computer. A digital projector will be available.
REGISTRATION
As these workshops will be very popular we suggest you register as soon as possible. Registrations will be processed on a first-come/first-served basis.
Step 1
- Use the link to register for the workshops.
- We will send an information pack.
- Your completed and signed registration form should be posted to the address below. Please indicate clearly which workshop(s) you wish to attend.
- Payment can be made by direct credit to the Westpac bank account shown below, or by cheque (with the registration form) to the address below.
Step 2
We will send you a letter or email to confirm the workshop you have registered for and any other relevant details.
Step 3
The balance of your workshop fees must be paid by 15 November 2008 to ensure your place is held.
Please do not register for a workshop unless you are able to stay for the full period, as late arrivals and early departures disrupt the spirit and fellowship of the workshop.
Creative-i
PO Box 36488
Christchurch
New Zealand
Tel +64 3 383 2964 Fax +64 3 383 2968
Mobile +64 21 53 81 99 (Linda O’Reilly) or +64 21 22 73 98 5 (Tony Bridge)