TUITION
As well as the Day Workshops outlined below l offer tuition to individuals at an hourly rate. Tuition will be designed to meet your needs.
Group and Individual Tuition can also be arranged on various topics including, landscape, macro, flora, and Photoshop skills, including photographic restoration. Call 01305 889476 for more information or to make arrangements
Day Workshops
The workshop dates are by arrangement with participants. Once there are 2 or more people interested l will then arrange a date to suit.
Booking: Please send £20 deposit per workshop.
BACS transfer to: Colin Tracy, Triodos Bank, Sort Code: 16 58 10, Account Number: 21107831 or cheque to:
Colin Tracy, 17 St Martinsfield, Martinstown, Dorchester, DT2 9JU 01305 889476 or 07874 910877 for further information
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Basic Camera Skills
Day One
“Beyond the Automatic Setting”
£60 including lunch
Many of us have cameras that will allow us full control of our photography; but many of us only use the camera on automatic setting and if we get a good result it is more by luck than judgement.
We can either let the camera control us or we can become artistic directors and have the tools and know-how to express our creativity to the full. By knowing how a camera works, by understanding what the camera settings do and by knowing how to expose an image correctly the results will match our intention.
In Day One we will begin to understand the relationship between aperture, shutter speed and ISO settings (film speed) – all components in obtaining correct exposure.
We will look briefly at how a camera works and then see how we can have artistic expression with aperture (depth of field) and artistic expression with control of shutter speed.
The day will include talks and experiential exercises in and around the beautiful BoroughGardens. There will be time to share the resulting images and time for discussion.
Please bring your camera: Digital SLR or ‘Bridge’ or other camera that can be set to manual and an umbrella in case of rain!
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Some feedback from a Day One workshop on June 28th 2014
Hi Colin
A quick note to say how very much I enjoyed Saturday’s workshop at Dorchester. It was exactly what I hoped it would be at exactly the right pace. The others, a very nice, enthusiastic group who helped make it such a good day, clearly appreciated your efforts as much as I did.
Since getting home and re-reading the notes, I have spent considerable time taking pictures in my small garden and I must say that I am increasingly happy with the results. The manual settings are coming almost second nature now and I have resolved only to resort to an automatic setting in dire emergencies!
There are still a hundred other buttons and settings on my camera that I have yet to tackle, so I shall no doubt bombard you with questions at the next workshop, which I am looking forward to very much.
Thank you again. D.
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Basic Camera Skills
Day Two
"Light and Composition"
£60 including lunch
Now that we have some familiarity with our camera settings and how to expose an image correctly, we will begin to explore light. How light is different at different times of day, what light is best suited for particular types of photography and how to adjust the camera for different light conditions (white balance)
In the afternoon we will begin to explore composition. There are some tried and tested ‘rules’ of composition which are good to know. Although we don’t want to hamper our artistic expression with ‘rules’, it is good to have an understanding of what can make our photography have impact. Photography is, after all, about communication.
We will also begin to look at how to see clearly what is in front of us and to experience that directly and fully. What gets in the way of seeing clearly? What is going on in our minds when using the camera? This will be a brief introduction and will lead on to Day Three – Contemplative Photography.
If you are already using the camera away from automatic settings then you are welcome to attend Day 2 without having done Day 1
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Moments of Wakeful Perception
An Introduction to Contemplative Photography
To fully experience the essence of a situation or a sight, a sound, a smell or a sensation - to see things just as they are - our minds need to be still – free of thought. From this mind space art emerges.
In this workshop we will begin by learning a simple meditation technique that can help still the mind. We will then apply what we have learnt to the process of looking and seeing –and relate this to our photography.
Then, with a still mind, we will learn to ‘form the equivalent’ of what we have seen and make an image.
We will also look at ways we can deepen our experience of seeing and bring that to bear on our photography. There will be practical exercises in relating to colour, texture, pattern, space and simplicity.
Please bring your camera – SLR or compact and an umbrella in case it is wet. There is an introductory article on the Contemplative approach to photography in the Photography and Awareness Gallery.
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Photography
with the Mind of Meditation
Further Explorations in Contemplative Photography
Now we realise there is a choice every time we press the shutter release. We can use our cameras as a tool of our own needs, desires and habits or we can allow our minds to soften and still and see the vivid, fresh nature of reality with clear mind.
Photographing with the mind of meditation means repeatedly letting go of the ways we impose our ‘reality’ onto Reality; it means letting go of whatever clutters the mind and stops us seeing clearly. When we do, the photograph will accurately represent what we have seen and felt in the freshness of that moment.
In this workshop we will continue our exploration of what it means to be fully awake and to trust in the process of simply letting things be as they are, with photography based exercises in mindfulness and awareness, focusing on simplicity and space.
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