Night Photography For Beginners

On the Night Photography workshop you will learn how to get the most out of your digital camera in the golden hours, low-light and at night. If you don’t have a tripod and need to borrow mine, please just let me know.

All take place after work at 6-9pm. New dates added: 13, 19, 24, 31 Oct

The workshop is aimed at beginner photographers with a SLR who are looking for an intro to night photography. Do you want to:

• Learn to capture movement and create light trails?
• Know how to capture photos in low-light?
• Understand when and how to use a tripod?
• Discover helpful night-time equipment and tips?

Then the Night Photography workshop will put you in control of using your camera at night, both for stunning scenic shots and for keeping you safe. You will learn how to:

• Select shutter speeds: learn how to use shutter priority and manual
• Scene modes useful at night: how best to use the landscape and night portrait modes
• Choose a white balance: understanding tungsten and custom white balance

Join Us TODAY – Tower Hill 2pm

The 60 images sourced from London Metropolitan Archives offer visitors the chance to step back in time as far back as the late 1800s and immerse themselves in the rich seam of history that surrounds Tower Bridge, the Pool of London and the surrounding areas.

Walking over the top of Tower Bridge is well worth the £8 the tickets cost (payable on the day); it’s such an enjoyable and unique experience! We’ll also get to see some amazing black and white photos of London, and take photos of our own from the bridge.

The photographs have been chosen to represent six categories of London life: Tower Bridge, waterways, work, life, buildings and boats. The shot chosen as the main publicity image is of St Paul’s Cathedral seen behind an early 20th century river frontage that is very different to the present day structures – today, the newest river crossing the Millennium Bridge stretches across the Thames in this very spot.

“There couldn’t be a better venue for this exhibition than Tower Bridge,” said Tower Bridge director David Wight. “ Some of the locations shown in the photographs can be seen from the Walkways which adds a unique dimension to the experience. Tower Bridge is a potent symbol of the rich historical significance of the City, surrounding area and the River Thames so the opportunity to be able to share this with visitors from both home and abroad was unmissable.”

Read more on the Tower Bridge Exhibition website.

Beginner Photo Competition – Animals & Wildlife

You can enter ANIMAL photos into the WILDLIFE competition. We’re still looking for artistic photos though; not just cute cats!

T&Cs: http://www.facebook.com/thephotoschool#!/thephotoschool?sk=app_7146470109

Deadline: Friday 30th September 12pm

Entry: Over 18, London based, beginner photographer

Special Shoot: Strictly in the City!

On Saturday, we held our second dance shoot in the City. 11 of us photographed 3 dancers – contemporary and hip-hop – in the beautiful settings of an old church.

Albert Embankment Photo Walk

We’re going to brave the weather tonight for a walk along Albert Embankment. Last time was a corker of a sunset, but I wonder what tonight will have in hold for us?

New Photo Competition: Wildlife

In September, the photography club are off to the Wetlands Centre. So it makes sense to have this month’s photographic theme as wildlife. I look forward to seeing your images and a chance to win a beginner photography workshop.

To enter the competition:

1. Become a fan of The Photo School. Click ‘Like’ at the top of the page. If you can’t see the button, it’s because you are already a fan!

2. Upload ONE photo which has WILDLIFE as its theme before 12pm on Friday 30th September 2011. Click on the tab ‘Wall’, then ‘Photo’ and ‘Upload a Photo’. If you can’t see your photos (or others’) you may need to change the settings to be ‘The Photo School + Others’.

3. After 30th September you will be able to vote on the eight best photos which The Photo School has selected. The person whose photo has the most votes wins a free place on a workshop of their choice.

Best of luck!

Natalie

The Photo School Photo Competition T&Cs

1. Only ONE photo per person can be entered.
2. Submitting a photo means you agree to the T&Cs.
3. The photo must be your own work and no advanced Photoshop allowed.
4. Copyright for the photo remains with you.
5. The photo must not infringe any third party or laws.
6. Deadline for the competition is Friday 30th September 2011.
7. The winner will be notified by Monday 3rd October 2011.
8. The workshop must be taken within 2011.
9. The decision of The Photo School for the top eight photos is final.
10. The Photo School reserves the right to delete photos or comments that are inappropriate.

Photo Challenge: Through The Generations

Join a group of beginner photographers for a fun challenge to produce 10 portraits of people enjoying Regent’s Park. You’ll be encouraged to seek out people aged between 1-10, 11-20, 21-30, 31-40, 41-50 etc.

• Date & Time: Mon 29 Aug 2-5pm
  
• Meeting Point: Outside Regent’s Park tube station

This is an opportunity to experiment with your people photography and build your confidence in taking portraits.

There will be no hard or fast rules as to what lens to use, or whether the portrait should be ‘posed’ or ‘candid’. The aim of the photo challenge is to start to develop an approach to taking people photos that you feel comfortable with. To help with this, the event will include:

• Discussion on ways to take people photos
• Sharing of ‘ice-breaking’ props
• Polite ways to find out someone’s age!
• A prize for a ‘poker hand’ of images (to be explained)

The photo challenge lasts three hours which includes time to ask questions about your camera as well as group check-ins. The cost of the event is £10 which includes the chance to receive feedback on your photos post-event.

Sign up for a photo walk as well to meet other like-minded photographers.

Photo Walk: Pool of London

Join a group of beginner photographers for a leisurely photo walk around the Pool of London. We’ll go along Northbank, cross over Tower Bridge and then along the south side of the river to London Bridge.

• Date & Time: Thu 1 Sep, Thu 15 Sep, 7-10pm
  
• Meeting Point: Outside Monument tube

This will be a low-light walk so it’s a chance to practice using your tripod or high ISOs. Sunset is at 7:50pm. Photographic opportunities include:

• Reflections across the Thames as the sun sets
• Light trails as traffic crosses Tower Bridge
• Tower of London and City buildings being lit up
• Night shots of London Bridge and its traffic

It lasts three hours which includes time to ask questions about your camera, as well as stops to discuss, share and review technique. The cost of the walk is £10 which includes the chance to receive feedback on your photos post-walk. The walk ends at London Bridge tube.

Sign up for other photo walks and read about the benefits of attending.

Photo Walk: Albert Embankment

Join a group of beginner photographers for a leisurely photo walk along Albert Embankment towards Westminster. This will be a low-light walk so it’s a chance to practice using your tripod or high ISOs.

• Date & Time: Tue 6 Sep, Tue 20 Sep, 6:30-9:30pm
  
• Meeting Point: Vauxhall tube (exit 1 next to Pret)

The walk is a fun way to practice your night photography skills with like-minded people. Photographic opportunities include:

• Silhouettes across the Thames as the sun sets
• Action shots of joggers and cyclists on the Embankment
• The Houses of Parliament as they reflect on the river
• Night shots of Lambeth and Westminster Bridges

It lasts three hours which includes time to ask questions about your camera, as well as stops to discuss, share and review technique. The cost of the walk is £10 which includes the chance to receive feedback on your photos post-walk.

The walk ends at Westminster Bridge which is 10 minutes walk from either Westminster tube or Waterloo station. If you want to carry on with night photography, the underpass takes you onto Southbank for images of County Hall and the London Eye.

“A truly excellent evening. Really good walk, not too far even with a heavy tripod and the views are stunning. The weather was perfect too. Also a very nice crowd of people.” Philip

“Really enjoyed it! The location and time was perfect! I have wanted to do night time urban landscapes for such a long time, so now I am full of joy!” Alina

“Good walk. The light and weather were fantastic and the other members were great company. Will be going to another event for sure.” Phil

“What a beautiful sunset! It was really nice to see the Southbank on the other side of Westminster Bridge.” Alisha

“Natalie – this was a fantastic evening! Thank you so much for putting this together.” Cheryl

Sign up for other photo walks and read about the benefits of attending.

Learn How To Take Better Outdoor Portraits

At the end of May our new people focused workshops will take place. Last week I introduced street photography and this week I’m talking about outdoor portraits.

Outdoor portraits can be either candid or permission based. Whether you ask your subject if you can take their photo or not will depend on your style and confidence, the location and practically of asking for permission, as well as whether you think it is appropriate to ask for their permission.

Asking Permission To Take A Photo

Asking permission to take a photo can to some seem quite daunting. However, with practice you’ll start to hone your technique. Your opening lines, what you say, how you ask them to pose, whether you show them the photo or not, all will start to become easier.

As a beginner, I think one of the best group of people to start with is to ask kind friends and family (but not those that you know don’t like having their picture taken!). Offer to take some family portrait shots, photos of anniversaries or birthdays, or photos for their work’s website. People often need passport photos too, if you know what you are doing re. size and background. Asking parents if you can photograph their child might also be an option.

I’ve built up my skills in photographing people by asking these two groups of people if I can take their photo. With this confidence, I’ve felt more comfortable in approaching complete strangers.

There are certain situations where asking strangers their permission to take a photo is easy! I find people who are enjoying themselves are generally more in the mood to have their picture taken.

As a beginner photographer, good places to practice asking for permission are at festivals, street parties, protests, fashion shows and public spaces or events such as the London Marathon, Wimbledon, Pride etc..

If you’re friendly and wearing a smile when you approach people, they are more likely to engage in a conversation with you. If you take a genuine interest in them, tell them what you like about them and why you want to take their photo, I’m sure it will be much harder for them to refuse you!

Taking Candid Portraits With A Telephoto Lens

Another option when you are shooting outside, is to use a zoom lens to take a person’s portrait. You may find this approach easier or it may be the only option you have to take their portrait (if it’s impossible to cross the road or the canal for example).

I find that using my compact camera is also a good alternative as I feel I can mix in with a crowd or get nearer to my subject than I can with a big SLR camera. Sometimes using my SLR makes me more noticeable and it can also be off putting for those being photographed.

I think what is important when you are trying to take a portrait outside, rather than capture a moment in time (e.g. street photography), is to observe the person you are taking a photo of.

See what they are doing and what their face is telling you. Wait for the right time or anticipate what they are going to do next. Be patient enough to wait for interaction, e.g. friends suddenly laughing or money exchanging hands, to make the photo extra special.

The Outdoor Portrait Photography Workshop

If you’d like more practice at photographing people, join us at the end of the May for the outdoor photography workshop. In small groups we will learn how to photograph each other using reflectors, positioning the sitters appropriately for the daylight available, what the best lenses for portraiture are.

Each person will play the role of the sitter as this can help to make you a better photographer by understanding what the experience is like to have your photograph taken. You’ll find you are better able to direct and understand your subject when you have experienced being them.

Below are some photos from a previous portrait event showing the location where the workshop takes place.  Book now to save £5 off the workshop.