A Weekend Of Photography Workshops In Chester
7th & 8th June 2014
Presented By Simon Stafford
Venue: Chester Grosvenor, Eastgate,
Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1LT
VERY FEW PLACES REMAIN AVAILABLE
Following his highly successful series of photographic events arranged in association with Grays of Westminster, Simon Stafford will be delivering four of his most popular workshop and seminar presentations in the historic city of Chester on Saturday, 7th June and Sunday, 8th June. These presentations include a definitive Nikon D-SLR Photography Workshop, a seminar on The Art & Craft of Creative Photography, a Nikon Speedlight Photography Workshop and a Nature & Wildlife Photography Seminar. Photographers of all levels of skill are welcome and each session is a unique opportunity to benefit from Simon Stafford’s photographic expertise. Furthermore, there will be a prize draw at the end of each event, with the winner collecting an exciting prize!
Please find further details of the agenda for each session below; you will be able to choose to attend one or more of the workshops or seminars.
Nikon D-SLR Photography Workshop
Time: 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, Saturday, 7th June
In this practical workshop Simon will help you make the most of your Nikon D-SLR, irrespective of your level of photographic knowledge and experience, regardless of the camera model you use.
Its aim is to improve your craft of taking photographs, by mastering core camera skills through practical application; the workshop includes sessions during which Simon will lead you through understanding how your camera works, configuring and adjusting its principal settings and controls, plus demonstrate how to use its key functions for creative photography.
Topics will include:
- Digital sensors: learn how they react to light
- JPEG versus RAW: what you really need to know
- Aperture and shutter speed: master these key camera controls
- ISO sensitivity: learn how to use it effectively
- TTL Metering: discover how to use it proficiently
- Exposure: find out how to achieve accurate exposures consistently
- White balance: understand why it is important
- Histograms: uncover how to make the most of this valuable tool
- Focusing: improve your focus techniques with AF and manual focus
- Depth of Field: understand this important concept
- Camera menus: optimize your camera menu settings
- Camera technique: best practice for camera handling & shooting
Prize Draw: win an X-Rite ColorChecker Passport
The Art & Craft of Creative Photography Seminar
Time: 2:30 am to 6:00 pm, Saturday, 7th June
In this seminar Simon will examine the qualities of light, the raw ingredient used by every photographer, and how to use them to best advantage; he will also discuss the creative potential of lenses, filters, and a variety of photographic techniques, both in-camera and using post-processing.
By exploring ways to work with light, hone you skills in composition and learning how to make the most of your equipment, you will be able to expand the art and craft of your photography to new levels.
Topics will include:
- Learning to look at light
- Choosing and using lenses
- The what, when and how of filters
- Getting competent and confident with composition
- Shooting in black and white
- Creative techniques with multiple exposures
- Capturing long exposures
- The painting with light technique
- High Dynamic Range (HDR) photography
- Making the most of raw files using Adobe Camera Raw
Prize draw: win an ExpoAperture 2-disc depth-of-field calculator
Nikon Speedlight Photography Workshop
Time: 9:30 am to 1:00 pm, Sunday, 8th June
Nikon’s Creative Lighting System (CLS) offers a level of flexibility and control that provides a huge range of creative possibilities for both on-camera and off-camera flash. The emphasis of this workshop will be on the practical application of the Nikon CLS using a variety of lighting techniques and lighting control accessories, so that you can achieve professional-looking results easily and swiftly, using a minimum of equipment.
Topics will include:
- Flash lighting – an overview of how it works
- Nikon flash mode options and what they do
- Understand how your camera’s TTL metering for ambient light interacts with flash exposure settings
- Learn how to control and adjust flash output level
- Nikon flash sync options and what they do
- Understand the Auto FP High-Speed sync mode
- Discover how to mix light from your flash with ambient light for more balanced, natural lighting effects
- Find out how to use the FV Lock feature for accurate and consistent flash exposures
- Set up your camera and flash for the fill-flash technique
- Use the bounced flash technique
- Modify the quality of the light from a Speedlight with simple accessories
- Learning how to configure and control Speedlights as part of a wireless lighting set-up
Prize draw: win a Lastolite Ezybox Hotshoe softbox
Nature & Wildlife Photography Seminar
Time: 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm, Sunday, 8th June
Simon has prepared this seminar to help you develop your proficiency in the photography of nature and wildlife, regardless of your photographic skill level and the equipment you use.
By learning and understanding core skills, augmented by the plethora of useful hints and advice he will share, Simon will help you accomplish a dramatic improvement in the craft of taking photographs of the natural world. He will discuss the key aspects of the imaginative vision and methodology behind achieving high quality pictures, by sharing his in-depth knowledge.
Agenda:
- Choosing what, when and where to shoot
- Discover the value of patience and the benefits of working on a project
- Learn how to add impact and appeal to your pictures through the use of light, including the importance of catch-lights
- Methods to control/modify the light, including use of fill-flash.
- Focusing techniques; automatic and manual focus, using the viewfinder and with Live View
- Techniques for photographing birds and animals: static portraits, interpreting movement, birds in flight, using lenses and teleconverters
- Techniques for photographing plants: isolating the subject, using a creative camera angle, working with multiple subjects.
- Techniques for shooting close-ups: using lens accessories, maximizing image sharpness, depth-of-field considerations.
- Methods for supporting a camera and lens
- The importance of ethical and legal issues
- Working with the weather & environment: making the most of the conditions, applying field craft, using a hide/feeding station, protecting you and your equipment.
Prize draw: win ThinkTank Photo Lens Changer 75 & 15 belt pouches
Prerequisite:
The Nikon D-SLR and Speedlight courses are practical workshops; delegates must bring a Nikon D-SLR camera and lens to work with, plus a Nikon Speedlight unit if you attend the flash photography workshop.
Venue:
The Chester Grosvenor, Eastgate, Chester, Cheshire, CH1 1LT
The Chester Grosvenor is a Grade II listed building built in the mid-nineteenth centry; it is located in the heart of Chester, next to the famous Eastgate Clock.
Further details can be viewed here:
www.chestergrosvenor.com
Tel: 01244 324024
Registration:
Please note, as above, that you can attend one or more of the workshops and seminars, but that the number of places for each session will be limited strictly to ensure delegates have ample opportunity to discuss their photography with Simon.
The cost of each session will be £155 with a special price of £95 if you are a current Nikon Owner subscriber, and includes light refreshments.
Additional special offer for Gold subscribers to Nikon Owner only: book for two events and receive a £20.00 discount on the cost of the second event.
To register, please email your full name, postal address and postcode, as well as your daytime mobile and landline to Gillian Greenwood noting which workshop(s) or seminar(s) you would like to attend. If you are also a Nikon Owner subscriber, please add your user-name / subscription number to the email.
Due to the limited number of places do book as soon as you are able to in order to avoid disappointment. If you are not currently a Nikon Owner subscriber, would you be kind enough to make a note of this in your email – in order to receive the discount, you will be able to join, or re-join Nikon Owner when we call you to acknowledge your booking registration.
Please note that it is essential that you book by email rather than by telephone.
Testimonials:
“Thank you for your very instructive and intuitive session… it was very ‘illuminating’ both in its content and your very ‘hands-on’ delivery.” TG
“I found the session extremely useful – possibly the best ever – and excellent value! I would certainly recommend it to friends and colleagues.” MA
“Where Simon scores for me is not so much in the area of ‘how-to’ but in the ‘why’ things operate in the way they do… in short a seriously excellent day.” JB
“It was a very enjoyable afternoon, thank you. It was pitched at just the right level for me. You covered a very complex subject in a logical and simple way, you obviously put a lot of effort into preparation.” G P-E
“A brilliant and engaging presentation, with a huge amount covered in the time; I learnt much and you provided plenty of new ideas. JR
“I found your workshop very useful and only wish that it had gone on longer!” RH
About Nikon Owner
Standard Annual subscription – normal price: £69; special price: £59 while registering for any of these workshops or seminars
- 1-year Subscription to Nikon Owner + 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
- Nikon Owner magazine, a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers benchmark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images
- All back issues are now available on line as PDFs
- Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
- Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
- 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
- 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
- Special trips and events
- Discounts on events and training sessions
Gold subscription – special price: £231 when registering for any of these workshops or seminars
- 3-year subscription to Nikon Owner
- 5-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
- 2-year warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
- Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list)
- A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
- A signed copy of Heather Angel’s Wild Kew while stocks last or a Simon Stafford Nikon Magic Lantern Guide of your choice
- Nikon Owner magazine as above
- Private user-name and password to the subscribers-only website which includes a forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events page and use of a photo gallery
- Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
- 15% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
- Special trips and events
- Substantial discounts on training sessions organised by Grays of Westminster, including Mike Maloney’s Workshops, Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Training Sessions, Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars and Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses
