The Daylight Portrait workshop is designed for photographers who understand the fundamentals of camera exposure and want to explore portraiture photography using natural light.
Spend the day with David at his studio in Edinburgh where he’ll offer a personal insight into his philosophy and approach to making a portrait.
You will explore the relationship between the author and the sitter, the importance of background and environmental placement and how subtle movements and space can make such a difference when ultimately filling a frame. You will consider lighting and choice of lenses. You will learn how to read a photograph.
You will also study the work of other portrait photographers and what gives each their own distinctive signature. In the print room you’ll be given the opportunity to view the exhibition print portfolios FRIENDS & ARTISTS, DEAR JOHN and THIRTY TWO YORK PLACE.
With numbers restricted to only 4 people you will be asked to partner and pick an area within the house where you each will make a portrait of one another, with David at hand for guidance.
As a group the resulting images will be viewed and discussed, the importance of editing will also be covered.
Please bring your camera, a maximum of two lenses, tripod and notebook.
Lunch and coffee will be provided.
Cost of workshop
£330 (inc VAT)
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Spaces: 4 max.
Date: May 1st
The Abstract & Form workshop is designed for photographers who understand the fundamentals of camera exposure and want to explore a conceptual perspective on their photographic practice.
The day will begin with coffee and a tour of David’s studio.
In the print room you’ll view the portfolios DESERT ROADS, MAR A BHA and AS THE SNOW FELL with reference to the work of Aaron Siskind, Alberto Burri, Harry Callahan, cubism, and the New York abstract impressionists.
Later in the morning you’ll head by taxi (included in cost) to one of David’s favourite places of inspiration and explore the balance of the old and new sitting comfortably side by side, the ancient and the modern complimenting one another.
Reminded of the morning’s discussions you will be asked to make photographs of forms and shapes beyond what’s normally expected to be viewed within the building. You will be encouraged to look within and see beyond.
Tripods are not permitted at this location.
As this will be a full-on day a short break for lunch has been scheduled (not included in price) at the location before returning to David’s where a selection of the day’s images will be viewed and discussed.
Please bring your camera, a maximum of two lenses, and notebook.
Cost of workshop
£330 (inc VAT)
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Spaces: 3 max.
Date: May 9th
The Daylight Still Life workshop is designed for photographers who understand the fundamentals of camera exposure and want to explore the art of still life photography.
The day will begin with coffee and a tour of David’s studio.
In the print room you will view both the exhibition prints and studio construction involved in creating the MEMENTO MORI portfolio which was photographed on David’s phone. David will offer a demonstration on the simplicity of this work and the importance of improvisation and taking the time to look.
The still life work of the Italian artist Giorgio Morandi and the photographs that pay homage to his work by Joel Meyerowitz will be considered. Likewise the sculptures influenced by Morandi’s objects by the Japanese ceramicist Akiko Hirai and Swedish company Skultuna.
You will learn just how easy it can be to set up a small daylight studio and the importance of directional light and the subtraction of light as being as equal important as adding it.
You will consider backdrops, their construction and colour tonality between object and backdrop both sympathetic and contrasting.
After lunch each person will be given a studio space and the opportunity to photograph with the guidance of David a single or selection of props found in the studio.
A selection of the day’s images will then be viewed and discussed.
Tripods are a requirement on this workshop. Please bring your camera, a maximum of two lenses, tripod and notebook.
Cost of workshop
£330 (inc VAT)
Time: 10:00 - 16:00
Spaces: 3 max.
Date: May 7th
The Portfolio Development workshop is designed for photographers who seek to further develop their photographic practice.
Coffee on arrival and tour of David studio.
This workshop aims to highlight the importance of how a body of work should flow and balance creating a portfolio rather than simply a collection of images.
The importance of having just enough images but not too many that it may weaken the other images, the struggle is often with what to leave out.
You will be given the opportunity to view and examine several of David’s portfolios that are in museum collections, including DEAR JOHN (Paisley Museum), THIRTY TWO YORK PLACE (Scottish National Portrait Gallery), MAR A BHA (Edinburgh City Art Collection) and TREE (Marchmont Foundation Collection).
The afternoon session will explore the diversity and subtilty of paper stock, print scale and space required around an image allowing it to breathe.
The value of presentation and attention to detail will be covered.
Whilst each person is encouraged to bring a selection of their own images (no more than 12) this is not essential.
Cost of workshop
£250 (inc VAT)
Time: 13:00 - 16:00
Spaces: 3 max.
Date: May 21st