Chemotherapy Appeal 2012

The older you get, the larger your network of friends, the greater the frequency that cancer rears it's ugly head. The pain and grief it brings is shared amongst so many not directly affected by it. It was a real joy to be asked if I'd make an image for Barnstaple's Chemo Appeal for this Christmas. I'm hoping many people will be inspired to give to the appeal after seeing the cheery seasonal photograph.

These 'painting with light' photographs are never as easy as they look. This took 9 photos to get all of letters looking readable, plus another to add a little more light into the sky and trees. Thanks to Julie Whitton for organising it and to the 11 volunteers who stood out in the cold for an hour making this picture right.

Bideford Christmas Lights 2012

This year I'm doing my bit to make the Festive Season more interesting and creative. I'm offering people the chance of doing a night photography workshop based around the big 'switch-on' of the Xmas Lights in Bideford and Barnstaple. Below is the course description for Bideford on Sunday 2nd December. To reserve a place click here.

3.30pm: Meet upstairs at Gertie’s Café, Mill St, Bideford. The workshop will start with a round the table chat and introduction to inspirational images from night photographers. You’ll learn how to set your camera up to make long exposures under artificial lighting and for fireworks. You’ll also learn how to balance flash with ambient lighting and to raise the sensitivity to light of your camera so that you can use it in a more candid way. If you have particular images or techniques you’d like to duplicate please bring examples of them along.

4.20pm: Practice session making experimental images under low light and artificial light. These pictures and all of your successive images of the evening will be given 121 feedback to enable your photographing to continually develop and improve.

4.50pm: photographing the grand ‘Christmas Light Switch On’ (5.00pm)

5.30pm: Reindeer Parade. Here you will learn practically how to make documentary photographs of people (public, entertainers, stall holders, Santa etc.) and animals (reindeer) at night.

6.00pm: Firework Display. Using long exposures and combining more than one frame to photograph the firework display within the town/landscape.

6.30pm: Official end of workshop.

7.00pm: Optional drink in a local pub to assess and discuss images.

Bideford Christmas Lights 2010 ©Dave Green

Barnstaple Christmas Lights 2012

This year I'm doing my bit to make the Festive Season more interesting and creative. I'm offering people the chance of doing a night photography workshop based around the big 'switch-on' of the Xmas Lights in Barnstaple and Bideford. Below is the course description for Barnstaple on Thursday 22nd November. To reserve a place click here.

4.00pm*: Meet upstairs at Boston Tea Party, Tuly St, Barnstaple. The workshop will start with a round the table chat and introduction to inspirational images from night photographers. You’ll learn how to set your camera up to make long exposures under artificial lighting and for fireworks. You’ll also learn how to balance flash with ambient lighting and to raise the sensitivity to light of your camera so that you can use it in a more candid way. If you have particular images or techniques you’d like to duplicate please bring examples of them along.

4.50pm: Practice session making experimental images under low light and artificial light. These pictures and all of your successive images of the evening will be given 121 feedback to enable your photographing to continually develop and improve.

5.20pm: photographing the grand ‘Christmas Light Switch On’, here you will learn practically how to make documentary photographs of people (public, entertainers, stall holders, Santa etc.) at night. You will also get all the instruction needed to make photographs of the night-time landscape of the town centre lit by Christmas lights.

6.30pm: You won’t be photographing soul superstar Beverley Knight, but you will get a chance to experience and document the party where she’ll be headlining on the Square. After this you’ll be using fill-in flash to photograph the samba band.

7.30pm: Official end of workshop although there will be an optional drink in a local pub to assess and discuss images. You’re welcome to then continue taking pictures at the after-show party which continues at the Pannier Market headlined by iFunk.

Christmas Lights 2010 ©Dave Green

*all times are subject to change – awaiting official publication from Barnstaple Town Council.