It’s no secret that the marketplace for professional photographers has
undergone a massive change over the past decade. The affordability of good
quality equipment and opportunities provided by the web has been a double-edged
sword for the pro shooter. It’s never been easier to get your work out there,
but in a world saturated with images, a lot harder to make your images stand
out from the crowd. Having the gear and knowing how to use it is only part of
the equation, being able to create multiple meaningful images that stand out from the
visual pap and linger in memory of the audience is a bit more difficult. Creating visually compelling photographs is important, creating a body of work that has structure, narrative and successfully compete for the audience's attention, more so.
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| East Timorese return to the burnt out remains of their homes only to find rogue elements with the departing Indonesian Military burning nearby buildings. September 1999 © David Dare Parker |
Most professional
photographers know this and many have diversified their product range to
include workshops or training packages to cater for a growing market of
amateurs or semi-professionals who want to take their picture making to the
next level. Over the years I have had a lot of experience with photographers
workshops, from the perspective of participant, organiser and also presenter.
If there is one thing that I have learnt from that experience it is that being
a good photographer does not equate to being a good educator. These days, the
bulk of my income is derived from providing training to aspiring professional
photographers, and trust me, being a good photographic educator demands very
different skill-sets to being a good shooter.
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| Maubisse market, East Timor © Martine Perret |
So, I became very
excited when two friends of mine told me that they are developing a visual story-telling
workshop that will be delivered here in Perth. Not only are David Dare Parker
and Martine Perret internationally recognised photographers, but based on my
own observations whilst working alongside them delivering photographic
training, they also know how to teach. It's an extremely important point to consider when looking for a training provider. Despite their reputations, ego has not
got the better of them and maybe (probably) because of the work that they are
both renowned for, I found them both to be patient, empathetic tutors who are
able to break down information into easily understood building blocks,
providing their students with a solid foundation of real knowledge, not just
the feel good factor. These guys know how to inspire, entertain, but most importantly, inform.
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| Martine Perret (right) acting as model during a workshop we conducted for the Timorese professional photographic community. Dili, Timor-Leste, January 2012. © Julian Tennant |
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| David Dare Parker (left) discussing some of the issues facing Timorese journalists during a visit to the Dili office of the International Centre for Journalists, Timor-Leste 2009. © Julian Tennant |
Their Visual Narrative workshop, which
runs in Perth on the weekend of 15th and 16th of December
costs $475 including GST. Across the two days, David
and Martine will mentor you through the craft of visual storytelling.
You will learn about:
* Tools of the trade:
still photographs, video and audio
* The craft of
storytelling through photographic images
* Finding and
researching a subject and theme
* Shooting to tell the
story
* Editing your photo
essay
* The use of
multimedia in storytelling: Platforms and trends
* Developing your
personal vision or style
* Ethics and
responsibilities in documentary photography
I think that this workshop is extremely useful in helping all photographers
develop a skill-set that is often neglected, but vital in taking
image making to the next level. Whilst David and Martine’s backgrounds may be
photojournalism and documentary photography their workshop will be useful to
all photographers. Visual story telling is something we all do, from those
holiday snaps to weddings to developing an advertising narrative for commercial
applications. Great value and an
ideal Christmas present IMO. For more information go to
