The day began at 07:00 at Al Ras Metro station with a round of self-introductions from the 10 participants and a short brief from our leader, David Nightingale. (You can read more about the details of the workshop as it was advertised below.) We were asked to think about narrative structure when framing our images, from wide establishing shots to medium range action to details of such things as hands or a piece of fruit. The instructor made himself available to those who might need help with camera settings and we were then set loose in the nearby Fish Market, in truth a market for all kinds of fresh food, including fish, meat and produce, and on a Friday morning teeming with shoppers.
I hadn’t slept well the night before so was feeling somewhat less than enthusiastic or energetic. Perhaps I was also feeling a bit burned-out with shooting in general, having just returned from seven days of doing little but in Tbilisi. And this was not the first time I had been to the Fish Market as a photographer. While I understand the value of revisiting sites in order to delve a bit deeper, I think what I needed that morning was something new and invigorating, rather than a subject that required me to push, especially if I was going to have to conceive - on the spot - a narrative structure to my image making. I quickly gave up any idea of trying to produce something consistent and coherent. I strolled and looked for opportunities to speak with people, as well as for flashes of perception. Perhaps I got a few interesting shots, but certainly nothing that in aggregate might tell a story.
We regrouped 90 minutes later and crossed the creek to the Meena Bazaar, where the same type of briefing was offered, along with a similar offer of assistance for those who might need help with camera settings. By now I was starting to drag, so I did my best to get a few shots before packing it in, walking to the Metro and getting back across the creek to my car.
Lunch and a nap later, we reconvened at the GPP studio at 16:00 for a post-processing session featuring Photoshop curves and masks. I didn’t interact much with the instructor on the shoot, but here in the classroom it seems I was the one offering the most feedback, answering questions and providing affirmative input when the instructor checked if the class was following his lead. He clearly understands the technical and theoretical foundations of the software and most probably as a result of his academic background has extensive experience in taking complex systems and presenting them in easy-to-understand chunks. I found his presentation stimulating and informative.
I use Lightroom nearly everyday, Photoshop almost not at all, so it was interesting to see how the latter could be used to do the kind of things I routinely do in the former. I’m not yet convinced to switch over to Ps, but can now appreciate why it might be a useful replacement, should I be willing to invest the hours required to master it.
More importantly, what I took away from yesterday, and specifically the classroom session, was a refreshed vision of how to evaluate images. We were asked when we began our exploration of the Photoshop tools - What makes a good image? What kind of things should be included, left out, emphasized, or minimized? These are questions I try to ask myself, but it is not often that I hear or read other perspectives on these questions. An entire workshop could be built around them - GPP, are you listening?
Going back to how the evening ended, what I would have liked to have said is, It was beneficial in a number of respects, but I didn’t feel especially challenged in my shooting. The workshop was pitched with a focus on narrative, but that wasn’t a major component and was never addressed beyond the pre-shoot brief. Photoshop seems like an interesting alternative, but there was hardly enough time to practice. But I greatly appreciated being asked to consider the elements of a successful image, as well as the opportunity to meet a few fellow Dubai street photographers.
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Shoot the Street | With David Nightingale
"Shoot the Street" is a hands-on, intensive 1-day workshop designed to teach you the technical, creative, and narrative skills needed in order to effectively shoot the streets of Dubai.
Who Should Attend:
You are familiar with aperture, shutter speed, and ISO and understand how these work together to create a correct exposure. You shoot in Aperture or Shutter Priority modes and can use the basic features on your digital camera confidently.
You have a working understanding of the basic image adjustment features of Photoshop but are looking to consolidate your understanding, increase your repertoire of tools, and learn some more creative techniques.
- NOTE: To take part in this workshop, you need to have taken GPP's Introduction to Adobe Photoshop or possess equivalent knowledge. Please note that the instructor will not be able to give you personal attention if you are not at the right level for this class.
- If you are not sure this workshop is for you, please do contact us on info@gulfphotoplus.com, and we will be happy to advise you.
- A 10% discount on Introduction to Adobe Photoshop is available for those who book this workshop - please contact us at info@gulfphotoplus.com for more information.
What’s Covered:
We will be shooting at a variety of locations (prepare for an early start!) where you will learn a range of key skills that will enable you to produce visually compelling street images. These skills include: how to get the most from your camera in difficult and challenging light, including working with exposure, depth-of-field, ISO, and so on; how to shoot and engage with the people you meet; how to produce creative and visually compelling images; and how to shoot a sequence of images that, when combined, tell a coherent and visually striking story.
During the evening session, you will learn a range of post-production techniques that will enable you to a) maximise the impact of each image and b) post-produce a series of images to tell a visually coherent story.
Please note that due to the need for an early start, we will take a break for a few hours between the shooting portion and the post-production portion of the class.
Oh...and did we mention that the lovely folks at FujiFilm will be providing FREE loan cameras during the workshops for you to try out, along with exclusive special offers that weekend on Fuji products? If you want to avail of one of FujiFilm's incredible cameras during your workshop with David, just shoot us an email at info@gulfphotoplus.com.
WHAT TO BRING
Morning Session:
- Your DSLR or mirrorless camera with a fully charged battery
- Lenses - ideally a mid-range zoom and a reasonably fast prime, if you have one (e.g. 50mm f/1.8, 35mm f/1.4 etc)
- Empty SD/CF card(s)
- Camera Manual (if available)
Evening Session:
- All of your RAW files from the morning session
- Your laptop charger and your laptop with a copy of Photoshop CS3 or above
Please note that you are required to have Adobe Photoshop installed on your laptop prior to joining the workshop. Adobe has now moved Photoshop to be part of their Creative Cloud Photographer Plan. You can either sign up here for the Creative Cloud - Photographer Plan at US$ 9.99 a month, or you can make use of Adobe's free 30-day trial, which can be downloaded on the Adobe website, linked here (for as long as Adobe continues to offer it).
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