Photography Workshops

Do you want to learn to take better photographs?

Do you want to learn to take photographs in a way that you haven’t before?

If so, we can help you and we’re real good.

Let Simon, our workshop facilitator, explain a little about his photographic journey so far

In 1992 I started studying Physics with Astrophysics at Leeds University, and during the course of the three years it took to be rewarded with my BSc(hons) I learnt all about optics, capturing devices, quantum physics, light and electromagnetic wave theory, sub-atomic particle physics, the ins and out of how the universe was formed and why it looks like it looks amongst many other things. This set me up perfectly for my MSc in Computer Integrated Manufacture, whereby I specialised in production design. As all of this was going on, I was extending my knowledge in terms of digital graphic design and video editing using Photoshop and Premiere combined with my love of skateboarding.

Fast forward through a personally prosperous dotcom as a web designer, webmaster and electronic marketer for blue chip companies within sports and I find myself in ‘lil ole Wanaka halfway through 2005. From almost the beginning of my time there I was part of the Wanaka Wastebusters whanau, and my role was to help educate our community - locally and nationally, in ways that they can all easily reduce their waste to landfill. I’ve taught in classrooms for over a decade facilitating education programmes with students, teachers and community groups. This is also where taking photographs really took off. I use the images I create to help drive change. Since I like doing things alongside each other, during this time I was also working with a national programme teaching youth how to make short films about sustainability which I continue to do.

After fairly recently realising I really needed a whole new challenge, I now find myself living in Queenstown taking photographs of people and places in and around each other doing the things they love. Creating beautiful images excites me. It would be crazy not to offer my knowledge and experience in physics, digital design, photography and education in one neat package.

I am a feature photographer for Nikon New Zealand and have recently been working on a project with them and the Mental Health Foundation demonstrating how to use photography as a path towards mental well-being. I post to instagram regularly and write longer stories to appear here as well as in print.

What and how will you learn?

During the workshop we’ll talk about camera functions and how different shutter speeds, aperture and ISO affect the photographs you capture. We take a walk through the options that different lenses give you and we’ll help you unpack for yourself which of your lenses you should be using and when. This is about you learning so you can achieve the results you want when you’re out shooting on your own.

We tailor your learning to the knowledge you already have and what you want to learn to shoot. We specialise in Landscapes, Sports, Astro, Editorial and Events. Much of this is done at first in a carefully chosen space with a mixture of presentations and experiential activities.

We’ll then get really hands on and go out to shoot. The focus will be on you shooting, however, we’ll also be taking photographs of you as you learn and what you’re shooting. That way, when we move into the processing session we’ll be able to take you through the work flows we use in post production using images taken in the same place and at the time as yours.

How long all this takes, is entirely up to you. We can do it real fast in half a day, but really we believe that you’ll want to spend at least a full day with us, very probably more.

All you have to do is emailus@authenticAs.org and we’ll start planning your workshop straight away.