Nikon Owner magazine blog: photographic workshop

Showing posts with label photographic workshop. Show all posts

Monday, 9 May 2011

Macro Seminar: Nikon Owner South Coast: Close-up & Macro Photography

May Meeting

Saturday 14th May, 2011

Close-up & Macro Photography

Following the success of the HDR evening, co-organiser of the Nikon Owner South Coast Group, Adrian Cochrane has kindly offered to lead our May meeting on the subject of Close-up and Macro photography.

Adrian says:

"I do not profess to be an expert but hopefully I can offer a few helpful hints and tips. I will be giving a short talk on close-up photography which will be followed by a practical session."

This will be a unique evening which will specifically focus on close-up and macro photography, one which will provide you with the opportunity of finding out about various techniques as well as putting that information to practical use.

There will be several set-ups in the room to use to make it possible for you to try your hand at close-up photography, as well as at least one laptop with a tether, running Nikon Camera Control Pro2, enabling you to see the results immediately. Please bring your camera and a flash unit if you have one.

Venue

The Duke of Wellington, Southampton

The Duke of Wellington
36 Bugle Street
Southampton
Hampshire
SO14 2AH

Telephone no. +44 (0)23 80339222

The Duke of Wellington is situated in the centre of Southampton, about a 20-minute walk from the railway station and located close to ample parking available at the nearby shopping centre. Visit their website for more details.

Click here for map

PLEASE NOTE:

There is a £2 cover charge per person attending to cover the cost of the hire of the room.

If you are planning on coming along please post a reply on the Nikon Owner Message Board here and let us know if you will be ordering food on the night so we get an idea of numbers to let the landlady know. Additionally, please arrive by 6:00pm to place your order so that dining can be completed before the presentation and practical sessions can begin at 7.00p.m.

Friday, 6 May 2011

The Definitive Simon Stafford Photography Flash Seminar

Grays of Westminster presents

The Definitive Simon Stafford

Nikon Flash Seminar, Saturday 21st May

For a number of years, Grays of Westminster has presented and hosted a number of comprehensive photographic seminars, workshops, tutorials and events covering a wide variety of subject matter including wildlife and natural history, flash, general photographic technique, portrait, macro and many more.

Following the sold-out success of the Definitive Nikon Flash Seminar last year, we are delighted to be able to repeat this comprehensive training session on Saturday, 21st May in central London, at Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX.

The seminar will be presented by Simon Stafford, technical director of Nikon Owner magazine and respected author of many Nikon books, and will take place from 2.00 p.m. until 5.30 p.m. The cost of the session will be £155 with a special price of £95 if you are a current Nikon Owner subscriber. To book, please send an email with your full name, (as well as your user name if you are a Nikon Owner subscriber), daytime landline and mobile telephone number to: gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk

Agenda for the session

Part One: Flash basics

Introduction to Nikon Speedlights and the Nikon Creative Lighting System
Understanding light, sync speeds, flash modes, and flash sync modes
Shooting with one Speedlight on your camera
Modifying light, its colour, quality, and direction
Taking the flash off camera, using a cable
The Advanced Wireless Lighting system

Part Two: Digging deeper

Advanced Creative Lighting System features: FV Lock and Auto High-speed Sync
Shooting with multiple Speedlights using wireless control
Controlling light: get creative with filters and light modifiers
Practical considerations for location shooting

Part Three: Shooting with one light

A practical demonstration of setting up and shooting a still-life photograph, using a single Nikon Speedlight and the few simple lighting accessories

There will be ample opportunity to ask questions throughout the event.

Please note: We are anticipating a very high level of response, so please do reply as soon as you are able to to ensure you have a place.

About Simon Stafford

Simon Stafford

Simon Stafford is one of the foremost technical Nikon experts in the UK. With over twenty-five years of experience using the Nikon system, he brings his considerable expertise to bear both as technical editor for Nikon Owner, and as author of a number of comprehensive books on the Nikon system, including his best-seller series of Magic Lantern Guides on the Nikon D70s/D70, the Nikon D80, the Nikon D40, D40X, D50, D60, D200, D300, D700, D90, D3. The series includes a Magic Lantern Guide on the Nikon AF Speedlights & Creative Lighting System, and he is currently working on a fully updated, second edition to include the latest Nikon SB-900.

Special Nikon Owner discount off the price of the course

If you are not already a Nikon Owner subscriber, you are welcome to join Nikon Owner at the same time to receive the benefit of booking the seminar at the lower price of £95
with the discount of £60 off the normal price of £155 for the session.

Nikon Owner Subscription

If you are not already a Nikon Owner subscriber, you are welcome to join Nikon Owner at the same time to receive the benefit of booking the seminar at the lower price.

Standard Annual Subscription - special price: £59

1-year Subscription to Nikon Owner
3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
Nikon Owner magazine, a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers benchmark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images
Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
Special trips and events
Discounts on events and training sessions
10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

Silver Subscription - launch price: £129 (normal price: £179)

2-year Subscription to Nikon Owner
3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
Special trips and events
Discounts on events and training sessions
10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

Gold subscription - launch price £349 (normal price £450)

5-year subscription to Nikon Owner
5-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
2-year warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list)
A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
Special offers to Gold subscribers throughout the period of subscription
A signed copy of Grays of Westminster - In the Company of Legends, or if you have one already, a Nikon Magic Lantern Guide of your choice
A Grays of Westminster umbrella (in store only)
Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website which includes forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery
Gold subscription card
Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
Special trips and events
Substantial discounts on training sessions organised by Grays of Westminster, including Mike Maloney’s Workshops , Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Training Sessions, Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars and Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses.
10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

Tuesday, 5 April 2011

Heather Angel Wildlife & Natural History Nikon Photography Workshop

Grays of Westminster present
by Public Demand

The 15th Annual
Heather Angel Wildlife & Natural History
Nikon Photographic Workshop

With Nikon & Thinktank

Saturday 23rd July, 2011
Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, West Sussex England

Heather Angel, the internationally renowned wildlife photographer, has been the recipient of a large number of awards and prizes from all over the world for her widely acclaimed lectures, writing and workshops. In addition she is a regular contributor to the worldwide photographic press and the distinguished author of 60 books. Heather Angel is an enthusiastic tutor of wildlife and nature photography, and these world-famous workshops on Saturday 23rd July, 2011 at Saint Hill Manor have become part of the photographic calendar. They are perfect for both the newcomer and experienced photographer alike. The schedule for the day includes lectures, demonstrations and the chance to handle and use a large range of new Nikon camera equipment and the range of Think Tank camera bags. Her workshops regularly attract visitors from all over the U.K., Europe and throughout the world.

Please note that Nikon cameras and lenses will be available for you to try out during the day, but do bring your own gear - macro lens, long lens, flash and tripod - to get the best from the practical sessions

09.15 Registration with coffee and tea served on the terrace of the Manor.

10.00 - 11.15 Heather Angel Creative Digital Outdoor Photography

Using images from the natural world Heather will show how Nikon digital cameras have enabled her to get some shots, which would have been impossible with film. She will show comparative shots taken with available light and after modifying it to enhance the subject, which will be relevant to the afternoon session. Heather will also show how enhanced depth of field is possible with 3-D macro shots by using focus stacking. Multiple exposure digital images created in-camera are possible to achieve on only some Nikon cameras; however, it is also possible to produce multi-exposure images from any camera by shooting individual shots and combining them using a software program.

Copies of Heather's books will be available this weekend.

11.15 Break for mid-morning refreshment: tea, coffee, mineral water on the Terrace.

11.45 - 12.45 Nikon Total Imaging System - John Clements

Regardless of your choice of Nikon camera, you need to know how to achieve the best from it using Nikon optics, plus Nikon Speedlights and software; so the NTIS will be fully explained. In a live shoot environment, using Speedlight illumination inside, John Clements will demonstrate how to create images to using the Creative Lighting System and in camera options to cover various genres of natural history photography, explaining every step of the way from taking the initial image to the end result. As our example images are shot, they will appear on screen. John will then talk through as he fine-tunes and improves upon them in camera. Each vital camera feature - from focusing and exposure with many other considerations - will be detailed and exact settings explained during the shoot.

Maximising the Jpeg?

Jpegs - working within a limited time frame, Jpegs allow a speedy way to go straight to print when all aspects come together.

Maximising your image quality?

NEF Raw files - using Nikon Capture NX2 and John's broad experience of post-capture techniques to generate imagery to professional imaging standards.

During the event John will use the Nikon WT-4 Wi-Fi system, the Creative Lighting System and components of the Nikon software system.

John Clements is a professional photographer specialising in digital photography, as well as consultant and trainer for a number of photographic companies, such as Nikon UK. He has written extensively for leading photography magazines and currently writes on a monthly basis for the BJP (British Journal of Photography), Practical Photography and PC Pro.

13.00 Lunch

14.00 onwards there will be a choice of four sessions. You may attend them all or be selective. Please note that Giles' Photoshop session will be aimed at different levels as the afternoon progresses. The sessions are outlined here with details of each below.

14.00 - 16.15 Practical Macro session with Heather Angel inside and in the garden
14.00 - 16.15 Outside Practical session with John Clements
14.00 - 16.30 Photoshop Techniques with Giles Angel
Outside Practical session with the Birds of Prey and Flying Falcons and Julian Ford - time to be announced

14.00 - 16.15 Practical Macro session with Heather Angel inside and in the garden

An opportunity to get to grips with macro photography in the field. Heather will demonstrate how to use natural light and especially how to modify it to get the best possible light by reducing the dynamic range. This is done by modifying natural light with a reflector, a diffuser (or both) or by using a portable soft box. If you have a macro lens, do bring your own. This is a great opportunity for you to gain instant feedback on composition and lighting from Heather. If the weather is wet, we will works indoors with a still life session using window light, flash, a light box, a light tent and fibre optics.

PLEASE BRING A MACRO LENS, TRIPOD AND FLASH

image: www.heatherangel.co.uk

A few Micro Nikkor lenses will be available to borrow from the Nikon stand. Indeed, these workshops are an excellent opportunity to handle and try out Nikon equipment before making a purchase.

14.00 - 16.15 Outside Practical session with John Clements

Following on from his morning presentation, John with continue to explain how to get the best out of the Nikon Total Imaging System; this time — weather permitting — using available light outdoors.

Outside Practical session with Flying Falcons and Julian Ford - time to be announced

By popular request, the birds of prey are back - ideal subjects to achieve stunning action images - both as stills and HD video with the latest DSLR Nikon cameras!

14.00 - 16.30 Photoshop Techniques with Giles Angel

Giles is a professional photographer and digital retoucher. The start of this session will be pitched at the beginner and will move onto more advanced and specific techniques as the afternoon progresses.

Introduction to a colour managed workflow
Editing your images using Adobe Bridge
Workflow in Bridge (editing, renaming, applying raw corrections)
RAW v JPEG
RAW conversion tips & techniques
Simple colour correction / variations
Introduction to adjustment layers
Levels - adjusting colour balance
Preparing images for print and the web
Precise colour correction with adjustment layers
Replace colour
Black and white from colour
Masking
Solarisation / colour effects
Content aware scaling
Panoramic stitching and panoramic head gear. Photo Merge (to create panoramics) in CS3/ CS4
Dodging and burning selective areas (CS4 comparison)
Shadow and highlights tool
Combining different raw conversion exposures using masks
Editing masks using paint brushes and gradients to make selective exposure and tonal adjustments
Working with mask and adjustment levels with reference to levels and curves
Selectively correcting areas using masks
Pseudo HDR. Working with multiple adjusted raw files (Single) image and using masks to selectively
Introduction to HDR

16.15 Afternoon Tea and Coffee or cool drinks served on the Terrace.

16.45 Practical Session with Heather Angel

Heather will demonstrate various gadgets for aiding outdoor photography and demonstrate how she works in the rain.

17.00 Workshop closes

18.30 Dinner at the Manor. A special thank you dinner to all those attending our workshop has been organised by Grays of Westminster and the staff of Saint Hill Manor. This must be arranged in advance.

Booking details:

The ticket price includes refreshments, lunch and the evening meal, and costs £245.00 (£185.00 for Nikon Owner magazine subscribers) per person for the day. The workshops start at 9.15 a.m. and run until 5.00 p.m., followed by dinner. Book online here! or call Gillian Greenwood, Events and Training Coordinator between 2.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. on 020 7828 4925 or 020 7828 8971 Monday to Friday if you are not a current Nikon Owner subscriber to find out how you can receive the £60 discount.

Monday, 14 February 2011

The Definitive Panoramic Workshop Saturday, February 26th, 2011

Grays of Westminster presents
The Definitive Panoramic Workshop by Michael Eleftheriades

Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX Saturday, February 26th, 2011

For a number of years, Grays of Westminster has presented and hosted a number of comprehensive photographic seminars and workshops.

Following on from Michael Eleftheriades' very popular Definitive Panoramic Seminar (October 2010), Grays of Westminster is delighted to announce the Definitive Practical Panoramic Workshop on Saturday, February 26th, 2011. Whilst the first seminar provided a general overview, the second workshop will go through the practical processes in detail and is aimed at all photographers who are interested in improving their practical skills in shooting panoramas.

Photographers are welcome to bring their own laptops (either Mac or PC) so they can follow the tutorials. A list of recommended software and demo files will be sent via email to all attendees a week before the workshop. As a minimum requirement, attendees should have a recent copy of Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements installed.

We are also pleased to announce that 360Precision has donated two Atome heads for this event, worth over £200 each. The Atome is a lightweight and compact head which is ideally suited to hiking, travel or back-packing. The draw for the two Atomes will take place at the end of the workshop.

This panoramic workshop will be held in central London, at Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX.

The cost of the session will be £155 with a special price of £95 if you are a current Nikon Owner subscriber. To book, please email your full name, daytime mobile and landline to Gillian Greenwood at: gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk or call between 12.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday on 020 7828 4925 - for International calls telephone + 44 (0)20 7828 4925 - and ask to speak to Gillian Greenwood or Katrin Ruckert. There are limited places available, so please book as soon as you are able to, in order to avoid disappointment.

Panoramic Workshop Agenda

The aim of the workshop is to give attendees first-hand experience in setting up their equipment, shooting successfully in demanding environments, and guidance in the post production and final output of panoramic files for the web and mobile devices.

Part 1: The General Principles

Panoramic theory & principles
Selecting the right camera and lenses
Finding the lens nodal point
How to set the exposure
White Balance Tools

Part 2: Shooting Planar Panoramas

Benefits & How To Shoot
Using Tilt & Shift lenses

Part 3: Shooting Cylindrical Panoramas

Benefits & How To Shoot
Image processing
Stitching using Photoshop and more advanced tools
Photographing in public spaces (dealing with movement)
Printing Considerations

Part 4: Shooting Spherical Panoramas

Benefits & How To Shoot
Stitching using advanced tools
Creating the illusion (capping the nadir)
Creating photospheres
Publishing on the web (virtual tours)
Playback on portable devices

Part 5: Panorama showcase

Examples of recent work, including panoramas from Japan, Thailand and Cambodia.

About Michael Eleftheriades

A Nikon Owner subscriber since 2002, Michael is an architect and photographer who fuses his particular passion for architecture, virtual reality, computer graphics and photography in the creation of large-scale panoramic imagery.

Michael had been photographing virtual reality scenes using Nikon film cameras since 1986, and subsequently moved into digital usage and implementation with the launch of Nikon's Coolpix range in 1998.

He has exhibited his photographs at three exhibitions in London and lectured on panoramic creation to wide acclaim in the UK, Europe and the United States. When not photographing, Michael directs the efforts of Media Synthesis, a media development and consultancy company established in 1993, and is responsible for virtual reality tours and interactive exhibits at many of the UK's leading museums, including the Maritime and Natural History Museums.

Michael has recently created the virtual tour for Grays of Westminster and has been the Nikon Owner London Group coordinator for the last two years.

Comments from the attendees of his Panoramic Seminars at Nikon UK

Thank you for a informative and enjoyable evening. I have been an architectural photographer for twenty something years and your seminar has enlightened me on how to offer clients alternative marketing, display and web site design possibilities. I will be very interested in attending any future workshops that you and Nikon might offer - C.B. & K. M.

I really enjoyed the talk you gave, and was fascinated by the capability of both the software and pano heads. When I got home that night, I told my wife that I had seen true magic! Those are powerful tools, and you have personally done some amazing things with them - J. W.

I was lucky enough to attend both your recent seminars at Nikon House. It's an interest I have had for a long time and I found your seminar most interesting and informative - M. H.

I just wanted to thank you for the two seminars that I attended, I found both seminars very informative and inspiring. Both seminars were very well presented - K. P.

I should like to let you know, how much I enjoyed the talk by Mike Eleftheriades - I found it most inspirational - T. J.
Fast, but a great deal to cover. Excellent friendly manner, presentation by a master of his art - E. C.

Fantastic, a real eye opener! Excellent! - S. H.

Absolutely fascinating - R. J. S.

Travelling to Fitzroy House
the nearest underground station is Warren Street, but please do make sure that it is open – it is occasionally closed on a Saturday – if so, Goodge Street station is a good option.

Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX

Subscribe to Nikon Owner and receive £60 discount off the course

Nikon Owner Magazine and Interactive Website is considered by many to be the world’s number 1 user group for Nikon owners. It was initially founded with the purpose of assisting Nikon users to make full use of the Nikon equipment they own, to give advice on a wide spectrum of photographic queries and problems, and at the same time to offer ideas to bring about an increase in photographic skills. Subscription to Nikon Owner magazine and interactive website provides a bridge between theory and practical, technical knowledge and accomplishment. As a subscriber to this group, you will receive an array of offers and assistance, as well as the unique photographic publication, Nikon Owner Magazine.

Nikon Owner standard subscription benefits include:

Private user name and password to subscribers-only website which includes a lively forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery.
Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline: free technical consultation and support from Simon Stafford who is widely recognized as one of the top Nikon experts in the UK; you will be able to benefit from his formidable knowledge and have all your technical questions fully answered by email. This service is exclusive to Nikon Owner subscribers.
FREE 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster within your year of subscription.
FREE 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster within your year of subscription.
10% off Think-Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster.
Special trips: past visits have included a two-week trip to Japan and a personal tour of the Nikon factory, a visit to Nikon Thailand, Angkor Watt, Cambodia.
Substantial discounts on events and training sessions such as Mike Maloney’s House of Lords Photographic Workshop, Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Seminars.
10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK.
A range of complimentary meetings and outings organized by local Nikon Owner Groups.

The cost of a standard annual subscription to Nikon Owner is currently at the special price of £59. (Quote ME2 59 when you email.)

Wednesday, 12 January 2011

Karen Hall is the Winner of our Heather Angel Twitter Competition!

First-time Twitter user wins a place on the prestigious all-day nature photography workshop in Sussex - worth £245*

Karen Hall

We ran our first-ever Twitter competition throughout December 2010. All you had to do to enter was to simply include the hashtag "#nikonownermag" anywhere in your tweet and to follow @nikonownermag.

One of the entrants was bicycle dealer and amateur photographer, Karen Hall, and on January 4th, it was Karen's Twitter name -- @kphallmarkPhoto -- that was 'pulled out of the hat' as our winner. Here is her winning tweet:

"Thank you so much for the great news on winning. I am over the moon," she said, on being told that she had won.

It turns out that Karen has not only gained her Associateship of the Royal Photographic Society (ARPS) but has also had one of her photos published in Nikon Owner magazine (Issue 21) and is, in fact, a long term Nikon Owner magazine subscriber.

Karen, who lives in Woking, Surrey and works at Cycleman in Ashford, Middlesex, prefers infra red, wildlife and landscape photography. Her photos can be seen on her website: www.kphallmark.com

*A ticket to the workshop costs £245 (but only £185 to Nikon Owner subscribers).

Wednesday, 20 October 2010

Nikon Owner Colour Calibration Evening

Mike Eleftheriades is very pleased to invite you to the next Nikon Owner (London Group) meeting, which will be held on Friday, October 29th 2010 at the Hellenic Centre Boardroom.

For this meeting we have teamed up with Datacolor - one of the world leaders in colour imaging, see www.datacolor.com - for an evening of presentations on the subject of colour and lens calibration.

We will be looking at workflows from capture to print, with demonstrations of the Spydercube (balancing light tool), Spyderecheckr (new camera calibration tool), SpyderLensCal (new lens focus calibration tool) as well as monitor calibration and print profiling.

The presentation will be given by Darren Sharpe, Product Marketing Manager for Datacolor and I am pleased to inform you that we will also have a prize draw for some of their calibration goodies.

Venue Details

Hellenic Centre Boardroom, situated on the first floor, from 6.30pm to 9.30pm, on Friday, October 29th 2010.

Address:

The Hellenic Centre
16-18 Paddington Street
Marylebone
London W1U 5AS

Location Information:

Paddington Street runs from Baker Street to Marylebone High Street.
The nearest underground station to The Hellenic Centre is Baker Street (Bakerloo, Circle, Hammersmith and City, Jubilee and Metropolitan Lines).
The closest bus routes are: 2, 13, 30, 74, 82, 113, 139, 159 and 274.
Parking is available at Masterpark in Chiltern Street.
Parking restrictions are in effect until 6.30pm.
Note that the Centre is within the Congestion Zone (ends at 6.00pm).

The last word...

As on previous occasions, we would be grateful for a £5 contribution per person to cover the costs of the room.

For those wishing to socialise for longer, there's dinner afterwards at one of the local restaurants.

We look forward to seeing you on October 29th; please indicate your attendance by replying to the invitation on the Nikon Owner Message Board:
Next Nikon Owner (London Group) meeting: Colour Calibration Evening, Friday, October 29th 2010

With kind regards,

Gillian Greenwood
Features Editor/Events Coordinator

Sunday, 5 September 2010

Orbis UK Tour - FREE Lighting Workshops

The inventor of the orbis™ ring flash, James Madelin, is coming for a one-off free event!

Based around the concept of a Photowalk, James and Snapperstuff will host walks around three cities in September in Leeds, Birmingham and London.

James will be teaching some of his techniques for strobist-style photography using the orbis™ system and other portable and affordable lighting gear.

Meet British inventor and creator of the orbis™ James Madelin
Learn easy effective off-camera flash tips, strobist-style
Shoot a professional model using your new skills
Try out an award-winning orbis™ ring flash
Take home great pictures on your own camera!
5:30pm start - Leeds 14 Sept, Birmingham 15 Sept, London 17 Sept

Orbis Photowalks – Leeds
when: Tuesday 14 September 2010, 17:30 prompt
where: meet at TFC, Leeds
email: events@enlightphotopro.com (enlight photo)
call: 020 7193 6769 (Snapperstuff)
book now: Places strictly limited so sign up now to avoid disappointment.

Orbis Photowalks – Birmingham
when: Wednesday 15 September 2010, 17:30 prompt
where: meet at Victoria Square, City Centre, Birmingham
email: events@enlightphotopro.com (enlight photo)
call: 020 7193 6769 (Snapperstuff)
book now: Places strictly limited so sign up now to avoid disappointment.

Orbis Photowalks – London
when: Friday 17 September 2010, 17:30 prompt
where: meet in front of City Hall, near Tower Bridge
email: events@enlightphotopro.com (enlight photo)
call: 020 7193 6769 (Snapperstuff)
book now: SOLD OUT (waiting list available)

Wednesday, 26 May 2010

Grays of Westminster presents The Definitive Simon Stafford General Photographic Technique Seminar

Saturday, June 5th, 2010

For a number of years, Grays of Westminster has presented and hosted a number of comprehensive photographic seminars and workshops covering a wide variety of subject matter including Mike Maloney’s recent House of Lords Photographic Event, wildlife and natural history weekend workshops in Pembrokeshire and Sussex, flash, general photographic technique, portrait and macro training sessions, and many more.

Due to overwhelming demand, we are delighted to announce a further general photographic technique seminar to be held in central London, at Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX on Saturday, June 5th, 2010.

Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London

The seminar will be presented by Simon Stafford, technical director of Nikon Owner magazine, and will take place from 2.00 p.m. until 5.30 p.m. The cost of the session will be £155 with a special price of £95 if you are a current Nikon Owner subscriber. To book, please email me with your full name, daytime mobile and landline, or call between 2.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday on 020 7828 4925 or for International calls telephone + 44 (0)20 7828 4925, and ask to speak to me, Gillian Greenwood.

gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk

Agenda for the General Photographic Techniques session

Part one: Camera skills

Understanding f/numbers & shutter speeds
Learn how to optimise white balance and ISO
Mastering camera menu settings
JPEG versus RAW: the pros and cons of both
How to achieve accurate exposures
Understand how your camera’s metering system works
Learn the benefits of digital histograms
Improve your focus techniques with AF and manual focus

Part two: Shooting skills

Learn good camera handling
Camera support systems, tripods, monopods, and alternatives
Understanding and using depth-of-field
Choosing and using filters
Imaginative use of shutter speed
Creative use of white balance

Part three: Beyond the camera

Planning and visualising the picture
Techniques of composition
Transporting photographic equipment
Tips for location shooting

Please note: there will be ample opportunity to ask questions throughout the event.

About Simon Stafford

Simon Stafford is considered by many to be one of the foremost technical Nikon experts in the UK . With over twenty-five years of experience using the Nikon system, he brings his considerable expertise to bear both as technical editor for Nikon Owner, and as author of a number of comprehensive books on the Nikon system, including his best-seller series of Magic Lantern Guides on the Nikon D70s/D70, the Nikon D80, the Nikon D40, D40X, D50, D60, D200, D300, D700, D90, D3. The series includes a Magic Lantern Guide on the Nikon AF Speedlights & Creative Lighting System, and he is currently working on a fully updated, second edition to include the latest Nikon SB-900.

Special Nikon Owner discount off the price of the course

Enrolling on this course as a current Nikon Owner subscriber will allow you the benefit of a discount of £60 off the normal price of £155 for the session.

About Nikon Owner

Nikon Owner is a worldwide users’ group initially founded with the purpose of assisting Nikon owners to make full use of the Nikon equipment they own, to give advice on a wide spectrum of photographic queries and problems, and at the same time to offer ideas to bring about an increase in photographic skills. As a subscriber to this group, you will receive an array of offers and assistance, which includes:

Nikon Owner Magazine

Nikon Owner Magazine

Nikon Owner Magazine and Interactive Website is considered by many to be the world’s number 1 user group for Nikon owners.

Subscriber benefits include:

Nikon Owner Magazine: a stunning, full-colour 60 page glossy quarterly magazine which is 100% Nikon.
Subscribers’-only website with a lively forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery.
Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline: free technical consultation and support from Simon Stafford, one of the top Nikon experts in the UK.
FREE 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster, or a free 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster.
10% off Think-Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster.
Special trips: past visits have included a two-week trip to Japan and a personal tour of the Nikon factory, a visit to Nikon Thailand , Angkor Watt, Cambodia.
Substantial discounts on events and training sessions such as Mike Maloney’s House of Lords Photographic Workshop, Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Seminars, Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses, Michael Eleftheriades’ Panoramic Seminars.
10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK.
A range of complimentary meetings and outings organized by local Nikon Owner Groups.

Please email me at gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.co.uk with your name, daytime landline and mobile telephone number if you are interested in enrolling in Nikon Owner or call me after 2.00 p.m. Monday to Friday on 020 7828 4925 or for International calls, telephone + 44 (0)20 7828 4925. The cost of an annual subscription to Nikon Owner is currently only £59.
With best wishes,

Gillian ( Greenwood )
Features Editor, Events’ Coordinator