Let’s get ready for summer!

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Hello Friends with cameras and children!

If you're here, it's because you are a smart parent who is thinking ahead to the summer and want to prepare for taking the best possible photos of your brood when the time comes!

And I'm here to give you the tools, shortcuts and tips to prepare for this! 

We only have 5 days together, so there will be limits to what I can and cannot do, so just so that everyone is on the same page, let me give it to you straight: 

Here is what I will do :

  • I will help you THINK ahead to possible scenarios, challenges within, and considerations for you. Genuinely 50% of what we do as photographers is anticipation and preparation. If you're only reactive, you will miss a tonne of stuff. 
  • I will give you ideas for shots to take, including explanations on how to take them. I'll give you strategies for making sure you capture a lot of diverse images that tell a story, along with some 'try this!' shots
  • I will talk you through managing typical summer problems - like yes, I know you've been told to avoid taking photos at midday, but Oh My God, whoever said that: a) never met any actual children who are creatures mostly active at that time, b) didn't have a good handle on shooting in challenging light and preferred to avoid it instead. The coward. 
  • Finally I will be expecting that you actually take out your cameras (whether they be camera-cameras or phone cameras) and take some photos this week. It feels like I say this every other day, but it's true so I will carry on saying it - YOU CANNOT LEARN PHOTOGRAPHY WITHOUT ACTUALLY DOING SOME PHOTOGRAPHY! So you will have daily challenges!

Here is what I will NOT do :

  •  I will not be going into more technical stuff. There will be some, for those who have enough base knowledge to take it on board ( I know we get really diverse audiences!) - but by and large that's not what this bootcamp is about. 

I will say this - if you have a camera, and you're not sure what you're doing with it, and you want to actually use it this summer, you should absolutely check out our flagship Fundamentals course.  It is both about what you're doing with the camera and its many buttons and dials with a really solid grounding in photography fundamentals BUT ALSO photography composition AND using light in photography ALL with a firm focus on photographing children! 

  • We will also not have the time to go over every possible summer scenario and activity. 5 days you guys! Not enough time! 


Your part in all this :

I don't care if you have a camera-camera, or if you have a phone camera. I expect you to take photos with it! I expect you to read / watch my musings, not laugh at my bad puns but to get to that challenge point and make a plan on how you're going to shoot this thing! and then do it! And then show me in the group! OK? OK. 


Plan for the week : 

So now that we're all clear about what's going on, let's talk about the plan for the week: 

Today is Sunday, but I'm giving you Monday materials now, so you can get ready. 

Monday

Monday is about setting up : I want you to think about what you actually want to capture, how you work with your kids, and how to get some variety in this. I am giving you 2 versions of a storytelling approach that will help you get more varied images. You will be using this approach for the rest of the week, so I want you to pay attention, OK? 

TUESDAY

Tuesday is a big one : Light! I will be helping you see the light you have - but see it like your camera sees it! And then we'll troubleshoot typical summery scenarios and how your knowledge of light might affect them. 

WEDNESDAY

On Wednesday we'll take on water - there are many different ways that water plays a part in our summer adventures, but a few solid principles on how to shoot it, regardless of the kind of  body of water you have - the sea, the padling pool or a sprinkler - will set you on the right path

THURSDAY

On Thursday we'll do some some ideas for 'summer at home' photos. For most of us, the majority of summer is spent close to home, but it doesn't mean it's any less fun for the kids. And if you are not one of those people and you spend your whole summer in some exotic location, we cannot be friends.

fRIDAY

Finally on Friday well, I have a few options for that one! I'll see how this week goes and what you may need more and slot that in. So there you go - surprise!

Let's do it!

 

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