Due to COVID All in person tuition is CANCELED
Home ZOOM Teaching is BOOMING
Time spent with a good mentor is the fastest way to improve. So why choose me? I offer bespoke photo workshops tailored to you. We’ll work together based on your own needs and goals. Personal communication skills and experience are the X factors of a top mentor. I’m passionate about photography and teaching others with the experience and credentials to back it up; 40+ years of pro shooting, 6 years as BBC Natural History Unit in-house film production trainer as well as university teaching appointments, hosting workshops and leading tours.
When it comes to photography the learning never ends. I’m constantly feeding my own journey and I can help you with yours. We all benefit from a creative boost!
👉🏼 All tuition has a 100% satisfaction no fee guarantee. 😃
In the unlikely event tuition fails to meet your expectations you pay nothing.
Don’t just take my word for it, see what others say. Click on the green feedback buttons. Reviews from satisfied clients is still the best advert there is!
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👇🏼 NEW ~ ZOOM BASED TUITION 👇🏼
👉🏼 Latest News 👉🏼 With COVID home-based learning via Zoom offers endless possibilities that easily sync with your time availability and it’s 100% safe. Desktop lessons are effective, time and cost-efficient. With international reach, I can teach anywhere from London to LA! I’m here to energize your creativity and boost your skills to the next level! Take advantage of the current situation, look after your own wellbeing and nurture your creativity. If phototherapy is what you need you’ve come to the right place! I give good Zoom – check the feedback buttons. 👍🏼
👉🏼 1:1 Tuition 👉🏼
We all learn differently and best at our own pace. 1:1 Zoom training workshops are private, productive and the most accommodating – in a safe, relaxed learning environment, your desktop! Often one focused lesson is all it takes to kick -start the creative process up to a higher level. Don’t discount how effective a good Zoom class can be. No travel, home learning, 100% safe ~ easy on easy off! Laptop learning at your fingertips makes the most of precious time. Lessons tailored specifically for you to develop your practical shooting skills and techniques. Nurture your ability to ‘see’ and feed your creativity. We learn by doing, you’ll gain confidence while building a strong portfolio. Please contact me for a free consultation to discuss your needs and goals. Private 1:1 mentoring is £120/$165 hr.
👉🏼 Groups 👉🏼 For small groups a bespoke Zoom-based workshop focused on learning a particular method or genre of photography can prove very useful to get started on the right track. Topic examples include professional macro photography methods / macro stacking & post-production / insects/bees in flight / birds in flight / astrophotography / high magnification table-top studio, etc. Small group costs are £50/$65 a head for 6 to 14 people dropping to £40/$55 a head with 15 to 30 participants, lasting approximately 2+ hours with Q&A. Normally these Zoom meetings are evening or weekend based with flexible time/dates to accommodate ‘day jobs’. Drop me a line to discuss what you want to learn and we’ll make it happen!
👉🏼 As a mark of how sure I am of the effectiveness of Zoom as a mentoring platform, I guarantee it. I’m here to genuinely help you become a better photographer and enjoy the process. If for whatever reason that doesn’t transpire there is no charge. In the unlikely event, the tuition fails to meet your expectations you pay nothing.
👉🏼 All tuition has a 100% satisfaction no fee guarantee. 👈🏼
Bonus ? – Email me if you know what I’m holding in my hand in the above photo! 🤔
LENS & CAMERA CALIBRATION SERVICE
Razor-sharp, high-resolution images are what we expect from our expensive lenses. But production runs are huge with lenses and cameras having variations. Not all ‘copies’ are exactly the same even with the best quality control. As result cameras and lenses need to be fine-tuned together as a pair to give top image quality. Surprisingly many photographers never properly pair their kit as a working combination or test their lenses for best results. When was the last time you gave your kit a check-up? Test and calibrate your kit with an award-winning cinematographer responsible for testing the lenses and cameras for the BBC Planet Earth series. Learn how to assess resolution and care for your valuable lenses, formulate optimized shooting stops and bespoke DOF charts, test & adjust autofocus and ensure you’re getting the highest image quality. Give your photography a boost with a professional tune-up from a trained Arriflex/Zeiss tech. To my knowledge, this service isn’t offered elsewhere and it’s cheap as chips when compared to the kit! This isn’t a money-making venture – I genuinely want to help photographers understand photographic optics and improve their results by ensuring they get the most out of their costly equipment. Cost is £140 for 1:1 tuition and calibration for up to 9 lenses, if another photographer joins the cost drops to £120 for each person- limited to two participants and five lenses each to ensure we have the time for proper adjustments. Normally the session lasts 4 to 7 hours depending on the number of lenses and adjustments required.
👇🏼 Until further notice Kit Workshops are ZOOM ONLY 👇🏼
ZOOM Lens and Camera Kit Tune-Up
I’m successfully employing Zoom to optimize lenses and review clients’ camera set-ups safely online. While every individual client brings different gear to be sorted it’s working surprisingly well. Will this make you a better photographer? No. But it will ensure your pictures are the very sharpest they can be. You’ll very likely learn more than you expected to about your gear and its operation. And the end result will be higher quality pictures. Much can be done via a live video feed – granted it doesn’t replace in-person meetings and virtually inspecting kit has challenges. However many important tasks such as testing, adjusting and optimizing each lens can, in fact, be performed online. You’ll be guided through the process step by step so its easy peasy. Both clients and I have been very happy with the results. Based on this positive feedback I’m pleased to offer this Zoom kit calibration service – these are one-to-one meetings, time will vary depending on adjustments needed. But if you have a laptop, tripod and a good work surface we can sort out your kit together. How does it work? > I email you focus targets and resolution charts and a pdf list of what you need to have on hand. You send me a detailed list of your kit. I research the MFT tests of your lenses. We meet on Zoom and go over each lens from top to tail via our laptop screens. You learn how to clean, calibrate, optimize, adjust and test each lens yourself while I guide you. I recommend labeling each lens cap with the optimized stops but you’ll also be provided with lens-specific resolution & DOF charts as needed for you to keep for future reference. We’ll cover creative use of DOF and how to construct custom DOF charts, handy for telephoto, macro or experimental photography. I’ll also provide reference files for you to store on your phone to use in the field. In the end, we learn by doing – the thrust is to provide you with information and how-to methods to set-up your kit to get the highest quality results. Simples. Give your photography the benefit of an expert tune-up from the safety of your home. Workshop meetings run approximately 4~7 hours limited to 9 lenses and cost £120/$160. If you have questions or wish to book in please contact me. Click the feedback button see what others say.
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👇🏼 ZOOM BASED TUITION 👇🏼
👉🏼 Latest News 👉🏼 With COVID we are still teaching but delivering all workshops online. Please use the information below from in-person workshops as an outline for your online Zoom learning plan. Contact me to discuss your needs. The current increased home/online time offers a perfect opportunity for you to feed your own knowledge base and skills. Take advantage of it to explore your photographic potential. Its good for your well-being and you’ll have fun doing it! 👍🏼
SHOOTING SKILLS WORKSHOPS
Do you want to improve your shooting technique for better results? Personalized craft-based workshops for your photographic interests. Tuition covering everything from beginner to professional level learning; Beyond Manual Mode, Macro, Nature, in Flight, Landscape, Street, Sport or Starlight /Astrophotography, the choice is yours. Bespoke tuition designed by you to meet your own personal requirements. We’ll plan a workshop together focused on advancing your shooting skills to up your game and produce fresh strong work. Whatever you shoot taking a workshop with a qualified, experienced mentor is one of the best ways to improve your photography. £180 1:1, £150 2:1 ~ 6 hrs, £330 1:1, £230 2:1 ~ 12 hrs
CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
Photography focused on art. Explore your creative side and push personal boundaries. 1:1 or small group aimed at artistic expression and experimentation. Discover the joy of photography without conventional limits. Experiment and create your own aesthetic. Much of photography is a very personal journey. Feed your photography, have fun and enjoy! Learn to ‘see’ from a fresh point of view. Workshops tailored to expanding your photographic creativity. £250 1:1, approx 8 hours. If one or more photographers join the cost drops to £180 each – limited to four.
FILMMAKING WORKSHOPS
The focus on these workshops is storytelling, sequence construction and the production craft required to get the job done. With so many camera / origination options anyone can be a filmmaker and tell their story. Whether you use a 35mm Arri or an iPhone good production craft remains the same – it’s not the tool it’s how you use it. We’ll dissect production methods for effective storytelling. Even with low / no budget projects cheap and cheerful tricks will give you pro results. Lighting, screen direction, time lapse / lapse time – you name it and we can help you learn it. Effective use of camera movement from jibs to homemade pully rigs, dollies and Steadicams. Underwater shots while keeping the camera dry ~ whatever you wish or dream can be made a film reality. Much of the most successful footage ever delivered was done dirt cheap. I can show you how. Contact me and we’ll discuss your needs. 1:1 – £350, 2:1 – £280 each, 8 hours-ish. Broadcasters / universities £450~580 a day as required.
CUSTOM LENSES & A LA CARTE OPTICS
You say the lens doesn’t exist to get your trick shot, no problem, we’ll make one. Pinhole lenses, Amici prisms, aspherons, split diopters, custom ports, borescopes, aerial imaging, silver fronted mirror rigs, sliders, tilt wedges ~ whatever it takes. Mounts to mate different brands. Yes, Leica lenses on your Nikon, Nikon lenses on your Canon, Zeiss Super Speeds, or a frankenlens combo on your Nikon/Canon/Sony/Red/Arri/Whatever! Truth be told when it comes to photographic optics a hyperactive mad scientist streak can be very useful. Clients include BBC Natural History Unit, National Geographic TV, Oxford Scientific films and others. If you can dream it contact me and we can make it happen.
LOCATION SCOUTING
Having worked in many remote locations on all 7 continents I know a good location when I see one. As a 40-year career filmmaker and director of photography I’m able to communicate with your production team on their level. I’ve lived in the UK since 1994 and have a treasure chest of exceptional out of the way outdoor and interior/exterior GB filming locations logged. I can liaise with local contacts to gain shooting access and permission for uncommon historical locations such as stunning castles and seldom visited private estates. Internationally from the Amazon to the Artic I’ve come to know many expert fixers and logistics/ground specialists that operate off the beaten path to assist in realizing your production needs. And when it comes to equipment I’ve worked with the vendors to source the latest camera kit, motion control rigs and odd gadgets in-country. My experience will save your project time and money. Please have your unit manager contact me for more information and day rates.
Portfolio Reviews
It can be extremely useful to have your work reviewed by an experienced visual arts professional. Some might say it’s essential for you to grow. The keen eye of another experienced photographer can spot everything from common weakness, bad habits as well as strong progress. To my mind, it’s vital to have work honestly critiqued by an experienced picture editor to progress. Even if you’re an old hand a fresh eye will see things you don’t, get you energized once again and ignite your mojo! Where do you find someone to do it? Right here.
I started my photo career as a picture editor on New York’s Fifth Avenue at Bruce Coleman Inc, a major international photography agency. I have the experience to review your portfolio professionally, be it a green beginner who needs guidance and mentoring or refocusing a top working pro. Give me a bell to discuss the details. If you’ve never had your work reviewed professionally you will be surprised what a useful exercise it is. Although SM is loaded with expert “professional photographers” with all the answers few have the experience when scrutinized. In the end, if you don’t think it was useful the review is free of charge. Submission guide: 2000pix long 72 dpi lo-res jpgs with EXIF intact in a WeTransfer folder. I prefer seeing images watermarked in the lower corners – its the best way to avoid orphans. The number is up to you but limited to 80. Normally I can turn around a submission in a week, once reviewed we’ll go over every detail of the work one on one via Zoom that will take between 2 to 4 hours. Although I’ll certainly point out what’s working well the idea is a constructive critique from a fresh unbiased eye focused on improvement. Basically it’s not going to be an ego massage!
£140 Flat fee – 12 to 80 image review with a one on one crit for 2 to 4 hours.
As with in-person tuition we offer a 100% satisfaction no fee guarantee. In the unlikely event your Zoom tuition experience fails to meet your expectations you pay nothing.
CONSULTING
Should you need professional consulting on how to get a knockout shot/sequence in the can drop me a line. Need to feed your imagination? I can help. NDAs ~ not a problem (it’ll be our secret).
Being successful in the competitive arena of visual media is all about heart. You bring the heart and I’ll show you how. For more information on anything covered above just ping me a note.
To view student feedback have a click.
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Memberships:
BKSTS British Kinematograph Sound and Television Society
SMPTE Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers
ASMP American Society of Media Photographers
FFC Filmmakers for Conservation
IDA International Documentary Association
Arriflex Professionals
Panavision Professionals
Nikon Professional Services Member
Canon Professional Services Platinum Member
Cinematography Mailing list; Past List Administrator
Cinematography.com Sustaining Member