Andrew Hasson's Photo Course

Happy Christmas Alumni!

2011-12-23T09:34:00.000-08:00

I wish I could tell you that I’ve taken ages to post something new because I’ve been so busy. Freelancing is tough right now for most photographers, and I am no exception.
Still, it’s Christmas and I wanted to upload some pictures for you to take your mind off the endless playing of Slade and Jona Lewie on the radio.
These photos show a giant redwood tree standing next to the house at Wakehurst Place, a National Trust property near Haywards Heath. Every year, the tree gets decorated with hundreds of lights and becomes the country’s largest growing Christmas tree.
I have shot this tree before, but I wanted to do something a little different this year. I kept checking the forecast until a clear, cloudless night came up; I wanted to see stars. I used a facility that I found on my camera called “interval timer shooting”. Have a look and see if your camera has it.
I was able to set my camera to take a series of twenty-second exposures with a break of twenty seconds between each one. Clever stuff.
After loading all the pictures onto my Mac, I used Dr. Brown’s Stack-a-Matic to lay all the exposures on top of each other to give the star-trails you see in the pictures. There's a link here to Russell Brown's site. He has an interesting vocal style, there's no doubt about that (just watch his videos!), but he is a very interesting guy with some amazing stuff on his site.
The one at the top is my favourite, and I quite like the one at the bottom, but it was this one that The Guardian used.

I also wanted to tell you about a couple of courses that I’ll be running in two locations this year. They are both slight variations on the course that you all successfully went through with me at The Argus building.

The first is at Park Cameras in Burgess Hill. Details here.
The second is at West Dean College in June, near Chichester. Here's their website.
If you know anyone who would be interested, send them a link!
Meanwhile, have a great Christmas!

You Are Not A Photographer

2011-09-09T02:07:00.000-07:00

No, not YOU. You clearly are....that's why you came on the course, right?

However, I came across a site recently that I am sure you'll all enjoy. Then, I want you all to promise that you will never, EVER, produce work that will earn you a place on this, er, prestigious website.

http://youarenotaphotographer.com/

I know I've talked about experimenting (see below) but this stuff is not what I was talking about. Take a look and give yourselves a good laugh.

The Joy Of Six, or Maybe Seven

2011-09-09T01:56:00.000-07:00

As I told you all during the course, it’s always worth experimenting. If you get an idea worth pursuing, it’s fun banging off a few extra frames with some kind of wacky exposure or something.

To that end, I think it would be good for you to experiment with panoramas. You might be surprised at the results.

The way to do these, in my opinion (and please let me know if you disagree), is to shoot a series of vertical shots, rather than horizontal ones.

One of the brilliant things about panoramas is the file sizes you end up with; massive files with fabulous quality and fine detail.

After I have processed my RAWs into JPGs or TIFFs, I use the Photoshop command “Photomerge” in its automatic function. I then correct any problems with the horizon and play around with the sky until I’m happy.

That is obviously a condensed version of what I actually do. I can run a class if you like!

Normally I use a wide-angle for these shots, ending up with a sort-of-but-not-quite-fish-eye effect, like this.

I was recently in the Pacific Northwest region of the US, staying with family, watching ships glide gracefully past me on the Columbia River when I thought I’d have a go with a long lens instead.

I used a 70-200mm and shot seven vertical frames. I didn’t have a tripod with me, so I just shot and hoped for the best. I am pretty happy with the result.

Go on, give it a go yourselves. It's fun and, as with all these kind of things, you will always learn something, even if it's not what you were expecting, or even wanting, to learn.

Would you like a Flake with that?

2011-09-09T01:51:00.000-07:00

Alumni from the first course are now trying to outdo each other with front covers, I am delighted to announce. More power to their sharp elbows, I say! Following on from Nigel's "Horse and Hound" triumph, here's Patrick's response....

Here's a front cover of this month's Kemp Town Rag (not as prestigious as Horse and Hound though!). A client has opened a Gelateria in Kemp Town. As per usual there was NO brief until I got there! He wanted some shots of the shop and something to go on the front cover as he had just opened and also wanted an article in the magazine. Had to work fast as the shop was open and there were customers coming in and out all the time....nothing like winging it!

Exactly. Winging it can be exhilarating, especially when you manage to pull it off so stylishly. It's exciting, not daunting. No brief? No problem. Make sure you cover all bases, which you clearly have, and everyone ends up happy. Well done Patrick.

Up front with Nigel Goddard

2011-09-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

I had a nice little email this week from Nigel Goddard, who was on our first course....

"When I left your course, I said that it was an objective to get a cover with Horse and Hound magazine.

Last week I went to Luhmuhlen in Germany for the European Eventing Championships and as an accredited photographer I used the press facilities fully for the first time. I sent several photos during the event to Horse and Hound on-spec and when I arrived back in the UK last Monday I received an email from the Picture Editor who said "Really excellent shots you sent us, nicely captioned and I'm really pleased you got the cover."

All credit to your course and how to take shots and present photos to editors. I am now looking for more Horse and Hound covers!

Nigel"

Andrew writes.....Well done Nigel, I feel myself bursting with pride here. That is really something brilliant and I am delighted for you. Did I say well done? Let's have a look at Nigel's front cover shall we? Fantastic.

Andrew's Working Stories, number 6

2011-07-29T03:49:00.000-07:00

This week's edition of The Times' Bricks & Mortar property supplement features my pictures on the cover story. Here's how that sort of thing happens.

The story was about the renovation of a terrible-condition one-bedroom flat in Hove, which is now a stylish and beautifully-refurbished weekend bolt-hole by the coast.

The brief asked for "bright, engaging pictures of the couple in their beautiful flat. Can we also have exterior and interior shots of the flat without the couple so that we have a range of portrait and landscape shots. Bear in mind space for headline and coverlines."

I often like to telephone the people involved the day before. Its good to introduce yourself beforehand and chat for a while. I also usually explain to people the difficulties that can be caused if they wear all-black or all-white. Basically, it doesn't reproduce very well in newspapers and some magazines.

Ricky, the chap in the picture sounded like a great guy on the phone but he laughed and told me that everything in partner Jemma's wardrobe is black. Oh dear.

The flat itself was very impressive and the couple were lovely. Jemma was indeed wearing an ankle-length black dress and black jacket but as I looked around, I realised that the whole flat was either black or white. Black floor with white walls in the living room and black walls with white fittings in the bathroom. Double oh dear.

For the shot of the couple in their bay window, I did a few test shots without them first. I didn't want the exterior to be too over-exposed, nor the floor too under-exposed. I positioned them so that their shape stood out against the background and, it's a small thing this but really important, I asked Jemma to put the weight on her right side and show her left foot. Why? Well, the only bit of colour she was wearing was her purple shoes. If I could see that shoe it would separate her from the black floor.

The bathroom shot was tough too, as it's a small room. I used a 12mm lens and took four vertical shots which I stitched together in Photoshop to give a fish-eye effect. I lit it with a diffused, bounced flash. With that whole black-and-white thing going on, I really had no choice. Still, this had the fortunate side-effect of lighting the ceiling which, in turn, showed the shape of the mirror. Result!

The cover? Well, the flat in question is the one directly underneath the letter 'M' of Mortar. It's at a jaunty angle to disguise the scaffolding covering the building next door. The couple are lit by a fill-flash to show a bit of detail in the clothing and reduce shadows in the faces.

The paper used a total of three shots (plus one collect and an alternate verion of the cover shot for the website). I had submitted fifty pictures which might seem a lot, but have a look at that brief again and you'll see why.

Update from one of your VERY grateful students!

2011-07-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Hi Andrew

Loved the camera review and thank you for not going too "teccie and part numbers on us". Looks a cool bit of kit that. Your images are really cracking. Did you manage to sell any?

Couple of pieces that I have done recently - Ovingdean Hall College Brochure - Not all the pictures are mine, they have used stock images, but front and back cover and around the grounds and the student shots are all mine. They have also used the images on their website. I have attached a pdf.

Also I photographed the front cover of this weeks issue for Latest 7, together with the Kids review images which head up the editorial. (Not the girl in the pink jumper).The children are my boys. Charlie also wrote a food/restaurant review - they are his own words - so at 8 yrs old he has been published and on a Front Cover.

Just as a note to all your students - the amount of knowledge that I gained just in the 4 days I was on the course has really helped my awareness of what sells. My "photographic eye" is getting better and going out being pro-active and snapping loads.

Patrick Kneath

Fantastic stuff, Patrick! Really, really good.

Fellow students, this really is Patrick grabbing the bull by the horns. I have no wish to be patronising, but Patrick has clearly started to "see" the picture on the page before he actually takes it. That "Latest" cover shot is the kind of thing that sub-editors love.....There's plenty of room to overlay copy and the picture itself has pretty much written its own headline. The Ovingdean Hall shot is, I imagine, exactly what his client wanted; happy, smiling faces of young people from all over the world..........all laughing at the photographer lying on his back on a gravel driveway!

Reading between the lines, here is what I am picking up......

1. He's putting himself out there, finding new clients.
2. He's shooting pictures all the time and therefore getting to know his equipment.

Put those two together and you will get better. As you get better, you will find more and more people willing to pay for your services.

His confidence and skill grows and grows and long may it continue. It should be an inspiration to us all.

New camera for Glastonbury

2011-06-30T09:40:00.000-07:00

I’ve just got back from Glastonbury and have finally got rid of all the mud in what’s left of my hair.

Before I went, I bought a new camera to take with me, a Panasonic LX5. Now, I’m not normally a techie kind of bloke; I don’t sit around discussing f-stops and lenses and resolution. The last time I was asked how many megapixels one of my Nikons had, I had no idea. I still don’t.

However, this camera has impressed me like no other, so I’m going to write a little bit about why, and show you some examples of stuff I shot at Glastonbury with it.

The last pocket camera I had was a Ricoh GX100, which I ended up hating. Sometimes it just refused to take a picture for no real reason. The flash was utterly inconsistent, the colours were weak and the digital noise was crazy. If that’s tempted you, it’s going on eBay next week. I think I might re-word the sales pitch though.

So, I got the Panasonic. Google told me that this is actually the exact same camera as the Leica D-Lux 5, with one minor difference and one major difference. The minor one is that the Panasonic has a slightly different shape to the body, with a curved handgrip in front. No big deal. The major difference is the price. The Panasonic retails for about £450. The Leica, however, is about £200 more. That’s a lot of money to pay for a nice little red badge.

Before I went off to the mudfest in Somerset, I spent a week or so playing around with it, just testing as many options as possible. I wanted to be really familiar with it, so that I would be able to react quickly.

I realise that for many people, the word Glastonbury is the very definition of hell on earth, but myself and my family love it, even when it's wet and muddy. I wanted good pictures, but if I wasn't actually working, I didn't want to lug around my Nikons. This Panasonic appeared to be the perfect compromise.

I need a pocket camera that can do several things. It must be able to shoot RAW files, it must have a manual setting and an accurate flash. I need it to feel solid and I need the digital noise to be minimal. This camera does that and loads more stuff, all too technical and dull to go into.

I’m going to shut up and let the pictures speak for themselves. Now, these were all shot in the RAW format and there has been some post-processing; they didn’t just pop out of the camera looking this way. But they are an accurate representation of what I saw at the time and this brilliant camera was able to deliver the goods. I am a happy customer.

P.S. I shot them all in the 16:9 format as I like this shape. It's especially good for audio slideshows on a widescreen TV.

I have included the last two to show just how well the camera can cope with low-light levels. Both were shot at ISO800. The one of the chap in the hat was shot in almost pitch darkness, balancing the camera on my knees for a quarter of a second.

Audio Slideshow or Photofilm?

2011-06-17T07:06:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone

I recently completed a little film I've been planning for a while. I've been planning to make this kind of thing for a while, but I never had the right subject matter until recently.

Some places on the web call them Audio Slideshows and others call them Photofilms. When I was at college, back in the time of pre-history, we called them Audio-visual displays. They used slides and projectors and it was all a bit clunky. People actually used to study how to make them. For two years!

I've been intrigued by the idea of these movies for a while now, ever since I first saw examples of them on a cool website called Duck Rabbit. I particularly like the ones called "Fairground Attraction" and "Imber". Check them out.

Anyway, I was invited to take some pictures of a sculptor called David Nash. There was no fee involved and no commission either, but I was hoping there would be the potential to make some kind of feature. The first set of pictures were great, and I realised this would be just the thing for a film, but I needed a proper soundtrack.

I went back to show David the pictures and record his thoughts on a sound recorder as he looked through them. Then I made a few ambient recordings of wood burning and birds singing in the trees and so on.

I came home and edited the sound and pictures down to a manageable 4 minutes. There's a brilliant free sound editing program called Audacity you can download to do this with. I made the actual 'film' using iMovie, only available on the Mac, but I'm sure you could do it just as well with QuickTime or something like that.

I'm still not sure if there are any commercial avenues open with this kind of thing. The BBC uses them on their site, as do The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian, all to great effect. Getting paid for them, however, is a different challenge altogether. I was unable to persuade anyone at all to give me any money for my efforts :-(

Let me know what you think....leave comments, click on the 'like' button, knock yourselves out.

Hmm, that's smaller than I would have hoped for, and I can't figure out how to make it bigger. Have a look on my website for a more normally-sized one.....but leave any comments here.

Until the next time!

Judith celebrates!

2011-06-17T06:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone

Judith Ricketts has had her first set of pictures published, so a massive well done to her for that. That first one can be the toughest. Mind you, the second one........

Still, that's not the point. The point is, she found out about an event, got out there and shot it and then submitted her work to outside scrutiny. And that's one of the hardest things.

Thankfully, the pictures were good enough to be used on the website The Kemptown Rag and I'm sure that seeing them online and in context was a real buzz. It's a good feeling and one that you could easily develop a taste for.

A big round of applause please, ladies and gentlemen!

If you want to see the pictures on the actual website, here's the link.

Hello Patrick!

2011-05-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

Hello all

I had an email from Patrick Kneath last week with a bit of his news; he got a picture in Hello! magazine. It's the Stephen Fry picture below. How brilliant is that?

I see from the photo credit hidden in the corner that his pictures were marketed through Barcroft Media of London. Well done Patrick! Keep supplying people with your pictures.

What's happening with the rest of you? Got anything published lately? Let us all know.

Royal Wedding special...

2011-05-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

You might have heard there was a wedding last week. Rather a big one.

I had been booked to be one of a team photographers to cover the royal wedding by one of the nationals.

I was excited in one way but dreading it in another. How so?

Well, I knew that all the decent photographic viewpoints had been taken and allocated weeks before. I also knew that any publicly available viewpoints will have been been nabbed by royal fans camping out a couple of days in advance. Wherever I went, I would without doubt be in a large crowd, all desperate for a view.

I knew too I would need at least three cameras round my neck at all times, with a couple of spare lenses in my rucksack, as well as my laptop and an array of spare bits and pieces, like batteries, a dongle, a couple of flashguns and so on.

I would need clothes that could keep me warm and dry if it rained and clothes that could keep me cool if it was hot. I would need some food and drinks in case there was nothing to buy in whatever area I ended up. It would feel like I was going to a football match dressed as a Christmas tree.

I couldn’t drink too much of course while I was there, because I didn’t know if there would be toilets nearby. Even if there were, I would be risking losing my place by using them.

So, when the call came through at 8.30 on the night before the wedding, I was relieved to be told I was being sent to Bucklebury, near Reading, where the Middleton family home is.

I was also aware, of course, that the chances of any pictures from there being used in the weekend’s coverage would be slim, but you just never know. In those circumstances, you have to shoot as if something will definitely be used.

So, I got up at 5am and drove to Bucklebury. I was delighted to find I could park right next to the village green, where a marquee had been set up with a huge TV screen. There were cake stalls, a hog roast and other refreshments available. The pub even had a wi-fi connection. Result!

TV crews from around the world were there but it was all very civilized. Too civilised. Everyone was very restrained, in a Home Counties way, so finding interesting pictures was tough. There was no-one dressed in outlandish style and very few union jack flags. Well, that is until the people from Heart FM turned up and started handing out flags to everyone. The trouble was that they all had “Heart FM” written across them so were pretty much unusable in photos.

It was all very like a jolly village fete, with duck-racing and morris dancing, so trying to find a picture that said very loudly “This Is The Royal Wedding In Kate Middleton’s Village” was really, really hard, despite the fact that the morris men had cracked open a bottle of gin at 8.45 (see below) and the duck-racing was being broadcast live in South Korea. Myself and other photographers from the nationals worried that our pictures were all looking a bit ‘local paper’.

In circumstances like this, you have to keep your eyes and ears open for potential pictures. You need to be ready for the big moments and try to foresee what might happen. For instance, everyone’s first view of the dress could potentially result in some good facial expressions, and the moment the couple say “I do” could result in some flag-waving or clapping or something. You have to be ready for these moments, because it’s over and gone in an instant.

None of my pictures were used in the Sunday papers and it wasn't until I left that the action kicked off, apparently. Some local grievances plus stacks of booze plus hot, exciting day equals.....you've guessed it, a punch-up in the local pub. I was long gone by then and, although predictable and humourous, pictures like that would never have been used in the Royal Wedding supplement, so I didn't miss out.

Here’s some of what I submitted anyway......

Course Number 4 Finishes.....

2011-04-11T10:51:00.000-07:00

Another successful course!

Last Sunday saw the completion of the fourth course to run at Brighton Journalist Works. The 'graduates' are now left to figure out what they are going to do with the knowledge I hope I've been able to give them.

What a great bunch of students they were……..as usual, of course! Everyone bought something interesting to the party and all of them gave their all. What more could I have asked for?

Well, actually, I could have asked for Danny to have been able to do the second weekend course with us. Danny won his place on the course as part of a photography competition we ran with 'Silicon Beach' last year.

So, thanks to Danny for schlepping over all the way from Barcelona. Yes, that’s right! - Barcelona in Spain!

Thanks to Catherine for her difficult journey from Oxted each day and introductions to some splendid wedding websites. I’m still trying to work my way through Rock My Wedding.

Thanks also to Roman, for his technical expertise and unrivalled, infectious enthusiasm.

Thanks to Judith for her willingness to learn and keenness to see things from a different perspective.

Thanks to Brian for his clear commitment and understanding of what’s needed in this business.

Last but not least, thanks to Miranda, for struggling in despite firstly, having her bag nicked last week and secondly, having an attack of the lurgee that would have felled any one of us.

Thanks, collectively, for some fantastic pictures. I think you all realise that you still need to up your game and all seem willing to do just that.

I look forward to hearing from you all with news of your progress. Make no mistake, I expect to be told if and when you get anything published or commissioned or any general successes. I shall upload to this blog any of your news.

Now that you’ve had time to recover and gather your thoughts into a coherent strand, perhaps you’d like to have a look at a few pictures taken over the weekends......

Andrew's Working Stories, number 5

2011-03-23T04:49:00.001-07:00

I was sent on a job in Worthing last week, about a couple who felt that their electricity company had not been serving their best interests. That’s a controversy-free way of saying that they felt ripped off to the tune of £500 after a cock-up involving the meter.

The figures that the meter had been reading were faulty, but it was entirely the fault of the company, who had installed this meter despite protests from the couple (who didn’t want it changed in the first place) and were now claiming compensation for THEM having installed a faulty product.

This was due to be the lead story in The Times’ Money section, so I was asked to be “Nice and creative with this one. Feel free to experiment.” Very specifically, the paper did not want just a straight shot of the couple.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? However, on arrival, there were a few difficulties….it was 7pm and there was therefore no natural light at all…..the meter in question had been taken away…..the flat was, er, cosy and busy…..my mind went blank.

The only uncluttered location was the stairs, but how could I illustrate this dissatisfaction the couple felt with their electricity supplier?

Suddenly, before I could even think about it properly, I blurted out “Have you got any candles?” “Hundreds,” they said. “A-ha,” I said, as an idea formed.

I broached the subject of lighting a whole load and putting them and the couple on the stairs, lighting the whole picture by candlelight. They said okay, so I headed back to the car to get my tripod. ISO 800, and a half-second exposure at f5,6 did the trick.

The paper ran with one picture in the print edition and a slightly different one for online, as you can see below. For the technically-curious among you, the one that ran in the paper (the top one) used a bit of torchlight too, bounced off the wall behind me.

Andrew's Working Stories, number 6

2011-03-15T06:38:00.000-07:00

I had a job for the Daily Telegraph last week in New Romney, just over the border in Kent; a fairly standard financial page story needing an interesting portrait of a man who happened to live there.

It’s a long drive from Brighton to New Romney; out past Eastbourne, through Hastings, then Rye, and on past Camber. I had come straight from a Guardian job shooting portraits of Sally Gunnell in Steyning so, after the second job was finished, I didn’t fancy just getting straight back in the car and heading home. Neither job was needed until tomorrow, so there was no pressure on that front.

When you finish one assignment, why not look around you and see what else there is to shoot. Is there anything that could be useful for a stock library?

New Romney is just five miles from Dungeness so I decided to pop down there and see what I could see, wander about for a while and stretch my legs.

I love it at Dungeness…it’s the very strangest part of this country in my opinion and, when I got there, the light was really interesting. I pulled out a camera to take a few shots for myself; if I happened to see something saleable, then so much the better.

I took some shots of the power station and the lifeboat station nearby. On the way back I stopped and shot a load of pictures of the electricity pylons stretching off into the distance, and a wind farm / pylon combo. That kind of generic thing is great for stock so don’t just drive past it…get out and shoot it.

Andrew's Working Stories, number 4

2011-02-16T09:49:00.000-08:00

Here’s a picture I took for The Times at very short notice. I got the phone call at 5pm and was asked to be at the lady’s house, in Hove, no earlier than 6pm. The paper needed the photo in London by 6.45. It was for the following morning's paper, or 'on edition.'

Working backwards, this meant I knew I had to be out of there by 6.15 at the very latest, before getting home, editing the shoot, ‘finishing’ the picture and sending it down the line.

It can be a challenge knowing that you have to arrive, introduce yourself and make friends, choose your locations (you have to have a strong variety), set up your shots, shoot them, check they’re all fine, complete the niceties by offering your thanks and goodbyes, and getting out. All in less than fifteen minutes.

The flat was difficult to shoot in; it was dark and the background was cluttered. My flash chose this moment to really play up as well, so it wasn’t exactly going brilliantly! The subject was a lovely, bubbly girl but the story was about financial hardship, so we had to work on her serious face.

As you can see from the 'before' shot, it was heavily cropped but it was taken with the possibility of that happening. The next day, it had a big ‘show’ on page three, an important page in all newspapers (not just The Sun!).

Andrew's Working Stories, number 3

2011-02-16T09:44:00.000-08:00

Here’s a portrait of comedian Jo Brand, shot for The Guardian. It was for a weekly feature called “Portrait Of The Artist”, which always uses a landscape-shaped picture.

I was given a couple of hours’ notice for this and I went along twenty minutes earlier than arranged to figure out a couple of spots that might work. The venue was The Dome cinema in Worthing, a marvellous art-deco cinema where Jo was having a public question-and-answer session, and signing some books (she’s written loads!), rather than doing a stand-up gig.

The challenge here was balancing the lighting in the beautiful, but relatively dark, auditorium, with Jo’s face. I used a diffused flash, but I still had to use a long shutter speed to soak up the rich reds in the room (I'm posting one of the leftovers for you to see as well).

I had to tell her to keep still and stop talking. That’s not very easy for comics to do.

With celebrities like this, I’m always aware that I don’t have long. Some of them will let you have about two minutes if you’re lucky, but Jo was lovely and couldn’t have been more helpful. In the end, I think I probably got about 30 minutes, she was great company and, needless to say, very funny.

I wish there were more like her.

Andrew's Working Stories, number 2

2011-02-16T09:38:00.000-08:00

Browsing through some property websites, I noticed an unusual property for sale in Hastings. I forwarded the web link to a contact at the Daily Mail and was given the nod to follow it up. I had to go twice actually; the first time I went it was impossibly foggy, so I returned a few days later when the weather was brighter.

I had made contact with the estate agent and arranged to meet them there, where they allowed me to shoot pretty much as I pleased.

It was two weeks before the story was published, on Monday February 7^th. At 9.30 that morning, I had a call from ITV who wanted to use a couple of the shots on a programme I’d never heard of, called “This Morning”. I had the odd sensation of emailing the pictures at 09.45 and then seeing Philip Schofield and Holly Willoughby discussing them live on TV less than half an hour later.

Yahoo UK also wanted the picture, for their home page. We are not talking big money for these shots….£60 from Yahoo and £50 per picture from ITV.

Here’s a link to the Daily Mail’s web version of the story, with different pictures used.

Andrew's Working Stories, number 1

2011-02-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking maybe I need to write a little about jobs that have come my way since you all came on the course. I think these will illustrate points I made to you all at the time.

To start off, I wanted to talk about something I shot a fortnight ago in Midhurst, on assignment for The Times. They run a regular feature, every Monday, in their T2 supplement, called “How We Met”, where a couple write in to the paper and describe exactly that.

The feature usually features a cut-out shot of the couple with the words wrapped around them. This means I had to be very aware of the background, to make it as easy as possible for the sub-editors to cut around their shape.

Inside the house was impossible; it was a tiny cottage with dark furniture, knick-knacks and pictures everywhere. The garden was quite small as well, with high walls and trees, which made it difficult to get a clean-background shot, and the weather was miserable and damp.

Nonetheless, they had to be shot against a background that contrasted with their complete outline. Here’s the result, before and after the background was stripped away.

Tony Dorey "Doing pretty good"

2011-01-27T04:18:00.000-08:00

Following the last blog update, I was delighted to get an update from Tony Dorey, a student from the first course in April 2010......

> I think it's about time I filled you in on progress since the course - and the good news is, I'm doing pretty good!

As you know, I came to the course as a home studio photographer with little experience in any other kind of photography. If I didn't have studio lights, I wasn't in my comfort zone. Your course took me away from that kind of thinking, to stop specializing and to try different aspects of photography. Now I really enjoy macro work and architectural photos! (Macro sample attached).

I of course still do the studio side of things but your course inspired my studio work more than I thought possible. I think about the images I take now, and the results are astounding to say the least. I have 12 family sessions booked in, 2 local bands, and more to squeeze in somewhere along the way. I have covered weddings with great success and even my partner has taken up an interest.

Big news is I am having a large studio built in my back garden for a more permanent place to work and I am having large schools asking me to quote for their prospectus photos.

I have attached some jpegs to show how I have progressed with photography (and the business behind it). Without this course, I'd still be 'snapping' studio shots instead of making photographs. You opened my eyes, made me think a little more and whilst I have no prints sold to the papers or mags, I have sold thousands to peoples homes for hanging. I now have the end goal in sight and it's looking very good.

Thanks Andrew!

Andrew replies: Wow! That's amazing, well done. Now everyone.....check out these fantastic photos Tony has sent me......

The Daily What? Surely not?

2011-01-26T04:17:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, I wanted to write a little bit about another great website you should be looking to now and again for inspiration. It's a site that has started using photography in an interesting way, having the occasional gallery of cool pictures to admire and aspire to.

Astonishingly, it's the Daily Mail. Here are links to a couple of excellent recent showcases:

Dog Photos

Bird Photos

Kingfisher Photos

Nick Morgan and Mediafox

2011-01-26T04:04:00.000-08:00

On a job last week, I bumped into another ex-student from the first course - Nick Morgan - who was telling me about what he's been up to in the past few months. Here's the email he sent the next day with full details......

New site here, www.MediaFox.co.uk, it's early days but work already coming in. Doing filming for www.lookandfeelyounger.co.uk and www.bigleapchallenge.com and building a few websites. I charge £20 an hour, so buttons, but at this stage it's building things up.

I started with a Flip video recorder and have now just sold my 50D to buy a Cannon 550D - much higher quality.

Of course much of your teaching naturally applies to video and I wouldn't have been taking photos as good as these http://www.mediafox.co.uk/fox/Photography.html without the course.

Cheers

Nick

Really good stuff, Nick. Thanks for letting me share it with the others, who I feel sure will find it interesting as well. It's good to hear that students can take aspects of the course and bend them ever so slightly to their own advantage. Well done!

Nigel's spread in the Washington Post

2011-01-26T03:56:00.000-08:00

Ex-student Nigel Goddard was sent a tear-sheet from his recent successful spread in the Washington Post. I'm sure he won't mind me sharing it with you here.

Nigel says in his email: "I have just received a paper copy of the article in the Washington Post. Thought you might like to see what pictures they used. They are all my pictures except the smaller one on the first page. The lady who wrote the article and supplied these tear sheets said in her note to me, "it's unusual to see any photographs get this prominent display".

Fantastic stuff. You should be very pleased! I am very pleased for you.

Vini Pereira exhibition in Norwich!

2011-01-26T03:45:00.000-08:00

During the Norwich Dragon Festival 2011, ex-student Vini Pereira will be having an exhibition in the city.

Exhibition open
February 11 - 27, 2011
Noverre Gallery,
The Assembly House
Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm

If any of you find yourself up in that part of the world, drop in and let us know all about it.

Sorry I can't make it myself Vini. Good luck!

JAlbum

2011-01-14T09:01:00.000-08:00

Hello all

I did a wedding recently, the first one in a long time and it was a lot of fun.

Anyway, I was looking all over the web for some way to upload the pictures and take print orders from customers. I was looking to buy some software but could find nothing that felt right to me. Then I found this free program called JAlbum which I think you should check out. It could prove to be a useful commercial tool for some of you.

(This sound like an advert, doesn't it? Honestly, I am not on the Jalbum payroll.....sadly).

Anyway, here is where you can download the software, which takes no time at all. I found tutorials on YouTube that showed me how to use it and I am very happy with it so far. I found it pretty easy to use and highly adaptable (ie loads of different background skins and so forth).

Here is a link to the wedding I did and the design I chose. Click on a picture for print options, slide-shows etc. In case you're wondering why there are no outdoor shots, it was just before Christmas during the snow chaos, and didn't start until late afternoon by which time it was dark, freezing and knee-deep in snow!

If any of you go for it, I would be interested in feedback.

Nigel: Classy!

2011-01-14T08:44:00.000-08:00

Andrew says:

Nigel got in touch to let me know that while he was shooting the bloodhounds (see post below) he was asked to supply pictures to no less a publication than the Washington Post. Yes, that's right, the same paper that broke the story of the Watergate break-in in the early 1970's!

Let's be under no illusions here; this is quite some achievement. Congratulations!

It's all online too. Go here and launch the photo gallery. It looks brilliant! Some of you who were on that particular course might recognise the low-angle technique Nigel and I worked on (he says, polishing his nails and beaming!). I see the Sydney Morning Herald has picked up the story too, Nigel. I hope you're being paid for that.

Nigel: It's all bullocks!

2011-01-14T08:33:00.000-08:00

Hello Andrew,

Now that winter has arrived I have turned my attention from horses back to cats. Although I did go to see the Coakham Bloodhounds (http://www.coakhambloodhounds.com) in action and got more action than I bargained for!

First, somebody fell off at the first jump and knocked themselves out, so I found myself taking pictures of the air ambulance rather than horses and hounds, then I went into a field to get a good position to photograph the hunt and got chased out again by a herd of bullocks!

Last month I was official photographer at the Supreme Cat Show at the NEC. So I have now had photos published in both of the leading cat magazines, Catworld and Your Cat.

Photography is anything but dull!

Andrew says:

Brilliant stuff! I would also add, completely unnecessarily, keep it up!

Blog tip from Kim Freeman

2010-11-24T02:32:00.000-08:00

Hi Andrew. Naomi Goggin is the Times/Canon Young Photographer of the Year 2010. She has just started her 6 months work experience at the Times and has a very interesting daily blog.

http://naomigoggintimes.wordpress.com/

She is one of my contacts on Flickr and I follow her on Twitter @naomigogginfoto

Thought other pass classmates would like to read the blog.

Kim

Andrew replies.....Thanks, I'm sure it will be interesting stuff.

Exhausting news from Patrick!

2010-11-24T02:20:00.000-08:00

Hi Andrew

Hope you and Gill are well...

Still covering lots of business and social events with The Latest Magazine and getting lots of referral work from it. Got involved in Latest TV and have had stills put in to video as cutaways. The Latest have also asked me to cover some Business Articles, writing up the editorial and pictures.

PGA Golf Event photography has been mainly successful with great assistance from Adrian Carey.

I was contacted via The Journalistic Directory about a team of runners who are running in the Great North Run on 19 Sept 2010.

Taking on aboard your tuition from your course, I looked carefully at an angle on the story and have approached a large number of relevant magazines and national press editors and I got a good response. In the meantime I contacted the Charity, The Vegan Society, which has put the team in and they agreed to take my photos and paid me. Have gone international...well Jersey ! Had a picture published in the Jersey Evening Post (attached) from this and further pics to be published by the Vegan Society in the quarterly magazine.

Private work has included working for J Wray & Son Ltd. a drinks supplier covering their Licor 43 Competition, Black Bottle, Powerade/Coca Cola, PGA, Chocolate Festival, and various other work such as VIP visits to companies and businesses from PR Agencies and other charities including Rockinghorse.

Have had a number of private commissions-portraits mainly - on location and studio work.

All in all not a bad start-just got to keep at it-Have repeat bookings for next year already including The Brighton Marathon and a number of PGA events.

Lots of pics on my website and have had some 266,000 views on it this year - www.bespokephotography.net

Andrew replies.....Phew, I don't know where to start, Patrick. I'm knackered just reading that. Well done! I would say "keep it up" but I know there's no point....you'll be doing that anyway.

News from Harvinder

2010-11-24T02:15:00.001-08:00

Hi Andrew,

I am in India on vacation snapping away! I will be in touch on my return at the end of the month.

Good to hear from you!

Harvi

Andrew replies.....Great! I'm sure we are all looking forward to seeing some nice shots from this trip.

News from Vini Pereira

2010-11-24T02:13:00.000-08:00

Hi Andrew

Thanks for the update on the blog.

I'm ever more interested in fine art photography, and I've been lucky to have won a commission..
I'll have a solo exhibition in Norwich in February 2011, part of the 'Dragon Festival'.
I was going to tell you about it once the details were finalised.

At the moment I'm just finishing the photographic work, next I'll have to tackle printing (I'm supposed
to deliver HUGE prints), something that currently I know nothing about.

Hope you're well and thriving.

Vini

Andrew replies.......That all sounds exciting, Vini. I wish Norwich was a bit closer. Good luck with the printing.

News from Kim Freeman

2010-11-24T02:03:00.000-08:00

Hi Andrew.

I have a couple of things. The website that purchased one of my photos came on line a week ago. Screen grab attached. Also I've had 3 photo published in BH Life Magazine Nov/Dec 2010 issue. This magazine is Bournemouth Borough Council's main communication to it's residents and goes to 85,000 homes.......

As well as my website www.kimfreeman.co.uk I also have a blog: http://kimfreemanphotography.blogspot.com/
I have added more photos to Alamy. Been putting together a portfolio of studio product shots and during September with the weather being so good I did a series of photos around Boscombe and Bournemouth which I presented to the Bournemouth Tourism for possible purchase. All these are on the blog.

Andrew replies.....Great stuff, Kim! Well done. I especially like the picture of the Geffrye Museum in London on your blog. I went there a week after you shot that picture, only to find it was closed. Nice sky on the bowls picture.

Exhibition in Storrington

2010-11-15T04:46:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone

News has come through that Art Hutchins and Charmen Hummel, both from July's course, are holding an exhibition of photographs at the White Horse Hotel in Storrington, West Sussex, on the 26th - 27th November.

If you can, then please make the effort to get down there. It's all for charity too!

Front Cover!

2010-11-15T04:32:00.000-08:00

Hello Andrew,

After being shortlisted and missing out on a front cover for Horse & Hound about a month ago, I have finally had a cover picture published, this time for Local Rider which also contained my pictures from Firle and Munstead. The Eventing season has now finished but maybe next year I will get that elusive H&H cover.

Best wishes,

Nigel.

Andrew writes.....Stunning stuff! Knowledge of the subject, grit and determination have led you to this point. Well done!

Brighton Photo Fringe

2010-09-28T01:31:00.000-07:00

Maria's news about her exhibition at the Lord Nelson (see below) made me look into what else is going on during October's Brighton Photo Fringe. There's something for everyone, I feel.

You can pick up a brochure in all the usual places (community venues, cafés etc) and you will find something to interest you, I'm sure. You can't miss the brochure - the cover is a portrait of Margaret Thatcher.

Alternatively, check out the website, and get down to something.

Nigel Goes International!

2010-09-26T07:08:00.000-07:00

Hello Andrew,

I got an email last week from The Irish Field asking if I had got a picture of William Fox-Pitt winning at Blenheim Horse Trials. Apparently they had been given my name by the deputy editor of Eventing magazine.

My picture took three columns and appeared in last Saturday's edition, so I guess I can now claim that I have been published internationally!

Kind regards,

Nigel.

Andrew replies:

International? Too right. Well done, keep it up.

Maria's News

2010-09-26T06:25:00.000-07:00

Just recieved this email from Maria.....

HI Andrew

Thanks for creating this blog - its great to be able to catch up with everyone. I have signed in but am not sure how to add to the blog - so I'll tell you my news here. I am going to exhibit a few photos as part of a group called Flash Fiction for the Photo fringe biennial. We've got a website - http://www.thisisflashfiction.co.uk/ and will be showing our work in the Lord Nelson pub on Trafalger Street Brighton throughout October. If you could add this for people to see on the blog that would be great and if you get a chance to pop in then do let me know what you think. Were having a few drinks on the opening night - Thursday 30 September from 6.30. If you are passing it would be lovely to see you.

Other progress - well, not much I'm sad to say. :( I went to NY with my 2 boys for 5 days at the end of August and have taken loads of pics - going to sort through those and others I have and really try & get something accepted by Alamy.

Hope all is well with you

best wishes

Maria

Andrew replies:

Hi Maria......You can't add to the blog directly, I'm afraid. Just write to me and I'll upload it.
I'm sure there must be a way to do it, but I can't find out how!
Did you get the date of your exhibition wrong? October 30th is a Saturday.
Keep it up.....don't give up.
Andrew

Kim Freeman's New Website

2010-09-13T11:17:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!

I was delighted to get an email from former student Kim Freeman telling me about his new website, which I am still enjoying. He designed it himself too! Very impressive.

So come on, let's all check it out. Not enough of you have put your sites out there so let's get weaving folks.

http://www.kimfreeman.co.uk/index.html

Nigel continues to corner his market

2010-08-29T03:36:00.000-07:00

Hello Andrew,

It's been a bumper edition of Local Rider magazine this month with my pictures from Iping, Tweseldown and the National Schools and Pony Club Jumping Championships at Hickstead being published.

Best regards,

Nigel.

Nigel sells an ad picture!

2010-08-29T03:32:00.000-07:00

Andrew,

The attached picture was taken at Hickstead. Point Two Air Jackets used it the following week for the Dublin Horse Show as it featured an Irish rider using their product and jumping their sponsored fence. It has also appeared on the back cover of Eventing Magazine (Sep 2010) issue.

Nigel.

*Andrew says.....Well done, Nigel. Keep it up.

Link from Kim

2010-08-26T09:14:00.000-07:00

Kim has written and sent me a link to what looks like a useful learning resource. I haven't had time to plough through the lot, but it looks pretty cool.

Look at the list of links (on the right here) for "Photo Tutorials".

Thanks, Kim.

Latest News From Kim Freeman

2010-08-19T10:54:00.000-07:00

Hi Andrew.

Wanted to let you know that I have decided to make a career of my photography and have invested in some pro-equipment.
Now the hard part, sending out letters, calling people and in your wise words 'lots of practice'.

I have made a couple of direct pictures sales in the last few weeks. I must be putting out positive thoughts because in both cases I got emails out of the blue asking to buy them. I have attached the two pictures. The top one is the Kingsland Basin on the Regents Canal in Hackney, London E8 and is being used in a property brochure. The bottom one is Boscombe Cliff Bowls Club and is being used on a website as part of a Flash presentation.
I only got a small amount of money for each, but I'm pleased.

I hope you're okay. Thanks for posting the smashing picture of the class. Hello everyone.

Kim Freeman

Teacher replies: Well done, Kim, and thanks for staying in touch and keeping us all informed. Nice pictures and well done for having the front to offer them up for sale. At this stage in your career, sold is better than not sold, so the price is fairly irrelevant. Later on, it will become more important in more ways than one.
By the way, who did you sell the pictures to and how did you do it?
Best wishes, Andrew.

Latest News From Patrick Kneath

2010-08-16T01:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Andrew

I now have the Latest Diary page in L7 every week, Fr cover Peacehaven Directory monthly, in the next quarter will have pics and editorial in The Voice, The Federation of Small Businesses's Magazine, last month was in Sussex Life, with pics from a Business Awards Launch, and numerous email "invites" where companies have used my pics to add into their blogs etc.

Great idea with the blog - attached my latest publications - in L7 (Social Diary and Lanes Lettings pic 10-16/8) and front cover Peacehaven Directory(Aug) - The Argus pic of Ian Poulter, also FRONT COVER pic and Editorial pics

Teacher says......Well done Patrick! Fantastic set of cuttings. I know there's not really much need to say this, but......keep it up!
Your pictures are getting better with every publication, don't you think? Take note, everyone else......the more you practise, the better you get.

Noticias sobre Roberto (*News about Roberto)

2010-08-13T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Andrew!

I´m writing to tell you that I read all your emails but I don´t reply them because (as you know) my English is not good. Anyway I appreciate all your efforts. I´ve just taken a look to your blog

I´m in Spain now, I came back last month. Finally I decided to do a Photography Master in Madrid. I learnt a lot in your course so I think that i can take advantage of a Master too. The college is called EFTI, I don´t know if you hear about them.

Once I begin the Master I´ll try to sell my pictures to get some money, now I´m quite busy with other things.

If you have to come to Madrid for any reason, contact me ok?, I´ll be glad to help you.

Give my regards to the rest of the class if you meet them.

Best wishes teacher!

Teacher says....."Gracias, amigo!"

Nigel's back with more horses!

2010-08-13T08:27:00.000-07:00

Andrew,

Since the last update I have sold some pictures taken at Hickstead to a company which makes Air Jackets for event riders (still waiting for payment though!)

I have also had pictures published in Local Rider magazine and more photos are expected in future issues.

Visited the Isle of Wight on Monday for my partner's birthday (she has always wanted to go there since she had a holiday there as a child). Went to Osbourne House and took some pictures. I submitted them to English Heritage and they appear to be interested in a couple of them!

Here are the articles from August 2010 Local Rider magazine...

Well done, Nigel. Giddy up!

Some Recommendations......

2010-08-13T08:17:00.001-07:00

"The world is full of experts on photography. Some have a faint knowledge of the craft; most merely know what they like, until shown something else. Being a successful photographer or even just being good at talking about it is not the same as making a living from it, which Andrew will explain to you. Listen carefully, he knows what he’s talking about."

Ray Wells, Chief Picture Editor, The Sunday Times, London

"I have known Andrew Hasson for about fifteen years and our career paths have touched and crossed many times. When we were re-forming the British Press Photographers' Association he was on a short list of photographers that we regarded as "must-haves" as members because they represented everything that the BPPA stands for - ethical, professional, creative and technically highly able.

The fact that Andrew has worked for so many major national and international newspapers and magazines over such a long period says a great deal about him and it comes as no surprise that he is the first name on many lists when a freelancer in Sussex is needed. There are many photographers who can take pictures but there are far fewer who, like Andrew, understand the industry and the wider requirements of their craft to the degree that marks them out as true Professionals."

Neil Turner, former Chief Photographer at the Times Educational Supplement, currently Vice-Chairman of the British Press Photographer’s Association

"Andrew Hasson is a photographer you can rely on; to get the shot, meet the deadline, cajole the subject and to deliver consistent quality year in, year out. We have worked together over many years and many publications and I count him as a must in my contacts book. He never moans and always gets the job done, which is something all picture editors need. He's also a lovely man with a good eye and I highly recommend him as a teacher."
Melanie Grant, photographic agent, who has been at a senior level of the Photographic Industry for 15 years working for The Times, The Economist, The Independent, The Financial Times, The BBC and The Guardian. She has also spent time on The New York Post and worked with Rankin in London.

Art's Eye blog

2010-08-10T09:20:00.001-07:00

Art Hutchins has updated his blog with some very kind words about the course. You can read his constantly updated blog here, or read the cut-and-pasted copy below........

Right from the off, Andrew got down to the many issues facing anyone contemplating becoming a Freelance Photographer today.

There were eight of us, some who had travelled for a few hours and from a good distance away, and others more local to the Brighton area, but all who had chosen to participate in this four day course, because they needed the information and understanding it promised.

With ages ranging from early twenties and fresh out of University, to mature students already working full time in other occupations and thinking about starting out as part-time freelancers, to those like myself who are already fully committed to making a living as a freelance photographer.

Andrew made no extravagant claims, nor did he paint a rosy picture, often telling us how it is and what is essential to know to get off the ground.

In serious and balanced tones, using a minimal amount of anecdotes and a few selected images from his extensive portfolio to illustrate the many relevant facts and pointers, which would be invaluable to any generic group such as ours. He spoke of the pitfalls to be avoided and the gains to be had, if we followed the advice and information he had to impart to us.
There was no waffle or ambiguity about what he had to tell us, and all of it was down to earth common sense, loaded with good quality information to get us a chance to get anyone of us up and running.

He delivered all of the content as laid out in the course description on his website, and then went further with good fundamental and practical exercises, giving us guidance and constructive feedback at each step and something to measure our progress by.
At the end of each day I and I believe the others, came away tired but with our minds full of the experiences and insights we had gained.

The best of these exercises was the field trip to Hove seafront on the second of the two weekends. Given a simple brief to shoot three styles of image, we were blessed with spectacular skies after the stormier weather of previous days. Some headed for the beach, others into the town, and though there were not the summer holiday crowds, there was plenty to capture in an hour.

The diverse interpretations of the brief in our individual results when we got back to the classroom, was highlighted by the fact the everyone felt their photography had taken a huge step forward, and indeed this was certainly true of my own.

I felt more grounded and certain of making a living from photography then I had before the course.

Andrew is both inspirational and objective, despite a few minor technical difficulties along the way, none of which appeared to interrupt him delivering, which I am sure is true of him as a professional.

The course is great value and one which I would recommend to anyone considering going freelance and unsure of what it involves, and as others I am sure will testify, Andrew Hasson is inspirational and he delivers the goods.

**Andrew's reply**..........Very nice of you to say so, Art. It was a pleasure to have you as a student, as it was all of you, of course. Sorry about the technical hitches!

Pecha Kucha presentation!

2010-08-10T09:18:00.000-07:00

During the July course, I was attempting to explain to the students the importance of not waffling on when talking about your pictures, especially if you're showing a portfolio to a prospective picture buyer. I illustrated this by giving them a Pecha Kucha* presentation of twenty of my favourite unpublished pictures.
(*In Pecha Kucha, you get to show twenty pictures and talk about each one for a maximum of twenty seconds....not as easy as it sounds)
I admit, I had been preparing this already for a fundraising evening organised by my wife who's off to China in a month (see here to give money), but I realised it was a perfect way to discipline your mind during these stressful occasions (showing a portfolio, not fundraising!).
So, for those on the April course who missed it, and for the benefit of those in July who enjoyed it, here's the YouTube version........

A few course evaluations from course # 2 (mid-July 2010)

2010-08-10T08:09:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed the course. It was very well structured, challenging, engaging and Andrew was a brilliant teacher. I came home each evening exhausted but full of enthusiasm which is a good thing.

I will definitely recommend this course. It is nice that Andrew is willing to keep in touch with students. I really must make time now to take what I have learned a bit further and try and get something published.

I like the way Andrew made no bones about the fact that it is a competitive business and that you needed to be determined to succeed....but that we do have the ability. I guess I just need the confidence now!

Maria Gibbs

I enjoyed Andrew's course immensely, and only wish I had booked into the sessions earlier in the year so that I would be ahead of where I am at present. Honest and unambiguous about the business, he not only packed so much in to our 4 days, but also ensured that each student recieved just the right amount of space and focus to experience real personal improvement. Concerned that each student learned something more closely matched to their individual needs. I came away feeling more confident and certain of what I needed to do and that I have something worthwhile and achievable to set out with.

Art Hutchins

I found the course was delivered in a style that made it easy to understand and remember. Having a small group was great as you got more individual attention.

I feel the course was worth every penny. It was relevant, interesting, inspirational, personal and encouraging. I enjoyed that it included practical assignments therefore reinforcing everything I learnt. I just love the tips that Andrew gave, for example, 1) ‘the shadow’ when taking a portrait: the light behind which is more flattering, taking years off the subject 2) leaning your subject forward to avoid unflattering facial features. I felt that Andrew was very clear, concise and logical in his explanations of the technical aspects.

Andrew’s comments to me on the course have built up my confidence and provided me with the knowledge and skills I needed to think about taking my hobby to another level. In particular when taking a shot to really think about whether and how the photo would sell. Furthermore, it has given me food for thought in which direction to go with my photography.

I genuinely enjoyed the course and felt like I learnt a lot. Thank you very much indeed!

Harvinder Kaur

Eu so tenho a agradecer pela oportunidade que tive de aprender e conhecer o trabalho de fotografo free-lancer na Inglaterra*

*I am thankful for the opportunity I had to learn and know the work of a freelance photographer in England (with thanks to Google Translator and their Portuguese department).

Guilherme Augusto de Almeida

I came on the course to get a sense of whether it was possible to make a living from photography. Andrew made the pros and cons very clear for me.

Andrew's positive and practical way of teaching left me feeling that it is possible with lots of hard work and determination and that sometime in the future I could work and call myself a professional photographer. I was pleased with his honest approach towards the business, despite it being a little scary at times.

Kim Freeman

Course # 2.....10/11 & 17/18 July 2010

2010-08-10T07:53:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of me and the alumni from Course # 2, left to right.....

Art Hutchins

Kim Freeman

Maria Gibbs

Lauren Mashford

Harvinder Kaur

Guilherme Augusto de Almeida

Patrick Kneath

A few course evaluations from course # 1 (mid-April 2010)

2010-08-09T15:22:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed the course – I suspected it was going to be very good because I know Andrew’s work. However my expectations were surpassed on day one when I started to get answers to questions that I hadn’t even known to ask!
What I didn’t expect was to have such fun on the course, so that was a real bonus.
Here's the thing: Andrew works for the nationals and regularly appears in the Sunday Times so you are getting information from the horse's mouth reporting right from the pit face.
Nick Morgan

Thank you so much for running the course - I really appreciated and enjoyed the whole of it. Where else would I have had full access to the knowledge of a professional photographer for four solid days? Fantastic!
Andrew is a star and I am so surprised that in such a short time my understanding of the business in photography has gone through the roof. I know I don't know everything about it but I have now the opportunity to start something fantastic and it's really honestly down to him. No other course would have invested or given so much confidence to me.
The course covered more than I’d hoped for. It’s done exactly what I needed and steered my photography in the right direction alongside what I currently do with studio work.Andrew did a fantastic job – I can’t thank him enough for running the course and I am cracking on with things with a much better understanding of where I want to be in the industry.
Tony Dorey

This course has given me an absolute craving to take better pictures and work harder. Very inspiring and thought provoking. The main thing I learnt is having an open mind to all possible styles of work that produces an income.......and CREATIVITY.
Thank you very much for putting the course together and I would be pleased to highly recommend the course to anyone who is serious and passionate about learning another aspect of photography.
Patrick Kneath

I really enjoyed the course and listening to Andrew throughout the 4 days at Hollingbury. Andrew is the sort of guy that you learn from simply by being in his company, whether you are talking with him or simply just observing.
I found it personally frustrating that we didn't get more of him during this time due to lots of questions, tangents and general off subject conversation. I suppose on reflection, this is something that will always be a factor as people are always completely different on each and every course.
It would be near impossible to ascertain experience levels before a course starts from students because some may well be good with a camera but many will be behind others with Photoshop for example. For example, I consider myself to be lacking in both Photoshop and technique with a lens, but I'm getting there.
On a brighter note, since the course I seem to have gained confidence in asking perfect strangers to do things for me. Recently on the beach I asked some kids to perform for me with their skateboards and a BMX, which is something I would previously never have dreamed of. So Andrew is bang on with his 'Think like a pro…!" attitude.
More hand-outs with Andrew's "Golden Nuggets" of information would have been brilliant for me. Checklists of things to do and even perhaps a few projects to do after the course. I mention this as the day trip was great because we were given a kind of assignment and the results were fascinating. Maybe even a night time aspect; shooting in the dark and tips etc.
Generally speaking, I enjoyed every minute of the course and found it very worthwhile.
The one tip I remember the most was to shoot the back of your hand for correct skin tone exposure in any weather. Priceless!!!!
How about a monthly newsletter with more tips & tricks!! Ha ha, only joking but that is what I wanted to pay to see; a seasoned pro in action and, mostly, that is what I got.
Thank you Andrew for imparting your knowledge and to Gill for organising our arrivals and introductions. It was a pleasure to meet both of you.
Adrian Carey

A very good course; he kept it interesting and factual. Andrew is very helpful and friendly and related well to the students. The critiquing of photos was good, as were the stories from Andrew's early career. Andrew's different angle on pet photographs (my sphere of interest) was very inspiring.
Nigel Goddard

I appreciated that Andrew put effort into communicating some of his experience to us. And it was fun!
Vini Pereira

Nigel in Horse & Hound again.....July 1st 2010

2010-08-09T09:57:00.000-07:00

The one on the left and big one in the middle. Brilliant!

Nigel's first picture in Horse & Hound.....May 13th 2010

2010-08-09T09:53:00.000-07:00

It's the one of the rider falling off at the fence. Well done!

Nigel's first picture sale.....May 6th 2010

2010-08-09T09:43:00.001-07:00

Andrew,

Have made a first picture sale! Agreed to sell outright the picture of Paul Tapner doing his lap of honour for £110. (I thought it was a pretty average photo!) I was offered £50 initially, but returned with £125. He moved to £100 and agreed to meet at £110.

Maybe the picture was worth more, who knows, but at least have £110 in the bank (they fired off an automated payment immediately).

Also spoke to the woman at the hat company who sponsor Paul Tapner and she is reverting to her clients (she also deals with other riders who use their hats). Interesting she was not interested in the picture I sold as they only want pictures of Cross Country eventers wearing their hats, not Show Jumping.

Both companies obviously thought I had been taking equestrian photographs for a long time and asked where I was going next and to show them any good photos of their sponsored riders.

A result!

Nigel Goddard.

PS. I owe you a beer (or two)!

Email from Patrick....June 17th 2010

2010-08-09T09:40:00.001-07:00

Hi Andrew

I am now the Social Diary Photographer for The Latest Magazine in Brighton....which is a free weekly, full colour publication available at over 1000 outlets across the south of England featuring stylish editorial and a huge property listings section with a readership of over 100,000 per week. The magazine comes with Latest 7, the weekly entertainment & fashion guide, complete with TV listings.

I now also cover the monthly Front Cover Photograph for The Peacehaven Directory and last month had some photos and editorial about a disabled ex-soldier completing the Brighton Marathon.

I have recently covered the Sussex Business Awards for Midnight Communications where there were pictures in the Argus and next month Absolute Brighton and Sussex Life.

Also a number of private sporting events (golf and football) with help from Adrian Carey, where I print on site.

Together with the accreditation from the PGA covering the Pro-Am Tournaments across the south of England hopefully I am building up a decent portfolio of work.

Alot of this work has been generated by my networking AND with the knowledge that I gained from your course, which has been such a valuable asset to me.

A BIG THANK YOU once again....

kind regards

Patrick Kneath
Photographer

Course # 1.....10/11 & 17/18 April 2010

2010-08-09T03:12:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of me and the alumni from Course # 1, left to right......

Nigel Goddard

Vini Pereira

Tony Dorey

Roberto Hurtado

Nick Morgan

Adrian Carey

Erika Tambke

Patrick Kneath (on the wall.....he missed day four)