I've been a passionate photographer since setting up a darkroom and portrait studio in my bedroom back in the late 1980s, over 30 years ago! I started running Paris photo tours for enthusiasts from all over the world and making short photo analysis videos in the early 2000s when I was using my good old Nikon SLRs. The idea for creating my own photography course was already brewing but I always wanted it to be something exceptional and I never felt the time was right. Until now.
The Creative Smartphone Photography Masterclass is the culmination of three decades of artistic endeavour, and is intended to be the only photographic training most enthusiasts will ever need.
Although I use the word smartphone in the title, that's simply because most people have one these days and they are actually really good cameras. The core of what you will be learning and practising applies to everyone, whatever sort of device you happen to be holding in your hands.
Capturing Hearts & Minds
Great photos are made in the hearts and minds of the photographers before any dials are set or buttons are pressed. I will be showing you how to call on your life experience to inject true passion and pathos into your shots to take them to deeper levels of meaning and impact.
Having said that, I'm a great fan of modern technology and we will be making sure you are perfectly familiar with your smartphone camera as well as the essential techniques and apps you can use to experience the same sort of post-processing thrill I got from playing around in my bedroom darkroom so many years ago.
Awaken Your Sleeping Creative Genius
I've been a dedicated Paris photo chronicler (publishing images and words) for many years now, but I want to stress that all my pictures on this page, taken and played with on a standard smartphone, are just examples to inspire you and give you ideas. I won't be telling you or teaching you to take photos like me or in my style. One of my main aims is to help you find YOUR style, which probably won't be anything like mine, and that's great!
By the end of this masterclass, your way of looking at the world will have changed forever. You will be able to imagine wonderful, striking shots wherever you are, and have the technical and artistic skills to turn your visions into reality. Perhaps most importantly, you will become more sensitive to people and things around you. You will be able to sense slight changes in light and atmosphere and people's moods and anticipate future possibilities, reacting to them accordingly. Photography isn't just about pretty pictures; it's about pretty much everything.
