the photo workshop

Part 1 here

So I finally arrived at the workshop venue.

To my surprise and delight, I was one of 3 late people!

One of the ladies looked as frazzled as I imagine I looked.

I grabbed some lunch and found a seat.

By some strange coincidence, I was one of two people with a point and shoot camera. We were both at a 2nd table while the rest were at table number 1.


Have I mentioned that I didn’t buy the fancy camera after all?

I felt too rushed and I really hate wasting money, especially with my number 1 financial goal being to pay off my bond this year. I felt like there were too many things to still research and think about, and it would be better for me to take my time.

That made me feel a little bit out, as well as not having my kid (s) there.

But very soon I was SO glad I’d followed my instinct of leaving mine behind because the kids wanted to show their mothers their crafts and I don’t know how those other ladies concentrated. They obviously have super powers of focus.

We went through the technical stuff (f.stop, ISO and such) and then did rules of composition and her personal tips of taking photos with kids.

I don’t like giving much away in blog posts (or emails) because I feel you need to go and experience it all. It’s not fair to the expert to have someone blog about the whole thing and have you miss out on her brilliance by being there. (I talk like this in real life – promise)

But I will say this – I realized again why I like workshops. It’s an opportunity to physically do the thing instead of just reading about it on a photo blog. I read tons of photo blogs and had seen a lot of these things but it’s not the same til you DO it for yourself.

So while she was talking I was taking tons of pics of my pencil bag, notebook, trees, the baby in front of me, practicing my “standard” settings vs fiddling with the new settings.




I never have much time to fiddle and I loved it.

I could then see the difference in the pics. Always fantastic.

After all the explaining, the mothers got to practice on their kids and I tagged along and took pics of random kids. I actually found it a lot easier trying to get pics of other kids rather than my own - maybe because the emotion is less and it's all about capturing the story, or the cuteness?

I don’t know if they’re any good technically but these are some of my favourites. Some looked terrible but hey, I was trying framing and whatnot! The beauty of digital is the delete key.

love her smile

then I told her I loved her husky, sexy voice and she laughed and smiled some more :)

this little guy told me how to climb a tree and that he's very good at climbing. I agree; don't you?

he is very sure-footed!

On Jeanette's website, there's a pic of me standing on the trampoline. I was taking pics of two cuties - this little one and another with GORGEOUS curls

Once I start moving and sitting/ lying on grass, sand, etc. I get into it.

And that was that – I can now cross off another item on my 36 things list.

I do think most of us (in Jhb esp) who take pics of our kids and other randomness should go attend a workshop, except if you’re already fairly professional and are happy with your pics. I’m not happy with blur and hopefully I’ll get less of it now. And a couple of more interesting pics.

Have you ever attended a photo workshop? Do you plan to?

P.S. I have some GORGEOUS pics of other people's kids but I'm not comfortable putting their faces on the web without the parents' permission so all you get are feet :)