FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL FAQs

GENERAL FAQS

'IN WHICH LANGUAGE ARE THE WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED?'
All workshops are conducted in English.


‘HOW DO I REGISTER OR JOIN ONE OF THE WORKSHOPS?’
First you have to send an email to indicate your workshop preference. When you receive a confirmation email that a place has been reserved for you, you will be requested to make a non-refundable payment to confirm your participation. The balance is paid on the first day of the workshop or by bank transfer. Please DO NOT make any payments until you receive a confirmation email.


‘WHAT HAPPENS IF I DECIDE TO CANCEL MY PARTICIPATION AFTER MAKING REGISTRATION PAYMENT?’
Once the payment is made, it is non-refundable, non-transferable and exceptionally may be used as a credit for a future participation should you decide to cancel. This exception (which is not guaranteed) can only be applied if you cancel in advance. Check your schedule and consider carefully before signing up and making payment.


‘I CANNOT JOIN THIS GROUP. WHEN IS THE NEXT WORKSHOP ?’
Several workshops are organised over the year. If you cannot join this group, send an email and you will be included in the mailing list.


‘I DO NOT HAVE A CAMERA. SHOULD I BUY ONE NOW FOR THE WORKSHOP ?’
It is a chicken and egg situation here. Which comes first? Buy a camera and learn how to use it or learn how to use a camera and buy one later that meets your photography needs after the workshop?
I am more inclined to advice buying a camera before the workshop so you can discover more about your camera during the workshop.

Available for rental (EUR30 for the duration of your workshop) is a digital SLR camera.  This needs to be reserved in advance.  There are also 2 film SLR cameras available for use during the workshop (no charge). They need to be reserved in advance.



‘WHICH CAMERA SHOULD I BUY?’
This is a hard question. You will not go wrong choosing either Nikon or Canon. Any other major brands (Sony, Pentax, etc are just as good). I am more familiar with Nikon and Canon. As there are several models to choose from within a brand, it can get quite confusing.

The best thing is to plan a budget for it and see what works best for you. When selecting a camera, do not choose base on price alone. You should actually hold the camera in your hands and ‘feel’ if it suits you and if you are comfortable with all the buttons and menu layout. Generally, bigger hands will feel comfortable with a Nikon (D700, D300, D200, D90, D80, D7000, D3100) and smaller hands tend to go for Canon (60D, 50D, 40D, 550D, 500D, 450D).

The camera models mentioned above are reasonably hi-spec cameras. They allow you to grow your photography passion versus the entry level DSLRs which I find can be sometimes restricting. Again – it all depends on how far you want to go and budget constrants.

Available for rental (EUR30 for the duration of your workshop) is a digital SLR camera.  This needs to be reserved in advance.  There are also 2 film SLR cameras available for use during the workshop (no charge). They need to be reserved in advance.



‘I HAVE A CAMERA. HOW DO I KNOW IF MY CAMERA SUITS THE WORKSHOP ?’
It is strongly recommended to have an SLR camera to have a better workshop experience.  All workshops are designed for SLR cameras so you should have an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) film or digital camera. The camera should also allow you to switch off the auto functions and work with it manually. Ideally, you should at least have a zoom lens of 35-70mm (film) or 18-55mm (digital) – but not a requirement. A bridge camera is acceptable for the workshop.  Bear in mind that you will reach some limitations of your bridge camera.  Compact cameras are not suitable for these workshops.


'I MIGHT MISS 1 OR 2 SESSIONS. WHAT HAPPENS?’
It is highly recommended that you do not miss any session. The workshop groups are small and intensive. Especially so for the first 3 sessions as we will cover some very important topics. Most of the participants are working professionals and it is understandable that some may have a tight schedule that might involve travelling. No refunds or make-up sessions are offered. Basically, if you cannot commit yourself to the schedule, it is best not to sign up. Either sign up for a weekend workshop or wait for the next workshop that suits your schedule.


‘WHAT IS THE SIZE OF THE GROUP?’
Depending on the type of workshop, it ranges between 7 – 12 participants.

‘HOW ARE THE WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED?'
The workshops are conducted in a non-classroom and relaxed atmosphere. Non-textbook methods by means of explanations and interactive discussions. A beamer is used for slide presentations and viewing images. Questions are answered by examples or taking an actual shot during the workshop and discussed openly. If you use a digital camera, images maybe uploaded and discussed within the group



BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP FAQS?

'WHAT TOPICS ARE COVERED IN THE BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?'
Please refer to the menu “WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION” and the relevant section.


'I AM TOTALLY NEW TO PHOTOGRAPHY. PERHAPS I MAY NOT FIT INTO THE GROUP?'
Everyone has to start somewhere. Be rest assured the other participants are just like yourself. We will be covering all the basics of handling and operating your camera.


‘WILL WE DISCUSS ABOUT FILM OR ANALOGUE CAMERAS?’
Yes, but only when relevant. There are slight differences between film and digital cameras which will be pointed out. However most of the topics covered during the Basic Photography Workshop are relevant for both types of cameras. Film or digital equipment, a bad shot still remains a bad shot!


‘DOES THE WORKSHOP COVER SOFTWARE USE LIKE PHOTOSHOP OR LIGHTROOM?’
While I will be using some software for demonstration purposes, we will not be going into the software part. There is a separate software workshop if you wish to learn more about using software to post-process your images.



PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS FAQS

'I JUST BOUGHT A DIGITAL SLR CAMERA AND DO NOT ANYTHING ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY. IS THIS WORKSHOP SUITABLE FOR ME?'
The answer is “NO”. This workshop is meant for participants who have attended the Basic Photography Workshop or who already know how to control exposure and use the camera in its manual mode.


'I DO NOT HAVE A DIGITAL CAMERA BUT AM QUITE WELL VERSED IN USING A FILM CAMERA MANUALLY. SO I AM PLANNING A SWITCH TO DIGITAL. CAN I ATTEND THE WORKSHOP?'
There is only 1 digital spare camera available for rent at a modest rate of €30 if you wish to get your hands “wet” in the digital world. After the workshop, you can decide if you wish to switch to digital. To get the most out of the workshop, you should have a digital SLR camera.


I HAVE NOT ATTENDED THE BASIC PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP BUT I AM PRETTY SURE I KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY. SO CAN I JOIN THE PRACTICAL PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOP?
Yes, if you are confident that you are somewhere ‘in-between’ or knowledgeable. The basic workshop covers the principal operations of the camera. Very detailed discussions about the relation of shutter speeds, apertures, ISOs and some common features of the camera. We also focus a lot on manual operation of the camera, exposures and choice of lenses. And lots of stuff that some 'experienced' photographers may not be aware of.

The level of personal knowledge of basic photography is very subjective.... and some people could be one of those 'in-between' in knowledge. I have had in-between people signing up and thought they knew stuff but they didn't and there were others who felt that the workshop was a bit basic for their level but they still came out from the Basic workshop discovering things they were not aware of. There have been those who signed up for the Practical and were totally lost.... as there is insufficient time to explain the basics while others were able to follow. For the Practical Worskhop, it is theory and out shooting the weekend as a group so people are actually faced with live challenges and I can explain and do demos. So I can't really say what might be suitable for you.

If you are still not gripping some of the stuff, it might be worthwhile to join the Basic and see what you have been missing.



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