OPEN DAY

So I released my open day basically to encourage photographer to shake the dust off they’re lens and get out and shoot some cool models, this day was released 2 week prior to the event and all the e tickets were snapped up in a matter of 2 hours, we had 50 photographers travelling from as far as Dublin attending and a great collection of models who wanted to expand their portfolios. This is a FREE event I run once a year.

I started off with explaining that the day was an open day and no instruction or coaching was to be given as such, on each e ticket I asked what level of photography each member considered themselves at and over 90% considered themselves amateur but after looking at the results I can honestly say that they’re a bit further ahead than they think!

I called in a few favours for helpers on the day that included Chris Canavan from Oakleaf Photography, Geard O Kane and Geard Gormley, the guys had little work to do as so many were confident of setting on each camera!

We made our way out to a cool pop art area at the back of my workspace which warmed up every photographers to shooting models, this allowed each member to use the natural light and start with directing some of the model in certain poses and giving them the best results pebbles on each shot taken.

A quick outfit change from the models and photographers all made our way outside for a few cool group shots, smoke bombs goings off and posed shots, this easily became apparent to me that every photographer was growing in confident along side the models that attended, the wind was cutting the models in half with a chill and even a bit of rain didn’t dampen spirits as the session continued.

I didn’t expect it but a lash of rain started and off back to the studio, I continued with some off camera flash and 2 to 3 hours in each photographer jumped at the chance to push themselves to try different settings and light frames and again the confidence grew with each passing minute from everyone until the stage where I sneaked off and blasted 2 cups of tea down the hatch.

All in all I believe this was a great taster on what can be achieved by photographers who step out of their comfort zone and try something new and exciting but I fully understand it can be scary at times trying to direct and achieve a set of artistic images, this was easily one of my favourite open days to date and im really tempted to release another in the summer “when its warmer” and when the days have a stretch in them.

Final super shout out to Magic Beans Films who are based in Limavady, I can rant on here for another few sentences but literally its easier to let their work do the talking as its completely EPIC, Neil and Caroline are and couples team who cover commercial branding and Wedding videography so definitely check these guys out and get booking!