Rolleston Community Workshop

10 September 2015

Sometimes the Photography Gods give you everything that you could possible need to make wonderful pictures; great light and location, wonderfully co-operative subjects and enthusiastic photographers. This was the case on Thursday afternoon in Rolleston, where the My Space/Our Place Community Workshop took place between 4-7pm. Nine participants met at the Rolleston School Library to attend the workshop, and facilitator Sean was told that the Rolleston Photography Club actually has an enormous 22 members! Such a vibrant club in a regional area.

Workshop participants are always encouraged to look at, and think about the light when making photographs; portraits can be improved by using direction natural light from a window, for example. But it is not often that a workshop takes place right at Magic Hour, when the setting sun throws beautiful warm light over everything and produces saturated colours and long, sweeping shadows. The Rolleston workshop photographers had a great time walking around their small town at this time of day, with some people even taking the opportunity to get in their cars and drive to places where they knew they wanted to photograph. It was a good example of how important local knowledge is when you know exactly where to go to get the shots you are after. 

Not only were participants able to go to the locations they knew well, but the local community spirit and close nature of the town also afforded photographers the opportunity to interact with their neighbours and photograph them with great warmth and tenderness. This workshop offered a poignant example for the photographers (and all photographers) just how advantageous it can be to point your camera at the people closest to you. 

Tip: Photograph people you know well, and who are comfortable around you. When you practice photography around people who know you well, they are more inclined to relax and be natural when you make a picture. You don't need to rush in and start photographing straight away. Sometimes it is great to have a chat first, see what is going on and get a feel for the situation, and then when things are really comfortable for you and the subject, you can start to photograph. 

Rolleston Community Photographers: Den Houghton, Chris Priddle, Cassandra Johnston, Karen Hyde, Sheena Crittle, Ruth Jones, Kristy Gibson, Diane Priddle, Kate Mayne.