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Photographers attending Bangkok Photo School summer classes will receive a lot more than expert tuition and a fun-packed learning experience. Our sponsors have kindly donated their very best products. Students could win their photo tuition for FREE and walk away with a host of great prizes.

Read the full course descriptions for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced classes, and the popular Lightroom class.

Every student will receive the following free gifts

1. A Photoshelter archive account, with a coupon for two-months free online hosting (check-out Gavin’s Photoshelter portfolio).
2. A brand new, limited-edition, F-stop camera strap
3. Discount coupons for the inspiring Craft & Vision series of photographic e-books written by pro photographers including David duChemin, Gavin Gough, Andrew Gibson
4. A DVD containing the full course content, X-Rite‘s excellent guide to “Colour Communication for Photographers“, links to further resources and web sites
5. Personal access to the Bangkok Photo School forum, where you can upload your images and enter discussions with other students
6. Special offers on photo tours to Bhutan, Burma, Laos, Tibet and Mongolia

To register for a course and a chance to win these tantalising prizes,

sign-up now.

Venue

Dates: All courses take place on a Monday

Time

Price

The three photography courses; Beginners, Intermediate and Advanced; each contribute to a comprehensive guide to photography. Each course builds upon lessons learned in previous sessions and, together, cover all of the techniques and skills required for you to take control of your camera, allowing you to exercise full creative control, whatever your preferred photographic style and subject matter.

The final Lightroom course completes the process of digital imaging with an introduction to the popular Adobe Lightroom software, with which photographers can manage and process their digital image files.

How does it work?
Courses may be booked individually or together. There is a discount available if you are booking two or more courses at the same time. Courses are designed to build upon lessons learned in previous workshops, combining to give you a comprehensive guide to the art of photography.

What are the dates?
14th June – Beginner
21st June – Intermediate
28th June – Advanced
5th July – Beginner
12th July – Intermediate
19th July – Advanced
26th July – Lightroom Workshop

Where is it?
Courses are held at the Neilson Hays Library in Silom. Afternoon and evening sessions are practical field-trips that take place in various locations in Bangkok. See specific course summaries for details.

How much are courses?
One Course – 7,500 THB
Two courses – 14,000 THB
Three courses – 20,000 THB
Lightroom course – 7,500 THB
Three courses + Adobe Lightroom course – 25,000 THB

Who will be teaching?

The tutor for all courses is Freelance Travel Photographer Gavin Gough. Gavin has many years experience as a professional photographer and has worked for clients including Sony, 3M, National Geographic, Conde Nast and recently shot the cover feature for this year’s Vanity Fair travel edition. He is represented by Getty and Lonely Planet and his work has been exhibited in Bangkok, London and New York. He has taught numerous workshops and has led photographic tours in Europe and Asia, most recently helping photographers to capture the colourful autumn festivals in Bhutan and the famous Kumbh Mela festival in India. See more of Gavin’s work on his web site.

How can I book?
You may register for one or more courses online. When you have completed the registration, you will receive an automated reply detailing payment instructions. Course fees may be paid via ATM or at any branch of the Bangkok Bank. PLEASE NOTE: Your registration is not confirmed until your payment has been received.

Beginners Workshop
An introduction to photography

The Beginners’ course serves as a great introduction to photography. We look at the basic principles involved in capturing an image and learn how the camera interprets what it sees. The course has a very practical bias and our aim is to translate the technical aspects of photography into real-life examples, demonstrating how you can take creative control of your camera’s functions.

This course is ideal for anyone looking to fully understand the capabilities of their camera and will demystify all those curious buttons and dials. Our aim on the Beginners’ Course is to teach you how to use your camera to capture the image that you see in your mind’s eye.

After a morning in the library, looking at basic camera control techniques, we break for lunch and then reconvene in the afternoon for a practical field-trip in Bangkok’s photogenic Chinatown. We will photograph in the late afternoon and early evening, enjoying the best light of the day and putting the day’s lessons into practice.

By the end of the Beginners’ Course, you will have an understanding and appreciation of the following photographic techniques:

• Apertures and Shutter Speeds. The relationship between them and how their use influences the final image.
• ISO. How selecting the right ISO speed will allow you to capture images in low light, without flash.
• White Balance and Colour Temperature. How to ensure that you are capturing colours accurately.
• RAW v JPEG. We explain what these digital formats are and how your choice of format might affect what you can do with your digital files.

What will you need to attend the course?
Any camera, whether digital or film, will be perfect but an SLR or Rangefinder camera would be ideal. If you’re not sure, please ask.

What else will you receive?

• You will leave the course with a comprehensive set of notes, covering all of the techniques discussed, which you can refer to in your own time.
• Access to a private, online forum where you can continue discussions with fellow students and upload your images for review and critique.
• A range of trial software, suitable for anyone looking to manage digital image files.
• Discount vouchers for future Bangkok Photo School courses and workshops held by Gavin Gough.
• A list of web site and resources for further learning.

Intermediate
Continuing to improve your skills

The Intermediate Course continues to build upon skills learned in the Beginners’ Course, enhancing your understanding of the camera functions and giving you greater creative control.

As well as a number of technical skills, you will also learn the art of successful composition, seeing examples of work from a range of professional photographers and seeing how you might translate their compositional ideas into your own work. This section of the course is where we will begin to encourage your creative ideas to flourish.

After a morning in the library, learning technical skills we will break for lunch and then reconvene in the late afternoon at Lumphini Park to practice lessons learned during the best light of the day.

By the end of the Intermediate Course, you will have an understanding and appreciation of the following photographic techniques:

• Camera Metering Modes. You will learn how the camera reads lights and how it interprets what it sees.
• Exposure Control. Knowing how and when to override the camera’s automatic exposure settings will allow you to capture perfectly exposed photographs.
• Composition. What makes a “good” photograph? How can you adapt compositional ideas to give your images more impact.
• Digital Post-Production. We look at the first steps in creating a consistent digital workflow process to help you manage your digital files.

What will you need to attend the course?
Any camera, whether digital or film, will be perfect but an SLR or Rangefinder camera would be ideal. If you’re not sure, please ask.

What else will you receive?

• You will leave the course with a comprehensive set of notes, covering all of the techniques discussed, which you can refer to in your own time.
• Access to a private, online forum where you can continue discussions with fellow students and upload your images for review and critique.
• A range of trial software, suitable for anyone looking to manage digital image files.
• Discount vouchers for future Bangkok Photo School courses and workshops held by Gavin Gough.
• A list of web site and resources for further learning.

Advanced Course
Bringing all your skills together

The Advanced Course brings all of the skills and techniques learned on previous courses together and combines them into a consistent and comprehensive approach to the art of photography.

The course begins with an examination of the work of several successful professional photographers with a discussion of how we can adapt the techniques we have learned to realise our creative vision. We look at the art of photographic story-telling and learn how to plan, construct, shoot and realise a photo essay.

This course also looks at the difficulties of shooting in low-light situations and you will learn techniques to make the most of available light. We also look at fill-flash techniques and understand how different exposure settings can create dramatic effects in low-light.

This sessions concludes with each student undertaking a story-telling exercise on their own. By the end of the workshop, you will have created a series of images and will have the skills and software required to build them into an online photo essay.

After a morning in the library, we break for lunch and then reconvene in the early evening at the colourful Pak Khlong Talaat flower market in Bangkok. This field-trip begins at dusk and continues into the evening where we will photograph after dark, with artificial light and using the skills learned earlier in the day. This is a challenging but enormously rewarding time to photograph and brings the series of courses to an exciting conclusion.

By the end of the Advanced Course, you will have an understanding and appreciation of the following photographic techniques:

• Composition. More advanced compositional ideas will help you create images with drama and impact.
• Low Light Photography. This is one of the most challenging times to photograph but there are various techniques that will help you make the very most of low light situations.
• Story-telling. With Gavin’s help, you will create your own photo essay based upon principles used by news photographers and photojournalists. At the end of the course you will be able to construct your own online slideshow with accompanying audio, which will be supplied for you.

What will you need to attend the course?

Any camera, whether digital or film, will be perfect but an SLR or Rangefinder camera would be ideal. If you’re not sure, please ask.

What else will you receive?

• You will leave the course with a comprehensive set of notes, covering all of the techniques discussed, which you can refer to in your own time.
• Access to a private, online forum where you can continue discussions with fellow students and upload your images for review and critique.
• A range of trial software, suitable for anyone looking to manage digital image files.
• Discount vouchers for future Bangkok Photo School courses and workshops held by Gavin Gough.
• A list of web site and resources for further learning.
• A series of audio files appropriate for adding to your story-telling photo essay.
• Instructions for how to upload your photo essay to our internet server, where your story can be viewed by the world.

Adobe Lightroom
Creating a workflow for digital photographers

Building on the popularity and success of previous Adobe Lightroom workshops, this full-day workshop will give participants the opportunity to create a comprehensive, start-to-finish digital workflow that will allow you to manage your digital images files.

The course content includes lessons on creating a consistent approach to importing, storing, archiving and managing a digital image library. We learn techniques for cataloguing files for quick and easy access and will discuss how Lightroom’s “Search”, “Metadata” and “Collection” functions can be used to your advantage.

The second half of the day is spent looking at real examples of image processing techniques. We learn how to make the very best of a digital image file, looking at ways in which you can realise the creative vision you had when you took the original photograph. This session covers topics including exposure control, white balance, contrast, colour control, tone management, black and white, brushes, gradients and all of Lightroom’s comprehensive development controls.

The aim of the Adobe Lightroom workshop is to equip you with the skills to manage your image library and to process digital files to create the very best images possible.

What will you need to attend the course?

A laptop computer and a copy of the 30-day trial version of Adobe Lightroom software, which can be downloaded for free from the Adobe web site will be useful but not essential.

What else will you receive?

• You will leave the course equipped with comprehensive course notes and a series of instructional videos, made by Gavin Gough, which you can view in the comfort of your own home and at your convenience. Previous students have found these videos, which relate to the course content, to be an invaluable learning resource.
• A series of over 100 Lightroom presets, which build into a step-by-step digital workflow, allowing you to manage and process your digital images files quickly and effectively.

Please complete the booking form below to reserve a place on Summer 2010 photography courses.

You will receive an automated reply, confirming that your booking has been received. This e-mail contains payment instructions.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or specific requests for this course.

cforms contact form by delicious:days

Course fees are as follows:
One Course – 7,500 THB
Two courses – 14,000 THB
Three courses – 20,000 THB
Lightroom course – 7,500 THB
Three courses + Adobe Lightroom course – 25,000 THB

Your course registration is not confirmed until your payment has been received.

I’m delighted to announce that applications are now open for photographers to join a new photo workshop to Laos in October 2010. I’ll be joining forces with Tim Humble to lead the first of his fotofugitive[tours].

Laos is a spectacular destination and the photographic opportunities will be many and varied. It’s a country that retains a traditional charm which is increasingly hard to find elsewhere. The pace of life is unhurried, the climate is fabulous, the people charming and it’s far enough from the main tourist trail to offer a real sense of escapism.

Our photo tour is scheduled to coincide with the colourful Awk Phansa festival, which marks the end of Buddhist Lent. It will be an opportunity to enjoy an aspect of local Buddhist tradition that few people outside Laos will have witnessed.

However, there’s much more to this photo workshop than just great photo opportunities. Tim has a wealth of experience of the country, having lived in Laos for two years. His experience provides us with a unique opportunity to access parts of the country that would ordinarily be out of reach for the casual tourist. As well as the gorgeous temples of Vientiane, the stunning limestone karst landscape of Vang Vieng and the beautiful World Heritage town of Luang Prabang (one of my very favourite places in the world), we will also be travelling further north to spend time with the ethnic minority tribes of Luangnamtha. There will be an opportunity to stay in a village, sampling village life and spending time with the local people. Check out the full itinerary online.

Importantly, there’s another aspect to this photo workshop that made me keen to link up with Tim. He’s worked as a Project Coordinator for ADRA Laos, managing the implementation of water, sanitation and health projects in northern Laos. His understanding of local culture and traditions will give us a unique insight that will prove to be invaluable. Consequently, Tim and I will be discussing ways in which our visit can prove beneficial to the communities we visit so if you join us on this tour, don’t be surprised if we ask you to put down your camera at some point in order to lend a hand. Our aim is to offer you an experience that is socially responsible and culturally sensitive. We’re not going to Laos simply to get nice pictures of monks and temples, we’re going for an unforgettable experience that will be as much about appreciation of the local culture as it will be about photographing it. As I never tire of saying; if photography is about communicating an experience (and it is), then you must have had the experience in the first place. I’m thinking of copyrighting that, I see it cropping up all over the place.

There will, of course, be plenty of opportunities for you to hone your photographic skills. We’ll have leisurely tutorials, challenging exercises and lots of time to review and critique. There will be time for you to work on your own projects and Tim and I will assist you in compiling a cohesive portfolio of images from our two-week adventure.

If you are interested in joining us on this trip, please review the details below and then submit your application online.

Laos Photo Tour

• October 10-24, 2010
• $4,100 from Vientiane
• Visiting: Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Luangnamtha
• Including: Colourful Awk Phansa festival, spectacular karst scenery, UNESCO World Heritage listed temples, village visits & trek
  NGO projects, colourful ethnic groups
• Overview, Itinerary and tour details

The purpose of the Bangkok Photo Workshop is to offer more than just a guided tour to some of Bangkok’s most photogenic locations. During the workshop, you will have the opportunity to define your photographic objectives, discussing different approaches that will allow you to achieve your goals. The Photo Workshop is very much a practical exercise and we will spend time in some of Bangkok’s liveliest street markets. We will look at how a structured approach will give you better results and will devote time to constructing a photo essay.

Bangkok is known as the Land of Smiles with good reason. Thai people are friendly and hospitable and photographers keen on improving their street photography will enjoy varied opportunities to produce memorable portraits of market traders, stall holders and smiling tuk-tuk drivers. The colourful markets offer an unlimited number of opportunities to practice compositional skills and to get to grips with creative exposure techniques. Time on the workshop can be devoted to perfecting a variety of skills involving slow-shutter speeds, controlling depth-of-field and to being able to anticipate the “decisive moment”.

It’s all about “seeing”!

One of the other things that makes this Photo Tour different is that we look at things participants can do to enhance and improve their visual awareness. Photography is about more than just pointing a camera in the right direction and pressing the right buttons. It is, of course, about seeing and photographers are often pleasantly surprised to be asked to put their cameras away for the first part of the workshop. The aim is for you to leave the workshop not only a better photographer but also with a keener eye and a greater appreciation of your surroundings.

Our aim will be to reduce the time spent playing with camera settings and to maximise the time available to experience the locations we visit, interacting with local people and discovering ways of constructing simple but effective compositions. Here are just a few of the comments received from previous Photo Workshop participants:
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What are people saying?

“Thank you for a great day of photography. You obviously know your craft and your rapport with the folks in the market and Chinatown is to be admired. You have a real way with people. I learned a lot.” Larry Abbott

“What a gift… offering others an insight into your wonderful world of photography. I enjoyed every second. You offered professionalism, approachability and good humour. I could have started all over again today!” Lesley Fisher

“I just wanted to thank you for a very special day. I enjoyed it immensely. I really felt I gained a different insight in photographing people and felt I connected with the people I photographed, which felt very good for me.” Julie Claydon

“Just a quick note to say thank you so much for the photo tour the other morning, I thoroughly enjoyed all of it, and learned a lot from you. Going out shooting with you has given me a lot more confidence.” Suzanne Barker

“A very generous person who shared with me a lot of things including a few of his trade secrets. Many thanks Gavin for the great learning experience ” Florian Fernando

“Thank you for an excellent day and the wonderful advice. I am thrilled with the results and feel inspired to take my photography beyond the standard portrait work I have been doing.” Raine Sinclair

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What is the format?

The Bangkok Photo Workshop can be designed to suit your specific requirements. If there are particular techniques you would like to try or specific locations that you would like to visit then these can be incorporated into the workshop. A typical workshop format would look like this:

• Half-day: We meet beside the river for an early-morning trip on the Chao Phraya river taxi to Pak Klong Talaat, the largest wholesale flower and vegetable market in Asia. Topics covered include camera control; preparation and anticipation; creative exposure settings; compositional guidelines; street portraiture. We spend time constructing a photo story, pausing to review lessons learned over a mid-morning cup of tea. The morning concludes with a tuk-tuk ride to a local cafe for lunch, where we review the photographs made during the workshop with a discussion about future projects.

• Full-day (weekday): The morning session follows the format for the half-day tour (above) but after a mid-afternoon break to escape the hottest and brightest part of the day we meet again at about 4pm, in time to photograph the enchanting Chinatown area in the best light of the day. The afternoon session is designed to consolidate the lessons learned during the morning within a more structured approach. We set out with specific photographic goals in mind and concentrate on building a portfolio of images suitable for use in a photo essay. The workshop concludes with an opportunity to create some long-exposure photographs, either of the traffic and neon lights of Chinatown or from a vantage point from where we can see the sun set behind the magnificent Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn). We review the day’s activities and discuss ideas for future projects.

• Full-day (weekend): Weekend workshops offer an opportunity to travel a little further afield. We cover the same topics of camera control; preparation and anticipation; creative exposure settings; compositional guidelines and street portraiture but do so whilst visiting some of the most photogenic locations within a short car journey from central Bangkok. You will be collected from your hotel and driven to the busy fishing village of Mahachai, where we can see fishing boats unloading, the fish market in full-swing and the street market traders selling their produce. From there we travel to Mae Klong, the only market in the world with a working train line running through its centre. After seeing the narrow market stalls magically divide to allow the passenger train to pass through we pause for lunch at a local street cafe. After lunch we drive the short distance to Amphawa where we take a long-tail boat ride along the klong (canal) and visit some of the local temples (wats) before heading back to Bangkok.

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How much does it cost?

Half-Day Tour

1-2 people: $350 total

3-6 people: $150 per person

Full-Day Tour

1-2 people: $650 total

3-6 people: $250 per person

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What’s included?

Pretty much everything. All transport costs for ferries, taxis, tuk-tuks and long-tail boats are included, as well as any entry fees to temples or palaces. You need only bring enough local currency (Thai Baht) for refreshments.

What else do I need?

Your workshop check-list might include the following

• Camera!
• Lenses: wide-angle lenses, medium zooms and fixed focal length lenses are ideal.
• Charged batteries
• Formatted memory cards
• Flash/Strobe – if you especially want to but we discuss various ways to make the most of the available light
• Tripod – useful on the full-day workshops
• Sun-screen. Bangkok can be very hot
• Hat/Scarf – to protect you from the sun, we spend a lot of time outside
• Spare shirt/blouse.

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Booking

Whether you’re a keen beginner or a serious professional, simply complete the booking form to reserve a half-day or full-day workshop. I will reply with confirmation of your booking if the date is available or a list of alternative dates if it is not. You will also receive a full itinerary including a list of what to bring on the day together with a PayPal invoice for 50% of the total cost. The remaining amount is payable at the conclusion of the tour, either in Thai Baht or US Dollars.

I look forward to welcoming you to Bangkok. If you have any questions, comments or feedback, please use the contact details at the foot of this page.

As a photographer who has worked with Lightroom since it’s first Beta release and who uses the application on an almost daily basis, I have learnt how to utilise the power of the software to my advantage and have developed methods of production that allow me to make the very best from my images.

A comprehensive workflow solution

My Lightroom tuition classes go beyond giving a simple overview of the software and provide photographers with a comprehensive, step-by-step workflow that will allow them to manage, process and export their images with the minimum of fuss.

Courses can be customised according to students’ level of experience and will suit those new to the software as we as more advanced Lightroom users. Classes typically include discussions and examples of the following topics:

• Archiving and storage – how to set up and maintain a robust image library
• Importing – creating and maintaining a consistent approach
• Catalogue management – flagging, rating, labelling, filters and collections based around a consistent workflow process
• Processing – bringing your images to life with a step-by-step processing workflow
• Output – creating a consistent approach to exporting images for print, screen and other distribution

Participants receive a free USB thumb-drive containing:

1. Comprehensive class notes
2. Free Greyscale Identity Plate
3. 18 video tutorials
4. 132 ready-to-install presets
5. 8 full-size test RAW files
6. Full list of keyboard shortcuts
7. List of further reading and additional resources
8. Follow-up support via email and telephone
9. Discount vouchers for further classes and photo workshops

Class format

• 1-4 students
• 4 hour session
• Time and venue to suit participants

How much does it cost?

• $350 or 11,500 Thai Baht for up to four people
• ($300 or 10,000 Thai Baht for photo workshop or Bangkok Photo School students)

Booking

Please complete the booking form, stating your preferred workshop date. You will receive confirmation by e-mail together with a full course itinerary, joining instructions and a PayPal invoice for 50% deposit. The balance is payable on the day of the class.

Saturday 20th February, 2010 - SOLD OUT
Tuesday 23rd February, 2010 - SOLD OUT

Our One-Day Creative Photography Course is a balance of technical, inspirational and practical teaching. The day is divided into a morning classroom session and a late-afternoon practical field-trip. Our aim is to spark your imagination and inspire you to find fresh approaches in your photography.

Some of the topics that we discuss include:

• Taking your cues from new sources of inspiration
• Photographing from different perspectives
• Learning from photographers with a bold and dynamic approach
• Looking at unusual compositional techniques, breaking rules for dramatic results
• Looking at the role of colour and using it to create impact
• Observing light and playing with exposure in creative ways.

Course Information

Dates: Saturday 20 February or Tuesday 23rd February
Morning: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Classroom session at the British Club, Silom, Bangkok
Afternoon: 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Practical field-trip at nearby, outdoor venue
Course Fee: 5,000 Baht
What do you need?: A digital SLR camera is useful but not essential.

We will send you full joining instructions before the start of the class.

Book Now

Places on our one-day course will be limited so please book early if you would like to join us.