Cambodia February 2017
Once again, we ventured east last month – to the wonder of the world at Angkor Wat in exotic Cambodia. We captured the silk cotton trees growing through the ancient ramparts at dawn, shot hundreds of monks chanting in hypnotic unison at sunset, took portraits of sea gypsies on a community fronting Cambodia’s largest lake, plus indulged in a spot of fish nibbling (don’t ask), snoozed in a super stylish boutique hotel – and came home with some amazing new images – and new found friends.
Thanks to you all who made the trip so special.
And what a warm return to one of our fave hotels – the FCC Angkor. A former governors mansion at the front; and behind – chic modern, floor to ceiling glass rooms, opening out onto the lap pool (and a stones throw from the luxe spa – nice!). This is our base for the next ten days and we couldn’t think of anywhere more relaxing to spend it. What really makes this hotel is the staff – we’re upgraded on arrival and our bags are already in our rooms and a welcome cocktail in our hands. Yum!
First day, we’re running through our exposure, explaining the essential functions of the camera (in non-techy language, of course) and slowly get to grips with our cameras, so before long we’re moving the dials and working our camera manually, without even really realising it. Along the way, the staff provide us with chilled milkshakes to keep our energies up!
Then it’s out to Angkor Wat, a 200 square kilometer complex of temples, wild animals and lakes – simply stunning. It’s easy to understand why Angkor is talked of as the eighth wonder of the world – the largest religious building on earth – and voted by Lonely Planet as the world’s number one sight. Here, our guide escorts us around the central temple, shooting scores of ornate apsara dancers, the light trickling through the ancient monuments.
Great images seem to come quite easily here, everywhere you turn there is something beautiful to shoot. Later, we’re out to taste some Cambodian food – Amok Trey, steamed local river fish in coconut milk – delicious – and Lap Khmer, seared beef in lime, chilli, cucumber and tomato – fresh and perfect for hot weather. In fact, Siem Reap has become a bit of a foodie place these last ten years, every type of cuisine is here, and cheap too. Super high quality Italian, Thai, and more for a fraction of the price back home. The ice cream at the Blue Pumpkin is also too good and we wish it was harder to get to from our hotel.
This morning, we head west to Tonle Sap lake, Cambodia’s largest expanse of open water, and to visit the sea gypsies, who reside along the lake. A short boat trip later, we’re into small hand made carved wooden canoes, for a trip through the mangroves, then to visit the myriad stilted houses where the gypsies live. Fabulous portraiture opportunities here, and miles away from all the tourists.
The next day we’re out to the local temple, where 100 young monks from all over the country reside – each night praying in hypnotic rhythm and an incredible sight; they are also more than happy to have their pictures taken too – giggling to each other as they see the shot on the back of the screen.
After too many cocktails in Miss Wong’s, we’re up early to meet up with Lim, our guide into a rural village, chance to see the impact foreign aid has had on the people living here. Lim points out new water wells, stamped with UN markings, as evidence of change, a new local school – then an open canopied pagoda where we learn how to cook some Cambodian classics, before exploring deep into the village, taking rice along to those in need (and taking some pictures too).
Another early start, and on board a helicopter, chance to see the early light coming over the temples of Angkor. Then after a quick snooze and some well deserved R&R, we’re backstage at Phare, the Cambodian circus formed in 2013, a not-for-profit school designed to train some of the poorest children in the art of acrobatics, dance and performance. Our unique access gets us behind the scenes, chance to put together some of the lessons learned on portraiture to good measure, then it’s into the stands to watch the show.
Our final days are spent bringing together all the skills you’ve learned, and with 1-to-1 guidance from our tutor, shoot a final show ready for our pop-up exhibition in the grounds of the FCC. A stunning ten days spent in the tropics!
And here our are shots of the week …
Shot of the Week – Neil
Who says a leopard can’t change it’s spots? Our landscape photographer turned portrait shooter Neil came alive during our portrait day – and with his signature 20mm lens, Neil makes this shot a stunner!
Shot of the Week – Paddy
Our very own Cartier-Bresson! Throughout the week, Paddy was the photographer standing back and observing, very much the social doc photographer he excelled in our documentary day! Improving his technical skills daily and using what we had learnt – Paddy got this great shot on burst! Brilliant!
Shot of the Week – Sheila
Only on the second day, after cracking her exposures, Sheila shot this beautiful portrait of a food seller outside the temple. She had a natural ability to connect with her subjects and produce real and honest shots, which we all enjoyed throughout the week!
Southend Street
Street Photography Workshop in Southend
Southend – Date: 8 July 2017 & 9 September 2017 – £95
Dust off your camera and join us for a day trip jolly out to Southend, one of the UK’s most quintessential seaside towns. Here we’ll try our hand at street photography, trying out some of the styles that made people famous, but also getting all the technical and creative know-how to make some cracking images of your own.
Sunday’s are the perfect day to head out there, and we’ll start straight out of the station shooting abstract black and whites in the sixties-styled concrete shopping centre, before switching to colour and catching the full English seaside experience along Marine Parade.
Each session, we’ll look at a different photographer – classic and contemporary – and then dissect the skills that gives their image a certain look – and then try it out for ourselves. We’ve only limited spaces so we can give plenty of 1-to-1 tuition to make your images really sing!
The camera makes you forget you’re there. It’s not like you are hiding but you forget, you are just looking so much
— Annie Leibovitz
What you'll learn ...
Fast paced, ever changing and totally challenging, Street Photography is one of the most exciting genres in photography – but also one of the trickiest. On our day, we’ll equip you with all the tricks and tips used by the top professionals, so you’ll come back with shots that will make you smiley. Specifically, we’ll
- Show you some of the best street shots from old school to new school, and work out which styles which suit you
- Understand how top pros make themselves invisible, and get into the best positions for the shot without being seen
- How to sniff out a shot and predict when it’s going to happen
- Reduce snapping and learn how to only concentrate on the shots that matter
- Build your confidence to shoot the kind of pictures you want to take
- Try out a range of different styles to see which one(s) stick
- Pre plan your kit list, which lenses work best, using fill flash and all the technicalities so you’re concentrating on the shot, not your f stop
- Work with you 1-on-1 during the shoot to give you tailored tuition, review your work on the fly and suggest improvements
- Have a final review of your best shots afterwards with a glass of something cold
Most of my photos are grounded in people, I look for the unguarded moment, the essential soul peeking out, experience etched on a persons face
— Steve McCurry
How to book ...
Since most of our tuition will be live, we’ve only got limited spaces for the day. If you want to join us on this historic day, drop us a line to inbox@creative-escapes.co.uk and we’ll send you out a booking form.
Remember almost all of the techniques we’ll show you aren’t techy, so if you haven’t used your camera in a while, no worries! You’ll still get great shots!
Shoot Trump
Live Photojournalist Workshop at Major Demonstration
London – 13 July 2018 – 4pm – 10pm – £95
Over 100,000 people turned onto the streets of London in February 2017 to demonstrate about Donald Trump. From Grosvenor Square, home of the US Embassy, crowds of protesters filled every street, echoed chanting turning the usual quiet streets of Mayfair into one big melting pot; the eventual march down to Trafalgar Square stretched over 2 miles.
On 13 July 2018, Trump will make his first state visit to the UK – and one of the largest demonstrations in history will be held. We’ll be there to shoot him – and in turn learn the art of great photojournalism – trying out some professional skills that have made front page images for generations.
We’ll meet up way before any of the action, and give you a quick lesson on what kit to use, where to stand and how to engage and more. There’ll be a review of images that made the front pages in the last protests, and we’ll give you individual tips on how to get shots just like it. Then to prepare you to shoot amongst the throng, we’ll help you get close, capture the emotion of the day, recognise memorable scenes and making sure you don’t miss them, plus bag all the fanfare of hilarious signage, great costumery and a damn good protest only we know how.
So come join us – places are strictly limited as we do lots of 1-on-1 tuition – and capture some shots that will make the front pages worldwide. We’ll even submit the best of the day to the news wires and hope it’s our name on the footer.
Photos tend to organize chaos, to define what we're doing here. It is essential that individuals' voices depict the world around us, as we are increasingly controlled by large institutions, large companies and large systems.
— Martin Parr
What you'll learn ...
All too often, pictures of protests tend to be taken far away, lack focus and impact. On our workshop, we’ll give you all the skills you need to take professional quality images you won’t believe you could take. Specifically, we’ll
- Guide you inside the protest and show you how to position yourself to get the best shots
- Give you techniques on how to be invisible; so you capture authentic scenes with plenty of emotion
- Learn how to predict what will happen, and zone in on the most memorable scenes of the demonstration
- Equip you with tons of great (and bad) examples of protest photography, so you aim high and shoot the best work you can
- Pre plan your kit list, which lenses work best, using fill flash and all the technicalities so you’re concentrating on the shot, not your f stop
- Work with you 1-on-1 during the demonstration to give you tailored tuition, review your work on the fly and suggest improvements
- Have a final review of your best shots afterwards with a glass of something cold
"It takes a lot of imagination to be a good photographer. You need less imagination to be a painter because you can invent things. But in photography everything is so ordinary; it takes a lot of looking before you learn to see the extraordinary."
— David Bailey
How to book ...
Since most of our tuition will be live, we’ve only got limited spaces for the day. If you want to join us on this historic day, simply click the ‘BOOK NOW’ button below – or if you have a question, click the ‘MAKE ENQUIRY’ – or drop us a line to inbox@creative-escapes.co.uk and we’ll get straight back to you.
Remember almost all of the techniques we’ll show you aren’t techy, so if you haven’t used your camera in a while, no worries! You’ll still get great shots!
