Photography News Issue 30

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Photography News Issue 30 absolutephoto.com

French clickin’ Discover the joy of a tailor-made photo holiday and win a week’s tuition for two in the Dordogne Competition

Imagine the scene: you’re sitting by your tripod on a hillside overlooking the foothills of the Dordogne as they sweep away into the hazy distance, cable release at the ready, the sun sinks towards the horizon, warming the colours of the vineyards and ancient farms; turn around and the misty hills work their way skyward, affording ever more magnificent views. Already satisfied by your afternoon’s shooting, you know you’re about to be recharged by a traditional French four-course dinner and hospitality as you discuss your adventures, and what you’ll be photographing tomorrow. The Kronenberg is already on ice. If you’re thinking ‘get me on a plane – now’, you are not alone. That’s what’s on offer from French Photographic Holidays (FPH), an intimate and friendly company offering photo tours in one of France’s prime locations. Run by Paul and Pam Edmunds, FPH is hidden away in the French countryside just a short drive from Brantome, and the 17th century accommodation feels a world away from the modern world. The company has been offering residential photography courses for more than three years now and is looking forward to another busy season in 2016. We caught up with Paul, a professional photographer with

over 20 years’ experience, to discuss what makes FPH’s courses a special place to learn and enjoy your photography. “One of the things we do,” says Paul, “is really get to know what each individual visitor needs, so they can get exactly the right training or experience. For complete beginners to photography that means demystifying the digital process; and at the other end of the scale, where we’re dealing with experienced enthusiasts, it’s all about setting up a creative environment for them to excel, supplying local knowledge so they get to the right spots at the right times – as well as an up-to-date workstation to process their work.” Another area that Paul finds draws great results is in helping those who’ve just bought new gear but are struggling to get to grips with it. “We certainly find that manufacturers are putting more and more ‘fluff’ on their cameras to compete with other brands, and this confuses a lot of our guests,” he says. “We concentrate on helping our guests to find and use the core functions that really get results and avoid any of the gimmicks; aperture-priority, the importance of controlling depth-of-field, using Raw and so on.” The draw of new kit is certainly strong and people often think it will fill a gap in their shooting skills, which isn’t always the case. Paul

continues: “Guests often ask me do I think they need to upgrade their lenses, and my reply is always: learn to use what you have, it will soon become obvious whether you need to upgrade, or seek out other focal lengths to get the kind of shots you’re after.” After taking this in (along with a lot of Southern French sunshine and top-quality four-course meals made with home-grown seasonal vegetables and locally sourced ingredients), Paul finds that people invest more wisely: “Guests are often thinking of upgrading without really knowing what they’re selling, but after a week with us, they’re well prepared to decide whether a new purchase is actually necessary or not – and do it with confidence – most, in fact, produce top-quality results over the week’s shooting without any need to upgrade, which is a real eye-opener for them. Basically, they learn how to wring the greatest performance from their gear.” So, as well as the wonderful surroundings, comfy environment and top quality cuisine, it’s this hands-on approach to learning that makes a week’s tuition at FPH such a valuable experience: “A number of our guests are on their third or fourth visit here,” says Paul, “and one A-level student told us that she learnt more in one week with us than two years studying at college!”

Fact file

French Photographic Holidays offers tailor-made seven-day residential workshops in the Dordogne region of France. Arrivals and departures are on Saturdays. Prices start at £950, and include full board five-star accommodation. Non-photographers are welcome at a reduced rate. Nearest airports and stations are Bergerac Airport (37 miles), Limoges Airport (42 miles), Bordeaux Airport (123 miles) and Angouleme Station (32 miles), and collection can be arranged. A week includes at least six ‘half day’ shooting trips with a maximum of four photographers per workshop, and all skill levels are welcome. Tripods and other accessories are available.

frenchphotographicholidays.com frenchphotographic@gmail.com

0033 (0) 5535 47485

Enter now to win an amazing photo holiday!

Here’s how the competition works: just answer the questions opposite and email your entry to competition@photographynews.co.uk. If you’re correct you’ll be entered into the second stage of the contest. We’ll contact you and you’ll have 24 hours to send us a landscape image for judging by FPH. Images must be entirely your own work, created solely by you, and no more than 2400px on the longest edge. Please state the camera and lens used to take your image. The closing date for first-stage entries is 3 April 2016 and the winning photographer and guest will need to be able to attend the week-long workshop beginning on 30 April. The photographer with the winning image will be informed by 8 April. The week includes full board accommodation at FPH’s guest house in Les Ages, Brantome, France. Bonne chance! If you like the sound of a photographic holiday in a stunning location, get ready to experience it, as we’re offering readers the chance to win a week’s tuition for two courtesy of French Photographic Holidays, worth £1900

Answer the questions below to be in with a chance of winning Q1: In what region of France is French Photographic Holidays based? A: Dordogne B: Normandy C: Auvergne Q2: How many days do French Photographic Holidays’ trips cover? A: 4 B: 7 C: 10

Terms & conditions This competition is only open to residents of the UK, aged 18 years old and over. The winner will be notified by email and images from the trip will be published in Photography News and on social media. Images submitted for the second stage may be used by French Photographic Holidays and Photography News in connection with the competition; copyright remains solely with the photographer. One entry per reader. Employees of French Photographic Holidays and Bright and their immediate families cannot enter. First-stage entries must be received by 3.4.2016. Entries not in accordance with the rules will be disqualified: by entering the competition, competitors will be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the rules. The prize does not include travel to France and must be taken as offered with no alternative. In the event that the prize cannot be supplied, no liability will attach to Bright.