Following on from the success of last autumn’s workshop, a new set of street shooting enthusiasts from the photo clubs of Loire Atlantique Photo, joined me for a spring weekend in Nantes & Saint Nazaire.
Once again we were blessed with wonderful and unusually warm weather, which is not only pleasant as a personal comfort, but also helps the street photographer to interact with the general public in a more receptively open and positive mood. The big annual flea-market took place in Nantes on the Saturday which lent a colourful and community spirit to the day’s events, a welcome relief from the disruptive and sometime violent atmosphere associated with recent “gilets jaunes” protests.
As is my custom, I lead the group to various locations I knew well, that offered specific opportunities and challenges. Often this involves combining certain technical skills with developing a creative viewpoint. The submarine base in Saint Nazaire is a particular case in point, where it is important to understand how overriding the camera’s automatic settings is essential in handling such extreme conditions of lighting.
Another very satisfying weekend, where once again the singularity of each person’s point of view came to the fore and demonstrated that in street photography there are no right or wrong answers, just alternative ways of seeing.
“Thank you Tim for this super weekend, for your insightful advice, and for the cheerful atmosphere of the group. I was able to sharpen my eyes and learn to approach situations in new ways. All that remains is for me to practise, practise some more, try, fail, and hope to progress slowly but surely.” Christophe