Fashion Photography

A few weeks ago I saw that our local museum was running a free fashion photography workshop with a professional photographer. I gave them a call and had a chat how I would like to come along as it may improve my people pictures, and they put me on the list.

So this morning in exchange for being allowed to go on this workshop in the afternoon I took both Baby and Toddler out to a Dads group "Men Behaving Daddly". Excellent name for a group I think. I have to say that as a groups of Dads (I don't know what you call a group of Dads, maybe a knackered of Dads or something similar) we were spoilt rotten.

I have been to quite a few groups with the Mums and never have I been presented with a choice of bagettes to go with my coffee. Both little ones had a fun time and Wife got to have a nice bath and some time to herself.

So after a quick lunch I cashed in my newly earnt credits and went down to the museum for the fashion workshop. I was a bit worried that being a t-shirt and jeans guy it was not going to be my thing but it was free and any advice is good in my book. Even though I was early I was one of the last there out of a group of about 15 or so. As I took my seat they were going round the room doing introductions.

At this point I realised that I should not have worried about being out of place as the none of the group had any interest in fashion and pretty much all just wanted to learn how to use their camera a bit as in most cases that had not read the instruction booklet that came with it.

I was a little thrown by the sudden drop in expectaions from the workshop but not half as much as the proffessional photographer as he suddenly realised he could not run the session as planned and then had to spend the next hour and a half showing a few of the group the basics, whilst the others just sat there.

Also no model had turned up so people in the group took turns to step in. I say took turns, one chap went up for a minute and then this guy who was a builder who took pictures on site was asked and he ended up standing there bored for about 20 minutes whilst about three of us got to take his picture. In fact he got so fed up that he ended up getting his camera out and started snapping others around the room whilst modeling.

After the hour and a half we had a quick break and when we reconvened for the what was going to be the last half hour the builders friend stood up and said that he and builder bloke would not be returning from the break. Clearly he was worn out from his modeling. Five minutes later the Photographer wrapped things up and said that maybe he would try and redo the session as originally planned after people had got to know their cameras.

So in all there was not a lot of photography and even less fashion and I left feeling like I had wasted my credits and child free time a bit really as I had already read the instructions to my camera. I did however have a good look at the photographers lighting set up and he did give some good tips on budget lighting which were interesting enough to warrant the free addmission, though I think I may have been better off going to buy some new trainers instead.