Learn Grow Express Programme
Making your best – even better
What is the Learn Grow Express (LGE) Programme?
Who is the LGE Programme for?
The Learn Grow Express Programme is for all those passionate photographers seeking inspiration and encouragement. If you want to connect with your latent potential, making your best – even better, then here is a photography learning programme designed just for you.
The LGE Programme will benefit photographers of all skill bases from beginner to advanced worker. The programme can be used in any photographic genre or medium.
The thinking and CameraWork skills offered are of equal value to all photographers. Your day to day photographic practice will be transformed by the LGE Programme. The programme will enlarge your photographic vision and style.
Three Part Photography Learning Programme
Learn Grow Express is a three-part learning programme leading to a designated creative outcome. For example, you may want to prepare an exhibition, a book, or a distinction application.
Three levels of Tuition
The LGE Programme initially adds technical CameraWork skills such as Depth of Field, Exposure control and Focus, on One-Day Introduction Workshops. With the LGE Programme the emphasis is on the word gradually. It is important to embed practices so that you become unconsciously competent.
These basic skill are enhanced on Residential Workshops, by introducing the thinking skills to recognise Attraction, Background and Compositional balance.
Masterclasses offer in-depth facilitation to allow you to take and make pictures for a specific purpose.
What will I learn?
Learning is a lifelong process of adding pieces to the jigsaw puzzle of skills, knowledge and awareness. This Introduction page to the Learn Grow Express Programme is just one piece of the puzzle to enlarge your photographic vision and style.
Page Contents
1 – Beginnings and Endings
The LGE Programme is effectively a step change model. The programme provides the steps or pathway for you to connect with your talent, vision and style. By breaking big changes into small manageable steps your chance of success is greatly increased.
To quote Dr Stephen Covey “Begin with the end in mind”.
Having a destination and a road map (LGE Programme) gives you a far better opportunity to arrive near where you planned. Your ending point may not be exactly as you thought, no creative endeavour is that straightforward. The body of work you create along the way is testament to the changes in your photography practice and determination.
2 – The Learning Zone
For our ability as photographers to grow we need to spend a greater proportion of our time in the Learning zone.
Before we discuss the Learn Grow Express Programme, LGE needs to be put into context. The major idea supporting the LGE Programme is the use of the learning and performance zones. A Learning Zone is a safe place to learn without the pressure to consistently get it right.
Left – Current situation – more time is spent doing than learning
Right – Proposed – more time is allocated to the Learning Zone
A Performance Zone is the time used to take pictures of significance that matter to you. The proportion of our time we allocate to the learning and performance zones is vital to our growth as photographers.
Read how you can benefit from being in the Learning Zone more often
3 – Who benefits most from the
Learn Grow Express Programme?
The LGE programme is for passionate photographers seeking to be inspired and encouraged to connect with their potential to make their best, even better.
“Life is not about finding yourself, life is about creating yourself”
George Bernard Shaw
Ratio of Women to Men Clients
- Men 55%
- Women 45%
How will you benefit from the LGE Programme?
- A structured learning programme
- Printed Workshop Manuals
- Learn at your own speed
- Choose what you want to learn
- Enhancement of your thinking and practice
- Confirm your photographic vision and intent
- Make a lasting emotional engagement with the viewers of your photographs
- Become the best photographer you can be
“Great works are performed not by strength but by perseverance”
Dr Johnson
4 – The LGE PURPOSE
Over a series of workshops and masterclasses the emphasis moves from how to why
As you move through the programme the balance of who makes decisions about your photography learning will change. My role on the introduction workshops and the residential workshops is mainly to be an instructor.
Once we come to the masterclasses I become a facilitator where you are deciding what you want to do and how to do it. My job is to help you get there and ask some searching questions along the way.
Modular Structure
Each stage of the LGE programme builds on the previous step. For this reason it is highly recommended that you attend the relevant one-day introduction before booking the residential workshop.
A residential masterclass is not a stand-alone module, it is based on the groundwork laid down a residential workshop.
Learn – One-day workshops are an introduction to the LGE Core Content (see below), working towards your evolution as an expressive photographer.
Grow – Residential Workshops are to expand the ideas put forward in one-day Introduction workshops. Photographers will be making more decisions, going out to shoot ‘with a purpose in mind’.
Inspiring Case Studies
Photographers like you find it easy to make big changes to their work with a little inspiration and encouragement
Express – In the residential masterclasses photographers have their own projects and use the experience already gained from a residential workshop. My role as leader will be more facilitator than instructor. LGE Masterclasses provide the opportunity for you to explore self-expression and artistic interpretation.
5 – Before a Workshop or Masterclass
Your LGE Programme Objectives
The aims of each workshop participant are different. Some will come with a clear view of what they want at the end of the LGE Programme, others may want or need some guidance.
Artistic Awareness Survey
Each workshop participant will have their own reasons for signing up and aspects of photography they wish to learn or improve.
The Artistic Awareness Survey will help you work out what you do and do not know about photographic seeing.
The Artistic Awareness Survey will help you identify your skills and knowledge gaps.
6 – The Learn Grow Express Programme Manuals
When you sign up, the cost of the workshop or masterclass includes a one free copy of the manual. You will be sent a free copy of the ABC of CameraWork Manual – How to see photographically Worth £25
If you sign up for a Mono Printing Masterclass, you will be sent a free copy of the The Dark Art worth £20
7 – The Workshop or Masterclass
One-day Introduction Workshops
The one-day introduction workshops are perfect for getting you into the mood and idea of the LGE concept.
Show > Do > Review
We will spend the day briefly mainly focusing on the technical aspects of the ABC of CameraWork. We will be looking at D for Depth of field, E for Exposure, F for Focus and lastly G for Gently.
In passing, we will touch on the emotional aspects of the ABC of CameraWork. For example, A for Attraction, B for Background and C for Composition.
Residential Workshops
On Residential Workshops we will have far more time to go into the details. Depending on the subject the workshops can last that between five and eight days . The residential workshops build on the information given in the one-day introductions.
The content of a residential workshops is in two parts. Firstly, a technical portion dealing with CameraWork, secondly, there will be a fair amount of time given to the emotional subjects such as A for Attraction and C for Composition.
Residential Masterclasses
On a residential masterclass there is the opportunity to express yourself photographically based on what what you have learnt so far. My role as workshop leader becomes more facilitator than educator. My job will be to inspire and encourage.
You will have the opportunity to discuss and develop your plans with Andy on Skype. Therefore, you will come prepared with a predetermined plan that you wish to complete during the masterclass. Your plan may be used in conjunction with other projects you are doing.
For example, self-publishing a photography book, working towards an exhibition either online or in the real world or a distinction application. The masterclass is there to build the skills and knowledge you need for your project objectives.
8 – Learn Grow Express Core Content
A
Attraction
Understanding the reason for taking a picture and sharing it with a viewer
B
Background
Any picture will either sing or sag depending on the background
Breaking the Link
Breaking the imaginary link between the file and the print
C
Composition
“Composition is the art of leaving things out”
D
Depth of Field
A tool for seeing, feeling and presenting your ideas
E
Exposure
Optimum exposure allows a variety of post-processing workflows to be used
F
Fellowship
Why is an F of the RPS so desired?
Focus
Accurate focusing is vital to communicate a strong visual message
G
Gently
Gently press the shutter release to avoid camera shake and composition errors
L
Learning Zone
Best Practice – Regularly switching into the Learning Zone
T
Templates
You only take and make the pictures you already recognise
Tele Lenses
5 easy ways to get more impact with your Telephoto lens
9 – The Learn Grow Express Programme at a glance
The LGE Programme at a glance
| Learn – one day Introduction Workshop | Grow – Residential Workshop | Express – Residential Masterclass | |
| Who is the Programme aimed at? | Any photographer wanting a modular structure for becoming an expressive photographer | Participants of a one day Introduction Workshop | Participants of a Residential Workshop |
| Module Core Concept | ABC Introduction and small steps in camera controls to build confidence | Pictures are taken, photographs are made | Planning and executing a photo project, beginning with the end in mind, what is your ultimate goal? |
| Module Pre-work – The Artistic Awareness Survey | Finding & filling basic camera skills gaps | Challenging a blend moderately difficult technical and artistic concepts | Testing competence with the advanced concepts of vision and style |
| Module Purpose 1 | 90% Technical 10% Artistic / Expression | 50% Technical 50% Artistic / Expression | 10% Technical 90% Artistic / Expression |
| Module Purpose 2 | Basic Camera Control Skills & Artistic Intent | Adding visual vocabulary Skills and Knowledge | Adding photographic vision and style |
| Module Purpose 3 | Introduction to the ABC concept, working towards the evolution of a photographer as an expressive photographer. | Expanding the ideas put forward in 1 day Introduction workshop, Photographers making more decisions, going out to shoot ‘with purpose’. | Photographers have their own projects and use the experience already gained. |
| Module Purpose 4 | Building confidence through small repeated steps | SMART Objectives Specific, Measured, Achievable Relevant, Time Bound. What project or series of projects are necessary to gain the skills and experience to reach the ultimate goal? Step Change Model as a planning tool for projects to be undertaken. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities Threats) analysis of the proposed process | |
| Major ABC Elements | D-Depth of Field E-ExposureF-Focus G-Gently | A-Attraction, B-Background C-CompositionD-Depth of Field E-Exposure F-Focus G-Gently | Where applicable – A-Attraction C-Composition |
| Module Structure | 100% Tutorial based – Show, Do, Review | 70%Tutorial/ 30% Facilitator based – Show, Do, Review | 20% Tutorial / 80% Facilitator based |
| Creative Process | Partially | The Creative Process Tutorials – creating and coordinating artistic ideas | The Creative Process Tutorials – creating and coordinating artistic ideas |
| Workshops based around | Wide-angle lenses, Pinhole Lens, Telephoto lens, Shutter Speed, Infrared capture | Picture Templates Types, Shooting with a purpose, Seeing, The photographic moment, Composition | Picture sharing projects: Distinction, Photo Book, Creating a Blog, Website Portfolio, Exhibition, fine-art B&W Printing |
| Picture example types | Yes | Yes | No |
| Using a Growth Mindset | Partially | Partially | Doing and reviewing – learning from mistakes. |
| The art of performance | No | No | Performing to a wider circle |
| Next Steps | Leading to a Residential Workshop | Leading to a Residential Masterclass | Leading to a successful pre-determined outcome |
10 – Is the LGE Programme for me?
The LGE Programme is for you if you:
- are a passionate photographer seeking inspiration and encouragement
- want to connect with your potential, making your best, even better
- are seeking a modular learning programme leading to a designated outcome
- are looking for a learning programme for all skill bases from beginner to advanced worker
- want a learning programme that can be used in any photographic genre or medium
- desire your photographic practice to be transformed, leading to expressive vision and style
See below for more info about the Workshops and Masterclasses on offer.
