I'm going to be at London Camera Exchange in Colchester this Saturday, promoting my tuition and answering any queries.  It will be a great opportunity for us to have a chat if you've been thinking of booking me for some tuition or coming along to a workshop, so pop in and say hello!

It's also a Pentax Day in store, so if that's your brand of choice, or you just like playing with nice cameras, Saturday would be the best day to visit LCE Colchester.

Hope to see you there!

posted by Dan @ 23:44  ~  1 comments  ~  Links to this post

This time of year, my mind often contemplates porridge.  Not everything's got to be about photography, right?  What better way to start the day, especially when it's cold like this.

So, I thought I'd let you know how I like to have my porridge, just in case you ever need to know...

If I'm making it for two, I weigh out 150g of porridge oats in a small saucepan (not the milk pan, the next size up).  Put the pan on the scales first and zero them, and don't turn them off or re-zero until the porridge is on the hob.

I then add enough water to cover the oats, not so much that they're sloshing about in it though.  The whole lot's probably weighing about 450-500g now. Then add enough milk to take it up to 800g.  I prefer weighing it all, saves on washing up a jug.

Then pop the pan on a low heat, and stir every 30 seconds or so, just so nothing sticks, or burns, and just wait for it to thicken up.  It won't go to a solid lump (hopefully), and it will be enough for a cereal bowl full each.  I use one of those silicon spatulas to stir it - makes getting everything out of the pan very easy, much better than a wooden spoon.

I have it with a dollop of golden syrup.

Now, some of you will be thinking "urghh, I wouldn't do it like that!", and other such thoughts. But that's okay, I wouldn't expect everyone to like it the way I do.  If you showed me some of your favourite photos, I may well think "Oh dear, I wouldn't have taken it like that", but it doesn't mean they're bad, just not how I like it.  So just because you don't like my porridge, or I don't like your photos, doesn't mean that either of them are bad, just that we have different tastes.  And we should keep on doing what pleases us.

So photography is like porridge, probably.

Anyway, so that you don't think I'm some sort of cereal lunatic, here are some photos I took today, I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoy my porridge.

All shot on my K10D with DA*300mm lens at Writtle Village pond.

posted by Dan @ 19:55  ~  0 comments  ~  Links to this post

Once again I will be at Cameraworld in Chelmsford to provide free tuition and advice for anyone who wants it! I'm there on Saturday 27th February 2010, full details here.



Hope to see you there!

posted by Dan @ 23:44  ~  1 comments  ~  Links to this post

Merry Christmas to you all and wishing you a happy New Year.

Many of you will have received One-to-One photography tuition gift vouchers for christmas, and may be wondering about the best way to go about using them. Now, assuming they're for tuition with me, here's what you do...

The voucher entitles you to a 4 hour tuition session, at a location of your choice. If it's in the Brentwood/Chelmsford/Romford area, there are no further costs involved, if you'd like to meet outside these areas, I will make a small charge for travelling.

Have a think about what you would like to cover during your time with me, and start making notes of any questions you may have, to ensure you get the most from the session. Decide what time of year would suit you best, don't feel you have to use the voucher straight away. If you want to wait until Spring or Summer, that's fine - there's no expiry date for the voucher.



Give me a ring, or email me, to arrange a date, time and location for your session. Feel free to discuss anything at this time, as it's better that we both know what you would like to get out of the tuition before we get started. I am available any day of the week, but please be aware that I run workshops and also work for Essex Wildlife Trust on certain days, including weekends, so you may need to be flexible with your chosen date.



I can cover all sorts of requirements during these tuition sessions, whether it's getting to grips with the basics of your camera, or how to approach composition, or more specific themes like close-up or macro photography.



The whole point about 1-2-1 tuition is that you should get as much as possible from the time you have with me, so make sure you ask lots of questions, take lots of notes (even if they're just taken mentally), and above all enjoy yourself!


Apologies for re-using this post from last year, but nothing's changed, and I'm off out soon to a family 'do', so it seemed the easiest solution! :-)

posted by Dan @ 17:37  ~  0 comments  ~  Links to this post

This saturday, from 11.00am to 3.00pm, I will be at Brentwood School's Christmas Fayre promoting my photography tuition, and dispensing advice to all and any that want it!

There will be a whole host of other exhibitors there, as well as Santa Claus (he gets about, doesn't he?), so it's an ideal place to find those unique christmas presents (a 1-2-1 photography tuition voucher!) and keep the kids entertained too.

Here's all you need to know:

Saturday 5th December
Doors for Brentwood School Christmas Fayre open at 11am, admission is £1
There is ample free parking in the school car park, Shenfield Road.
The pre-prep and prep school halls will be bursting with activities and side shows. Visit Santa and his Elves in the Grotto, every child will receive a gift from the big man himself!
The craft stall hall promises a wonderful line up of the traditional mixed with the new. Grown Ups can browse and shop to their hearts' content.
There are a number of people that you can meet, and stalls you can visit.
Refreshments are available until the 3pm close.
Call Yasmine Ward on 01277 372 762


Hope to see you there!

posted by Dan @ 15:05  ~  2 comments  ~  Links to this post

Well, yesterday I ran my last workshop of the year and we had a full house for Close-up and Macro photography at Thorndon Park. We managed an hour or so's shooting before the rain set in during the afternoon, but it didn't dampen our spirits. Thanks to all that came along and made it an enjoyable one for me with which to finish the year.

If you've ever been on a workshop or had 1-2-1 tuition with me, please let me know how you found it - feedback, good or bad, is vital for me to carry on developing the workshops and how they're presented.

Assuming your experience of my tuition was good, don't just tell me - tell your friends, whether down the pub, at the camera club, or at work. Perhaps drop a hint to a loved one that you'd like a 1-2-1 tuition session for Christmas!

Dates for next year's workshops can be found here, book your places now!

posted by Dan @ 13:47  ~  1 comments  ~  Links to this post

I have my Workshop dates for the first half of 2010 on the workshops page, so take a look, see when you're free, and book yourself on!

The 'Photography in the Park' workshop is having a revamp for next year, with new example photos, more digital-specific info, and a more varied presentation, as I'm now using a digital projector.

So if you've been to a PITP workshop before, now might be the time to think about coming again!

posted by Dan @ 11:00  ~  0 comments  ~  Links to this post