Facilitated by Pro
Photographer Sylvia N. Gichia
This
photography workshop was inspired by ideas that Photography can be taught by
professionals to inspire creativity and expand technical skills. Having
relocated to Kenya after thirteen years, I felt that, unfortunately for
Photographers in this region, Photography is not really appreciated as a visual
art form, and for a long time has been treated with less priority in the ARTS. There is a need for photographers to start appreciating
their work more as an Art form rather than just reportage photography. I
personally would like to see Photography receive the same platforms as other
Arts.
The
fourteen week workshop has been an attempt to enrich the participants with
skills that they can apply to their Style of photography. They have also been exposed to different types
and forms of photography not limiting them to just one style. The
workshop covered different topics that included:- Portrait Photography, Street Photography, Composition and Lighting,
Editing, Developing your Personal Style, Photography for TV, Wedding Photography, Fashion Photography,
Abstract Photography, Photojournalism, Learn to Critic your Photos, The
Language of Photography- Basics and Setting up your Exhibition.
The
workshop was facilitated by Sylvia N Gichia here at the Kuona Art Centre. The
idea behind the workshop was to involve as many professionals in the
Photography field to come share their knowledge and experiences as well as
teach some technical skills. Some of the Photography professionals that offered
their time to the workshop were Marten Schoonman for the Editing class, Kobi
Kihara for the Photography for TV class, Emmanuel Jambo for the Wedding
Photography class, Boniface Mwangi for the Photojournalist class, Barbara
Minishi for the Fashion Photography class and Rujunko Pugh for Exhibition
Development.
“WRITING WITH LIGHT” the Exhibition is presented
to you by eleven participants, who completed the fourteen week workshop. During this Exhibition you will see the
different styles and technical skills that were covered during the class. Each
Photographer has a preferred style that ranges from abstract, landscape,
Portraits, techniques in Composition and lighting, as well as wildlife photography. The works presented to you during this
exhibition and the installation of works was done by the artists themselves as
part of the experience of Exhibiting Works. This is a first time Exhibition
experience for all the photographers.
“Photography
is the art of the split second. Speed, the fundamental condition of our present
day activities, is its power. The photographer works fast within the second he
has to see, to select and to act. The small camera is his ideal tool. Its art
value is enhanced by qualities which have been variously described as
journalistic, documentary, candid: it is the means of detecting and revealing
the reality surrounding us.” Lisette Model