'The English Seaside' - Documentary Photography Workshop: - 24-26 May 2024 (FULLY BOOKED)
This assignment-based workshop is the start of a year-long creative investment in a substantial street / documentary photography project – with a tangible output. For a maximum of 6 participants, your project will start with a 3-day workshop in Blackpool (23-26 May, 2024) and will focus on a documentary photography assignment based on the theme of THE ENGLISH SEASIDE. The initial workshop will equip you with the ideas, the inspiration and motivation to continue to develop your project during the following 12 months culminating in the production of your book – with ongoing support from Brian Lloyd Duckett along the way.
The initial workshop will equip you with the ideas, the inspiration and motivation to continue to develop your project during the following 12 months culminating in the production of your book – with ongoing support from Brian Lloyd Duckett along the way. The date of the next workshop with availability is 23-26 May, 2024.
This workshop could change the way you approach documentary photography. By the end of the 12 month period, you’ll have had the opportunity to produce a substantial body of work.
For many street photographers, the documentary perspective is the missing piece of their jigsaw. This workshop will bring a strong narrative element to your work, bridging the gap between initial concept and finished project; you will spend time developing your visual language, your photographic identity, practical, technical and conceptual skills and the expertise required to compete a substantial street / documentary photography project. We will use Blackpool as the canvas for the first part of the project, starting in May 2024; students will then be encouraged to continue the project, working on their own, in other British seaside resorts – or return to Blackpool.
The seaside is often thought of as being a metaphor for the state of the nation and this project is an exercise in visual sociology. We will dig deep into the good and the bad; the traditions, the rituals, the stag & hen parties, the culture and the sub-cultures, the fading Victoriana, the unrelenting sense of fun. We’ll immerse ourselves in the glory and the tragi-comedy that is the English seaside – in season and out of it; this backdrop of the seaside through the four seasons provides a natural framework for critical documentary. For inspiration, you will be encouraged to explore the work of photographers such as Martin Parr, Tony Ray-Jones, Dougie Wallace, Simon Roberts and David Hurn.
Core elements of the project:
A series of coursework exercises to complete prior to the workshop
3-day workshop in Blackpool
Working in your own over the following 12 month period (in any English seaside town), with support from Brian, to add to the body of work
2x Zoom conference calls with Brian after 4 and 9 months
Production of your book – ideally by the following May
It is strongly recommended (though not obligatory) that we all stay at the same hotel. Brian will negotiate a preferential rate at a nice hotel and will make a block booking once places are confirmed.
BEFORE THE WORKSHOP
There’s some ‘homework’ to complete in the period preceding the workshop:
You will be asked to think about and develop your creative theme for the project
There will also be a short assignment for you to work on prior to your workshop – a purposeful ‘warm-up’ task designed to test and exercise your story-telling skills
You will be invited to join a private Facebook group where you can get to know the other participants, discuss your images, make joint travel arrangements and exchange ideas
THE 3-DAY WORKSHOP
The project is centered around a workshop in Blackpool over 3 full days (Friday to Sunday); there will also be a ‘get to know you’ drinks and dinner on the Thursday evening (cost not included) – not obligatory but please do your best to join us.
We usually make a block booking for everyone in a nice hotel (not easy to find in Blackpool). The cost (not included) is usually around £75 per person per night, including a single en-suite room, full breakfast and car parking.
The workshop is split into 6 sessions; 3 sessions are ‘classroom based’ and 3 sessions are in the field
Whilst out shooting there will be ongoing feedback on your images from Brian
Most of the shooting in the field is done individually or in pairs or threes – we don’t work as an intimidating tribe of photographers; the groupings will alternate so that everyone has a chance of working with each other during the weekend
Everyone will have a one-to-one session with Brian whilst out in the field; we will discuss your project, techniques and explore your images together
The days are not ‘9 to 5’ and there will be plenty of opportunity to shoot early in the mornings and after dark
This will be an intensive, immersive experience; you will be encouraged to face your fears and to step outside your comfort zone
CONTINUING TO WORK ON THE PROJECT – FOLLOWING THE WORKSHOP
You will be encouraged to continue to work on your project on your own for the next 12 months; this could be in Blackpool or in any other English seaside town(s)
At intervals of approximately 4 and 9 months following the workshop, you will have one-to-one Zoom video-conferencing calls with Brian to discuss progress, critique your work so far and ensure everything is on track for the production of your book
Production of your book (this is down to you, with support from Brian where needed)
You will be invited to join the StreetSnappers Collective, a lively group of talented and enthusiastic documentary and street photographers
WHO IS THIS WORKSHOP FOR?
You must be able to shoot independently and be familiar with your gear and your editing software
It is possible that you have reached a plateau in your street photography and need a big challenge to push you to the next level
You should have a digital camera and a wide-angle lens (28-35mm is ideal). Feel free to also bring a film camera – but you will need digital gear to be able to take part in the ongoing critique and appraisal process. You will need a laptop or tablet loaded with your choice of editing software
As most of the workshop is outdoor-based, you must be able to cope with a substantial amount of walking and the English weather!
HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED?
This workshop is strictly limited to a maximum of 6 participants.
DATES
The next workshop will be held in Blackpool over the weekend of 23-26 May 2024. The project will then continue until summer 2025, when participants should aim to produce their book.
COSTS
The cost for participation in the project is £645.
The fees for the workshop and the subsequent follow-ups are included in this cost. You will need to pay for your own travel and hotel accommodation, plus all food & drink consumed during the weekend. You will also need to consider the cost of producing your book (which could be as little as £20 per copy for a book or £1.50 per copy for a zine – Brian will guide you through the book / zine production process).