Six 2-3 hour workshops on
‘how to change the future,photograph by photograph’
beginning on September 18th, 2021
Everyone of all ages, backgrounds, races, religions and gender are welcome.
This is for people who have basic knowledge in using a camera and editing a photograph, who wish to become more thoughtful about the nature and content of their work and who wish to communicate with people on an emotional level. These virtual workshops will be asking people to be proactive in relaxed discussions.
WHO IS ROBERT GOLDEN?
Robert is an often-exhibited photojournalist, working with Penguin Books for whom he photographed and co-authored a 10 volume photo-documentary series. He freelanced for many other book publishers, magazines as THE RADIO TIMES and newspapers as the New York Times, and was one of three photographers to document the America Smithsonian Air and Space and History Museums. He became one of the most well known tabletop (food) photographers in Europe.
Because of his sympathetic style and ultra-high technique, he was assigned many portraits of well-know people. He studied at film school and became a multi-award winning Director of Photography/Director, making over 900 commercials for TV in the UK, Europe and the Middle East. Since 1998 he has written, filmed and directed over 40 documentaries, winning a number of Cannes Lions and other awards. He has written and directed 2 award winning feature films that have been shown at the Sundance and Edinburgh Film Festivals and others. In June 2021 his latest film, THIS GOOD EARTH has been selected by the Melbourne Documentary Festival and others.
You can see about the film here: https://this-good-earth.com
and a full CV here: https://robertgoldenpictures.com/about/
THE COURSE CONTENT
DAY 1
•begin with thoughts about visual literacy: spoken and visual language
•working with photography’s two basic materials
•other vital questions
At the end of each workshop Robert will discuss one technical/craft question:
Tech 1
Assignment 1: these will be simple and revealing.
DAY 2
• what are beauty and truth; their meaning, value and relationship?
•what do you think you are recording?
•what is a story?
*understanding what a story is
*understanding why stories are important
*understanding what is storytelling in photography
*understanding differences between the storytelling in a single picture, a collection, a series, an essay and a story
Tech 2
Assignment 2:
DAY 3:
•what are the relationships between themes, content and subject matter?
• How do you discover your themes and stories to tell?
*learning to look and see
*mind mapping
*settling on a story
Tech 3
assignment 3:
DAY 4:
•discussing the story ideas you have developed.
• stories and making meaning
•how to use your photography and storytelling as a path to —
•6 basic kinds of stories
•relevance to others; duty or need for one’s work
•becoming a messenger
•the importance of clarifying the high concept
Tech 4:
assignment 4:
DAY 5:
•the relationship between form (the look of a photograph, content (the meaning) and technique (craft)
• understanding appropriate style – the differences in photographer’s work
•tools to approach an appropriate style for your content(discussion about photography and content)
*the two basic materials a photographer works with
*understanding form, content and technique or craft
*thinking about description and evocation (to stir a feeling)
*the storytelling qualities of colour and monochrome, of contrast, shallow and deep focus and framing, movement and rhythm
•creating metaphor
•the necessity for storyboarding
Tech 5
assignment 5:
DAY 6:
•the holon
•editing, texts and design,
•designing photos relationship to each other on the page, screen or wall
•the relationship between texts and pictures
•where to show your photographs
Tech: 6
A maximum of 9 people will be accepted on these Zoom workshops.
There will be one a week beginning at 3PM on the 18th of September.
If you wish to apply for a place (first come, first serve)
please sign-up and pay the full amount by their due dates:
until 29 August an early bird price of
£250
from 30 August – 17 September
£300
You can pay by Bank Transfer:
National Westminster Bank
Account: Robert Golden Pictures Ltd
Number: 03907333
Sort Code: 603003
Dean Street Branch: PO Box 2162
20 Dean Street, London W1A 1SX
BIC/Swift: NWBKGB2L
IBAN: GB1 8NWBK60300303907333
or using PayPal
with my email address
robert@robertgoldenpictures.com
Please send me an email telling me you have joined. Thank you.
Once booked there will be no returns unless a space can otherwise be resold in time.
Dates for succeeding workshops cannot be changed unless everyone agrees to the newly proposed date.
Comments about Robert’s teaching.
“Through his generous sharing of knowledge and experience during the six lockdown workshops, Robert helped me clarify my own voice. Exploring the work of those who’ve gone before and studying the importance of every detail, he encouraged a confidence in our own unique vision. I celebrate the creative freedom to develop my own photographic stories.” J.U., England
“I came out of the group enriched, bursting to share some of the content with my partner (a painter) and looking forward to our next group. It’s a treat to be with this group of people who are all immersed in thinking seriously about photography and willing to explore and share, engage and learn together. You’re giving us lots to think about, a great opportunity”. N.B., England
“What you said about “photographers as storytellers being a messenger of reality, bringing gifts of understanding” has stuck with me. There’s a poetry to it.“ M.A., Sudan
“I want to say thank you for your discussion about ‘How we can contribute with our camera’. Years I’ve been wondering if for true art (especially painting, for me), it is in order to do “good” and should I (must I) always create beautiful positive paintings? Every time I had something…let’s say “negative”, I expressed it like a fear, a wound, something that hurt; I felt a little guilty for putting it on paper and thinking it might do more harm than good for whom ever sees it. So thank you! Irene Ganescu, Romania
Below is a short section of a film of Robert teaching a group of grad students in Sarajevo for a European project called Changing the Story, which was concerned with how to use film to progressively influence other young people.