Freeman Patterson Workshop 2006

Kia ora tatou:
The workshop in Martinborough was a raging success. 6 days of working with a group of amazing photographers and led by a master teacher and photographer. Everybody moved their picture-making forward (myself and Sally included). The wonderful thing about workshops is that you live and work together with a group of like-minded individuals and you grow. If you ever get the chance to do one of Freeman's workshops, don't miss the opportunity. He has a very special teaching style, that focuses as much on developing the individual as their photography. Of course the two go together. It was great to see people stepping outside their comfort zones and trying new ways of making photographs. There was a lot of emotion at times, and a lot of aroha to the week.
Michael, the organiser, scored a masterstroke in the choice of venue. (A big shoutout to him for making the trip to Wellington every day to get film processed and organising it so well). Set in a vineyard in one of the country's premium winegrowing areas, it would have been churlish not to help the local economy by test-driving its products. Well, what else would you do?
Those of you who have done one know about the (drum roll) personal assignment.... participants are given a topic to interpret, a morning to shoot it, and then have to present it to the group. It's a way of pushing people and getting them to think outside the square.Some fabulous assignments, which I am still laughing at. If any of you know Bob Wilson from Napier, ask him to show you his take on "How Towels make Love".
For those of you thinking that maybe you want to be a part of a week like this, watch this space. Freeman is coming back early next year.
Ka kite ano