FotoFreo Magnum Workshop Fremantle
It’s been a challenging, intense and thought provoking week and thoroughly worthwhile. If I ever doubted the effectiveness of photography workshops that skepticism has certainly been laid to rest. My tutor, Magnum photographer Bruno Barbey, managed in 5 days to make me completely reconsider how I shoot, edit and sequence photo stories in a very subtle way. It was an education watching him edit everyones work, showing us how just changing a few images, making each image lead and flow into each other can really make a story.
Having the opportunity to sit down and have an indepth discussion with Bruno about my portfolio was invaluable and I would have been happy if that was all I learnt from the week..!!
Would I attend another workshop..absolutely..with the right tutors. Everyone agreed it was a unique opportunity to really indulge and focus on your work, to shoot stories very different to what your used to shooting and completely absorb yourself in all things photography.
My original story idea was to report on newly arrived refugees in Perth and whilst all the agencies involved (ASeTTS, MMRC & FMCWA) were very supportive there just wasn’t enough time to arrange meetings with people and cover it in as much depth as I’d like to. I did manage to meet a number of people who were both keen to have their story heard and be photographed so this will now turn into a long term project. To keep shooting, I then decided to try out street photography and play with the amazing light. I’ve never really done this sort of work before but it was great fun and the light really is incredible in Perth.
In addition to the workshop, the main festival FotoFreo 2010 and the Fringe exhibitions were opened on Friday night so with over 100 shows to see it’s going to be another busy week. There have also been some insightful seminars about blogging, book publishing and the photojournalism/art debate. I also had a very constructive portfolio review on Monday and have made some great contacts so it’s been a very productive time. I would highly recommend visiting FotoFreo when it returns in 2012.
Many thanks Bruno Barby and to all the staff and sponsors at FotoFreo, and Magnum for organising the workshop and granting me the scholarship.
Below are some of the images taken during the 5 days:-
