Goodbye old blog....almost.....

It's almost time to say a fond farewell to this, my first blog, and to welcome in a brand new photo-training blog and photo-resource. The blog has served me well, but as I've already intimated there is frantic activity behind the scenes at Michael Turner Photography as we prepare for a brand new arm to our business for 2010 and beyond.

My next posting will be to announce the new blog early next week......watch this space!

May News Round-Up

You will have heard the analogy of the duck swimming along, all calm on the surface but paddling like fury underneath. It's been a bit like that at Michael Turner Photography lately, with some major changes in the pipeline for 2011 that we're working on now. In the meantime, we've been busy with studio and outdoor portraits, three trips abroad and putting into action the plans for our new photography school. In March Janet and I visited some old friends in Holland and had a city break in Marrakech. What an amazing place! In April we sailed across the Aegean with our good friend Jonathon on Koralia3. Even though these were holidays of course, I've been taking the opportunity to build up material for the photography workshops and add to my portolio of travel images.

As for the rest of the year, I'll be announcing some workshop dates over the next few weeks and updating the web site. We've made a start on the re-structure of the website but there's a long way to go yet. In June we'll be exhibiting at the Cheshire County Show and then in July at the Signal FM Bumps Show. And next January I'll be speaking and judging once again at the SWPP International Convention. Never a dull moment eh!

The hustle and bustle of the souks in Marrakech....

And Spring flowers in Greece.... More travel and portrait images coming soon!

SWPP Convention Report

January has been an eventful month. The first challenge was one we all faced - coping with heavy snow that we're definitely not used to. Then it was one week spent preparing my lectures for the SWPP Convention in London, a fantastic week at the Convention itself followed by eight days (and counting) completely grounded by a flu virus, probably picked up on the way home. Hopefully things should get back to normal by February!

In the meantime here are a few shots from the Convention, starting with the the opening event, the Business School (overseen by Catherine Connor from Annabel Williams CPT). Two days of solid business advice from a variety of successful photographers and professional marketers, the Business School was a sell-out and rightly so. This is me in action on the first morning, talking about the benefits of Networking.....

Later in the week, after being part of the mid-week judging panel for awards and qualifications, it was on to portrait photography. Now what was that about never working with children and animals...?

After the Saturday Masterclass theory came the Sunday practical, with our young models ready and eager for the small-group 'Superclass'. The concrete and glass landscape of an urban hotel in mid January isn't the most sympathetic environment for capturing natural images of under 5s, but the delegates and I rose to the challenge. Capturing a winning shot of the two children together escaped me on this short photoshoot demonstration - the distraction of a nearby set of revolving doors proved too much to keep them both in the same place at the same time! There was plenty of scope for individual shots though, all taken in natural light. Everyone had fun in spite of the cold - in fact we were blessed with sunshine, the first of the whole week.

Having fun with shadows....

Here's to the SWPP Convention 2011. Hope to see you there.

SWPP Convention 2010

Just got back from my weekly boxercise class (aimed to keep me fit for sailing would you believe)....the first one after my annual overdose of Christmas pud. Luckily BJ the trainer went easy on us for the first session of the New Year.

Unfortunately David Williams has had to postpone the Cheshire seminar at our studio later this month, but the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers International Convention starts next week and is definitely on. I'll be speaking on business and portrait photography topics over the week as well as being one of the judges for the Annual 20x16 Print Competition. There are over 150 seminars over the 6 days so there's something for every kind of photographer. You can check out the schedule at http://www.swpp.co.uk/convention/

See you there!

Light, Colour and People

It's the last day of the decade already, and for my final post of 2009 I'd like to quote our friend and colleague Charles Mifsud, from Malta. Charles is an experienced traveller and very keen amateur photographer who likes to enter print competitions with his travel images. On the final day of our recent visit to Malta it was Charles that drove us around the island to see the sights, and on the journey (he likes to talk....) he was describing just why he loves photography....

"Even if you don't win the competitions [he often does], photography and photographs teach you an appreciation of light, of colour, and of people" he said.

This simple statement summed up in a nutshell why I also still get excited by photography after over twenty years in the profession, and will be the philosophy behind our new photo-training courses for 2010. So enjoy the New Year celebrations, and then celebrate light, colour, people and life with us through the inspiration of photography in the year ahead.

More from Malta

Our Maltese photographer friend Jean Pierre Gatt has made a three minute film about the recent MIPP Convention we were part of. You can view it here :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vI9E-WuTf5o

David Williams Seminar

I'm pleased to confirm the dates for the 'Almost Alone with David Williams' seminar we're hosting at our studio in January. The seminar will run for three days from 26th-28th January 2010, with a select group of 12 maximum. David (from Down Under) specialises in weddings and portraits and is one of the world's leading teachers of photography. This seminar isn't about all the techinical stuff (though there will be a little), it's more about getting to the heart of what photographing people is all about.

The timing is perfect - after a busy wedding season or Christmas portrait rush, the seminar will help you to recharge the batteries and make an inspired, flying start 2010.

You can check out more details and find out first hand from David at www.davidwilliamsseminars.com. We'll hope to see you in January.

As featured on Maltese TV....

Janet and I have today returned from Malta where we've been working over the weekend as speakers for the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers and the Malta Institute of Professional Photographers http://www.mipp-malta.com/ at their combined International Convention. The Maltese photographers have been some of the friendliest photographers I've ever had the pleasure to meet (maybe it's something to do with the sunny Mediterranean weather) and their enthusiasm has been an inspiration. The speaker line up included myself and Damian McGillicuddy from the UK, fine art photographer Ayman Lotfy from Egypt and a selection of home grown Maltese photographers. I've been teaching children's portrait and lifestyle photography over three separate seminars, as well as judging qualifications and the MIPP photographic awards. A hectic but very enjoyable few days.

To our surprise the event made the National News (the MIPP's Kevin Casha has friends in high places it would appear). You can view the clip on youtube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqE9u6E61vE

Here are a few of the portraits taken during the demonstration, all captured with natural light.

And finally.....

Studio Update

As I write this I'm still a gibbering wreck after watching Manchester City almost throw away their place in the quarter finals of the Uefa Cup, only to save themselves in the penalty shoot out against the Danish side Aalborg. City never like to do things the easy way - Istanbul is still a possibility! Meanwhile....as this isn't a football blog I'd better update you on the photography side of things....

You may think that things have been quiet around here lately, but that couldn't be further from the truth. In between a handful of recent portrait shoots we've been taking time out to make some alterations to the studio, replace and update our displays and introduce some beautiful new products. We're also completely re-working the turnerportraits website and promotional literature. It's been confirmed this week that I'm to give a three part children's portrait seminar, including live photoshoot, for the SWPP in Malta in October, and speaking again at the International Convention in London next January. And next week Janet and I are off on a photographic trip to southern Spain. Now that Spring is in the air we're really looking forward to the lifestyle portrait photography 'season' getting into full swing. It's going to be an exciting year!

Some random pictures from PTO

A typical Masterclass scene from Photo Training Overseas. Dutch portrait photographer Lies Davidse in action, ably assisted with the reflector by Irish wedding photographer and PTO speaker Paul Callaghan. Like Paul, I had finished my Masterclasses by this time and was able to relax and enjoy watching some of the other speakers. As you can tell from the yellow trousers, Lies is a colourful character and her portraits are equally vivid. You can view her work and see some of her PTO images at http://www.liesdavidse.nl/

Dennis Hyland from the Irish and International group grabs a close up portrait of wedding photography tutor Kelly Hearn from the Simon John Studio. The Irish photographed anything that moved - and most things that didn't!

This was Kelly's first experience as a lecturer. It won't be her last - after overcoming her nerves she really got into her stride and was a natural and confident presenter, not to mention a brilliant wedding photographer.

The Sofitel Taba Heights, our base for the week, is part of the Taba Heights complex on the northern end of Sinai's Red Sea coast. Even though the hotel is modern it's full of interesting features and the the light is fantastic. A photographer's dream!

Nathan doing his Spiderman impression during one of my Masterclasses.

Mia was a natural catwalk model.

Mia and Georgina dip their toes in the warm waters. I must thank Jane Conner-Ziser from Florida http://www.janesdigitalart.com/ for her artistry in retouching this image to bring out the delicate tones.

The crystal clear waters of the Red Sea are a mecca for divers and for snorkelling. Sadly I didn't get the chance to snorkel, but I definitely fancy it for next time.

And finally.....it's that way!

More images from PTO

We had some great fun during the my workshops on photographing children at Photo Training Overseas, but these are some of the quieter moments :

Photo Training Overseas

It's been a hectic couple of weeks on the training front. Firstly a trip to London for the fantastic SWPP Convention where over twelve thousand delegates crammed into the Novotel London West over a six day period. Over a hundred speakers from around the world gave talks and practical demonstrations on a massive array of photographic topics, and the Trade Show covered two floors. Thanks to everyone who came to my seminar on Photographing Children, we had over 100 in attendance and some very positive feedback.

Between then and now I've been to Egypt as a speaker on Photo Training Overseas, the annual week-long event organised by George and Glenys Dawber. Over the next couple of weeks I'll be posting a selection of my my images from the trip, including shots from the training sessions, a few shots around the hotel in Taba and images from a remarkable trip I made with two friends to a Bedouin settlement.

In the meantime, a taster of the images taken during my training sessions on photographing children outdoors :

From London to Egypt

January has turned out to be a busy old month for photo-training.

Later this week I'm lecturing at the Society of Wedding and Portrait Photographers (SWPP) Convention in London. The following week I leave for Egypt, where I'll be training a group of photographers from the UK and Ireland at PTO (Photo Training Overseas). My subject will be Outdoor Photography of Children.

I'm looking forward to the opportunity to capture some great images. Watch this space!