PSNZ Workshops

Creative Photography with Bruce Girdwood FPSNZ

By James Gibson APSNZ AFIAP

AFTER A TUMULTUOUS start to the Workshop Series and the re-scheduling of five of the six workshops, some more than once so far, we’re now under way with the remaining events. We’re sure you’re all excited to get out and about with your cameras again.

Bruce Girdwood’s Creative Photography workshop was originally scheduled for late May this year, so we had all been waiting with bated breath for the rescheduled event to go ahead, and on Saturday 12 September Bruce led a group of eighteen PSNZ members on a journey through his very personal photographic journey.

Using his own memories and images, Bruce examined how his life experiences had shaped his photography, and how people and places had influenced this development. With this backdrop, Bruce asked us to think about who we are, why we make images, and to consider that our view on the world can only be seen through our own eyes. Being so open and expressive about his experiences really resonated with me, and I think also with other attendees. With familiar names within PSNZ and several newer members, we were all able to relate to Bruce’s experiences and how he applied his own take on art and photography to our own personal photographic journeys.

In the afternoon it was our turn to see where our creativity could take us, each being handed a specific, individual challenge – varying from making a selfie, asking strangers if you can take their portrait, to my own challenge of making a photograph of a flower. Within an hour we had a fantastic array of images and it was really enlightening to see how different people had interpreted their brief.

Having been involved in organising the workshops over the last two years, it was a real pleasure for me to attend as a ‘student’. The face-to-face aspect of the workshops really brings home to me the huge range of talent, diversity and enthusiasm of our

membership, and how willing everyone is to share and help each other. Long may this continue!

The remaining four workshops for this year are all full; last weekend (3 October), Judy Stokes APSNZ took a group on a creative tour of her own photographic ‘back yard’ at Muriwai. This coming weekend Matt Leamy LPSNZ will be hosting a macro masterclass in Nelson. November 7th sees us in Hamilton with Aaron Key taking a modelling workshop; then on 14 November Craig McKenzie has the honour of running this year’s final workshop, on Kapiti Island.

For those who haven’t had the opportunity to attend one of the PSNZ Workshop Series events yet, don’t worry – next year’s events are gradually being planned and we’ll make more announcements later in the year.

Images on this page by James Gibson