A Beautiful Sight: Workshop Review

By Mark Stevens

Wednesday, the monochrome workshop prep began with cleaning sensors and lenses, charging batteries, clearing cards and getting sleeping bags back from the kids. We headed off with the car packed for what could have been a month-long trip. Most of the 11-hour drive was filled with talk about what to expect, with trepidation and excitement.

We arrive at Forrest Lodge, a cool log cabin, unload, settle into our bunkrooms, ready to start. Nicole has done a great job of organising it all and introduces James enthusiastically. We do a quick round of introductions and let it begin. James delivers an overview of the weekend, some tips on monochrome shooting, what to consider when out there in the morning. We have a bit of a chat before the generator is turned off and lights out.

I have a Nikon camera, I love to take a photograph imagination sparks and it just flows. Been given the tools, time to build.

Off to Arthur’s Pass for sunset, hoping for more light, some light. Around the corner and bang you beauty! Time to put the mono in the landscape, despite the colour, the black and white has drama. This is what we are here for, thanks James for putting us here. Back for tea at dark, happy for what I’ve learnt, though head spinning slightly and exhausted. Delicious tea. Time for a social ale and even then, the info keeps coming. Very good talk on PLBs (personal locator beacons) and safety.

Saturday starts early as we head to Castle Hill, anticipating a sunrise and greeted with clouds and no light. Challenge accepted by all. It was hard work, then back for breakfast. Then more tuition – the building blocks – so much to take in. My secretary flat out on notes. Back outside for one hour, 20 photos challenge to push you outside your comfort zone. Awesome!

A lunch break, more tuition then out and about to nearby tracks. James issued another challenge, pushing you again to think, brain hurting and then I remember Kodachrome

Sunday presented possible rain but off to Castle Hill again, just in case. Great shoot, average light, back for breakfast and postprocessing lesson. Brain running on empty by this stage. There’s always something you don’t know. A fantastic weekend, awesome group of people, great location, heaps of food. Really enjoyed the PSNZ workshop and learnt a lot. I’ll leave with three dog nights – the world is black, the world is white, it turns by day and then by night. A child is black, a child is white. The whole world looks upon the sight, a beautiful sight.