It’s always great to get repeat bookings for our Photography Holidays and we have been more than delighted this year to welcome back our old friend Ken Terry to Menorca.

Ken always manages to find new ways of photographing this beautiful island, but this morning he was especially pleased to be taken to our latest new location – the point of Favaritx.

Our old friend Ken Terry hard at work at Favaritx, Menorca during his 8th photography holiday with us. Photograph by Philip Dunn

The photographers were on the move early this morning – and early cup of coffee and onto the coach for the short trip to Favaritx. This is an extraordinary place of dark contorted rock topped by a spectacular lighthouse.

Their early morning efforts were rewarded with some great shots in low, soft light. But another treat was in store when we moved on the Sa Mesquida forcoffee and  a genuine Menorcan breakfast before another photo session. I doubt whether anyone will be able to face lunch.

Altogether a successful morning with a mass of photographs in the bag and lots of photo technique lessons learned.

Later today we are off to the village of Binibecca to practise the technique of photographing  white on white. That’s always a great exercise in exposure control.

Our next Photography Holiday in Menorca is in September
FIND OUT MORE

A busy day for me today with several trips to Menorca Airport to meet the photographers arriving for their Photography Holiday.

Sadly we had a call early this morning to say that one of the photographers, Donald, had been taken to hospital in the UK and would be unable to come to Menorca. Donald was due to come with his wife Heather and she tells me that if Donald is well enough in a couple of days time, they will be heading out to join us. We’ll all keep our fingers crossed here for Donald’s speedy recovery – I’m sure a dose of Menorcan sunshine will do him a world of good if he can make it.

Our next Photography Holiday is Menorca will be in September FIND OUT MORE

The weather in Menorca is set fair for the arrival of the photographers on Friday for their Photography Holiday.

Wall-to-wall sunshine is predicted for next week, so that in itself will present a few extra challenges for those not used to such conditions.

The colour of Menorca can be captured during your photography holiday. Photograph by Philip Dunn

I was out yesterday photographing the glorious blues and startling turquoise of the sea near our hotel in S’Algar. What a spectacle. The colours are an easy match for anything you will find in tropical waters – and Menorca is just a couple of hours away from the UK.

Menorca, as I have said many times before, is the perfect training ground for photographers wanting to learn the art of good travel photography. The island has everything – friendly, welcoming people, beautiful landscapes and towns – the lot. We cover all these subjects during the holidays.

Travel Photography is the basis of our itinerary during the Photography Holidays, and our knowledge of the island, built up over more than 30 years experience here, enables us to provide a unique and intimate photographer’s view of the lovely locations available.

I’m really looking forward to welcoming another group of photographers on Friday – it’s always a special treat to share Menorca.

The next Photography Holiday in Menorca is in September.
FIND OUT MORE

I have been discovering some great new locations and checking out some of our regular ones in readiness for the Photography Holiday here in Menorca next week.

Our first photo location in Menorca will be the lovely cove of Alcafar. I took this photograph the other day and all is looking great. We walk to this location at the start of the Photography Holiday in order to get everyone's shutter fingers working. Photograph Philip Dunn

The planning is done and the itinerary has been worked out to the finest detail.

The photographers arrive this Friday and I will be dashing back and forth to the airport to meet everyone. Looking at the timings of the flights I hope to be able to meet everyone personally this time.

Often the flight times and occasional delays mean this s impossible and I have to get a rep to meet some of the arrivals. The personal touch is always best, though.

Of the eleven photographers due to arrive on Friday, no less than three have been to Menorca before, and a total of six have had photography tuition with me in the past.

The weather here in Menorca is glorious right now and I hope it stays that way for next week.

All over the island people are now in full gear for the summer season and the whole place is a hive of activity.

We have some very special locations in mind – not least the extraordinary lunar-like landscape of Favaritx.

However, the location that starts the shutter fingers working, is our first walk to the lovely cove of Alcafar. I was there the other day and noticed that the first fishing boats are now in the water after the winter break. The water has taken on its usual exotic turquoise colour and the place looks lovely.

Our next Photography Holiday in Menorca wil be in September
FIND OUT MORE

I have just published a new book of my Street Photography images with Blurb Books.

The book has gathered together a collection of over 140 black and white photographs – many of which have not been published before.

The idea is to not only entertain the ‘armchair photographers among you, but to inspire those of you who want to get out there and really reach new levels of excellence in your Street Photography.

Philip Dunn’s book STREET PHOTOGRAPHY is available to buy online now

STREET PHOTOGRAPHY by PHILIP DUNN | Make Your Own Book

Photographer Ken Watson came to me recently for two days of one-to-one photography coaching.

It’s always good to work with people who are utterly dedicated to improving their photography technique and Ken was as keen as they come. He sent me a couple of photographs he took very soon after his photo tuition and I have posted them below with my observations. The pictures were taken at Tatton Park in Cheshire and they were taken on his little Fuji X100. which Ken says is a great little camera.

Ken was particularly keen to improve his Street Photography skills, and to this end he has also booked to come on the Street Photography Walk in Chester on June 20th. We spend a lot of time working together in the street of Kirkcudbright – a great training ground because the people here are so friendly.

Ken wrote some very complimentary feedback about his photography course:

“I think I came away from Kirkudbright with more than I appreciated. It wasn’t until I took some more photographs that I realised that my approach had changed/improved and that I am employing many of the things we went through without having to think about it too much. You can’t get that kind of fast jump in knowledge and technique out of a book.”

GOATS

Ken Watson's lovely bright photograph of a little girl and the goats at Tatton Park in Cheshire

This is what Ken told me about the picture above:

“There was an Alice in Wonderland theme going on at the weekend and I think this little girl was dressed as Alice. I was showing Joshua [Ken's son] the goats and could see that she was going to come into the frame and thought it might make an interesting shot. It’s a wide-ish aperture so she is not as sharp as the goats but not so much that it bothers me. (The light is a bit flat as it was from a diffused overcast sky but not a total lost cause). I like the fence lines leading in and her pretty smile and posture, like she’s sneaking up on the goats.

“I’ve sacrificed a goat by chopping it’s head off in order to go for a tighter frame (after all the girl is the star of the shot?)”

PHILIP DUNN’S COMMENTS

I totally agree – this is a lovely shot and from what Ken tells me it is a direct result of that ‘anticipation training’ we practiced during the photography coaching.

However, I have to disagree about the cropping. I think it would have been even better if you have included the goat’s head at the bottom of the frame. It literally seems ‘cut off’. The girls expression and eye line are perfect and I wonder is these remained so for the next shot and if the goat lifted its head a few seconds later. I suspect it was one of those moments in time that passed in a fraction of a second and if this was the case you have done extremely well.

BLACKSMITH

A side lit portrait taken by Philip Dunn's photography student Ken Watson

Ken Watson’s comments about his picture of the blacksmith above:

“The blacksmith viewpoint was the only one available because the work area was roped off just inside the doorway. I don’t mind the vice being in front of the smith because it breaks up what would be a broad area of minimally interesting detail.

“I popped my head into the blacksmiths room. They were just packing up. The chap in the picture was quite grumpy but his colleague was quite animated.
I asked a few pertinent questions about the forge etc. And he thought I was specifically interested in the metalwork. His description of what they were doing was interesting but I’d really popped my head in looking for a picture. I spotted the side light from this window immediately and thought that Mr grumpy and his surrounding tools etc. might make a nice shot.

“I asked if I could take a couple of pictures. Mr Grumpy’s mate was more than happy for me to get some shots ‘as long as he wasn’t in the picture’.
Mr Grumpy was indifferent which I think actually makes the shot better than if he’d been smiling at the camera. What do you think?”

PHILIP DUNN’S COMMENTS

Beautiful light, a perfectly exposed photograph and an opportunity well used.

You are doing all the right things, Ken. Maybe this guy had had a bad day. Maybe he just didn’t care much for visitors – but the fact is that if you want to get a photograph you must get him on your side – and quickly. You did just that. Well done.

The clutter on the bench is all part of the scene and adds to the atmosphere – so not problem there either.

PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES

If you would like to improve your photography there is no better way than having personal tuition. As my student Ken Watson says above: “You can’t get that kind of fast jump in knowledge and technique out of a book.”

Find out more about One-to-One Photography coaching and the forthcoming Street Photography Walks

I have corrected a mistake on the Photography Holiday Dates & Prices page.

The correct dates for the September Photography Holiday in Menorca are:

Friday September 21st to Friday September 28th 2012

Apologies for any confusion and my thanks to Irene for pointing this out.

My huge archive of black and white photography is still giving me some pleasant surprises.

I’ve just found this photograph taken on an assignment for The Sunday Times back in 1988 in Normandy. It shows the Grand Hotel in Cabourg and my brief was to photograph the hotel to illustrate a travel article.

The Grand Hotel, Cabourg is used merely as a backdrop for a picture of people on the beach. I enjoy producing pictures that have the power to infer narrative, to suggest a story, and leave a few unnanswered questions. Photography by Philip Dunn

The hotel, which was the main theme of the article, is famous for the fact that author Marcel Proust used to like staying there in the early 1900s.

As always, my briefing by award winning Sunday Times picture editor Michael Cranmer took the form of a pleasant chat when he was assigning travel photography. I was very rarely given precise instructions about the sort or shape image that was needed unless the newspaper really did have very exact requirements. Of course, without exception, I was always given a deadline by which the finished pictures had to be on the picture desk.

Photography Locations

A photographer must, of course, be prepared to accept assignments in any location. Mostly, the places to which The Sunday Times sent me were visually interesting, but that didn’t stop me having favourites and non-favourites.

For instance, I never liked having to go to the English Cotswolds… far too nice and pretty for me. But send me to Northumberland, South Wales, Lisbon or Cadiz and I was in heaven. Normandy was high on my list of favourites, too. There is a ‘grittiness’ and substance in these places and the people you find there that I find visually inspiring.

Picture Editor’s Magic

Normandy with its vast open vistas and wide skies always seems to produce magnificent light conditions, and when the Parisians head for the seaside they take with them a certain style that is visibly tangible – even when they are just lounging on the beach.

Of course I went into the hotel, photographed Proust’s favourite bedroom and the views from its window. I did the business thoroughly. But it was the view of the hotel from the beach that really caught my imagination. So I decided to use the hotel purely as a backdrop for a picture of people on the beach.

I remember Picture Editor Michael Cranmer’s words during his briefing before I set off for France: “Just go and work the magic”.

A photographer would rather die than fail after that sort of a comment. I think the newspaper was happy because they used this picture across a half page.

We’ve just enjoyed a great Photography Weekend with another group of photographers here in Kirkcudbright.

Two of the students, Mary and Becca, on the Photography Weekend Break work together on a street photography exercise in Kirkcudbright

Everyone certainly seemed to enjoy themselves and their praise for the Selkirk Arms Hotel – our base for the Photography Weekend – was universal: comfortable, welcoming and great food were words at the top of the praise list.

The weather was absolutely perfect, dry and sunny, which enabled us to spend some time outdoors taking pictures in the streets, the harbour and along the banks of the River Dee.

We managed another visit to the wonderful ‘secret’ garden of Colin and Pauline Saul in the High Street and then concentrated on interior photography at Broughton House, which has just opened its doors to the public for the summer season.

Tina takes it easy during her Photography Weekend Break

Photographers sharing

It is always lovely to watch everyone sharing these Photography Courses and enjoying them so much.

We had one non-participant (Ted, husband of photographer Becca) for the weekend and he got commandeered into taking pooch Fergus for a walk on Saturday.

Fergus was photographer Tina’s pet Tibetan Terrier. From all accounts both Ted and Fergus had a great time too but they didn’t take any photographs.

Puzzled - but not for long. I was soon on hand and helping Jennifer get the picture she wanted to capture

Find out more about Photography Weekend Breaks with Philip Dunn

With my Menorca Photography Holiday in May fully booked – it’s time to start thinking seriously about your booking for the September Holiday.

At the moment I run just two Photography Holidays each year. This may change in 2013, but that’s how it is at the moment.

The photo opportunities in Menorca are tremendous. This shot was taken during our trip to old fortress of La Mola. I will teach you how you can make the most of these opportunities. Watch the video below to see where this was taken. Photograph by Philip Dunn

This does mean that there are usually more photographers wanting to come than there are places available – I take only ten photographers on each trip. Almost every year some photographers leave it too late and are disappointed.

Late booking holidays seems to be the way things have gone over the last few years. In this case it just cannot work I’m afraid.

These Photography Holidays in Menorca are really very special as anyone who has been on them will tell you. They are about learning great travel photography and sharing an awful lot of fun with like-minded photographers.

There are some Video Comments here, but also take a look at the video below and you’ll get a good idea of how we go about enjoying these holidays…

At the end of the week you will have a really sound understanding of how to gather a meaningful set of images from your travels. These are skills you will be able to take with you anywhere in the world. You will learn countless essential photo techniques and you will learn them in a beautiful and safe environment where the people are welcoming and happy to be photographed.

For those of you who have not been to Menorca before you are in for a very pleasant surprise – the photographic opportunities are tremendous. We will certainly be visiting the old fortress of La Mola again this year. This is always one of the highlights of the week. I love the place and judging by the difficulty I have getting our photographers to leave, so does everyone else.

So – it’s time to think of booking your September Photography Holiday now before it’s too late.

PHOTOGRAPHY HOLIDAYS

BOOK NOW