articles/Landscape/scottishaffair-page2

A Scottish Affair - part 2 of 1 2 3

Published 01/12/2001

Above all there is the knowledge that you are never going to be rushed with your photography. One can remain bent over one's tripod for just as long as the back will stand it.

Nature lovers are equally well catered for. Birds abound and, with the use of hides which the Centre can provide, they are, relatively easily, photographed in the large gardens or surrounding woodland. Likewise mammals: badgers can be seen in the early evening when they play and search for food and even as I stood on that hill, I could hear the bellowing of stags in rut. Alternatively, a trip to the east coast might be organised so that the group could spend a day on Bass Rock photographing gannets cormorants and razorbills.

Mind you, not only landscape and nature photography courses are provided at Inversnaid. Other subjects include: processing and printing; portraiture; still life; documentary and digital imaging. Then there are the Masterclasses for which such well known professional photographers as Niall Benvie; John Blakemore; Derry Brabbs; Laurie Campbell; Joe Cornish; Bob Moore and Barrie Thomas ( amongst others ) are guest tutors. It was such a class that my wife and I were attending.

This particular Masterclass was on Landscape photography and the tutor was a charismatic American photographer by the name of Thomas Joshua Cooper. Thomas is a big man in every good sense of that word and a fine teacher; ready to help and always able to find something constructive to say about one's work.

He is eminently qualified: Head of Fine Art Photography at the Glasgow School of Art, he has a number of books to his credit and has exhibited world-wide. The group was in good hands.

The group on this course consisted of ten women and men, of varying photographic capabilities but all imbued with the desire to improve. The course was not primarily one for the learning of technique, although advice and assistance were always available. We were there to think; to question why we were going to make ( notice, not take ) a particular picture and why that image and not another should more clearly carry the message that it was intended to convey.

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