Workshop assistants required

As we are getting busier we are now in need of more assistants to help out with our on-location workshops.

The ideal candidate will have a keen interest in landscape photography and be a competent photographer themselves. Any experience of teaching or giving instruction would be useful but above all you should be good with people as not only will you be acting as my side kick supporting me on the tuition side, but you will also need to act as co-host on the longer 'home away' workshops. Above all, enthusiasm
is vital and you will need a good sense of humour!
On a practical side, you must also be able to drive a 17 seater minivan and have a reasonable degree of
fitness.

As Neil will tell you, running a workshop is not for those afraid of long hours and early starts. Every workshop requires a lot of planning, with recces of two or three days sometimes needed for the longer workshops - these often take place immediately preceding the workshop or on a previous weekend. You may be required to get up in the dark (and often in the cold), to climb hills looking for early morning mist, or the best viewpoint, and to help determine the best time for each location shoot, which may mean going back to the same place two or three times a day. You will also need to help me shop for lunch, seek out picnic spots, parking places and toilet stops, as well as the best places for cream teas
( see, its not all bad!) and other such tasks.

I will be looking for possible assistance with planning and running the following workshops initially: The Lake District in April, South Wales in May and a number of one day Cotswolds workshops to commence also in May. I also have five one day workshops planned at Westonbirt Arboretum in the autumn.

All workshop and recce expenses will be covered, including accommodation and meals plus you will also receive a token payment of initially £50 a day for your time on the workshop itself.

For the right person this is a great opportunity, but I'll let Neil tell you more....

"I was delighted when Sarah offered me the opportunity to work with her a year or so ago, as her assistant for the workshops she was planning. I knew that my professional background in hospitality and catering would be a useful contribution to planning a workshop itinerary and looking after our clients. I had no problem driving a minibus and knew my around the Cotswolds, at least; and I was confident enough with the photography side of things to believe that I could give Sarah the assistance she needed in the field.

I've been able to contribute to the workshop programme in a number of ways, in particular making the necessary arrangements for hiring and driving the minibuses, providing lunch and refreshments for our clients, and, for the week-end trips, negotiating with hotels and other service providers to ensure a well-run, enjoyable workshop for everyone. I've also been able to work with Sarah on the essential task of researching our photographic locations, planning routes, timings, and workshop content, and trying to anticipate light conditions for each location we visit, at the same time making contingency plans for the unpredictable British weather!

It didn't take long for me to realise however, that the role would go a little beyond all that. I learned very quickly that however long Sarah said something would take to do, I should multiply it by 150%. I therefore became Head Timekeeper, responsible for making sure our shoots started and finished roughly on time and that we were not still out capturing images at sunset with two locations yet to visit...

My 'job' has seen me try my hand at a number of tasks. I have found myself acting as a shepherd to a flock of sheep in the Lake District, attempting to encourage them to form an orderly 'lead-in' line from the bottom left corner to the centre of the frame, in front of an old stone barn (I confess that I failed on this particular task, the sheep chose their own route in the end, well off-camera.... ). Similarly I have found myself outstretched over slippery rocks in a freezing cold tumbling stream, trying to remove some fallen tree branches and other natural debris, which were apparently a 'distraction' in Sarah's chosen image. I have learned not to question why, for example, she could not move a few paces forward and eliminate the offending items from the scene the easy way, rather than have me risk a visit to the chiropractor....

When it was once suggested to me that an image of an old water mill at Sturminster Newton in Dorset would look perfectly complete by the inclusion of a model in a straw hat and white dress, I drew the line at how far my job description would go...

Seriously though, have I enjoyed working with Sarah on the workshop programmes? Yes I have. Has my own photography been improved by doing so? Yes, undoubtedly it has. And, would I recommend the role to others? Yes I would. Apart from the fact that perhaps for the first time in my photographic 'career', I have been able to spend time 'finding' an image rather than just taking what I see in front of me, I have enjoyed meeting and spending time with all of our workshop clients, whatever their interest and level of proficiency, and being able to share the joys of photography with them."

So, if you are looking to take your photography further and would like to join like minded people and help them to improve their photographic technique, and you can spare a few days every so often, then please contact us either by email at info@imageseen.co.uk or telephone Sarah, or Neil for more information on 07760 498 112