Lecture Kevin Wilson: Light or Illuminate Dutch School of Photography, Wijchen, november 23rd 2009

Lecture Kevin Wilson: Light or Illuminate
Dutch School of Photography, Wijchen, november 23rd 2009


The second evening lecture in our school was a huge succes.
In preparation it was mentioned a wedding lecture and the use of available light.
The use of reflectors included.
Kevin got his fellowship in Weddingphotography in both important institutes in England: the BIPP and the MPA.
The evening started at 19.00 with introducing the Sponsors.
Explaining the importance of the sponsors and the photographers working together.
Kevin started his evening talk with a slideshow about his work.
A phantastic line-up of images showing his diversity of using available light.
Not just classical, but the combination of a rather journalistic combination with reportage wedding. Also styling the ways of posing and composing the images.
Cropping lots of his images is already a thoughtproces before taking the image.
Kevin than strated to explain his way of preparation and getting in contact with his weddingcouples.
A proces of 18 months like he was saying.
His way of working is as a concept so there is no way of making things go wrong.
Looking at the location with his weddingcouple, looking for the best places to go etc
Also the way of thinking: “I take five images from a full size weddingdress, so people can show how beautyfull it was.
Also some questions came up, like the way of selling.
In here you see cultural differences with how is worked in the Netherlands.
Looking at a budget first, go for a 60 images wedding album, that ends up in a album of about 100-120 pictures.
In Holland that is seen as forcing people to buy more. While it is in fact not the way Kevin wanted it to look like.
In his opinion people need to see the images, to realise they need more images to tell the story and are open to extend the budget.

Kevin talked very intens about this concept.
He also takes a risk by choosing for an atmosphere instead of a killing flash.
Long exposures that might give even an unsharp result, instead of a pinsharp no atmosphere image.

During the half hour break everybody could walk around and see the new fuji 3d digital camera, the latest Eizo 24inch screen, talk with Nik Software and see prints of Kevin on papers of Innova and Epson.

After the break Kevin started with a slideshow about a bride moving her veil.
Al moving images with huge impact.
That is how art involves into weddingphotography.

Kevin shows lots of images to explain his way of using light and reflectors.
Very interesting is his way of bouncing the light into a dark room, where the light is bounced again to the bride, so there is detail where there is no detail without this bouncing light.
Amazing that it looks so natural in the endresult.
He shows his fellowship images more and more, explaining his way of lighting.
The importance to connect also with other people than the weddingcouple,. Especially the mother of the bride.

Kevin was also very entertaning in the way he showed and demonstrated the excersise of a weddingcouple.
How to make a good figure and posing.

Kevin showed his emotion in weddingphotography.
Also his feeling of romance and expressing love.
Not just a classical feeling, but also a modern taste!
As Kevin says: “If they see the images, they mostly start to cry. And if not, I am disappointed”.

Again this was a different way to teach photography.
Our goal is to teach and not to have an egoshow.
Kevin completely succeeded in this.

To pick out the points to use in your own way of working, creating a different awareness, is what triggers new photography.

Next evening-lecture will be : monday 18th of january 2010.
Venue will be the studio of Photal, Wijchen. Close to our school.
It will be a talk and demonstration with top-choreographer of Introdans
Adriaan Luteijn (see: http://www.adriaanluteijn.com and http://www.introdans.nl )
The theme will be about bodylanguage. Connecting photography to the use and language of dance.
Be prepared that you will be activated and join ‘movements’ aswell.

Title:
Choreographer Meets Photographer.
More will come soon.
Limited places up to 50.
Based on first come you can make reservations already.
Be in time for already lots of people are signing up.


Henk van Kooten

Lecture Stichting Statief, school for photography Utrecht, Netherlands November 19th 2009-11-21

Lecture Stichting Statief, school for photography Utrecht, Netherlands
November 19th 2009-11-21

A talk of two hours in the building of Stichting Statief in the centre of Utrecht.
Always difficult to drive up in that city.
For me a great thing to do, for I can talk in my own language.
Makes it easier to joke and easier to make my points.
St Statief has always great students.
Very eager to learn and asking loads of questions.
I think there were about 50 students.
My talk was based on the differences in imaging of portraiture in
- art
- advertising/fashion
- normal photoshoot

I translated that in ’the language of the face’

Showing slides of different expressions, differences in usage.
The purity that is there to sell a product
The purity that is there because it just is as it is

Very intersting to refelct yourself and your pre interpretated way of looking
Towards differnt ways of portraiture.

The smile as a play
The smile that makes sales in portraiture
The smile that satifies the commercial look and advertising
Sometimes we make the cliche as a standard for both

To make the cliche as a leading part to different imaging
Or the cliche that is used for the need to survive?


Just think and realise......

Henk van Kooten

Lecture Abbots Langley 17th of november 2009-11-21

Lecture Abbots Langley 17th of november 2009-11-21
Meeting Central Region MPA (Master Photographers Association)

Again in England doing a lecture about Baby-Pregnancy photography.
My scedule was about:

- the importance of this market
the biggest group of customers is babies and young families
the purest way of photography

- how to market this photography
using active and passive marketing
using exhibitions
using crossmarketing

- charity
not about money but about a good feeling
to give is always good

- networking
exhibitions and crossmarketing create a new group of contacts.

- building blocks to imaging
a short version of my latest book about how imaging and your own imagination
result into a perfect match between customer and photographer (photographic reflections)

- shortlisting to create the idea of imaging of pregnancy and babies
pregnancy- power, huge belly, emotions, together, tenderness, being a woman,
insecure, fear
baby- dependent, lonley, lost, shit, pis, protection, pure
Aktion- tri-angles, carry on hands, embracing, touching, feel, dream, nude

- workflow
from start to finsh
from photoshoot to photoshop

- concepts
how to make and use concepts
also to see on my webshop
i am working on new concepts and will film and show how.
The concepts will be on the website-shop of me and can be downloaded for just a small amount of money.
Important message: play with the concepts, play with light, find your own photography. Your own style and identity.

Of course i showed several slideshows to show how things work in my studio.
It was a great meeting.
The hospitality was superb.
David Macdonald, Lan Dance, Hossain Mahdavi and more, thank you!


Henk van Kooten