workshops




At Peter Rhoades Photography we provide three different types of workshops; the first focused on helping clients understand how to use their digital camera effectively, the second to enhance clients' use of Adobe Photoshop and the third to assist photographers to capture beautiful images of our wildlife and landscape.

Workshops are normally run on a one to one basis, but larger groups can be accommodated for if required. Please note that unlike many photography workshops Peter will be focused at all times on teaching the client and not taking photos for his own portfolio of work.

All our workshops are run as private sessions allowing them to be tailored to meet the specific needs of individual photographers.





Adobe Photoshop Workshop

Prices start from £95.00 per person

We simplify the processing methods of converting raw digital files into finished professional images by teaching a step-by-step approach to conversion that is easy to follow and understand and produces results to exhibition standards.

A one day workshop will cover the following subjects depending on time and the client’s requirements/abilities:

  • Raw conversion techniques for the ultimate image quality
  • Adjustment layer's
  • Understanding levels
  • Understanding curves
  • Noise reduction and its effects on images
  • The Tool Palette and Photoshop’s interface
  • Colour adjustments
  • Highlight and shadow tools
  • Understanding histograms and what they mean to image processing
  • Masking tools and techniques
  • Blending modes
  • Clone stamp tool and healing brush tools used to remove unwanted objects from images
  • Cropping and resizing images
  • Sharpening images for print and web use
  • How to set up and use action within Photoshop


A set of workshop notes are provided to help jog your memory as you apply what you have learnt over the weeks following the course.

We believe that the best environment for learning is the one you are most comfortable in. For this reason we are prepared to travel to your home, or a location of your choice, with a laptop loaded with the latest software.

This individual tuition allows you the freedom to design a day or half day to cover the areas you need assistance with at a pace that works for you.





Wildlife & Landscape Workshop

Prices start at £120.00 per person

These workshops aim to provide you with the required skills to produce high quality images outdoors. This covers everything from technical photographic skills and artistic composition, to your ability to position yourself in the environment undetected to wildlife.
 
The workshops are a friendly, informal, practical way to learn, where you can ask as many questions as you wish, and take part in the working practices of a nature photographer.

A typical one day workshop in the field will cover the following subjects depending on time and the client’s requirements/abilities

  • Learning to see/visualize images
  • Understanding light and its importance within an image
  • Composition and framing
  • Understanding exposure covering apertures /shutter speeds/ iso speeds and their relevance in creative nature photography
  • Light metering techniques how to get the best out of your camera's various settings
  • How to use neutral density filters and neutral density graduated filters, polarising filters and their effects on light within a image
  • Lens choices and their application in the field
  • Techniques for moving subjects covering focusing modes and how to achieve accurate exposures
  • General field craft skills explaining how to work with wildlife in their natural habit without causing any disturbance to them


We recommend the wildlife workshops are held somewhere such as a wetland centre or nature park due to the abundance of photographic opportunities, so that we can maximize teaching time. The landscape workshops are carried out at various local locations in Surrey and the surrounding area. For individual workshops we are happy to accompany you to a location of your choice.
 
During any of the workshops we are happy to offer careful Canon camera owners the use of our Canon professional L lenses ranging from wide angle 17-40mm up to 500mm prime lenses. Canon professional SLR bodies can also be hired for the day, if required.
 
The workshops are open to all ages and fitness levels with the only stipulation being that you have a basic working knowledge of your camera. If this is a problem we are happy to help in preparation for the workshop.





Digital Camera Workshop

Prices start at £90.00 per person

If you are struggling to get to grips with your camera and all its functions, then we can help, we simplify the whole process allowing you to get great pictures within a very short period of time

These workshops are run on a friendly, informal, and hands on practical way, where you can ask as many questions as you wish.

During a normal workshop we will cover the following subjects explaining and showing clearly their relevance in producing great images:

  • Understanding and utilizing the camera's various modes, manual/shutter priority/aperture priority and bulb mode
  • Understanding exposure covering apertures /shutter speeds/ iso speeds and their relevance in creative photography
  • Focusing modes and their applications
  • White balance settings for general use and creative applications
  • Light metering techniques - how to get the best out of your camera's various settings
  • Reading the histogram display and understanding its relevance to exposures, a vital tool within the modern digital camera
  • Depth of field, its uses and how it can be controlled by lens and aperture choice
  • Raw and jpeg files explained


Locations for this workshop can, if you wish be based at your home or any other location of your choice, but we tend to recommend spending a day out with you in the field, as not only will you gain knowledge and confidence in your camera you might come home with some great wildlife or landscape photographs.