PHOTOGRAPHY COURSES IN THE EAST MIDLANDS

Welcome to the home page for Going Digital in the East Midlands.  The region is run by Jan Hunter, founder of Going Digital.  On this page:

 

Workshop Dates, Venues & Prices in the East Midlands >>

 

The East Midlands Team

Jan Hunter

I've been a keen photographer throughout my life,  with many years' experience as a training manager and I've been teaching digital photography since 2001.  I formed Going Digital in order to offer photography training to anyone who would like to improve their photography, but who doesn't necessarily want a qualification.  My aim is to show you how to get good value for money from your camera and how easy it can be to take good photographs - so much easier and more enjoyable than spending hours at the computer trying to improve disappointing shots. 

I particularly enjoy the combination of the artistic with the technical challenges that photography provides. 

Specialities

Having been a horse-lover throughout my life and having owned and competed on several horses, I am uniquely placed to be able to offer one-to-one training in Equestrian Photography.

 

Ashley Bird

I took up photography in 2005, having been inspired by working with some of the country’s best music photographers in my past life editing a rock magazine.

Taking pictures quickly became both my passion and a part of my freelance working life - I started shooting landscapes and portraits for magazines such as Sussex Life (I was living in Brighton) and live music, celebrity portraiture and reportage for companies such as the Orange RockCorps volunteering organisation. After a year in New Zealand (shooting the incredible scenery), I returned to the UK in early 2009 and put photography at the heart of my career. As well as the likes of RockCorps, I now also shoot for Rock Sound magazine, PR companies, music promoters and I shoot the occasional wedding if I’m asked nicely (and paid, of course).  

I joined the Going Digital team in early 2011, running workshops in the East Midlands area, and I love helping others have those ‘lightbulb moments’ I remember so well from when I started out taking photographs. 

Specialities

My live music photography is a key part of my portfolio, and the disciplines needed for that translate to various other scenarios - indoor sports and so on. I am also hugely passionate about using small flashes for studio light effects in my portraiture. But as you can see from my website - www.ashleybird.com - I’ve taken all sorts of photographs, so I don’t mind... ask me anything!

Take a look at Ash's Gallery of shots.

 

Paul Hobson - Guest Tutor

Paul writes every month for Derbyshire Life and has articles and images regularly published in Outdoor Photography, Bird Watching, Amateur Photographer, Natural World, and BBC Wildlife. During 2010 & 2011 he was Amateur Photographer's Masterclass expert and will be running a number of Masterclasses with them, as well as with Going Digital. 

We're delighted that Paul Hobson has agreed to work with us again in 2012 to bring his wildlife photography expertise to some of our specialist workshops at Clumber Park and Hardwick Hall. 

 

Carla Mundy

Carla is a valuable member of the team in the East Midlands, bringing a lot of experience for a relatively young person.  Here's what she says about herself.

“I’ve been fascinated by photography ever since I watched my dad building a darkroom in our bathtub when I was a child. He took pictures everywhere we went and I emulated him with a little yellow point-and-shoot. I took up photography more seriously myself while doing a BTEC and HND in Media Production – shooting behind-the-scenes shots of my short films and animations. After teaching myself the basics I did a photography degree at Nottingham Trent University and I’ve rarely been seen without a camera in my hand since.

My other obsession is rock music, so naturally that is at the heart of my photographic world – I shoot gigs, band portraits and reportage for magazines and websites such as Rock Sound, Leftlion and Midlands Rocks. I love horses too, and I take any opportunities I can to do equestrian photography. Plus, I do commercial and product photography for a variety of clients including This Is Pulp, Chocolate Alchemy and Ikea Nottingham.”

Take a look at Carla's Gallery of shots.

 

Venues

• Clumber Park - just off the A1 in North Nottinghamshire
• Hamerton Zoo - just of the A1 in Cambridgeshire
• Hardwick Hall - just off the M1 in Derbyshire
• Longshaw Estate - on the edge of the Peak District
• Whisby Nature Park - near Lincoln

 

One-to-one Training

We'd be happy to tailor a day's training to your specific requirements.  Our one-to-one days usually run from 10am to 4pm.  Our charges are below:

• From £225 (depending upon the subject) plus travelling and any other expenses, e.g. room hire if required
• A second person is welcome, free of charge
• Group rates on request.

Terms & Conditions

We ask for a £50 deposit (non-refundable) payable on booking your one-to-one training, with the balance to be paid in full at least 7 days before the training day.

Please contact us at messages@goingdigital.co.uk or call Jan on 07970 427381 for full details.

 

Cameras for Loan

We have available a Canon SLR and a Panasonic Lumix G compact system camera for our workshops and one-to-one training in the East Midlands.  Please contact us to confirm availability before making your booking by sending an email to Jan Hunter at messages@goingdigital.co.uk

 

Reviews

I was part of the group you taught yesterday ... (DSLR Part 1). I thought the course was really good - I found the advice you gave extremely helpful. The way you presented the information was very clear, and the explanations relating to our questions helped my understanding a lot. I'm sure it's going to improve my photography enormously. Rob McCluskey

Thank you so much for the workshop on Sunday.  I gained a lot from it and am confident my flash photography will see the benefits of your knowledge, advice and techniques.  The materials, explanation and practical exercises were excellent and highly valuable.  Hopefully I will be able to attend more courses in the near future and will be looking at the schedule this week.  Shaun Stevenson

Hi Jan – thanks for a great day last Saturday – I enjoyed every minute and now just have to put all the learning into practice. Appreciate your ongoing contact and support.  Vendela Peterson

.... thank you for a great day at Clumber Park on Saturday. It was really interesting to find that despite having some pretty serious DSLR and System Camera kit in evidence, no-one had really explored the video capabilities of their cameras prior to the course.  James Woodcock

Thank you so much I really enjoyed the course on Saturday. 
Pandora Maund

Thanks again for a great day on Saturday.  See you on the flash course. 
Ashley Cox

Thanks for the information. It was a great day on Sunday and I am sure that the new course will be very popular and successful. Looking forward to the Low Light Workshop on the 27th.  Mike Mirams

Thanks for the link for the FB photos. I really enjoyed yesterday and did learn a heck of a lot about lighting and technique and using macro photography for other things as well as flowers.  Heather Iveson

I do like the way you deliver your expertise and the simple self explanatory information sheets you provide to enable your students to build upon the knowledge and improve.  Jennifer Fox

Thank you for a very enjoyable and motivating day last Saturday.  I  came home full of enthusiasm ready to put into practice the knowledge gained.  Your delivery and presentation was excellent, easy to understand and follow.  The opportunity of seeing all our photographs on screen and going through the strong and weak points of each was very helpful. I bought my camera as a means to an end for before and after photograph- work related.  After Saturday I can envisage a fulfilling and time consuming hobby ahead. I will definitely be booking on future courses.  Sheila Godfrey

Many thanks for a wonderful and informative day last Saturday.  I learnt a lot and thought your presentation was first class.  
Graham Parker

Thank you SO much for taking the time to critique the shots...that was excellent feedback, you have such a fantastic eye for everything! I've learnt more in your courses than in any other and am so grateful for all the help :) It was the little things you were saying and the reminders while we were busy clicking away that made a huge difference to me.  Neha Brackstone

I got so much inspiration and motivation out of the workshop at Hardwick Hall on Saturday.  Your delivery of the technical information was clear and concise and at a comprehensive level.  Thank you for your encouragement, I will be joining further workshops with Going Digital apart from the one already booked for May.  Jacky Banyard

Thanks yet again for the fantastic low light workshop yesterday - as usual it was filled with new information and continued to review  areas from earlier courses as well - I thoroughly enjoyed it - again!  I can't wait to get on the next one........  Annette Crook

Dear Jan and Richard.  Although it was a bit of a grotty day weather wise the course I found most rewarding. Thank you. Positive feedback would include clear and concise verbal and written information. You both seemed well informed about the myriad of different cameras and their peculiarities. The debrief and summary was constructive.  Might try one of your other courses soon.  Alan Barlow 

Just a short note of thanks to you and Richard for your advice on Sunday's DSLR 1 course.  I thoroughly enjoyed my day and took a huge amount from it. Having my camera set up properly is a huge boost for me. I have experimented a little yesterday and hope to get some more in at the weekend. I almost certainly will be looking to attend a DSLR2 course in a few months time and hope to have progressed further by then.  Thanks again for an absorbing and educational day.  Sean O'Neill 

I thought your one-day course was excellent on Friday August 14th: well planned and well executed with not 1 but 2 assistants helping you. The facilities were first-class and the flying machines were pretty cooperative both standing still and in flight. The day was perfectly balanced, I felt: theory for an hour, then on individual cameras to get the settings correct for 1/2 hour and then into the field. The feedback session in the middle of the day was so useful too, as it enabled us to put right all the errors we were making; the software you used to pinpoint the focus point I really liked.  Malcolm Rea

Many thanks for a very informative and enjoyable course, it has taught me how to use my camera properly as opposed to just on auto or program mode. I learnt so much in such a short time, the course was well presented in a laid back manner which put everyone at ease.  I am very pleased with some of the shots I captured, I have attached one that I have adjusted and another straight from the camera, feel free to comment.   Mark Thacker

Hi Jan - thanks so much for Tues - it was a lovely day. I've signed up for part 2 at Hardwick and also the Birds of Prey workshop at Brockhampton in Oct. I'm going on what a I hope will be a nice hol in December with lots of colourful photo opportunities ( but not red) - hopefully I will be a bit more proficient by then - I'll practice in Devon in a couple of weeks. I really like the sound of the other workshops you offer - I think you have a student for a while!  Jane Harding

This was my Third workshop with Going Digital and won't be my last. Its great to learn and talk, while actually doing photography, on location. Highly recommended workshops whatever your ability, with a small group of like minded people.  Glen Littlemore

What a fantastic day at Crich! A very informative Masterclass with solid advice delivered in a relaxed style by David under very busy conditions!  David had the whole group focussed and photographing well within minutes of hitting the streets assuring us all, even though we were all outside our comfort zone, we could do this and seeing some of the final shots I think we all came away with some cracking photographs.  

I picked up a lot of practical & technical tips from Jan & David and their enthusiasm just pushes you on to want to improve your technique & camera gear, but it was all wrapped up in such a fun day!  Well done the Going Digital team!  Ian Meek

I would like to thank you, Rod, Amanda and all the guys for a very informative and enjoyable day on Saturday last at Hardwick.  I now feel that I have more confidence in leaving the comfort zone of the automatic mode and exploring the interesting other aspects of my camera.

Enjoyed the Wildlife Photography Course at Hamerton last week so much that I have booked onto your Travel & Landscape Course at Hardwick Hall!  Here are some of my better efforts from last week - many thanks for your help & advice in achieving these - much improved from what I had ever taken previously.

Going Digital provide great courses. The Introduction to Wildlife Photography is excellent! Jan and John provide information, guidance, advice and feedback in a constructive and easily understood manner to all participants on the course in a way that you cannot find else where. When photographing the wildlife, which always perform well and seem to also enjoy the experience, help and guidance is always at hand. If you are new to digital photography or have some experience you will find these courses invaluable and very enjoyable.

I would definitely recommend the “Introduction to Wildlife Photography” course at Going Digital.  Jan & John were very helpful and only taught you what you needed to know about your camera, rather than being bogged down with the piles of information in the instruction manual!  I learnt so much about my camera in such a short time and came away with images I never thought I’d be able to take.  A word of warning though – when they say you’ll be wiping tiger breath off your lens ….. they mean it !

 

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