Meet the Going Digital London Team

Prior to joining Going Digital my background was in education and training for a well known vocational awarding body so helping people learn new skills has always been important to me. When I am not teaching you will find me and my camera looking for the perfect Street Photography image. In my 10 years at Going Digital I have delivered workshops all across London, as well as in Herts, Beds, Bucks, Essex and Norfolk to hundreds of students. By the end of a class it’s fantastic to hear the excited buzz as Students discuss their new found knowledge with each other. What I love most about being a Tutor is the opportunity to provide a learning experience that will hopefully set students off on their own creative photography journey. As a young boy my Dad bought me my first camera, a Hanimex 110 and that started me on my journey. Admittedly most of my pictures back then tended to be of my Dad putting food in his mouth on our holidays, much to his chagrin, but we all have to start somewhere right? Fast forward to now and in addition to Street Photography the things I love to capture are live music events and sporting spectacles, in particular The London Marathon. As a keen runner I always hope to be taking part in the UK’s very own Major, but if that is not possible then being on the streets of London on Marathon day with your camera gives you so many great photographic opportunities. I am an Adobe Certificated Associate in Photoshop and in addition to that I also use Silver Efex Pro and Capture One Pro. When I am not teaching or working on my own photography I can often be found wandering around the flat and muttering to myself because I can't remember where I put something!!

Tas Black has worked as a commercial photographer covering commissions for organizations such as British Red Cross and numerous other charities, as well as exhibiting her work in the UK and internationally. Her work consists of 2 evident styles, which are social documentary and fine art. She has also been teaching photography on a part time basis for the past 9 years at the London Academy of Film & T.V. and Going Digital. She has worked with ‘Black and White,’ conventional photography as well as both digital colour/black & white. Her personal work has always been an interest in Travel & Street Photography. What happens when we take a photograph and how ‘the self’ can be represented aesthetically or within a social-documentary style. She has 15 years of continuous experience in teaching photography in adult education in a classroom setting as well as photo walks. This is backed up with an equivalent degree BA qualification in photography, as well as a teaching qualification (PGCE) in photography. You can see some of her work at https://tasblackphoto.wixsite.com/mysite

Rob has been a keen Canon photographer for 20 years and attended the first of his 10 Going Digital Courses in 2010. Nature and wildlife are his passions, so living in the Hindhead, Surrey area, with lakes, rivers and the countryside on his doorstep, gives him the chance to photograph a variety of creatures and perfect his techniques. A number of these photos can be seen on his website (https://www.karmeacraftphotography.co.uk) and his Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/50031820@N07) account. He has won awards and undertaken some commercial work for a Ladies fashion boutique in Guildford. When Rob isn't out tutoring or taking photos, he's reading about photography or helping friends and family to understand the art of taking better photos rather than just 'snaps'.

I’m Sara, a Swedish street photographer living in London. The photography, though always an interest, didn’t fully develop to the current love and obsession until about 11 years ago when I purchased my first "proper camera'. In the beginning, I captured the classic London scenes and nature but with time, I noticed it was the people in the images that it was all about for me. That candid frozen moment of time, captured forever with its own story to tell. Who are they, what are they feeling, how had their day been, what have they been through? Smiles, laughter, frowns, shouts, tears, love, anger, happiness – I love capturing it all and the camera is with me as soon as I leave the house as I’m so worried I will miss ‘that shot’. Initially, I converted most of my images to black and white as in my mind that was how street photography was supposed to be displayed if you were serious about it. However, I felt like something was missing and I didn’t manage to convey what I was trying to show in my images and slowly I moved across to colour and my own style started emerging. I adore the vibrancy and contrast you get from the sun and actively seek out corners in the early morning or late afternoon where you have the golden rays wash over the faces of the passing crowds or individuals. To develop and challenge myself I did a diploma in street photography which I got a distinction for, attended several workshops including Matt Stuart as well as street walks. It's not all about pretty lights and colours, I also document protests, marches, events and certain areas in London that are changing and being gentrified - some of these are ongoing projects that I'm hoping to publish. You can see some of my work at http://www.smphotography.london/

Marc is a black and white photographer based in Kent. He shoots a wide variety of genres, with urban wildlife, especially since the nationwide lockdown, being a huge passion. He raises money and awareness for local charities who are at the forefront of the impact humans have on our wildlife. Be it direct action habitat protection or the wildlife hospitals that receive the injured animals on a daily basis. Graduating as an Illustrator, and working within the creative industries for nearly 20 years as a Senior Graphic Designer/Studio Manager, he realised that photography gave him a creative outlet away from the demands of clients which was incredibly fulfilling. Working with commercial photographers via his job has helped him gain knowledge around many different styles and genres. You can see some of his work here: https://marc-ayres.com/