Session 4 - Photography Skills with Jim Poyner

Practitioner :

Inspired Youth & Jim Poyner

Session Aims:

• Introduce Jim Poyner and his portfolio

• Learn basic photographic techniques

• Devise shoot scenarios

This week we were delighted to welcome professional photographer Jim Poyner to the Mind Me project.   

Jim's role was to work with the group to devise and shoot some pictures which would help communicate the narrative of the piece.   Focusing again on talents & individuality in the face of stigma and discrimination the group began to imagine how photographs could challenge an audience.

First, Jim took the group through a showreel of his work, explaining basic photography composition techniques such as da Vinci's rule of thirds.   He also showed the group how to light people for different moods and effects; by using natural light or light from one or more flash guns the group learned how to change the feel of a picture.   

Using two professional camera kits and different lenses, shutter speeds and apertures the group shot a series of interesting portraits!

Once the group had practiced and tried out the various techniques and equipment we discussed the shoot concepts for the following day's location shoot.    A number of locations and subjects were devised to show elements of talent and public reaction.    The session closed with the knowledge that we had a flexible shot list and the means to get some good material for the final piece.