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No. 5
seattle, washington

I get so excited when I think of the prospect of three unadulterated days of photography. The last time I did this was back in February in Tampa, Florida when I met my photog friends Sue and Ron for the first time and we played together for three days. Before that I spent three days down in Seattle last August where I became friends with another photog Alex and came home with some really amazing images. Both times I learnt so much and photography took on a whole new meaning for me. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me this time around.

All I know is it’s going to be good. How do I know this, you ask? Well Bryan Peterson is coming to town! Bryan is the author of Understanding Exposure–one of the very first photography books I read. Not only is he a great writer and an amazing photographer, he is also one of the best teachers I know. Bryan sees what no-one else does and brings it all to us with an exhubrance and passion that is unmatched. With him, photography comes to life in the simpliest of things like this number five in the photo above. It was taken last year in Seattle during his workshop there. We were at the Seattle Center milling around the sculpture near the entrance when he suggested we pull out our macro lenses. This picture was taken from a sewer cover on the road in front of the building. Imagine how many people have driven over this cover, how many people have unknowingly walked over it without realizing that there was a photograph there just waiting to be created.

The other reason why I am so thrilled is because this workshop is right in my backyard. It might seem strange to some that I would do a workshop in Vancouver since I live here but when Bryan comes to town, it will be like I flew to Lyon, France to do a workshop with him there. The old adage of familiarity breeds contempt just might apply to me as people from around the world want to travel here and take pictures but most days I dream about traveling far away to shoot the exotic and the unknown. I am looking forward to my eyes being opened to the photographic possibilities all around me that I’ve missed. Only five more days to go!