WHAT'S NEW WITH DEVON PHOTOGRAPHY SCHOOL
The first big challenge of 2021, as far as I see it, is to address the page title ‘What’s New With Devon Photography School’. Nobody needs reminding of 2020. in fact, I never bothered to see it out. In a, literally, last minute protest in favour of its demise, I locked up, switched off the phone and pulled the duvet over my head at five minutes to midnight. My way of pushing it out the door and not even bothering to wave it goodbye as it staggered off down the drive…
The thing is, even though we stayed active throughout the year that shall not be named with one-to-one tuition, the exciting, big ticket, DPS group events all had to go on hold, as venues and transportation options fell to the obligation of responsible social distancing.
As for 2021… well, we’ve already held a strategising meeting of our own COBRA team, which, in the air of full disclosure, mainly consisted of the now fully recovered Mark and I saying ‘do you know where I fancy going this year..?’ to each other, followed by a list of places in and around Devon that we hadn’t made it to in 2020 (basically everywhere in and around Devon...). We desperately want to get back to Lundy this year, and are considering upping our Wiscombe Park Hill Climb visits from two to three events in the upcoming programme. Plus, we have a few ideas for photo-walks to some of the lesser known spots of the moors, that we feel we can commit to regardless of all but a full lockdown.
One event that we have determined to be involved with, in collaboration with our good friend Andrew McCarthy and Howard Frank of Westcott Barton is a residential nature and landscape photography workshop scheduled for late May of this year, details for which are below.
I'm also going to leave the pretty pictures from 2019 on the page too, to inspire us all for this year (and so's we've got something to look at...).
WARRINER LEATHERWORKS
We spent a day with Katy Warriner of Warriner Leatherworks at her studio tucked in a corner of Dartmoor near Okehampton, helping her to 'dual-purpose' her wonderful workshop to double as a product studio for her to photograph her range of bespoke leather items.
Using traditional tools and techniques, Katy's workshop is an Alladin's cave for people with a love of craftsmanship.
Just take a look at her work.
www.warrinerleatherworks.co.uk
LUNDY ISLAND PHOTO-TOUR
2019
An incredible day as guests of the Landmark Trust, and guided by the lovely Sian, we were blessed by the gods of weather when an ugly squall swept the jetty just before we landed but was long gone by the time we stepped off the MS Oldenburg.
From that point on, the sun shone down on us for the entire stay, and we roamed the glorious paths and meadows of this wonderful island with our wet weather gear stowed.
And yes, there were puffins...
Along with Soay Sheep, Feral Goats, Highland Cattle, Gloucester Old Spot Pigs, Grey Seals, and even Dolphins and a Peregrine Falcon in Bideford Bay during our transit.
WISCOMBE PARK VINTAGE SPORTS-CAR CLUB MEETING
PHOTO-WALK 2019
Wiscombe Park is a wonderful introduction to motor sport photography right here in the heart of Devon.
Situated close to Honiton, Wiscombe Park has been staging a full and regular hill climb programme since 1958.
For the photographer looking to practice motor sport photography 'up close and personal' it is a target rich environment... Compact, open, and set within beautiful grounds, with full access to the parc ferme, the course winds through wide parkland up into a steep forest section.
Once again, the sky stayed clear all day as the Vintage Sports-Car club thundered and smoked their way up the hill to the delight of the crowd.
