VISUAL THOUGHTS 视觉观点

WELCOME to the home of WEEKEND WORKSHOPS, tailor-made photography courses and trips that center on introducing the participants to the fundamentals of photography through the eyes of established professionals, whilst exploring diverse locations throughout China.

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The concept of WEEKEND WORKSHOPS was created by award-winning photographer Sean Gallagher and professional guide and interpreter Jessica Zheng, in response to the demand by amateur photographers for a more affordable and personalised approach to workshops with professionals possessing a unique knowledge of the workshop location.

Student Level: Beginner / Intermediate / Passionate Amateur

Over the course of the workshops, photographer Sean Gallagher will help participants improve their images through an intensive photography experience from which they can develop their own style and voice and approach to their work in the future. The workshops location and the places visited will be fully guided and introduced by Jessica Zheng, contributing to the participants’ deeper understanding and knowledge of the workshop’s location.

REGISTRATION: To register for any of the workshops below, please send an email to sean@gallagher-photo.com after which a registration form will be sent to you.

TAILOR MADE Sean Gallagher and Jessica Zheng are also available for one-on-one or small group photography tours and are able to organise in all locations throughout China. If you are interested in a personalised workshop/tour for yourself or your group, please send an email to Sean at the email above.

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*WANT TO READ SOME OF OUR  STUDENTS’ FEEDBACK FROM PREVIOUS WORKSHOPS? NO PROBLEM! JUST GO HERE OR READ OUR FEATURE ON CITY WEEKEND

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NEW WORKSHOPS SUMMER/AUTUMN COMING SOON. PLEASE CHECK BACK OR SIGN-UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER TO BE THE FIRST TO KNOW!

MAY WORKSHOPS

“BEIJING’S DESERT” – PASSED

Dates: Saturday 29th May and Sunday 30th May 2010 – PLEASE NOTE, DATES HAVE CHANGED To Saturday 5th June & Sunday 6th June

Course Leaders: Photographer Sean Gallagher & Guide/Interpreter Jessica Zheng

Location: Tianmo Desert, North of Beijing

Participants: Minimum 5 people, Maximum 9 people (Registration is on a first-come first-serve basis)

Student Level: Beginner/Intermediate – All ages welcome!

Cost: 1799 Chinese Renminbi per person. *Price includes Accommodation, Transportation, Food and Desert Park Entrance Ticket.*

During this workshop you will explore and photograph the little-visited desert of Tianmo, under the guidance of professional photographer Sean Gallagher. Located just 80km from central Beijing, next to the Longbao Mountain Range, it is the closest desert to the capital and offers visitors a glimpse at the spectacular desert regions that now dominate 20% of northern China. Sean Gallagher, whose images of China’s deserts have appeared in National Geographic China, will guide you during this workshop helping you capture this unique environment. You will have a chance to shoot side-by-side with Sean and learn how to capture landscapes, natural scenery and daily life in this dry but fascinating area.

DAY 1 – Saturday

MORNING – Meet in central Beijing and take private mini-bus to Tianmo.

AFTERNOON – Arrival at our traditional village hotel in Tianmo. Lunch at accommodation. Welcome and introductory class. Sean Gallagher will offer students key advice about the best ways to photograph in desert regions, such as in the preparation of your equipment and coping with photographing in dry conditions.

Tianmo Desert

After lunch and class, we will make our first visit to the desert to explore the region and begin photographing the dunes of Tianmo. Whilst in the desert we will have a second class where Sean will offer you further advice and tips.

EVENING – We will return to our accommodation to enjoy the warm desert evening and try a local traditional barbecue. Sean will present an evening slideshow of his work from 3 years of photographing deserts in China. This will be an informal evening whereby we can talk and share ideas and thoughts about photography.

* Please note, we will stay in a traditional village hotel near Tianmo. Double rooms are clean and warm but basic. Each room will have two single beds with plenty of space. Couples will of course be placed in rooms together. Students not travelling with partners will be paired in rooms with other students of the same sex. If you require an individual room, please inform us as soon as possible.*

DAY 2 – Sunday

MORNING – Rising early, we will get to the desert early in order to photograph the sunrise. This will be a great chance to photograph this beautiful time of the day. We will rest late morning and prepare for our final afternoon in the desert.

Tianmo Desert

AFTERNOON –  During this time you will be able to take advantage of the horse-riding, camel-riding, dune buggy etc. entertainments that the park has on offer. As you do so, we will continue photographing and trying to record the unique activities that now take place in China’s ‘modern’ deserts.

In the late afternoon we will review our images and have a chance to share them with the rest of the group. This will be an important time for us to reflect on our experiences shooting and our time together.

EVENING – Return to central Beijing by private mini-bus.

TO BOOK YOUR PLACE NOW, JUST SEND AN EMAIL TO SEAN@GALLAGHER-PHOTO.COM WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU!

*The organisers reserve the right to alter the daily schedule of the workshops. They will endeavor to keep students aware of all changes as soon as possible.*

“Special Chinese New Year Workshop: White Cloud Temple Fair” – PASSED

*To view images from this workshop, please go here.*

Dates: Tuesday 16th February 2010

Course Leaders: Photographer Sean Gallagher & Guide/Interpreter Jessica Zheng

Location: White Cloud Temple. XiCheng District. Beijing

Time: 11:00 a.m. – 16:00 p.m.

Participants: Minimum 5 people, Maximum 10 people each day (Registration is on a first-come first-serve basis)

Student Level: Beginner/Intermediate – All ages welcome!

Cost: 399 Chinese Renminbi per person (entrance to temple included)

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“Hutong Photography” – PASSED

*To view images from this workshop, please go here*

Dates: Sunday 28th February 2010 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Course Leaders: Photographer Sean Gallagher & Guide/Interpreter Jessica Zheng

Location: The Far East International Youth Hostel, Beijing

Participants: Minimum 5 people, Maximum 10 people (Registration is on a first-come first-serve basis)

Student Level: Beginner/Intermediate – All ages welcome!

Cost: 499 Chinese Renminbi per person*

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JANUARY – “Hutong Photography” - PASSED

*To view images from this workshop, please go here*

Dates: Sunday 17th January 2010 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Course Leaders: Photographer Sean Gallagher & Guide/Interpreter Jessica Zheng

Location: The Far East International Youth Hostel, Beijing

Participants: Minimum 5 people, Maximum 10 people (Registration is on a first-come first-serve basis)

Student Level: Beginner/Intermediate – All ages welcome!

Cost: 499 Chinese Renminbi per person

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NOVEMBER WORKSHOP – “Hutong Photography” – PASSED

*To view images from this workshop, please go here*

Dates: Sunday 15th November 2009 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Course Leaders: Photographer Sean Gallagher & Guide/Interpreter Jessica Zheng

Location: The Far East International Youth Hostel, Beijing

Participants: Minimum 5 people, Maximum 10 people (Registration is on a first-come first-serve basis)

Student Level: Beginner/Intermediate – All ages welcome!

Cost: 499 Chinese Renminbi per person*

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SPECIAL 1-DAY OCTOBER HOLIDAY WORKSHOP – “Hutong Photography” – PASSED

*To view images from this workshop, please go here*

Dates: Tuesday 6th October 2009 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Course Leaders: Photographer Sean Gallagher & Guide/Interpreter Jessica Zheng

Location: The Far East International Youth Hostel, Beijing

Participants: Minimum 5 people, Maximum 10 people (Registration is on a first-come first-serve basis)

Student Level: Beginner/Intermediate – All ages welcome!

Cost: 499 Chinese Renminbi per person*

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WEEKEND WORKSHOPS Beijing - PASSED

Dates: Friday September 18th – Sunday September 20th 2009

Course Leaders: Photographer Sean Gallagher & Guide/Interpreter Jessica Zheng

Location: The Far East International Youth Hostel, Beijing

Accommodation: Students are responsible for their own accommodation however the Far East International Youth Hostel offers a special discount rate of 280RMB/night (plus breakfast) for workshop participants.

Participants: Minimum 5 people, Maximum 10 people (Registration is on a first-come first-serve basis)

Cost: 1499 Chinese Renminbi per person for 3 days

WEEKEND WORKSHOPS Beijing will be a unique opportunity to explore and discover your photography in China’s ancient and mysterious capital. A clash of modern skyscrapers and traditional hutongs, this diverse city will be your backdrop to create images that represent not only the city itself but also your unique view of it. With our base as the beautiful Far East International Youth Hostel, situated in the heart of old Beijing, you will be assisted in your work by award-winning photographer Sean Gallagher, who has been based in Beijing for 3 years, and guided by Beijing resident and professional guide Jessica Zheng. The workshop leaders will encourage you to express yourselves through your photography and at the same time assist you in your discovery of the city through a detailed 3-day plan.

3 DAY PLAN

DAY 1 – FRIDAY

MORNING – Registration at Far East International Youth Hostel. Introductions, Portfolio Review and ‘Basics Breakdown’ – refreshing your understanding of the photography basics.

AFTERNOON – ‘Photo-Shadow’ – Entering the maze-like hutongs of central Beijing, you will ’shadow’ professional photographer Sean Gallagher to see how he approaches people and photographs in street situations. Flipping the role, Sean will then shadow you, watching how you work, in order to understand your approach to photography and be able to offer you advice on your shooting style.

EVENING – ‘Group Meal + Presentation by Sean Gallagher’ This will be a time for the whole class to sit and eat together in one of Beijing’s unique hutong restaurants. Sean Gallagher will then present his work from 3 years of photographing in China.

DAY 2 – SATURDAY

MORNING – ‘Old Beijing’ – Rising before dawn, we will head out to The Temple of Heaven park in central Beijing. Built in 1420, the temple’s parks are an iconic symbol of traditional Beijing and on weekend mornings play host to hundreds of the city’s residents who venture there to do taichi and swordplay around the temple, wooded lawns and morning light. This will be a perfect chance to photograph to the ‘Old Beijing’.

AFTERNOON – ‘Productive Editing’ – Heading back to the Far East Youth Hostel, we will sit down and look at your work from the previous day and a half shooting, editing it down to the best images, whilst course leader Sean Gallagher offers advice to you on the best ways to effectively edit your work and manage your images.

EVENING – ‘Beijing at Night’ – This will be you opportunity to experiment with night photography. We shall visit the Olympic Park which offers the spectacular subjects of the Olympic Bird’s Nest and Water Cube which will be your subjects and/or backdrops for the evening’s work.

DAY 3 – SUNDAY

MORNING – ‘Final Chance’ – This will be the final chance to head out onto the streets to capture those shots that you missed over the previous 2 days. Want to head back into the hutongs to get that portrait? No problem. Want to get up early to revisit the Bird’s Nest to get the right light? Sure thing. This is your chance to improve your images before the final evening slideshow.

AFTERNOON – ‘Visual Presentation’ and final editing. How do we display our photos properly? What software should we use? This is where you will learn how to use programs that will allow you to show off your images, at the quality they deserve.

EVENING – ‘Final Party & Slideshow’ – The culmination of the workshop will manifest itself in the form of a slideshow of the group’s work from the previous 3 days. This will be chance to have final discussions about the workshop process and enjoy the last evening in the perfect setting of the Far East Youth Hostel’s hutong courtyard.

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Extra Notes – Please Read

* If the minimum number of students is not met for the workshop, the organisers reserve the right to cancel the workshop, offering a full refund to any monies paid to registered students.

** Students are encouraged to have their own personal travel insurance before beginning the workshop. Weekend Workshops, it’s organisers and/or the host organisation cannot be held responsible for any damages, loss of property and/or injury incurred during the duration of the workshop.

*** Students are responsible for their own food, transportation and accommodation prior, during and after the workshops, unless otherwise stated.

Final payments of workshop fees indicates the acknowledgement and agreement of above said points.