Photocraft
Tell us a bit about Photocraft. What's it all about?
Photocraft is an online photography course that teaches creative folk, such as artists, makers and bloggers how to use their camera to tell the story of their products or adventures. The lessons are hosted online and aimed at beginners, keen to take control of every element of their photography and styling.
Students around the world sign up online and choose which month to start their e-course (places are limited so check availability). Once the exciting first day of class arrives they are grouped with other students and enjoy 16 weeks of course access to fit the lessons around their lives.
I personally guide the students through the lessons offering regular feedback in their own little online chat room. It’s a lot of fun!
What key things do crafters and makers learn from you?
Photocraft students learn the whole process of a lifestyle photo shoot from planning through to shooting.
From creating mood boards and establishing a photographic style that the student loves, we then look at key styling, lighting and camera techniques to achieve the photos that they dream of.
Whether they want to achieve background blur, photograph rooms or capture tiny details, through fun mini tasks and more in-depth photo assignments they learn how to apply these techniques to their own photos.
Tell us more about yourself.
I’m a shopkeeper’s daughter, which explains my passion for working with independent businesses. I couldn’t wait to leave school to study photography and work for myself. I have worked as a freelance photographer ever since.
I found my passion in commercial photography, capturing people, products and places for a variety of clients over 12 years. I particularly love to photograph true craftsmanship and it is this interest that led me to teaching people how to capture their craft.
These days I spend most of my time teaching, writing, and also speaking about photography at events. I have worked with Etsy, Folksy, Kirstie Allsopp, Enterprise Nation and other industry leaders.
What's important to you? And what inspires you?
The adventures that creative people take are such photogenic subjects and I love sharing my skills and ideas with others and seeing where people take them.
It’s so rewarding to demystify a technical barrier for someone and then see them take wonderfully creative photos in their very own style. Guiding people to combine their own unique creativity with their new photography skills is very important to me.
My students actually inspire me, as corny as it may sound, with their questions, quirks, camera mishaps and behind the scenes adventures - they inspire me to write new content for the course and I’m even writing a Photocraft book now!
Anything else you'd like to tell us?
I’m a tree-hugging, star-gazing, daydreaming, craft-loving, sloe gin-drinking free spirit of a photographer who loves open fires, walking among trees and meeting interesting people. Photocraft is a result of many years of photographic adventures, trial and error, encounters with amazing people & products and a passion for my art. Maybe I’ll meet you in the Photocraft classroom some day and teach you how to master your camera!