Keep Me Informed
Close
You've recieved an email!
Please check you inbox for the email containing your chosen tool. If you can't see it, try checking your spam folder, just incase.
We're always keen to hear your stories about how our tools and methods have inspired new ideas, sparked your creativity, or helped you develop new products and services. feel free to share your experiences on socials or send us a message at steamhouse@bcu.ac.uk
Maker Monday moments – July round-up with Michael de Groot and Karl W Newton.
It was a very warm, humid and busy Maker Monday at the end of July so it was fantastic to see such a great turn out at 1000 Trades, despite the Summer holidays having begun.
Michael invited the audience to share their reasons for what they listen to and why. Of course, there were a number of reasons such consumption of information, access to resources, the pursuit of personal interest or amusement and the podcast is also a perfect medium for the commute.
Michael talked about its growth being concurrent with the ownership of smartphones. Some stats shared by Michael included:
Our second speaker, the excellent photographer Karl W Newton, came to talk about his work as a photographer as well as posit some very personal views on his art and how creativity should be prescribed on the NHS.
Karl talked about how he learnt to capture great pictures, developing his own style by creating candid scenes with a narrative and using different angles. He talked about how his influences have shaped his work including David Bailey, Liam Wong David Lachapelle, Art Wolfe and Henri Cartier-Besson before going into sharing tips and tricks of his practice.
Karl also provided many insights into how to capture the ‘great shot’, tips that we can all benefit from including patience, an appreciation of space (looking for all angles), staying 30 seconds longer, and shooting in raw mode (as opposed to jpeg).
A couple of other standout tips included:
When asked about how many shots he takes to get the ‘great one’, he said out of around 700-800 shots, maybe 2-3 will be ‘decent’, which caused a noticeable wow from the audience.
Karl provided a snapshot of his work, highlighted examples of his work that back up many of the tips that he shared. Karl captures photos with multiple meanings, many of which he doesn’t notice on the initial shot. Great photos transcend the lens. For example, in this very jovial shot from a recent Donald Trump protest in London, Karl only saw the banner initially yet there was so much more going on, predominantly capturing the humour of the rally.
Karl has clearly acquired a talent for capturing moments where people provide multiple meanings such as this matchday shot on the tube ….
… or there is this shot of heart-shaped balloons on New Street in Birmingham where the interest becomes more the woman’s acknowledgement that Karl is taking the shot. Patience is so crucial to capturing not just a moment but a series of moments, some of which where serendipity is a deserved outcome.
Like Michael, Karl’s talk was about sharing ideas and concepts that we can all be inspired by. Karl’s focus was on the construction of a photo and its meaning – its composition, the reaction of others, the story and narrative behind the photo, the enjoyment derived from a photo and the use of colour.
These were all very apparent and crucial parts of Karl’s work.
In the final part of Karl’s talk, he suggested that creativity should be prescribed on the NHS at no cost or financial burden. Karl talked about his background working with people with addiction using art therapy, in particular, the powerful story of a man with decades of drug addiction who found himself creatively.
In Karl’s words, “we are all born creative, even if it gets lost along the way. Therefore, the key to being creative is finding that creative spark hidden within.”
It was an area that provided many conversations and brought a consensus from many in the crowd especially a few who have worked in the community arts or arts into the health arena.
We have discussed the arts and creativity in the health arena in previous Maker Mondays, and Karl’s closing remarks have the potential for a wider and more profound discussion around creativity and its profound impact on people.
Karl is a case in point – someone who has clearly found expression through photography and is so willing to share his story, his work and his art, all with real generosity of spirit.
In Karl’s words, “just because it hasn’t been done before doesn’t mean it can’t be done!”.
You can watch Karl’s talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4W0Sq2_FVU&feature=youtu.be
Karl W. Newton can be found here:
Twitter: @kwm_photouk
Facebook: /kwnphotography
Instagram: that_brummie_photographer
www.thebrummiephotographer.com
Karl’s book Observations on Life, can be purchased here.
