Learning how to teach
Heidi snapped with off camera flash at Lens Eleven Festival, 2023
I’ve been working with the online photography platform Lens Eleven for the last six months, and I’ve absolutely loved it. It’s exclusively for women to learn in a safe and nurturing space, and the sense of community is uplifting and brilliant. Having taught a flash workshop at Lens Fest festival earlier this year, the owner and founder (and also my good friend ❤️) Laura Adams asked me if I would like to prepare and teach a course online as part of Lens Eleven’s suite of e-courses.
Teaching is something that’s been suggested to me before, but I’ve never seriously considered it, mostly because I wasn’t sure how good a job I could do! I’m not an overly technical photographer, instead preferring to be led by my gut and what I know looks good…but I have to say after teaching at the Festival this year it’s really given me a new focus; I have loved seeing how people have taken the skills I’ve taught and run with them. It’s really special being able to pass on your knowledge to people who are keen to learn and to see how they use it in their own creative work.
Laura asked me if I’d like to teach how to use artificial light in photography. My own journey with flash started when I used to photograph weddings and wanted to be able to show the party in full swing - since then I’ve practised and refined my own flash skills in different situations, so I finally feel ready to take on the challenge of teaching others. Flash photography is something that many photographers shy away from as it can be complex - the results when you get it right are so worth it though! I still use it regularly in my business and event photography and I wouldn’t dream of doing a job involving a party without taking along some form of lighting. More recently flash has become the focus of my new venture A Northern Heart where I use lighting techniques to capture subjects in a way similar to the look and feel of fine art paintings. It’s very much my new love alongside the work I do day-to-day here at FKB Photography.
Flash Ya Flash is Lens Eleven’s newest course and is launching its maiden voyage on the 9th of October. During its five-week run I will teach our cohort about flash settings, recommended kit and different ways to use lighting techniques that will bring an extra layer of creativity into taking photographs.
My new class may be the students but it will be a learning curve for me in teaching, and I can’t wait to get stuck in! To find out more or sign up for Flash Ya Flash, head over to Lens Eleven.
IG: @lens_eleven
