C&B Training - Colour & Books

Educating photographers, designers and aspiring professionals about my craft has been important for me from the day that I started my own practice at Colour & Books. The nature of my work, or the importance of it, within book production is not self explanatory. Back in the old days, young people could choose to undergo proper training as a lithographer. In The Netherlands at least, this is no longer an option.

Photography students usually do get some training in postproduction. To my experience this often concentrates on how to in Photoshop or Lightroom, learning tricks and practicalities. Most students I encounter, feel they have little adequacy in the field. Senior photographers might have started their careers with printing in the dark room and more or less continued their workflow digital. Many of those also experience this feeling off inadequacy.

Some years ago I got the chance at the University of the Arts in The Hague (KABK), at the photography department, to take over their programs for fist year students photography on image printing. I build the program on developing a fundamental understanding of why as a photographer you should engage in post production. How to establish proper and personal communication with your audience through your images by developing clear visual strategies. This concentrates on answering the main question everyone should ask one self before entering postproduction:

Why did I take that image?

The program then deals with the basics in digital image editing and printing. What is it that makes an image communicate its magic? And how to bring that into expression.

Later on, this program was extended to second year students as well. For students at the Masters Photography & Society I developed a masterclass program.

From here on I developed shorter programs to function as workshops and lectures and even online versions.

I promise you a program full of inspiration.

The programs I offered so far are:

Comprehensive lectures about (photo)book production. During this 2 hour program I aim to demystify the process of book production. I always bring loads of samples and examples to illustrate what I talk about. The form is an interactive talk where participants can bring in their own experiences or bring in topics.
Workshop image editing and printing. The duration of this program can be anything between half a day up till multiple days. I will always start investigating what participants struggle with. I will also invite them to bring work, preferably printed and definitely as a digital file. Longer programs can deal more in depth with creating a workflow in Photoshop, Lightroom or which ever software tool is used. The goal of the program is to improve on ones understanding of the process of toning images and grow in confidence in it.
Online personal workshop. In this program we will start establishing your needs and your goals. As in other programs the goal of the workshop is to improve on ones understanding of the process of toning images and grow in confidence in it. It is not about learning to master the various software tools. The central issue here is how to improve your visual communication through your images and get full satisfaction of your process.
Full tuition program digital workflow and printing. This is the program I developed at the Royal University of Art in The Hague. Of course this can also decompressed in shorter programs. Students will learn to think as professionals about how to present their photographic work. They will learn to develop visual strategies and translate this into professional prints or digital presentations

I’m always open to new opportunities to engage with book enthusiasts, aspiring professionals or professionals in photography and design.

If you think you have a new setting for me to share my knowledge and experience with enthusiasts, please contact me. If you’re interested in the online workshop please send me a MAIL.