A photographic journal by Brian Mazur

Richard Martin Workshop

I had the good fortune to attend a workshop given by the well-regarded photographer, Richard Martin, in May 2018. This workshop, organized by the RA Photo Club of which I am a member, was on the subject of Visual Design. The workshop spanned two days (Saturday & Sunday) and was preceded by a presentation (Friday night) that was available to the public. During the classroom portion of the workshop, Richard used many of his own images to illustrate the concepts of visual design, namely attention to line, shape, form, and their arrangement in the frame. The workshop also included discussion of camera techniques such as multiple exposures and some discussion of post-processing​. There were ample opportunities for the twelve workshop participants to experiment with these concepts over the two days since we visited several shooting locations; three on Day 1 and one on Day 2. The first location was the Canadian Museum of History, a wonderful museum not only for its contents but for the building itself, which was what we almost exclusively photographed. The second location was the National Holocaust Monument, which is an outdoor structure featuring strong geometrical shapes, and the nearby Canadian War Museum, again an interesting building, was the third location. On Day 2 we visited the Arboretum area of the Central Experimental Farm, which gave us ample opportunity to practice multiple exposure and other camera techniques. This second day is also when we worked on the images that we had shot over the two days​ and contributed a small selection for discussion as a group and critique by Richard. The workshop experience, while intense, is quite rewarding. Not only do you learn new things, but you get a chance to spend time with a very talented and invariably very warm and giving photographer such as Richard Martin, as well as your fellow workshop attendees.

I placed the dominant half-moon shape within a series of flowing horizontal lines. The three black dots at the upper left were retained to balance the composition.
I placed the dominant half-moon shape within a series of flowing horizontal lines. The three black dots at the upper left were retained to balance the composition.
Sweeping lines and shapes flow predominantly from left to right, and in the upper right a bright ellipse was kept in the shot to balance the dominant sweeping shape.
Sweeping lines and shapes flow predominantly from left to right, and in the upper right a bright ellipse was kept in the shot to balance the dominant sweeping shape.
There is a bit of yin and yang to this shot, which was rotated so that the sweep would be upward to the right.
There is a bit of yin and yang to this shot, which was rotated so that the sweep would be upward to the right.
This is my favourite shot from the Museum of History. Contrasting colours and oriented so that the shapes sweep upwards to the right.
This is my favourite shot from the Museum of History. Contrasting colours and oriented so that the shapes sweep upwards to the right.
Vertical shapes set within a blue background.
Vertical shapes set within a blue background.
Diagonal trapazoidal shapes. The amount of sky was chosen to balance the composition with the predominant concrete.
Diagonal trapazoidal shapes. The amount of sky was chosen to balance the composition with the predominant concrete.
Diagonal and vertical lines. The seating rectangles add a focal point at the base of the image and help to balance the light triangle of sky at the top.
Diagonal and vertical lines. The seating rectangles add a focal point at the base of the image and help to balance the light triangle of sky at the top.
Very similar to the shot taken at the Holocaust Memorial, we have a bright central line connecting triangles at top and bottom.. The texture of the right wall adds further interest.
Very similar to the shot taken at the Holocaust Memorial, we have a bright central line connecting triangles at top and bottom.. The texture of the right wall adds further interest.
Basically a strong vertical line, with a dark horizontal line to ground the image at the bottom, and a circle in the upper right to balance the composition.
Basically a strong vertical line, with a dark horizontal line to ground the image at the bottom, and a circle in the upper right to balance the composition.
A tree in bloom overlaid with a yellow bush. I positioned the shot of the bush so that the yellow would align with the blossoms on the tree.
A tree in bloom overlaid with a yellow bush. I positioned the shot of the bush so that the yellow would align with the blossoms on the tree.
A tree overlaid with a field of dandilions that had mostly gone to seed. I find that this composition has a painterly quality to my eyes.
A tree overlaid with a field of dandilions that had mostly gone to seed. I find that this composition has a painterly quality to my eyes.
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