Inspiring Outlook On Photography With David Alan Harvey

One thing that I believe is so important for the creative health of a photographer is listening to what other photographers have to say about their craft. I just got word that David Alan Harvey is going to be teaching at Gulf Photo Plus, and somehow David had not yet crossed my radar. As I began investigating this National Geographic photojournalist, it became increasingly apparent how much passion David has for his work. One quote that really stood out in the video above is "Take the photo first, and focus later," and I think too many times as photographers we get caught up in the technical elements of an image and fail to recognize what is actually happening in front of us.

Most photographers find throughout their careers that they often have those jobs that define them as a professional photographer and help them make a living. The other side of the coin usually revolves around pushing yourself as a storyteller and creative artist. Sometimes if you are lucky you can combine both your artistic aspirations with your daily photoshoots for paying clients. What I find so inspiring with true photo journalists like David Alan Harvey is they often step away from their safe and fairly predictable client work and venture into something more risky and unknown. Maybe it is just me, but I often find that I'm the most inspired and creative when I distill everything down to the bare necessities and place myself into a situation where I too am not quite sure how I will react. That's when I find myself growing the most as a photographer while enjoying the artistic element that made me fall in love with photography in the first place.

Like I said, up until a few days ago I did not know who David Alan Harvey was but I'm now pretty stoked to sit in on one of his lectures at Gulf Photo Plus. If you have already committed to heading out to Dubai in March (or maybe you are still on the fence), I have a feeling David's two workshops are going to be extremely rewarding in revitalizing yourself as a photographer. It will be such a breath of fresh air to step away from the gear and technical skills that so often become the center stage for creative artists and refocus on why we are taking photos in the first place.

If you are interested in signing up for either of David's classes, check out the information below.

Editing Your Project (2 days)
In this 2-day workshop, David will help put you on the right path of the incredibly difficult process of editing your work to be able to create a cohesive body of work from a vast selection of shots to be able to tell your story clearly and with impact. Starting with the end in mind, i.e. the final medium you have in mind for your project (book, website, exhibition or other), you will learn how to make important decisions related to the number of pictures, which of them to include, in what sequence and how to structure them.

The workshops are limited to 10 spaces so book here soon to secure your space.

Photo Rio - Nat Geo Channel from Bryan Harvey Films on Vimeo.

Finding Your Voice (3 Days)
There are two kinds of musicians, those who play other people's songs and those who write & play their own music. In photography if you're going to reach the highest levels and set yourself apart, you have to be writing your own music, you have to be thinking and expressing your own ideas. You have to have something that's a little bit uncomfortable when you're trying to tell the story.
You have to have a point of view.

In this workshop we will focus on story formation, visual literacy, and personal vision. You will be mentored to find your own voice to say what you want to say, to look deep inside your own soul and then figure out a way to say it. David will not teach you how to use your cameras, but will teach you to play the camera with your senses rather than the rules. He will lead the group through a daily program of shooting, reviews, group critiques, mentoring, editing sessions and the opportunity to learn amongst peers.

This workshop is aimed at photographers who are dedicated to pushing their own personal photographic boundaries, including both professional and emerging & amateur photographers.

The workshops are limited to 10 spaces so book here soon to secure your space.