Street Photography and the Art of Capturing the Crowd
Practical Workshop
25 June 2016 10.30am - 5.30pm26 June 2016 10.30am - 5.30pm
The General Assembly Room, Burlington House, Royal Academy of Arts; as well as various locations within the Piccadilly area
£360.
Terms and conditions
Anthony Luvera is a practising photographer and Director of the Photography BA at Coventry University. On 25 and 26 June, he will lead a practical and theoretical course introducing the dynamic genre of Street Photography, teaching the skills required to photograph people and capture crowds, in the heart of London.
The depiction of everyday street life and capturing the energy of life on the street has pre-occupied artists for centuries. From Renoir’s evocative street scenes of late 19th Century Parisian life to Lowry’s iconic views of crowds in industrial Yorkshire, the dynamic energy and movement of crowds has been a central feature of modern and contemporary art. It is no surprise then that there was a similar enthusiasm for the practise of street photography as soon as technology enabled photographers to move out of the studio and onto the street.
Using the history of Street Photography as a starting point, this course will reference both artistic and documentary approaches within the field, and will include practical exercises designed to equip participants with the necessary tools to capture dynamic and moving images of the life on the street.
The art of capturing a dynamic street photograph involves a number of different elements, including the chance encounter, framing and timing, patience and observation. This course aims to cover each of these and more, equipping participants with the basic tools required to create engaging photographs of life on the streets of London.
About the course
This workshop includes an overview of the genre, theory and history of street photography as well as a detailed and practical examination of street photography within the setting of London. This information is used to inform practical exercises set by the tutor, which are designed to equip participants with the necessary skills required for capturing photographic images. Exercises will be tailored to the individual needs, experiences and personal interests of participants.
The workshop culminates in a group critique in which participants are asked to upload a select number of images captured over the weekend for an informal group discussion and review. Participants are given the opportunity to upload selected images to the RA’s Flickr site after the event.
Participants must bring their own (digital) photography equipment and will be led by the Course Tutor to places of specific interest throughout London.
This course is for you if:
• You have some prior knowledge of photography, both documentary or fine art, and would like to learn more about the practise
• You would like a new perspective in your approach to capturing images
• You would like the opportunity to develop your skills and ideas in a small group setting and with a practising photographer
• You have no prior experience of street photography specifically, and would like to learn more about the genre
• You are interested in the history and current trends in the street photography genre and photography in general
The number of participants is strictly limited to 15 to enable detailed feedback from the Course Tutor for each participant on the work that they create.
• An introduction to the Academy with special reference to works in the Academy library and archives
• Expert-led advice and feedback, including a group critique during the second day
• Written materials and handouts created specifically for the course
• The opportunity to have a selection of final images uploaded onto the Royal Academy’s Flickr site
• Tea and coffee in the morning on both days, as well as a drinks reception at the end of the second day
Please note, lunch will not be provided.
Participants must bring their own (digital) photography equipment.
Instagram competition
We’re holding a 48-hour competition to win two free tickets to this workshop, Street Photography and the Art of Capturing the Crowd, on 25-26 June.
The challenge is to post the best shot of crowds on the street on Instagram. Simply post your photo by midnight on Thursday using the hashtag #RAStreetPhoto. Entries will be judged by the Academic Programmes Department.
The winner will be announced on Friday 24 June on our Instagram account, @RoyalAcademyArts. Full terms and conditions of entry here.
About the Tutor
Anthony Luvera
Anthony Luvera is an Australian artist, writer and educator based in London. His photographic work has been exhibited widely across the UK and internationally in galleries, public spaces and festivals, including the British Museum, London Underground’s Art on the Underground, the National Portrait Gallery, Belfast Exposed Photography, the Australian Centre for Photography and Les Rencontres D’Arles Photographie.
He writes regularly for a number of photographic periodicals and peer-reviewed journals. He also facilitates workshops and gives lectures for galleries and community photography projects across the UK. He is Director of the BA in Photography at Coventry University.
About the space
The General Assembly Room
The course will be held in the General Assembly Room – one of the grandest rooms of the Royal Academy and where the Royal Academicians meet to discuss the RA’s business. The General Assembly Room was originally a private room in the grand London Home of Lord Burlington, until the building was transformed by Samuel Ware into an elaborately gilded state room in 1815-8. When the Royal Academy moved to Burlington House in 1867, it was transformed by Richard Norman Shaw RA into the chamber for the General Assembly, the Academy’s governing body. With its beautifully gilded interiors, wooden floors and marble fireplaces, the magnificently restored 18th century room houses works from the Royal Academy Collection of British Art from the last 250 years, including Reynolds, Constable, Gainsborough and Hockney.
Our courses and classes programme
Our programme of short courses and classes offers the opportunity to explore a range of subjects, led by expert tutors and practising artists.