Xposure Opens Registration for 35 Workshops Presented by More than 30 Internationally Acclaimed Photographers

The International Photography Festival, Xposure 2017, organised by Sharjah Government Media Bureau (SGMB) from November 22-25 at Expo Centre Sharjah, has announced that registration is open for 35 leading training workshops, presented by a group of global award-winning photographers across numerous fields of expertise.

The training is designed to help develop the skills of both professional and amateur photographers and allow them the opportunity to gain deeper insight into advanced photography. The workshops, covering an array of skills and knowledge, will include location photography, street photography, aerial photography, product photography, underwater photography and photo archiving, among other genres. The workshops on advanced photography techniques are tailored specifically for professional photographers.

The inspiring options of workshops will also include specific techniques, such as camera focus and key elements of picture content. Workshops themed Studio Lighting Essentials, Light and Amendments, and Long Exposure and Port Processing, are also on the agenda.

Alya Alsuwaidi, Manager of Marketing and Special Projects at SGMB, said: “Xposure 2017 has a large educational element. Aside from the workshops, there are also seminars and lectures that will be presented by a galaxy of the world’s most experienced and renowned photographers. The sessions will be conducted according to the highest professional standards to allow photographers in the region to develop their abilities and gain insights into the experiences of their peers who have achieved so much success and worldwide respect.”

Sharing Expert Insights

Among those moderating and presenting the workshops are celebrated British photographer Timothy Allen, who has won several prestigious awards in travel photography, American travel photographer Elia Locardi, one of the world’s most followed photographers on social media and Colin Hawkins, also from Britain, a professional product photographer.

Emirati photographer and documentary filmmaker Ali Khalifa Bin Thalith, the first Arab to win the Professional Photographer Leadership Award, will co-present a workshop on underwater photography along with the celebrated Bahraini underwater photographer Zena Holloway. Holloway is a winner of many prominent international awards, including the Royal Photographic Society Award, the Cannes Photographer Prize, and the International Photography Award.

The underwater workshop features theoretical and practical aspects, focussing on a diversity of topics, such as how to cope with challenges and potential threats and the brands of preferred cameras and lenses. The session also covers the best times for underwater photography and the amount of light necessary to capture the best images, among other topics. To illustrate the points made, a huge water basin will be set up at the festival venue.

30-Minute Feedback

One of the highlights at Xposure 2017 will be a “30-minute feedback” panel, which will take place on November 23, with the participation of three vastly experienced and multi-award winning professional photographers – Kathy Moran, National Geographic Magazine’s first senior editor for natural history projects, American photographer Kelli Reed Grant, the current Director of Photography at Yahoo News and former Director of Photo Operations at Newsweek Magazine, and Micha Bruinvels from World Press Photo.

The panel aims to empower professional and emerging talents in the fields of photography through showcasing their portfolios to one of the three panellists. During this period, panellists will review their work and provide constructive feedback on areas for development, as well as consult them across numerous variables that can elevate their overall artwork, such as tools, angles, filters and other skills.

Those interested in registering for the event and learning more about the Festival, its agenda, seminars and workshops, may visit www.xposure.ae/workshops and follow updates through social networking platforms by using #xposurexpf.

The four-day event will include 26 photo fairs, held across different venues in Sharjah and Dubai by 31 of the world’s most celebrated photographers. The festival will also feature 25 seminars, lectures and live-stage events that aim to reveal the incredible power and influence of photographs in transcending linguistic barriers and geographical boundaries.