Workshop offers upgrade for photography skills
A self-portrait of Tom Coyner, taken in a gift shop in Bukchon Hanok Village in 2011. / Courtesy of Tom Coyner
By Jon Dunbar
Tom Coyner has been photographing Korea since the 1970s when he came here with the Peace Corps. This weekend he shares his experience through the first in a series of photography workshops.
Under the title “Back to Basics,” this first workshop covers the basics of photography suitable for anyone from beginners to experienced shutterbugs.
“Ultimately, it doesn't matter if you have a smartphone or a professional camera ― basic photography consists of the same basic skills and understanding,” he said in an online interview. “Even with 50 years' experience, I still often have to slow down and review the basics, since even a well-experienced and skilled photographer is likely to get overconfident and thereby get sloppy, resulting in lesser-quality photographs. “
The workshop will be operated on two levels: introducing basic skills to novices, and upgrading the fundamentals for experienced photographers. They will go over understanding how shutter speed, lens aperture and film speed (ISO) work together, as well as focusing techniques, basic composition and how to use a smartphone like a sophisticated camera, as well as a demonstration of Adobe Lightroom or DXO Photolab2.
“I will quickly demonstrate what can be done in post-processing to give participants a peek at what may be possible should they later decide to go to the next level of improving their images with software,” Coyner said.
Weather permitting, he hopes to take the group on a photo walk at the end of the workshop, giving them a chance to apply the lessons on the slope of nearby Mount Inwang.
Coyner took up photography seriously in 1967 and has been published since 1979 in books, newspapers and magazines. His first visit to Korea as a Peace Corps volunteer was from 1975 to 1977.
Since then he has worked as a business consultant through
, and for the past seven years he has focused on commercial photography.
He has a studio set up at his residence in Cheongun-dong, not far from Cheong Wa Dae in Seochon, central Seoul.
Participation costs 50,000 won per person, or 40,000 won for those who have attended any of Coyner's previous workshops, with an additional discount of 5,000 won for any prior participant who brings along a new workshop participant.
Participants must register in advance so he can print off the right number of handouts. RSVP to tomcoyner@gmail.com before Friday.