I was a Guest Speaker at North Warwickshire and Hinckley College

And I loved it. I had a great time on Monday speaking in front of roughly 30 students from the college's photography department. It all came about when I visited the campus on Burbage Carnival business and while there I was invited to have a tour of the facility by their art director. In doing so was introduced to their photography department. I was in heaven.
The facilities are superb (apart from their window blinds that need a little coaxing from time to time). I was shown their darkroom where the smell of the chemicals brought memories of the days of film flooding back. I was shown their studio, where most of their kit was similar to mine, apart from a ring flash I would most certainly like to try one day. If they had a Fresnel Spot I really would have been jealous as that has recently moved to the top of the wish list. I wanted to put my bag down, tell my husband to go home and pick me up later. I just wanted to get stuck in and start work with the students right then and there.

So I asked if there was anything I could do and was invited to come back to speak to the students about my life as a photographer. Speaking for a room full of enthusiastic photographers is such a rewarding thing to do. Its not often I get to speak about what I do to people who actually care to listen. I've bored my husband to tears in the past (well not actually but I certainly do see him switching off quite quickly).

Its at times like this when I realise how far I've come and the vast knowledge I've actually acquired over the years. Sometimes you can get to know something so well it begins to feel like common knowledge, until you are able to share it with others and see that they value that information.

Well hopefully this is the beginning of a long lasting relationship with the college. Perhaps lending a hand for a studio session or a little Lightroom and Photoshop tuition could be arranged next.

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(It was while sitting on the couch here when he noticed the cat peering through the curtain)
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(Photo Credit: Mike McNamee - Sitting on a panel)
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