4 week nature film & photography course

Starts Wednesday 24th February – 15th March

Learn to explore and establish new skills in documenting nature and deepen your relationship with your natural surroundings. Tutor & filmmaker, Demi Sutherland, will guide you in developing a creative practice, looking in depth at using texture, light, composition and teach you some basic technical photography / filmmaking skills.

Using your own phone or digital camera, Demi will cover some basic technical skills, though the main purpose will be for the participants to connect with the nature they are documenting and to have fun!

Course Format:

• 4 WEEK COURSE ON WEDS 24TH FEB, 3RD, 10TH & 17TH MARCH

• WEEKLY ONLINE WORKSHOP WITH DEMI & OTHER PARTICIPANTS

• WEEKLY ONE-TO-ONE WITH DEMI – SOCIALLY DISTANCED WALK / MENTORING SESSION (DEPENDENT ON RESTRICTIONS)

• COLLABORATIVE FINAL PROJECT – COLLECTION OF FILM AND PHOTOGRAPHY MADE THROUGHOUT THE COURSE

TO APPLY: FILL IN APPLICATION FORM

THERE ARE SIX PLACES AVAILABLE – IF THE COURSE IS POPULAR, DON’T WORRY WE HOPE TO RUN SOMETHING SIMILAR AGAIN

About Demi Sutherland:

I am a freelance filmmaker based in Glasgow originally from Fife. I studied Photography & Film at Edinburgh Napier University and graduated in 2015. Since then I have been working freelance in the Film & TV industry, mostly in drama. However, I have since realised my true passion of documenting wildlife and nature through photographs and moving image. I have always loved going into the outdoors and noticing the details. Nature helps me to feel connected and a part of the landscape. It reminds me of the bigger picture no matter what is going on in my life and is when I feel most relaxed.You can see deeper into nature when you start to notice the details. I believe doing this through a lens helps to channel your attention in finding these details and as a result allows you to begin to take notice of what is normal and always present. Nature could be your new ‘new normal’ during these difficult times. When I’m not working, or out documenting nature, I enjoy practicing yoga and painting.

My intention is to guide you to think of what you see when you look at a piece of nature differently. To see past the simplicity (for example- a tree) and to see for example -texture, how light operates, how this influences colour- the contrast of colour, how perspective or camera angles can change a represented meaning or emotion. Finer hidden details -Insects, other growths- moss, lichen, buds etc. How you can create depth by thinking of an image in terms of levels- foreground, mid ground & background but also how you can shoot through things, under & around things. How composition & colour can influence or tell ‘a story’ within an image or moving image.

The course will involve analysis of images during group discussion on each weekly topic and why that image evokes what it does. The course will also explore some technical skills such as basic use of grid lines or using monochrome in camera or in post. I will not however focus too heavily on technical considerations such as aperture, shutter or ISO as so not to overwhelm beginners with just an interest in connecting with nature differently and taking photos to remind themselves of this connection and fun activity! This will also be kept less technical so that attendees can use their phone and still get beautiful results using these creative practices.

I will also focus on the benefits of using a camera to connect with nature in this and how it can allow you to see nature differently in order to form a spiritual, emotional and deeper appreciation of even very simple elements of nature - even outwith typical green spaces.