10.03.2016
John Ingledew: "The main thing is a photographer, not a camera"
John Ingledew, the teacher of art, design and media from the British University of Gloucestershire have provided the practical workshop for SPUFT students. Participants learned about the outstanding photographers, methods of display of the world and prepared mini-projects using digital cameras.
Workshop was organized by the Department of International Relations, the Department of Cinematography, The Department of Photography and the Department of Folk art culture and education group "I class."
Before meeting with students, John Ingledew talked to the teachers of the University. Both sides are willing to share their experience by discussing the similarities and differences in the preparation of photographers and cameramen in Russia and the UK.
- Modern students are the citizens of the world. For me it is very important that the current generation of students can travel actively - John said. - When I was a student, we could not even get out of the UK to France, there was not a tunnel under the English Channel. Now students travel easily, and it is wonderful.
The number of studens, who came to the workshop was so large that it had to bring additional benches and chairs from other classrooms.
- I wonder how we're having ideas, where they appear, and how to create the conditions in which you get new ideas. That's what we are going to do together today - announced John Ingledew. - This workshop will be an example of how the classes are held at the University of Gloucestershire.
Of course, the workshop of British photographer and designer was a gift to the students, but he have prepared many additional surprises. The first of these was the movie, symbolizing, according to the teacher, the idea of creativity:
- I would like to reward you, the students, who have come in time. Thank you very much! I always encourage those students who come in time, showing them something interesting. This film is about creativity, which I always demonstrate in our classrooms.
There was nother surprise in the box, tied with masking tape like a bow. John promised that the winning team will receive it at the end of the session.
John Ingledew showed the students a presentation of the works of seven prominent and quite dissimilar photographers. Explaining the specifics of their work, he often repeated the main idea of a class, to his listeners for sure it will never forget:
- Despite all the opportunities offered by the camera, the main thing isn`t in the picture, but a photographer who creates images.
After John made a presentation of a little test for students. They had to guess the author. As test results demonstrated, students were good in it.
In the second part of the lesson the students were divided into groups and were required to find and take a picture of different subjects reminding them animals inside the building.
The best photos were chosen by the similarity of animals on their prototypes from the world of nature, originality of approach and the viewer`s reaction.
The award was a large bar of chocolate, which winners were happy to share with everyone. But the main prize, of course, is a knowledge, as well as a fun and exciting time spent in the company of John Ingledew.