A guest blog by David Broadbent, Forest of Dean & Wye Valley School of Photography
Here at Forest of Dean & Wye Valley School of Photography, we are indebted to Puzzlewood. Without them this respected photography training business, the only one run by a professional photographer with over 30 years of experience, may not exist.
Way back, Puzzlewood asked me to run a photography day in the wood. At the time Puzzlewood, although well known, wasn’t quite the star of Hollywood silver screen that it is today. “Yes!” was my instant response and so began a very successful arrangement – our photography courses have been consistently oversubscribed ever since.
What’s to like about this venue for a photography day?
It’s easy to find, there is great parking, a café, a picnic area and very important, a loo on site! The walking is easy – although the natural woodland terrain is a real problem for anyone with access issues and impossible to solve. The other great thing about Puzzlewood as a venue is that it is very difficult to photograph well. The dappled shade and, occasionally, low light levels, together with the contrast provided by the open canopy, always fools a DSLR’s light meter. Beginners and improvers alike can struggle to capture the full atmosphere and mood of this ancient woodland without a little help.
During our photography courses here amongst all of the creative aspects, we work with photographers specifically on exposure compensation and white balance adjustments. It’s amazing how radical photographers have to be with exposure changes, and this is definitely not a place where fully automated camera programmes are going to work very well.
Down by the low bridge there is a lovely patch of Wood Sorrel and here we normally run a mini-assignment and exposure experiment to produce an image where the vivid green of these charming little three-lobed clover-like leaves looks the same on the screen as it does in reality. Depending on the ambient lighting conditions this can be as much as two full stops of underexposure. Don’t worry if this sounds like a foreign language to you – all will become clear on the fabulous all-day group photography courses held in this magical woodland.
Group courses run between 10am and 4pm with a nice leisurely lunch and a chance to chat and ask questions. Always strictly limited to a maximum of eight people, there are plenty of opportunities for one-to-one sessions to help with settings or creative approaches, as well as mini-assignments and technique experiments.
As a professional photographer I’m serious about passing on only the highest quality training and advice based on my experience in film and digital, but that doesn’t mean that the days aren’t great fun too. We all learn better when we’re having fun and everyone is always surprised at how quickly the day goes by. Clients are always bowled over by Puzzlewood itself. The light plays so well in the forest canopy and the difference in the landscape throughout the day fascinates clients.
One of the nicest compliments I’ve ever had from a client came after a couple of hours into a session using his new camera. He turned to me and said: "I thought I needed a new camera. In fact, what I actually needed was a lifetime’s experience."
I love Puzzlewood. On a quiet day it’s possible to lose yourself in the tranquil cool of the woods and there is always something new to discover, from rock and tree formations to fungi and woodland wildflowers.
Here’s what our clients say about our photography courses held at Puzzlewood
Marcus: "A fantastic day on Saturday, thanks David. I learnt a lot about how to get the best out of a camera, and I captured some shots that I'm really happy with."
Nina: "Thank you David. Yesterday was a great experience and Otto (and I) thoroughly enjoyed it - despite the cold! I know Otto absorbed an awful lot of information and I was extremely impressed by your teaching style which was the perfect level for him. He’s had the camera out again today and has more enthusiasm than ever for capturing some arty shots! Thanks too for the handout. We will certainly consider coming back to you for future sessions."
Beverley: "I thoroughly enjoyed the course. We were encouraged to take shots from all sorts of angles and perspectives and had some creative results. I learnt about different ways of adjusting for depth of field and light levels. I feel I know my camera a little better now and have more options in how I use it. David was very encouraging of our efforts and easy to work with. He was responsive to anything we wanted to try and to the level we were working at. He had lots of ideas, suggestions and knowledge to contribute. The workshop gave me lots of ideas about different techniques and things I’d like to try in future. I was even inspired to go on my own photoshoot a few days later. It was a great day, a useful mix of input and practical, good value and I’d wholeheartedly recommend it."
Coming up:
Our next Puzzlewood courses for 2019 are on Sunday 12th May and Sunday 20th October. For further details and tickets visit our Facebook page or email
All images copyright David Broadbent Photography
