Photo Training Overseas 21st Anniversary in Lanzarote

Photo Training Overseas

To celebrate their 22nd annual overseas training course Photo Training Overseas have nominated Egypt as their destination. The venue will be the Sofitel Hotel at Taba Heights at the far end of the Gulf of Aqaba. The pink and sand coloured cupolas of the entirely new hotel stand out against the ochre mountains of the Sinai desert, in a setting of ancient columns and palm trees. It’s freshwater and seawater swimming pools overlook the private beach. The refined wood-panelled bedrooms all have balconies and are sea facing. Sunbathing on the warm sand, exploring the extraordinary coral depth of the Red Sea and their multicoloured fishes…...this is the place to be. The dates 27 January—3 February 2009.

Organisers George & Glenys Dawber feel it is most certainly up to the high standards set by PTO. It is a superb establishment. All the bedrooms are spacious have bath, shower, mini bar, air conditioning and satellite TV, telephone and balcony. Beachfront rooms with terrace are available at a supplement. Interconnecting standard rooms are also available at a supplement. Activities: For children two kid’s pools, playground, mini-disco and hotel run kids club (4-12 years). Sports: Padi approved diving school, waterpolo, two tennis courts, multi-sports court, table tennis, beach volleyball. Health & Fitness: Gym, sauna, two outdoor jacuzzis. daytime and evening entertainment, live shows, disco and fun pub. Main facilities: on-site four swimming pools, two a la carte restaurants, three bars and a courtesy bus to the main resort. We have reverted to our tried and trusted tour operator First Choice.

For the first time board arrangements will be all-inclusive which is breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, ice cream and even midnight snacks! Unlimited domestic alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic drinks, beer, wine (during meals) and all soft drinks and juices. We will have daily competitions and create more free time for shooting, exploring or simply soaking up the fantastic weather the Red Sea boasts. However the main PTO features remain in place - small daily rotating groups for Master Classes; evening seminars presented by different speakers; the legendary formal Gala Awards night. Popular Print Competition plus a lively trade show and interesting optional cultural trip.

PTO are delighted to announce a fantastic line-up of speakers combining established ‘star’ names alongside relative newcomers to the seminar circuit. Each speaker has superb communication skills providing up-to-date information on techniques in a continually changing market-place. Whilst PTO has introduced varied topics for added interest to the programme this year, the emphasis as always will be on social photography.

We are privileged to welcome JIM LOWE www.jimlowe.co.uk is rated amongst the top architectural photographers in the UK. He has created stunning images, for industry giants, Nestle; Lloyds TSB; and Tarmac. Jim was commissioned to photograph the EEC HQ in Brussels and is active in the Federation of European Photographers as their current V. President. KELLY HEARN UK Wedding Photographer of the Year 2007. She works for Simon John and has the same creative whacky outlook on her wedding photography; in other words Kelly looks outside the box for an unusual take on her imaginative use of people. Visit: www.simonjohn.co.uk for an insight into where and who she developed her style from. LESLEY WOOD www.lesleywood.co.uk a talented photographer from the North West of England who after a successful career in Natural Science transferred her passion for excellence to the world of photography Lesley has studied under Annabel Williams but has her own inimitable style. Lesley will major on her much sought after Lifestyle approach to portraits, photographing young children in relaxed natural outdoor locations.

JANE CONNER-ZIESER sponsored by the SWPP. www.janesdigitalart.com from Ormond Beach Florida USA where Jane operates a Digital Art School. She is a fine artist and a forerunner in Digital Imaging. Jane is internationally known for her teaching, portrait retouching and artistic painting techniques.

PAUL CALLAGHAN www.paulcallaghan.com outright winner for three consecutive years of the PTO wedding trophy and in 2007 was acclaimed as the overall winner. Paul has subsequently taken almost every prize on offer in wedding photography in Ireland where his talent is in such demand. Although his work may be considered more classical he has a natural gift for producing the unusual.

LIESBETH DAVIDSE www.liesdavidse.com from Netherlands her work is outstanding and a visit to her website will undoubtedly inspire you. Lies as she prefers to be known - gained a Fellowship of the BIPP last year with one of the most striking panels ever seen by the judges. Her work is extremely unusual and has a strong fashion feel to complement her striking styling and creative use of make-up.

DAVE WALL www.davewallphoto.co.uk back by popular demand Dave will cover the great digital debate raw v jpeg in some detail and promises to cover much more.

What HAPPENS Next

If you want to join the ever-increasing number of satisfied photographers who make this annual pilgrimage then you will be well advised to call the hotline - 0161 483 3114 - to check availability now as this event is usually fully booked before the end of the summer. The concept of using four main speakers at the beginning of the week and four different speakers in the second half will continue to be employed; each speaker will open with ‘trailers’ of their work to enable delegates the opportunity to decide who they wish to see. In addition there will be evening seminars on business and photography related subjects.

SPECIAL FEATURES

* Great print competition and critique

* Ideal socialising & networking opportunities

* Fantastic display of delegates images

* Superb exhibits and support from sponsors

* Opportunity to have your studio re-designed

* Shoot your own images using PTO models

* Great cultural trip

* Daytime flights and choice of ten airports

* All inclusive option

www.pto-uk.com

Photo Quote: We take language into our minds; we read words in the same internal voice with which we think, remember, pray. But when we look at paintings or photographs, the reverse is true. If the image corresponds to our most intensely personal, yet archetypal, yearnings and memories, we don't take the image in, we move out of ourselves into the image, as though it were another world, a hologram whose forms of light are ghostly angels, or a dream whose physical reality is suggested by what we see on the surface of a canvas or a page. We connect with the image as though we had lost it within our own memories and are now surprised to find it represented outside ourselves, vital and luminous, charged with energy. - Jayne Anne Phillips