Isn’t it amazing what a Thai Green Curry and a couple of friends you really admire can do…
Yesterday Eifion and I took a day out of the office to catch up with someone who we admire, respect and value immensely, within Welshot Imaging and personally.
We met John Arnold in the early part of 2009 at a Photographic event and the moment I realised that I was actually listening to an Adobe Lightroom lecture AND enjoying it (which meant I was taking it all in*) was the moment I decided I wanted to get to know this man I have now come to value and trust. Without even talking to Eifion, I just jumped in feet first and asked him to be a part of what we were trying to build and achieve with Welshot Imaging and the Photographic Academy.
Fortunately, for us John seemed to like us as well and was willing to talk with us on the possibility of developing a relationship and as they say, the rest is histrory, with a lot of hard work, dedication and commitment thrown in to the mix.
John runs Photowalkthrough.com http://www.photowalkthrough.com/ and has been involved with Welshot since the very first Photographic Academy Open Day. People STILL talk about his creative mini module that he took 110 people through during the day and then showed them how to use Lightroom more efficiently and effectively. And as for the “Take 101 pictures with YOUR camera in YOUR bathroom Challenge”…. Well, you get the idea huh 
Since those early beginnings John has run a multitude of Adobe Photoshop / Adobe Lightroom / Creative Photography Workshops / Academy Evening modules from everything Lightroom to learning to give constructive critique, John has proved himself not only to be knowledgeable and an expert in his field but he does it in such a way that our Academy Members feel comfortable and at ease with him, which in turns helps them lose all inhibitions in their Photography. They become focused on seeing things in a different and creative way that makes a day special and fun that they forget they are learning and use their camera instinctively.
Over the last couple of yearsEifion and I have become great friends with John and have, over the last year, been introduced to his family, Wife Ruth , Children Catherine and David and even Johns Mum (who is a love) and we have been welcomed with open arms. Ruth is just as supportive of Welshot and John’s involvement and this was to become apparently visible throughout yesterday.
While brainstorming, planning, filling John in on the latest Welshot developments, talking about Photowalkthrough, making plans for new Photographic Workshops, Courses and the upcoming Mini-module Photography Open Day here at Felinheli one idea lead to another, then another, then another… Which eventually resulted in a phone call to Flat Ant to see if it was something he wanted to be a part of…. and was it do-able in a Welshot sort of way.
The upshot being that Chris Jones of Flant Ant Web Design http://www.flatant.co.uk/ is about to get a whole lot busier and we will be bringing some AMAZING new and interactive features to give to the already benefit laden Academy Membership Package for Welshot Imaging Photographic Academy Members and non Members… And as with all Welshot ideas and the way we do things… It will be different and will provide another service to fulfill the need and passion to lean in a fun, friendly and affordable way… To help YOU get the best from YOUR Camera…
The Thai Green Curry??? Well, this has become a “When we visit the Arnold’s in Sandbach we have a takeaway from the most amazing Thai Restaurant, with Eif treating us to Crispy Duck, make your own pancakes, Tradition… ” One we hope will go on for years to come because the ideas and inspiration from these days with the Arnold’s are priceless…
John Arnold of Photowalkthrough.com and master of Creativity in YOUR Photography
* For those who know me, I will try my very best to avoid learning and having to do ANY sort of post processing….
