Simon Stafford's Close-up & Macro Photography Seminar will be held in central London, at Fitzroy House, 37 Fitzroy Street, London W1T 6DX on Saturday, 16th April between 2.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m.. The price of the seminar is £155 with the lower price of £95 for Nikon Owner subscribers and includes mid-afternoon tea and coffee.

Following his highly successful series of photographic seminars and workshops presented in association with Grays of Westminster, Simon has developed this entirely new presentation dedicated to close-up and macro photography. Simon Stafford is one of the world's foremost Nikon experts, the technical editor of Nikon Owner magazine and best-selling author of numerous Magic Lantern Guides to the Nikon camera system.

The event has been prepared to help you make a dramatic improvement to the quality of your close-up pictures by mastering core skills and applying creative techniques. The emphasis is very much on methodology and achieving high-quality pictures with the minimum of specialized equipment, regardless of whether you are a complete newcomer to the Lilliputian1 world of close-up photography, or a seasoned exponent. Simon will share his in-depth knowledge and 30 years of photographic experience so that you can achieve professional looking results consistently.

(Please note attendance of one of Simon's previous seminars or workshops is not a prerequisite).


Part one: Camera skills

• Understanding reproduction ratios and subject magnification
• Appreciate the influence of working distance and diffraction
• Choosing and using lenses for close focusing
• Using lens accessories for close focusing
• Filters for close-up photography
• Selecting camera/lens support systems
• Achieving accurate exposure at a close focus distance
• Learn how to interpret the digital histogram display

Part two: Shooting skills

• Best practice in camera handling
• The pros and cons of AF and Vibration Reduction
• Focusing techniques for close-up photography
• Understanding and using depth-of-field
• Selecting viewpoint and perspective
• Honing composition skills
• The importance of backgrounds
• Creative techniques with focus, white balance and multiple exposure

Part three: Lighting for Micro & Macro Photography

• Working with and controlling available light
• Flash equipment and its application for close-up photography
• Specialised lighting techniques
• Choosing lighting equipment and accessories

Please note there will be ample opportunity to ask questions throughout the event, and Simon will demonstrate some of the tips and techniques he discusses.


To book a place on this course, send an email to Gillian Greenwood, gillian.greenwood@graysofwestminster.com, with your full name, daytime mobile and landline. Please note there are limited places available, so do send the email as soon as you are able to, in order to ensure you have a place.

Nikon Owner Subscription

If you are not already a Nikon Owner subscriber, you are welcome to join Nikon Owner at the same time to receive the benefit of booking the seminar at the lower price.


Standard Annual Subscription - special price: £59

• 1-year Subscription to Nikon Owner
• 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
• Nikon Owner magazine, a superb, glossy full-colour 60-page quarterly magazine that is 100% Nikon. Each issue delivers benchmark technical reviews of the very latest Nikon equipment, thought-provoking interviews and articles with world-class images
• Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
• 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
• 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
• Special trips and events
• Discounts on events and training sessions
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

Silver Subscription - launch price: £129 (normal price: £179)

• 2-year Subscription to Nikon Owner
• 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
• A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
• Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
• Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
• 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
• 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
• Special trips and events
• Discounts on events and training sessions
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK

Gold subscription - launch price £349 (normal price £450)

• 5-year subscription to Nikon Owner
• 5-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster
• 2-year warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster
• Gold Priority waiting list for all new Nikon releases (top of the waiting list)
• A half-hour tutorial on the phone or face to face, by appointment
• Special offers to Gold subscribers throughout the period of subscription
• A signed copy of Grays of Westminster - In the Company of Legends, or if you have one already, a Nikon Magic Lantern Guide of your choice
• A Grays of Westminster umbrella (in store only)
• Nikon Owner quarterly magazine as above
• Private user-name and password to subscribers-only website which includes forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery
• Gold subscription card
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline
• 10% off Think Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster
• Special trips and events
• Substantial discounts on training sessions organised by Grays of Westminster, including Mike Maloney’s Workshops , Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Training Sessions, Michael Eleftheriades’ panoramic and colour-calibration seminars and Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses.
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK