Spend an evening with one of the world’s greatest nature photographers, Jim Brandenburg and Neil Lucas, David Attenborough's distinguished television producer. Enjoy a superb three-course Christmas dinner in the magnificent period restaurant at the Institute of Directors (IoD) at 116 Pall Mall, followed by a unique opportunity to listen to Jim Brandenburg’s extraordinary stories as he presents some of his breathtaking images.


This grand Regency building with its sweeping marble staircase and vast walls covered in 18th and 19th Century canvases provides a spectacular backdrop for the evening, and the period restaurant is a most fitting venue for an elegant, traditional Christmas celebration.

Venue: Institute of Directors (IoD) at 116 Pall Mall.

Date: Friday, December 10th, 2010

Champagne reception: 6.30 p.m.

Dinner: 7.15 p.m.

Menu: Traditional Christmas Dinner with a Vegetarian Option

Presentation in the morning room: 9.15 p.m.
Cost of the evening: £155 per ticket, £95 for current Nikon Owner subscribers*

Our Christmas events are extremely popular and early booking is recommended. To book, please call Grays of Westminster between 12.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. Monday to Friday on 020 7828 4925 or for International calls telephone + 44 (0)20 7828 4925, and ask to speak to Gillian Greenwood or Katrin Ruckert.

About Jim Brandenburg

Jim Brandenburg travelled the globe as a photographer with National Geographic Magazine for several decades. His extensive body of work has been published throughout the world and his photographs have won a multitude of national and international awards. He was the recipient of the ‘Wildlife Photographer of the Year’ award by the Natural History Museum-London and BBC Wildlife Magazine, and twice was named ‘Magazine Photographer of the Year’ by the National Press Photographer's Association (NPPA) for his National Geographic work. Brandenburg was presented with the ‘World Achievement Award’ from the United Nations in recognition of his use of nature photography to raise public awareness for the environment.

Jim Brandenburg’s presentation will explore the full circle of his career with highlights starting with the early days at a small rural newspaper. From there, he went directly to National Geographic Magazine where he worked on assignments all over the world for the magazine, book division and television. He will show a selection of his outstanding work with wild arctic and grey wolves. After publishing several books on wolves, he set himself the assignment of only shooting one picture per day for the entire autumn season. His book and DVD Chased by the Light followed, as well as the sequel Looking for the Summer. He will tells us about his philanthropic work that now entails saving the remnant native prairies in the land where his ancestors settled after immigrating from Europe and Scandinavia; the land where their new lives began by plowing up that native prairie – thus completing the circle.

Jim Brandenburg was part of the production team for the 'Plants' section of the BBC LIFE documentary series with David Attenborough. Jim Brandenburg and BBC Wildlife Producer Neil Lucas spent months filming Minnesota's north woods at Ravenwood, Jim Brandenburg's home near Ely, and the prairies of Southwest Minnesota.

About Neil Lucas

Neil Lucas worked for the BBC Natural History Unit as a producer for over twenty years. During that time he worked on many internationally acclaimed and award winner productions, including Sir David Attenborough’s ‘The Trails of Life’ ‘The Private Life of Plants’ The Life of Mammals’ and ‘Planet Earth’, as well as the latest outstanding BBC landmark Series ‘Life’ where he produced two of the most technically challenging programmes within the whole series.

Many of Neil’s programmes have also been nominated for BAFTAs and Emmys over the past years. He is now a freelance film director and photographer specializing in more challenging and technical shoots, using the same filming and photographic techniques he has mastered throughout his career.

Jim and Neil first made contact with each other back in the early 1990’s but actually didn’t meet up until the filming of Sir David Attenborough's ‘Life of Mammals’ Series, where Jim played an important role in setting up and filming along side the crew for one of the main sequences.

Over the years Neil Lucas and Jim Brandenburg have forged a strong personal and professional working relationship, so it was no surprise when Neil wanted to show the beauty and severity of a frozen northern landscape for the ‘Life’ Series he again sought the help and photographic and filming expertise of Jim Brandenburg once again.

If you are not already a Nikon Owner subscriber, and would like to attend the event, you may subscribe to Nikon Owner and receive the special discount on the price of the evening.

Nikon Owner Magazine and Interactive Website is considered by many to be the world’s number 1 user group for Nikon owners. It was initially founded with the purpose of assisting Nikon users to make full use of the Nikon equipment they own, to give advice on a wide spectrum of photographic queries and problems, and at the same time to offer ideas to bring about an increase in photographic skills.

Nikon Owner Magazine
Nikon Owner magazine is both inspirational and informative. With its mix of stunning images, illuminating articles to assist and enlighten the photographer, and the very latest reviews on Nikon equipment, it is the essential magazine for the Nikon user, and is 100% Nikon.

Nikon Owner subscriber benefits additionally include:

• Private user name and password to subscribers-only website which includes a lively forum, message board, technical equipment reviews, events’ page and use of a photo gallery.
• Simon Stafford’s Technical Helpline: free technical consultation and support from Simon Stafford who is widely recognized as one of the top Nikon experts in the UK; you will be able to benefit from his formidable knowledge and have all your technical questions fully answered by email. This service is exclusive to Nikon Owner subscribers.
• FREE 3-year warranty on all new Nikon products from Grays of Westminster within your year of subscription.
• FREE 18-month warranty on second-hand Nikon from Grays of Westminster within your year of subscription.
• 10% off Think-Tank bags purchased at Grays of Westminster.
• Special trips: past visits have included a two-week trip to Japan and a personal tour of the Nikon factory, a visit to Nikon Thailand, Angkor Watt, Cambodia.
• Substantial discounts on events and training sessions such as Mike Maloney’s House of Lords Photographic Workshop, Heather Angel’s Wildlife & Natural History Workshops, Chris Weston’s Photographic Courses, Simon Stafford’s Definitive Flash, Portraiture and Macro Seminars, and Michael Eleftheriades' Panoramic Seminars.
• 10% off any training courses run by Nikon UK.
• A range of complimentary meetings and outings organized by local Nikon Owner Groups.

The cost of a standard annual subscription to Nikon Owner is currently at the special price of £59. (Quote JB59 when you call or email.)

With kindest regards

Gillian Greenwood
Features Editor and Events & Training Coordinator

* The cost of the evening for a partner or spouse attending with a Nikon Owner subscriber is at the Nikon Owner price of £95

Hampshire – Throughout the month of August 2010, award-winning Hampshire-based wildlife photographer, Michael Huggan, Royal Photographic Society Associate with Distinction (ARPS), will be exhibiting a collection of his photographs at The Allen Gallery, Alton, Hampshire. The free exhibition is entitled, “Wildlife and Wild Places’.

Dr Mike Maloney OBE, Britain’s most decorated press photographer, will be officially opening the exhibition at 7:00pm on Friday 6th August 2010 (by invitation only).


“The Allen Gallery serves the local community and promotes different skills locally. As a local photographer, I was extremely happy to be asked to display my pictures for the month of August. I decided to call the exhibition ‘Wildlife and Wild Places’ because my photography has grown from purely wildlife to everything that surrounds it. Of the places I have visited (Africa, India, the Camargue in France and parts of the American dessert), one must take into account the locations, people and their environment. All these elements, together, make the final picture,” explains Michael.

On display will be images, canvas prints and cards of locations, wildlife and customs of Africa, India and the US. The exhibition will also include images of ‘Marwari’ horses in India and of the American Mustang horses of New Mexico.

‘Wildlife and Wild Places’ is on at The Allen Gallery, Church Street, Alton, Hampshire, GU34 2BW Tel 0845 603 5635, from 10:00am Tuesday 03 Aug 2010 to 5:00pm Saturday 28 Aug 2010. Admission is free.


About Michael Huggan
Long-time Nikon user and Royal Photographic Society Associate with Distinction (ARPS), Michael Huggan lives in Four Marks, Hampshire. His photographic experience covers a wide range of subjects but he is most well known for his wildlife work, for which he has won many awards, most notably a Royal Photographic Society gold medal in 2007. His photography, available as limited edition pictures, calendars, note cards and exhibition-range framed pictures can be viewed at http://www.michaelhuggan.com/assignments.php. Michael also recently launched a new instructional website for budding wildlife photographers: http://www.wildlifephotographyinfo.com. Michael is a supporter of the Born Free Foundation.

For more information, please contact:

Michael Huggan, ARPS
Michael Huggan Photography
Cranford House
Alton Lane, Four Marks
Alton
Hampshire
GU34 5AJ

Heather Angel, the internationally renowned wildlife photographer, has been the recipient of a large number of awards and prizes from all over the world for her widely acclaimed lectures, writing and workshops. In addition she is a regular contributor to the worldwide photographic press and the distinguished author of over 50 books.


Heather Angel is an enthusiastic tutor of wildlife and nature photography, and these hugely popular one-day workshops on Saturday 24th & Sunday 25th July 2010 at Saint Hill Manor are perfect for both the newcomer and experienced photographer alike. The schedule for each day includes lectures, demonstrations and the chance to handle and use a large range of new Nikon camera equipment and the range of Think Tank camera bags. Her workshops regularly attract visitors from all over the U.K., Europe and throughout the world.

Schedule for the day

09.15 - Registration with coffee and tea served on the terrace of the Manor

10.00 -11.15 - Heather Angel - What makes a memorable image?

Pictures of the natural world which transcend language barriers and create an instant rapport are rare. It may be high-speed action, amazing behaviour, dramatic lighting or an intriguing design that arrests the eye. If you rely on coming across them by chance, the odds of achieving many in a year will be slim. But by conceiving the essential ingredients, you can reduce the odds of being successful. Drawing both on images taken over time as well as recent unseen ones, Heather will show some thought-provoking images which she hopes will stimulate a lively discussion.

Copies of Heather's books - including Wild Kew, which is the basis of the 2010 summer exhibition at Kew Gardens - will be available this weekend.

11.15 - Break for mid-morning refreshment: tea, coffee, mineral water on the Terrace.

11.45-12.45 - Nikon Total Imaging System - John Clements

Regardless of your choice of Nikon camera, it is important to know how to achieve the best from your equipment using Nikon optics, Nikon Speedlights and software, and in this session the Nikon Total Imaging System will be fully explained. In a live-shoot environment, using flash illumination indoors, John Clements will demonstrate how to create images to cover various genre of natural history photography, explaining every step of the procedure from the point of taking the initial image to the end result. As images are shot, they will appear on screen. John will then explain the procedure in detail as he fine-tunes and improves upon the images in camera. Each vital camera feature - focusing, exposure and much more - will be thoroughly examined and exact settings discussed during the shoot.

Jpegs - working within a limited time frame, Jpegs allow a speedy way to go straight to print.

NEF Raw files - using Nikon Capture NX2 and his broad experience of post-capture techniques, John will demonstrate how to generate imagery to professional imaging standards.

During the event John will use the Nikon WT4 Wi-Fi system, the Creative Lighting System and components of the Nikon software system

13.00 - Lunch: an elegant lunch overlooking the beautiful gardens of Saint Hill Manor and a wooded lake

14.00 - onwards there will be a choice of four sessions. You may attend them all or be selective. The sessions are outlined here with details of each below.

• 14.00 - 16.15 Practical Macro session with Heather Angel inside and in the garden
• 14.00 - 16.15 Outside Practical session with John Clements
• 14.00 - 16.30 Photoshop Techniques with Giles Angel
• Outside Practical session with Flying Falcons and Julian Ford - time to be announced

* Please note that Giles Angel's Photoshop session will be aimed at different levels as the afternoon progresses

14.00 - 16.15 Practical Macro session with Heather Angel inside and in the garden
This is an opportunity for you to get to grips with macro photography as guided by Heather who will demonstrate how to take still life subjects indoors, selecting the lighting which is most appropriate for the subject - whether it be window light, flash, a light box, a light tent or fibre optics. Nikon cameras and lenses will be available for you to use and flowers, fruits, shells and fossils will be provided for this still-life session. This is a marvellous opportunity for you to gain instant feedback on composition and lighting from Heather. She will also show you how to modify natural lighting to get the best results for macro work outside using reflectors, diffusers, and fill-in flash

Although a few Micro-Nikkor lenses will be available to borrow from the Nikon stand, if you would like to attend this session, please bring a Macro Lens, Tripod and Flash.

Outside Practical session with Flying Falcons and Julian Ford - time to be announced

By popular request, the birds of prey are back - ideal subjects to achieve stunning action images - both as stills and HD video with the latest DSLR Nikon cameras!

14.00 - 16.15 Outside Practical session with John Clements
ollowing on from his morning presentation, John with continue to explain how to get the best out of the Nikon Total Imaging System; this time (weather permitting) using available light outdoors.

14.00 - 16.30 Photoshop Techniques with Giles Angel
Giles Angel is a professional photographer and digital retoucher. The start of this session will be pitched at the beginner and will move onto more advanced and specific techniques as the afternoon progresses.

• Introduction to a colour managed workflow
• Editing your images using Adobe Bridge
• Workflow in Bridge (editing, renaming, applying raw corrections)
• RAW v JPEG
• RAW conversion tips & techniques
• Simple colour correction / variations
• Introduction to adjustment layers
• Levels - adjusting colour balance
• Preparing images for print and the web
• Precise colour correction with adjustment layers
• Replace colour
• Black and white from colour
• Masking
• Solarisation / colour effects
• Content aware scaling
• Panoramic stitching and panoramic head gear. Photo Merge (to create panoramics) in CS3 / CS4
• Dodging and burning selective areas (CS4 comparison)
• Shadow and highlights tool
• Combining different raw conversion exposures using masks
• Editing masks using paint brushes and gradients to make selective exposure and tonal adjustments
• Working with mask and adjustment levels with reference to levels and curves
• Selectively correcting areas using masks
• Pseudo HDR (High Dynamic Range). Working with multiple adjusted raw files (Single) image and using masks to selectively
• Introduction to HDR

16.15 - Afternoon Tea and Coffee or cool drinks served on the Terrace.

16.45 - Practical Session with Heather Angel outside

Heather will demonstrate various gadgets for aiding outdoor photography and demonstrate how she works in the rain.

17.00 - Workshop closes

18.30 - Dinner at the Manor. A special complimentary thank-you dinner to all those attending our workshop has been organised by Grays of Westminster and the staff of Saint Hill Manor. This must be arranged in advance.

Please note that Nikon cameras and lenses will be available for you to try out during the day; in fact these workshops are an excellent opportunity to handle and try out Nikon equipment before making a purchase. However, please bring your own kit - macro lens, long lens, flash and tripod - to get the best from the practical sessions.

Booking details:

The ticket for either day includes refreshments, lunch and the evening meal, and costs £245.00 (£185.00 for Nikon Owner subscribers) per person for the day.

The workshops start at 9.15 a.m. and run until 5.00 p.m., followed by dinner. Make your choice of day, Saturday 24th or Sunday 25th July and Book online here! or call Gillian Greenwood, Events and Training Coordinator between 2.00 p.m. and 5.30 p.m. on or 0207 828 8971 Monday to Friday if you are not a current Nikon Owner subscriber to find out how you can receive the £60 discount.

The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Wales is a stunning location for landscape and wildlife photography. Over the course of this weekend workshop, the group will visit some of the best locations the area has to offer, and will have the opportunity to indulge in some spectacular outdoor photography under the expert guidance of John Archer Thomson (Senior Assistant Director of Centre, Dale Fort Field Centre) and Simon Stafford (Technical Editor - Nikon Owner magazine).

John Archer Thomson will lead the group to venues that he has spent more than twenty years getting to know . He will provide an overview of the area's natural history and help with plant and seabird identification, as well as giving tips on how to photograph locations.

The Gwaun Valley © John Archer-Thomson	Bronze-Age megalith at Pentre Ifan © Simon Stafford
Prostrate Broom, West Dale Bay © Simon Stafford	Atlantic Puffin on Skomer Island © Simon Stafford

The exact itinerary of events will be weather-dependent and flexible to meet the requirements of the attendees; a provisional timetable is outlined below.

Friday 7th May:
Arrive at Dale Fort Centre for mid to late afternoon. Dinner 6.30 p.m., followed by an introduction and welcome from Simon Stafford and an illustrated talk on the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park by John Archer Thomson.

Saturday 8th May:
After breakfast, the group will depart for Skomer Island National Nature Reserve. John, assisted by Simon, will lead the group around the Island pointing out subjects of interest and photographic potential. A packed lunch will be provided. Return to Dale Fort Centre is scheduled for late afternoon. Following an early dinner, John and Simon will lead everyone to one of the nearby bays to photograph the sunset.

Sunday 9th May:
After breakfast, the group will head north from Dale Fort across the Pembrokeshire National Park to the beautiful, steep-sided verdant Gwaun Valley , which was created by torrents of melt water from the retreating ice during the last Ice Age. During May the valley is filled with profusion of plants, including wild garlic that grows in abundance. En route there will be a stop at Pentre Ifan to photograph probably the finest Welsh hilltop the Bronze-Age megalithic site that dates from at least 4000 B.C. During the course of the day Simon will deliver a practical tutorial on using the Nikon wireless flash system in the field.

Guest will depart from Dale Fort Centre during late Sunday afternoon.

Total fee: £295.00 per person for Nikon Owner subscribers and £350 per person for non-Nikon Owner subscribers. The fee includes all meals, accommodation, and local transport during the course of the weekend but excludes landing fees for Skomer Island and incidental expenses, which will total no more than £15.00.

Please contact me by telephone on: +44 (0)20 7828 8971 between 2.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. Monday to Friday to book your place, or send me a return email with your landline and mobile numbers. If you are not a current Nikon Owner subscriber and would like to find out more about this course and other training sessions we organise, please contact me by email with a daytime telephone number.

With very best wishes

Gillian Greenwood
Features Editor / Events & Training Coordinator

DISCLAIMER: Simon Stafford and Nikon Owner magazine are only taking the initiative of organizing and facilitating this workshop on the strict understanding that they are solely acting in an introductory capacity and anyone booking to come on any such workshop will be deemed to have agreed that they fully understand and agree to this condition of booking. Any contractual relationship and legal liability, if any, shall only be directly between participants and the Field Studies Council as a body. The workshop can be expected to involve travel by foot, small boat, and motor vehicle, while photographing in locations throughout the Pembrokeshire National Park.

Each participant will be deemed responsible for ensuring his or her own safety at all times and no liability whatsoever is accepted either by Simon Stafford, or Nikon Owner magazine in this regard. In other words we shall all act reasonably, safely and responsibly and each person will join the party on the understanding that they do so entirely at their own risk.

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This seminar, developed and taught by Chris Weston, one of the UK ’s most respected wildlife photographers and expert tutor, focuses on the most-requested, most-important digital camera techniques for photographers.

Passing on the latest, hottest techniques of today’s pro photographers, over the course of the day, he covers everything from selecting the best camera settings to exposing the secrets of getting perfect exposures and pin-sharp images. You’ll learn how to select the right lenses, master colour, get rid of noise and artifacts, and turn what you see into perfect prints.

Here's what you'll learn in this absolutely packed-full day of training:

Chris’s six-point system for DSLR photography
9:30 – 10:00AM
With hundreds of buttons, dials and switches, modern cameras can seem daunting to even seasoned users. In this session, Chris exposes the six things you need to learn about DLSR cameras that will free you to take the pictures you imagine.

Camera controls and settings
10:00 – 11:00AM
Learn the truth about the JPEG vs. RAW debate and get to grips with when and how to use all those confusing menu settings.

Refreshment break
11:00 – 11:15AM

Getting rid of noise and artifacts for great image quality
11:15 – 12:00PM
Noise and other artifacts can ruin digital photos. Learn how to use ISO and menu settings to minimize noise and bring out the finest details.

Making colours look natural
12:00 – 1:00PM
Get rid of unsightly colour casts and make colours glow. Learn how to make colours look natural in any type of light and how to enhance natural colours for brilliant-looking prints.

Lunch
1:00 – 2:00PM

Perfect exposures
2:00 – 3:30PM
Get to grips with your camera’s metering and exposure modes and learn the pro’s secret to getting exposure right every time – simply and easily.

Refreshment break
3:30 – 3:45PM

Getting pin-sharp images – even when your subject is moving
3:45 – 4:30PM
Get the most from your lenses and learn how to set auto-focus to capture pin-sharp images of moving subjects Plus, master the art of focusing for foreground-to-background detail.

How to make your photos look the same as what you see
4:30 – 5:00PM
How many times have you been disappointed when the printed image looks nothing like the scene you saw? Our simple composition guides will put an end to your frustration.

Managing your images
5:00 – 5:30PM
Discover the pro’s secrets to managing, storing, backing-up and retrieving those thousands of images on your computer.

Q&A
5:30 – 6:00PM
Your chance to ask the expert anything you want to know .

Close
6:00PM

Course details

• Date: 20th March, 2010
• Location: Holiday Inn, Oxford
• Price: £75.00 per person (£65.00 with Grays of Westminster voucher)
• Course tutor: Chris Weston
  

Spend over £100 at Grays of Westminster and receive a £10 discount voucher off the price of any of Chris Weston's seminars. Alternatively, you can call me, Gillian Greenwood, on +44 (0)207 828 4925 between 2.00 p.m. and 5.30pm, to find out how you can receive a £25 discount voucher if you are a Nikon Owner subscriber.

With best wishes

Gillian Greenwood
Features Editor, Events and Training Coordinator
Nikon Owner Magazine
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The workshop, featuring Nikon and ThinkTank, was completely sold out so if you wanted to attend but couldn't, better luck next year.