I thoroughly loved working with Huawei and Red Consultancy to lead a series of Photographic Masterclasses for a team of media guests at the 24 hours of Le Mans this year. The brief initially to prepare a welcome brochure that explains the basics of motor sport photography, then at the actual 24 hour race, to guide the media (3 groups of 5 people) explaining the best way to adhere to rules of the track side, utilising the light, capturing speed, theatre of the pit lane, as well as other idiosyncrasy’s of carrying tennis balls, squirrelling food, keeping awake and hydrated whilst staying comfortable for a 24 hour endurance session of photography.
The Friday night arrival at the Chateau, after introductions we went out in the evening light to ensure that every functionality of the Leica camera on the Huawei P20 Pro was understood. After dinner and in the dark we played with colourful and very ‘tuneful’ remote control cars amongst fairy lit trees in the chateau grounds allowing some understanding of objects at speed passing the lens.
The weekend then filled up with many trips on the Ferris Wheel, Aston Martin paddock, track-side and private invitations to an LMP3 and Aston Martin garage. A couple of media guests stayed awake through the night with my media co-host and I, with a sunrise expedition to the Dunlop Bridge, which sadly after a long walk, we found the marshal gates closed and decided to walk back up at the Porsche curves to face the sun rise. This provided some surprisingly lovely photos en route of sleeping ‘natives’ and close ups of cars at the curves as luckily we instead had cloud. After seeking the sun we discovered a more suitable light in the end.
From handing me a phone to take photos, to saying ‘take these photos at Le Mans’, my challenge was to regain my own signature, my own language of the Leica M Noctilux, a camera lens I am so fond of, so very attached to and felt so very naked without at Le Mans 24hours.
A phone containing amongst many other features, the incredible functionality of Aperture and Pro modes, the two elements on the phone that I went back to time and time again, the Huawei P20 Pro is now firmly fixed in my bag. Whilst the phone itself is something I am having to get used to (coming from another system) the camera is my go to for social media imagery and to have this P20 Pro to continue your work flow from camera to phone from advertising, editorial to social media – all with your own signature and recognisable style, is a blessing. Mobile technology is catching up and with the right expertise at its fingers the results can be incredible.
I am available for consultation work with phones, cameras and studio equipment. The results from the media guests with my advise was so distinguishable from their first attempts. Any equipment can work magic, you just need to know how to use it properly.
Contact me for rates and concepts. I have organically transitioned from photographic teacher to photographic consultant and I can help you and your company achieve better results with the equipment you already have.
Please click on this photo to see the full gallery taken solely with the Huawei P20 Pro.