exclusive: Private Workshop with David LaChapelle - *UPDATE*

smelltheglove

Guys I've had to pull out, I have an appointment which would mean leaving early so I may as well free up the space for someone else, be sure to let me know how things go though please.

homerun_homer

Damn, I had my name down on page 2 on the day this was posted and deleted the post when I saw the 10 named. Didn't realise there would still have been a chance to get in there.

Rb

Do we just print off the email and bring it with us or is it a "names at the door" type of thing?

Darragh

Names are on a guest list. I have 7 confirmed so if there's anyone quick enough to come back to me before 12 noon, I can see what I can do!

Cheers

Darragh

homerun_homer

Darragh wrote: »

Names are on a guest list. I have 7 confirmed so if there's anyone quick enough to come back to me before 12 noon, I can see what I can do!

Cheers

Darragh

I'm in the West and would have taken the day off to go if I had got on the list earlier so I'll have to pass. Heading up this weekend after work so I must go in and catch the exhibition.

edunon

I'd love to go if possible. I live 10min from there and off today.

Darragh

edunon wrote: »

I'd love to go if possible. I live 10min from there and off today.

Done, drop me a PM with your name for the Guest list

edunon

Great!! PM sent.
Thank you!

AnCatDubh

Has anyone suggestions for parking around the venue?

Burlington hotel perhaps and a quick walk?

melekalikimaka

AnCatDubh wrote: »

Has anyone suggestions for parking around the venue?

Burlington hotel perhaps and a quick walk?

its off waterloo road, on street parking is easy enough

m_s_nixon

can you put me down too? sending pm now :pac:

m_s_nixon

melekalikimaka wrote: »

its off waterloo road, on street parking is easy enough

on street parking is scarce around there at the best of times, try Mespil Rd for parking, if you get on street parking make sure you keep the clampers happy

T-rev

let us know how you all get on

Darragh

Okay folks, those going should have got a PM from me with the details. Get there early - they're expecting it to be busy following the launch last night!

Cheers

Darragh

Tallon

I've had to pull out, so sorry to everyone who organised it.
If someone wants to go in my place please let Darrage know

Thanks again for the opportunity Darragh

Teferi

I'm excited. Leaving soon.

smash

I'm here now, not a massive crowd so far .

Darragh

also here. Pieces are extremely impressive and it's really extraordinary what he's done. For someone who knows next to nothing about this stuff, it's a bit overwhelming but in a good way.

Morrisseeee

^^ Nah, I'll bet Fajitas could do better !!!!! :pac::D:p












/Fajitas, when are you organising that workshop again, put me down pls !
PS. Well done on organising this Darragh

Rb

Just back home from this now. Overall I was very impressed with the day and am extremely glad I went along. Though he didn't discuss actual technique really, it was quite thought provoking to hear how he built his ideas into the finished product that we saw today.

Having only seen his work online, the images on the screen really do not do justice to those that are blown up and printed in high quality as they were today. Some really beautiful images in his collection.

I think I saw Melekalikimaka sitting a few rows ahead of me too although not sure enough to go up and say hello, lol.

Well worth going to and hopefully Canon hold more like it in future.

RCNPhotos

Those prints were amazing, the quality was just insane. Loved them. Talk was great too I thought, and the videos that were playing at the start and then the one he showed at the end. Couple pics up here

http://rcnphotos.wordpress.com/

Just little napshots to give people an idea of the size and stuff. If you can defo go check ito ut. It's on till the 31st of October right?

edunon

Really inspiring talk from LaChapelle, no one seems to be bothered by those uncomfortable seats.
Thanks Darragh for adding me at the last moment, it made my day!

smash

Big thanks to Darragh for the spot, I have his books at home but to see the prints that big was amazing, the attention to detail was unreal. And yes, even though the seats were uncomfortable, I really enjoyed the talk and he is an inspiration!

AnCatDubh

Yup. I was there on the pix.ie ticket. Enjoyed it loads.

A personal impression -

Never heard him speak before and just wondered for someone as successful as he is - what he might be like. Seemed like he was at least a mostly normal individual.

Much of what he showed by means of presentation are actually available on his web site. Some interesting stuff discussed though.

I liked his approach in terms of learning at an early stage that photography must communicate which I think has led to a quality in his work that you don't always get with art - that at least from what i've seen of his work. Everyone might get something different from art but it should say something. He wasn't phased by the many messages people took from his work - for example the 'deluge' work where some people got birth, some got the moment of death, others got drowning as a message from it. In the eye of the beholder - I took this message from it anyhow.

Photography never used as a weapon I think was another very agreeable artistic concept. Interesting commentary on photographing the stars at an early stage in their career and again at a subsequent stage and the difference in them as people.

Another thing was evident. He probably got the same result as anyone reasonably experienced with their photography would have gotten given a 5 minute brief with a subject (in this case the Hilary Clinton image). This spoke volumes for me. Take time to allow the image be perfected. For such a type of photography, don't expect to produce brilliance without appropriate preparation. Other images which took up to eight weeks to perfect really showed in terms of their production values and resulting quality concept and image.

I know his work won't be everyone's cup of tea but i think there was plenty of food for thought in there.

Altogether a great afternoon. Well worth a half days leave being taken off work.

smelltheglove

Sounds like it was well worth it, I'm so disappointed I couldnt make it today.

Teferi

This was great. It was my first kind of photo event thing I have ever went to and it really made me want to properly get out there more than I have been and snap (as well as upgrading to a better camera). David was a good speaker and I enjoyed hearing of the stories behind his work. The informal feel from the crowd was great as well, I was expecting a stuffier atmosphere.

Unfortunately had to leave early as I was called into work, I smacked my head of one of the televisions and made an awful eejit of myself.

Rb

Teferi wrote: »

This was great. It was my first kind of photo event thing I have ever went to and it really made me want to properly get out there more than I have been and snap (as well as upgrading to a better camera). David was a good speaker and I enjoyed hearing of the stories behind his work. The informal feel from the crowd was great as well, I was expecting a stuffier atmosphere.

Unfortunately had to leave early as I was called into work, I smacked my head of one of the televisions and made an awful eejit of myself.

Hahaha I was sitting across from you and saw that wonderful moment and felt so bad for you, sore head and a red face

smash

By the time it came to q&a he had already answered the questions I thought of asking. He was very clear about his perspectives and opinions, and he was quite funny too. Especially when talking about Madonna

melekalikimaka

@rb, i was in a red chequered hoodie? was it me?

great show, chatted with him after, i told him i was studying photography, told him my work i do, he sat me down and had a wonderful heart to heart with me, i was in awe, hes was drove me to study it as a art, to get adice from the man you never thought youd meet and admire so much....kinda overwhelming. i evev got a photo and he signed my copies of his books. chilled out and amazing man. bit too keen on his veggie/anti clinton buzz tho

dudara

The Clinton/vegetarian mini-rants were funny.

LaChapelle came across as just an incredibly normal, funny guy who has a devotion to photography and a great sense of humour. It was inspiring to sit there and listen to him speak (and man... did he speak!!).

I was debating yesterday about going due to work, but my OH said that if Jack White was giving free guitar lessons, there would be no way he'd miss it, and that likewise, there should be no way that I'd miss this session. I was so glad to have gone.

A big thanks to Darragh and Boards for making this possible!! I'll be doing a write up on my blog later. Make sure that you go along to the gallery and see the exhibition - it's frickin amazing.

Rb

melekalikimaka wrote: »

@rb, i was in a red chequered hoodie? was it me?

Yep, that'd be it. Teferi was actually sitting right behind you so, and I was over to the left of that in the back left-ish area. Few Boards people within ten feet of eachother it seems!

m_s_nixon

edunon wrote: »

Really inspiring talk from LaChapelle, no one seems to be bothered by those uncomfortable seats.
Thanks Darragh for adding me at the last moment, it made my day!

not true, i couldn't sit still for 5 mins on those things :pac:
thoroughly enjoyed the talk, had to leave at about 4.20, i was hoping it would have been finished as scheduled, hope I didn't miss too much
And Thanks aswell to Darragh for looking after us :cool:

CH3OH

Thanks to Darragh for the opportunity to attend this.
It was an amazing and very inspiring afternoon.
He came across as a very nice genuine guy who is truly an artist. The exhibition really has to be seen to appreciate it, as no amount of looking at it on a screen can do it justice. Just the sheer size and the amazing colour of the prints have to be seen.
I had to leave at 5 as I had to put money in the parking meter! but came back to catch the last 30 minutes.
He certainly had lots of time for chat, photos and signing many autographs and books.
I can only imagine what was the production cost of producing something like La Pieta. There seemed to be at least 25 people on the credits.

smash

RCNPhotos

Awesome shot there, you should email it to him, seriously. Great shot

Morrisseeee

...he's on Radio 1 right now !

smash

A few more

projectmayhem

Very jealous of those who got to go. He was just on RTE radio 1. Sounds like a very interesting man to have a discussion with. I'd say it'll be up on the iPlayer soon enough...

peter1892

Sounds like it was a great afternoon - I would have loved to have gone along but was in work. I'll pop along to the exibition at some point though.

shockpeter

big thanks to Darragh. was great to see him in person and he was such a great speaker. was really good to hear about how he works. i'm excited to see whatever he produces from his time here, apparently he's doing a shoot on monday (a friend of mine has lucked into assisting him - jealousy overload!)

*eadaoin

oh crud i just saw this today, that's what i get for trying to stay away from boards!

hope it went well for those of you who went, it sounds like an amazing opportunity

Darragh

You're most welcome all, glad you enjoyed it! I certainly did.

I'll be publishing as much of the workshop, the interview and whatever else I got with him as soon as I can. It's on the big mad long list of stuff to do

Darragh

LoLth

Teferi wrote: »

Unfortunately had to leave early as I was called into work, I smacked my head of one of the televisions and made an awful eejit of myself.

I'm just amazed that with all the photographers in the room not one of them got a pic of the embarrassing moment or the aftermath!

Teferi

Hahaha. Thank god they didn't. I was worried

As I was leaving in my head I was saying "Just leave quietly" and then whacked my head.

trishw78

I'm definately going to the exhibition. He's quite a handsome looking man.

melekalikimaka

trishw78 wrote: »

He's quite a handsome looking man.

if only i swung that way...

mervifwdc

I really enjoyed it.

And the point of doing the commercial work just to make the money to py to do the stuff you like, 100% that's true!

Dragan

Great photographer, great mind, shame about the kind of sideways hat thing.

Looks like it was great fun.

Solarina

Did anyone else feel a strange mixture of incredible inspiration & stomachturning selfconscienceness?!

I basically ran away when it ended, was too nervous to pester him for an autograph, and felt like trashing everything Ive ever taken while feeling like crap about what Il ever be able to achieve mixed with a burning desire to just drive into the wilderness and make some magic...!

Stimulating to say the least

I wish people had nametags, floating above their heads with their interweb alias on them, I was so curious wandering around, but didnt recognise anyone...

Rb

I can't believe he's almost 50.