I did a photography workshop back in May 2017 with Albert Lim ( Halo International Photography) who is based in China

Took some time to edit the images as I was traveling quite a fair bit since then.. and was busy with wedding jobs as well..
We took in 10 participants this year.. as we thot the number is just nice for more interaction.

Jiangnan is a beautiful place, and I have gone back so many times in the past 1 year.. ( will be making another 2 more trips this year)
Food is great, people are great.. scenery is exceptional .

It’s a different season this year for the trip as compared to last year ..
( can check out last year’s images here https://www.williamchua.com/blog/jiangnan-photography-workshop-completed/

Thanks very much to Fujifilm Singapore for the kind support they have given me with regards to equipment.

Finally, thanks to all the 10 participants for a very successful trip
We definitely had a great time together..

Just want to share some images here..
All images are taken with Fujifilm XT2 and Fujifilm GFX

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and of cos some behind the scene shots of my participants..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and of cos that’s me with my GFX.. thanks to Stanley for the image..

 

Finally.. some comments from the participants ( thanks all for the kind words )

Dear William and Albert,

Below is our short but true and sincere comments ( written by Elliot and added on by Janncy ) :

This photographic tour was truly inspiring for us. Not only were we taken to the most scenic spots but were given lots of tips by our dedicated photographer mentors – William & Albert. Both the mentors were selflessly sharing all the photographic angles and techniques. Wonderful teachers!
As amateurs in photography, we were given the chance to work with Fuji-XT20 – which enabled us to obtain unexpectedly good images. The colours turned out brilliant and the camera wasn’t difficult to use.
Since the trip, we are now proud owners of a Fuji XT2 and are looking forward to exploring our whole new world through our new lenses.
As for the trip, we had a lot of fun and laughter. We also made some great friends, many of whom are great photographers, whom we also had chance to learn from. Initially we were concerned about the tour itself, eg the accommodation and the food. However everything turned out pleasantly great, esp the food.

Thank you William and Albert for teaching us not just the technical aspects of photography but, more valuable than that, for stirring in us the passion for this art form that we have just discovered.

Overall, a great trip. We are even considering following Mr William Chua on all future photographic trips.
Thank you for the great memories!!

Elliot & Janncy

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Dear William & Albert, and fellow participants of the Jiangnan workshop tour,

I got into photography two years ago entering the world of Canon with a 6D, n became a fan of Canon academy.

But the 6D became heavier each time I travelled n I went searching for a lighter alternative ending up deciding between Sony n Fuji. My nearby camera shop convinced me Fuji had great colours and in particular outstanding black n white shooting. His words was this……the only other competitor to Fuji b&w is the Leica Monochrome, which I cannot afford.

So I waited for the xt2 & it arrived. Then I chanced into William’s fb post on Jiangnan photo trip with emphasis on using a Fuji. So here I am writing my take on the workshop tour.

I thought joining William’s workshop tour will allow me to learn the full usage of the functionalities & capabilities of my new Fuji. But…..

William & Albert was not just about Fuji. They were about shooting spectacular b&w with as little or as much natural light available. They were not just about composition, they were about composing beautiful b&w shots with whatever was available at that one moment. They were not about seeing where, when n how to shoot, but they were about the feel for the shot before the shot.

I have been on several workshops and/or tours. And I normally ask a lot of questions. But William & Albert, with you two, you provided the answers before my questions. So to me, you two have put meaning to sharing knowledge and experience.

In summary, my camera shop guy was correct on the technical b&w functionalities & capabilities of Fuji, but…. William & Albert, you two in a mere few days helped me see the meaning of Black & White photography through the lens of Fuji.

Cheers to William, Albert n fellow participants for joining together to see the light….

Yours truly
Marc Hooi

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Hi William,

Thanks for opening the doors to Fuji camera. I have a SL1000, just use it for fun. But XT2 impressed me and I went on to own one immediately after the trip (PC Show, haha).
Your BW and play on light/shadow is impressive. Thanks for all the tips and guidance.
For those hungry for high res and rich pocket, GFX is a dream not far.

Tks & best rgds
Vincent

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Hi William/Albert,

Thank you for conducting this wonderful workshop.

What I really like about this workshop is your dedication to ensure that ALL participants learn something from it.
During shooting, you will actively approach each individual participant and generously share your photographic knowledge and guidance.
You have taught us to see the scene in the new light, and even threw some mini workshop on available light portrait photography.

And unlike other workshops, foods have been quite extraordinary, thanks to Albert’s insight and knowledge on the local culinary scene.
He had carefully planned and adjusted the itinerary to make sure that we get the best experience on our limited time there.
His choice of accommodation, local access to pearl’s farming scene, beautiful boat house, padi field shooting spot, have really exceeded some of our expectations.

For this workshop, I brought my Fuji X-T20 and loaned Fuji X-T2 from William. The extra camera body really helped me to work faster as this is the first time I travel with prime lenses only.
As I shoot primarily in aperture priority mode, I really like the marked aperture ring and exposure compensation dial on the camera.
That way, I will be able to quickly check and adjust the camera setting without even looking at the LCD screen.
Overall, the camera is really enjoyable to use and it is clearly designed with photographers in mind.

Cheers,
Benny

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I enjoyed the Jiangnan photo workshop and have learned a lot in composition, use of lighting and shadows, and many practical tips from William and Albert. I also learned when to use B&W instead of colour to enhance the image which i had never thought before. The workshop covered a broad scope of shooting opportunities from landscape to street photography to portraiture. Overall the trip was a great experience and met with my full expectation.

Allan

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REVIEW ON THE TRIP:
I am a beginner at level zero and this was my first photography trip. William and Albert led the group well. I was afraid I would hold up the whole group but on the contrary I was not alone. Which was great as all the beginners had similar questions and we were learning simultaneously. William and Albert were patient instructors and explained all our queries. I like it when we were all busy shooting, William and Albert would go around sharing images they have captured on their cameras. This was to give us new insights into shooting styles and composition. I learnt that shooting from different height elevation would give the subject or picture an altered dimension. Monochrome shots are also an avenue to set the special mood of the scene. Overall, the trip was very enjoyable. The pace was comfortable. The locations visited were interesting. The food was great. The accommodations were beyond satisfactory. I am so contented I will sign up the next trip to Kenya.

REVIEW ON FUJI XT2:
I have only used instant cameras and iPhones. So I am very new to the world of ISO, shutter and aperture. During the Jiangnan trip, I enjoyed using the Fuji XT2 as it gave me a live view of the lighting conditions. All I have to do was to adjust the settings. I am still trying to grasp the concept of ISO, shutter and aperture – it will take me a while. I like the feature of the flip LED display, which makes you able to shoot pictures incognito. The wifi and app feature comes in handy for photo sharing on social media in a jiffy.

Lilis