Capturing the East Riding

East Riding of Yorkshire Council, on behalf of the East Riding Cultural Partnership, is running a series of free workshops between April and October to encourage residents to enter the next round of the Capturing the East Riding Amateur Photography Competition.

The ‘Capturing Your Best Shot’ workshops will help people to develop their digital photography skills and give them the confidence to enter the next competition. Award-winning photographer Lee Karen Stow will lead the workshops), which will take place on 5 July at the Treasure House, in Beverley. The workshops are free, but spaces are limited. Advance booking is essential.

Each workshop will run from 10.30am-3pm. Participants will learn from Lee what life as a professional photographer is like and see examples of her work, get practical advice and receive feedback on their photos during an interactive session. To reserve a space on one of the workshops, call 01482 392703.

The first Capturing the East Riding competition was held in 2010 and 2011. Over 275 amateur photographers entered 733 photographs into the contest. Three judges selected the top 100 entries, which were then exhibited at the Beverley Art Gallery, Sewerby Hall and Gardens, Pocklington Arts Centre and Goole Museum in 2012. More than 6,200 people visited these exhibitions.

Hilary Saynor, chair of the East Riding Cultural Partnership, said: “We were delighted with the response to the first competition. It was a brand-new initiative so we had no idea what the take-up would be like. The overall standard of the entries was really very impressive reflecting how much talent there is here in the East Riding. We are expecting it to be as good, if not better, in the next round.”

The next competition will open in October 2014. This time, the theme will be @Work, Rest and Play – Capturing Life in the East Riding. Participants will be invited to submit up to four photographs, which reflect what living in the East Riding means to them. The best photographs will be selected for an exhibition which will go on tour in 2015 and 2016. Details about the competition and exhibition will be announced in the spring.

Councillor Richard Burton, East Riding of Yorkshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Civic Wellbeing and Culture, said: “These workshops are an opportunity for local people to get some expert advice from an internationally-respected photographer. We hope they will also encourage more people to participate in the project.

"To give the contest a focus, we will be asking participants to photograph the people, places, events and things that make up life in the East Riding. We are excited to see what people come up with.”