Bow Skills workshop: how to photograph and document your artwork with Jo Underhill
Wednesday 24th July 2024 , 6:00pm to 8:00pm
THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW SOLD OUT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST, PLEASE EMAIL NUNNERY@BOWARTS.COM
Join photographer Jo Underhill in this practical, hands-on workshop breaking down the fundamentals of capturing the essence of your artwork in a photograph and how to effectively document your artwork for a range of different purposes and contexts.
Kettle’s Yard, Cambridge
Studio Drift
Jo will kick things off by speaking to her own photographic practice, the process that she goes through when capturing an artwork and its essence in an image, and the top tips, tricks, and things to keep in mind when approaching documenting your artwork in this way.
We will then move over to the Nunnery Gallery to put what we have learnt into practice as we breakout and take photographs to document the different artworks in the Bow Open exhibition, exploring together how we may need to adjust our approach when capturing artworks of different sizes, mediums, and installations. Jo will be on hand throughout this section of the workshop to give personal advice and guidance.
We will then have a gentle crit of some of the photographs that people have taken, highlighting the things that went well, any issues that came up, or questions that have arisen.
This workshop isn’t designed to be prescriptive as everyone has their own style of photography which will come through the more you practice! But we want this to be a low-stakes, playful, and experimental space where we can learn by doing and explore different approaches to image taking, under the guidance of Jo’s expertise.
Things to bring with you if you are able to – we will also have one or two on hand for folks to borrow!
- A camera or another device to take photos with
- A tripod
- A laptop or device which you can upload your photos to
In this workshop, you will:
- Learn the fundamentals of effectively photographing or documenting your artwork
- Gain checklist of things to consider when approaching photographing your artwork
- Gain practical experience in photographing artworks of varying sizes, mediums, and settings, and how you may need to adjust your approach for these variables
- Develop a new network of artists and creative professionals
Most of this workshop will take place in our courtyard room breakout space at Bow Arts Trust, 183 Bow Road, E3 2SJ. However, we will spend some time in the Nunnery Gallery taking photos of some of the artworks exhibited in this year’s Bow Open show.
THIS WORKSHOP IS NOW SOLD OUT. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ADDED TO THE WAITLIST, PLEASE EMAIL NUNNERY@BOWARTS.COM
Concession rate applies to students, over 65s, under 18s, Bow Arts artists, National Art Pass members, and key workers
More about Jo Underhill
Jo Underhill is a freelance photographer based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire and working all over the UK. She specialises in documenting art exhibitions and installations. Working with curators, art galleries and artists her photography focuses on the art and the relationship within the space it is exhibited, the dialogue between the artwork, and how people interact with the art.
Her background since 2007 was in architectural photography but for the last 5 years has worked with numerous galleries and curators including Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge, Hayward Gallery in London, Anthony Gormley Studios and the Serpentine Galleries, London. Her photography has been featured in several exhibition catalogues, books and publications.
About Bow Skills
Bow Arts seeks to support creative professionals at all stages of their careers. In 2015 Bow Arts launched Bow Skills in response to an artist survey which showed over 90% of practicing artists find it useful to receive further support outside formal education.
Bow Skills is a dynamic and relevant programme of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which is informed by an artist steering group and open to all creative practitioners across London. The programme of talks, panel discussions, new skills labs and peer crits is open to all, with concession rates available to students, over 65s, under 18s, Bow Arts artists and key workers.
Access information
The Bow Arts courtyard room and Nunnery Gallery have step-free access throughout from street level, including to the accessible toilet, and is service animal friendly. This venue does not have a hearing loop system. Accessible parking is not available on-site but blue badge parking can be found 500m away on Fairfield Road.
If you have any questions regarding accessibility at this venue or event, would like to make us aware of any access requirements that you have in advance of visiting, or would like this information in an alternate format including Easy Read, please email nunnery@bowarts.com or call 020 8980 7774 (Ext. 3)
Access requirements could include things like providing equipment, services or support (e.g. information in Easy Read, speech to text software, additional 1:1 support), adjusting workshop timings (e.g. more break times), adjustments to the event space or anything else you can think of!
Transport Information
Opening hours: Tues-Sun, 10am to 4pm
Address: Nunnery Gallery, 181 Bow Road, London, E3 2SJ
Nearest station(s): Bow Road (District and Hammersmith and City lines) is a 6-minute walk away, and Bow Church (DLR) is a 3-minute walk away.
Bus: 205, 25, 425, A8, D8, 108, 276, 488 and 8 all service the surrounding area.
Bike: Bicycle parking is located at Bow Church Station. The nearest Santander Cycles docking station is at Bow Church Station.
