Creative Workshops

We have no borders and can go anywhere to bring our creativity to you so you discover yours!

‘I am particularly impressed by the creative and imaginative strengths of Fotosynthesis. They stimulate interest, nurture imaginations and promote the rights of each individual to have and express their creative voices through visual arts. Being inclusive, relevant, and imaginative — Caroline Baker, The Children’s Society

Fotosynthesis creates spaces where everyone is welcome to express themselves and explore their creativity. We want to make photography and audio-visual art accessible and available to anyone. We believe that each of us is an artist and want to offer this therapeutic and life-changing artistic experience to as many of you as possible.

Our workshops are designed for schools, youth and community groups, universities, charities, NGOs, commercial companies, and government institutions. We explore alternative ways of engaging with photography, from digital to analog techniques. Using participatory methods, Literacy Through Photography (LTP), creative photography, sensory and visual research, the workshops are dynamic, stimulating, and practical. We adapt each workshop to fit with the location and work environment, and above all meet the participants’ needs and aspirations.

CAMERALESS PHOTOGRAPHY

Fotosynthesis is a firm advocate of analogue and alternative photography processes. Utilising recycled objects and the environment to create images such as cyanotype (sun prints), pinholes (camera-less images) or digital transfer prints on wood, glass, cloth, metal and ceramics. This processes will promote innovative and creative outcomes and encourages tactile approaches to making photographers.

Using objects or digital negative to make prints in a setup darkroom or outdoors using sunlight. We can also set up pop up darkrooms anywhere!

Pop up darkroom, Pinhole or Camera obscura
Chlorophyll printing and anthotypes (ecological printmaking using plants and sunlight)
Cyanotype
Photograms or lumen prints
Our clients include the Southbank Centre, Hackney City Farm, St Guy’s and Thomas Hospital, Creative Sparkworks, The Children’s Society, Lambeth primary schools, RefugeeYouth, Centro de la Imagen RD, London Analogue Festival, Abbey Manor College.

ANTI-SELFIE & IDENTITIES

Exploring identities, representation, hopes, dreams and fears, similarities and differences, past, present, and future through self-portraiture and creative photography. SELFIES are NOT allowed!

POP-UP STUDIO PORTRAITS

Having a professional portrait taken is not accessible to anyone and is a very empowering and therapeutic as well as a team-building and reflective experience. They can be formal, theme-based, fun, individual, groups or families, for your staff or the community or schools you work with.

Our clients include the Southbank Centre, Jesuit Refugee Service UK, Conciliation Resources, Mujer Diaspora, Southbank centre, Metropolitan Housing Association, Treasure House, The Children’s Society, Latin Elephant, London Southbank University, L&Q and more.

DSLR Photography & Film Making Trainning

Do work with a community that needs to improve their photography or filmmaking skills to document their activities, events, surroundings or even for advocacy purposes.

RefugeeYouth Brandsdale Photography Residential- July 2014 teaching photography & video with visual artist Cedoux Kadima to various youth groups from Leeds, Middelborough, Hull and London to create youth leaders, raise awareness about nature, individual and collective identity and migration.

Photovoice Bursaries, The Photographic Angle: Teaching DSLR to a group of young homeless from the “Look Out” project.

SENSORY PHOTOGRAPHY

A technique that we have learnt from Ojos que Sienten and Photovoice and embraced as part of our creative practice. This is a great exercise to build trust, encourage teamwork and challenge stereotypes, create empathy, break down barriers and bring people together to connect. This process explores the surroundings from new perspectives, challenge people’s social and spatial perceptions, and encourage sensory dialogue.