Upcoming Workshop
Develop A Critical Eye - How To Critique A Photo
What This Workshop Is About
During COVID, I ran free weekly online sessions. The ones people came back to, week after week, were the critique workshops.
I think I know why.
Looking at photographs — really looking at them — in a room full of people who genuinely want to help each other improve. There's something powerful about that. It feels safe. It feels honest. And it works.
This workshop recreates exactly that feeling, in person.
We'll look at images together. We'll talk about what we see, what we feel, and why. Not to judge. Not to rank. But to understand. Because when you learn to read a photograph properly, something shifts. You start seeing your own work differently too.
Who This Workshop For
Anyone who wants to look at their own photos more honestly
People who want to give better feedback and recieve it gracefully
Anyone who's struggled to explain what's missing from a shot they almost got right
Photographers who want to understand what makes an image work
Anyone who's ever thought, "I don't know why, but I love this photo"
People who doubt their creativity and want help discovering it
You don't need to be experienced. You just need to be curious.
Intention Matters
Here's something worth thinking about before we start...
When someone tells you your photograph is wonderful, it feels good. But it doesn't help you grow. When someone tells you it's ugly, it feels terrible — and it still doesn't help you grow.
Effective critique sits in a completely different place. The goal isn't to judge. It's to help. To give the photographer something they can actually use — a direction, an idea, a new way of seeing what they've created.
That's the intention we'll bring to this workshop. And it changes everything.
Learning To See Without Bias
One of the most useful things you'll take away from this day is an awareness of your own assumptions.
We all carry them. The photographer who's just discovered the rule of thirds and applies it to everything. The person who believes sharp is always better than soft. The one who can't look past a cluttered background.
These aren't wrong reactions — they're human ones. But when we're critiquing someone else's work, they can get in the way.
Part of what we'll practice together is setting those assumptions gently to one side. Not ignoring your instincts — your instincts are valuable — but understanding the difference between a personal preference and a genuine observation.
"This doesn't work for me" is very different from "this doesn't work."
Learning that distinction is one of the most freeing things a photographer can do.
What You Will Experience
A new way of seeing
I make photography understandable. No jargon. No ego. Everything is explained in a practical, helpful way.
Honest, kind critique
We shoot together, try things out, and make sure you understand the concepts through real experience.
A safe, supportive environment
You will leave thinking, "I did this."
Real conversations about real photopgraphs
We laugh, we learn, and we take the pressure off. Fun is an important part of learning.
A frameowork you'll use forever
We laugh, we learn, and we take the pressure off. Fun is an important part of learning.
What You Will Leave With
A clear framework for critiquing any photograph
The confidence to look at your own work more honestly
Language to describe what you see and what you feel
A deeper understanding of composition, light, and storytelling
The ability to give feedback that genuinly helps other photographers
A stronger awareness of your own preferences and baises
You'll experience and genuinley enjoyable day with people who share you passion.
Buy Your Ticket Below
Develop A Critical Eye - How To Critique A Photo
Learning to critique a photograph is one of the most useful things a photographer can do. Not to judge — but to understand. What's working. What isn't. And why. Join Graham for a relaxed, collaborative day that will change the way you see your own work.
Early Bird Price: £95 (until 30th September 2026)
Standard Price: £120 (from 1st October 2026)
Click the button below to purchase your workshop ticket
Please make sure to read the terms and conditions before purchasing
When: Wednesday October 28th 12.30-16.30
Where: Venue Stoke Lodge Centre, Shirehampton Road, Bristol BS9 1BN
Getting there:
From Bristol Temple Meads train station catch First Bus no 8 then:
From Bristol City Centre catch First Bus no 3 or 4 to Stoke Lodge Centre
Plenty of free parking on site at The Stoke Lodge Centre. However please consider car sharing to reduce emissions
Testimonials
What people say after learning with me.
"It finally made sense. I came in confused and left confident."
Sarah M. — Bristol
"I understood more in one day with Graham than I had in years of trying alone."
David R. — Bath
"His critiques are honest but never harsh. I learned so much and felt encouraged the whole time."
Jane T. — Wiltshire
"I never thought I was creative. Now I know I am."
Michael P. — Somerset
A Note From Graham.
Critique isn't about being right. It's about being helpful — to others, and to yourself.
I've spent over 45 years looking at photographs. What I've learned is that the best critique always starts with curiosity, not judgement. Ask what the photographer was trying to say. Ask what you feel when you look at it. Ask what would happen if one thing were different.
Those questions open things up. And once you start asking them, you never really stop.
Come along. Bring a photo if you want to. Leave with a better eye
