Whether you're new to the wonderful world of digital photography, or if you're interested in extending your skill and knowledge into more studio or strobist based photography, there is a Workshop in a SNAP! just for you.

Workshops in a SNAP! are for photographic workshops designed for enthusiasts of different levels and interests.

Each of the three workshops is designed to bring you up to speed in a core area of photography. You simply choose the workshop that matches what you want to learn, or take all three workshops to develop your photography from woe to go, giving you the skills to do more with your DSLR and with your creative eye.

Workshop 1: Making the most of your DSLR
If you've been taking photographs with your DSLR on the Automatic setting, and want to gain greater control over your camera and the photographs you create, then this is for you. This workshop includes a guided photowalk through the Fremantle, where you will have the opportunity to put what you have learned into practice photographing the streets, colour, landscape and landmarks of the historic port city.

Workshop 2: The Art of Photography
This workshop is for photographers who are fairly comfortable with taking photographs using the automatic and semi-automatic settings on their DSLRs (P, Av and Tv) but would like greater creative control over their photography. It focuses on understanding the way your camera reads and translates light, and how you can work your camera to achieve a range of different creative exposures.

Workshop 3: That Strobing Sensation
If you've ever wanted to learn more about using strobes to create portraits with that Wow! factor, then sign up for this. You will learn about setting up and controlling studio/flash lighting, as well as directing your subjects/models to obtain the best shots of them. This workshop includes studio and on-location photoshoots with a model.

For more information and to book a workshop session, please visit Workshops in a SNAP! (www.thesnapshooter.net/workshops).

Hurry! All June workshops are fully booked, but spaces still available for July workshops!

Fables & Nocturnes, an exhibition I curated of photographic artwork depicting scenes and events from dreams and nightmares, opened on Sunday May 17th and ran until the end of May.

The opening launch saw The Cracked Gallery in Behind the Monkey packed with exhibitors, guests and visitors.

The Fables & Nocturnes Launch at Behind the Monkey
Photographs by Alison Holt & David Savage

The exhibition was formally opened by Louise Mann, who was on hand to award the Best in Show Award to Nick Palasin, for his remarkable work "Prophecy in the Search". Thanks to Team Digital for their sponsorship of this award. Well done Nick!

Behind the Monkey owner and gallery manager, Elaine McLeod, also presented the Gallery Choice Award, which was proudly sponsored by Behind the Monkey. Steve Humpleby won this award for "This is Ground Control", an imaginative piece created in camera with the assistance of long exposure and coloured gels. Good on you, Steve!

The People's Choice Award, sponsored by Carlisle Printing, was also awarded to the exhibited work which garnered the most votes from exhibition visitors. Winner of the People's Choice Award was Brad Hile, for his composite photograph: "Run too fast, fly too high", which also featured as the artwork on the exhibition flyer and related promotional material. Congratulations Brad!

Nick Palasin - winner of the Best in Show Award.
Photograph by Seng Mah

Steve Humpleby - winner of the Gallery Choice Award

"Run too fast, fly too high" © Brad Hile
Winner of the People's Choice Award

FotoFreo is WA's biennal internatonal festival of photography - featuring a core programme of exhibitions, workshops, talks and seminar for all lovers of photography and photographic arts.

The FotoFreo Fringe Festival is a series of photographic exhibitions held throughout Fremantle and Perth during FotoFreo. The Fringe Festival is ideal opportunity for photographers to showcase their work alongside the curated core shows and for visitors to view new photographic works by emerging and established Australian and international photographers.

I've been involved in the organisation of the Fringe Festival since 2007, and this year is no different. With FotoFreo 2010 just around the corner (20 March - 18 April 2010), the organisation of the FotoFreo Fringe Festival is well underway!

The Fringe Festival will see a host of photographic exhibitions in local galleries, restaurants, cafes, retail stores and other venues as emerging and established photographers from Australia and overseas put their best works on show.

To find out more about FotoFreo, visit www.fotofreo.com and sign up for the newsletter.

If you're interested in putting on an exhibition as part of the FotoFreo Fringe Festival, visit www.fotofreo.com/fringe for more information.

The statistics for youth homelessness is quite astounding, but statistics often fail to convince. After all, they're just numbers. It takes more than numbers to call people to action.

I've been invited, along with a number of Perth-based photographers, to participate in "Home is where my heart is", a photography project aimed at raising community awareness of (and call to action for) youth homelessness in WA. I'm expecting, in the coming weeks, to receive a phone call from the organisers that will tee me up with a young person who has experienced homelessness.

I will be assisting the young person to take photographs that communicate his experiences of homelessness.

The photographs will form an exhibition, which aims to raise awareness of youth homelessness, its causes and consequences.

I must admit to being slightly nervous about the experience. I come from a very much middle class background where the notion of "homeless youth" conjures up the expected (negative) stereotypes. I remind myself that the stereotypes are not valid -- that the vast majority of young people who are homeless obviously do not choose to be homeless (who would?), and that they have been placed in such circumstances by actions and decisions to which they have no control or influence. Family breakdown and fleeing physical, sexual and emotional abuse are key reasons young people become homeless and seek assistance from homeless assistance services.

When you hear about young people talk about their experience of homelessness, you cannot help but realise the enormity of the issue and its impact on young lives. They face a hard time finding somewhere safe and secure , making it more difficult for them to maintain support, to connect with their community and participate in education and employment.

Homelessness sucks, a 17 year old said at the Youth Homelessness candlelight vigil I photographed a few months ago. Homelessness disempowers. It's more than just the physical challenges that come with it -- the lack of funds, food, warmth -- it's the lack of stability and support that disrupts any plans for the future that a young person can make.

What becomes important, then, is to give young people stability: a foundation on which they can begin to plan and act for their own future. It comes through giving shelter, opportunities for education, development, growth and participation.

The exhibition "Home is where my heart is" is about demystifying myths about youth homelessness, about breaking down stereotypes, about presenting facts to combat fictions. It's about giving young people who have experienced homelessness an opportunity to voice their experiences and to have these voices heard.

When the exhibiton opens later this year, please make an effort to attend and to understand. To look beyond stereotypes and assumptions.

Homelessness sucks and we need to do something about it.

And the first step lies in understanding.