Ron has been in demand as a speaker at photographic conventions and functions in New Zealand and overseas for over thirty-five years. He can cover a wide range of topics and is an eloquent speaker with loads of enthusiasm and is very motivational.
Not only has he filled one-hour speaking slots on convention agendas he has also run hands-on weekend seminars. These have covered various themes usually encouraging attendees to improve their creativity when taking pictures.
His normal fees range from US$200 - US$1,000 plus travel costs, but he has been known to regularly donate his entire fee to the organisers if they are non-profit photographic organisations, just for the joy of helping photographers improve their work.
The following are some of the programmes he presents although he regularly formats something to suit the requirements of the organisers. All the lectures are presented using a data projector with a sound system.
| Title: | DO IT IN THE CAMERA |
| Time: | 60min |
| Content: | This program starts on the premise that photographs are made in the camera not on the computer. It covers; colour balance, exposure, depth of field, shutter speeds, lens use and lighting, it also includes various related audio-visuals. |
| Title: | THE THAILAND PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECT |
| Time: | 60min |
| Content: | A workshop program on creating great photographs. One country, one camera, one lens and a monopod, this program focuses seeing opportunities in the field, often while travelling and creating great photographs with little manipulation after treatment. |
| Title: | DIGITAL KISS |
| Time: | 100min, includes intermission after 45min |
| Content: | This is aimed at photographers, not computer workers, using the benefits of digital photography with a strong focus on the ease of JPG vs RAW and it comprehensively covers how to improve your picture taking out in the field. Includes entertaining related audio-visuals. |
| Title: | PHOTOGRAPHIC REALITY AND FANTASIES |
| Time: | 70min |
| Content: | The exciting journey is covered from realism to fantasy, it questions what is real and what the photographer can add through film, lighting, filters, blurring, exposure, cropping and digital manipulation, it includes an array of audio-visuals to illustrate the points. |
| Title: | THE PHOTO HUNTER |
| Time: | 55min (With Greek Island A-V, aprox. 65min) |
| Content: | The process involved in looking (hunting) for photographs, techniques that can be applied to both local photography and when travelling. Includes only work taken recently covering England, Greece, USA, New Zealand and other countries. |
| Title: | VIEWPOINT |
| Time: | 60min |
| Content: | Ron's view on the world and how he creatively interprets it through his camera by creative use of lens' and viewpoint. |
| Title: | IMPROVING YOUR CAMERA TECHNIQUES |
| Time: | 70min |
| Content: | While this talks about some basic techniques it goes on to explain how these can be creatively used. As a slide lecture this is done in four parts. It can however be expanded into a practical exercise taking 4-5 hours. (If expanding it out like this everyone at a seminar would get a film, we would talk for about 15 minutes on a section then everyone goes out to take 3 variations of an exercise relating to the section, then back for 15 minutes etc.) |
| Title: | THE LANDSCAPE |
| Time: | 60min |
| Content: | Largely photographing the New Zealand landscape this uses the 4x4 approach to improving your landscape photography. |
| Title: | WINNING SALONS |
| Time: | 45min |
| Content: | About creating the right mind-set to win salons, set goals and things you need to do to win competitions. This is a very motivational lecture with little about photographic technique. |
| Title: | ASIA WITH FEELING |
| Time: | 60min |
| Content: | A look at photographing in Asia, what photographic techniques to use and having empathy with the surroundings. It comes from a series of many trips he has taken to various parts of Asia. |
| Title: | DIGITAL DOODLING |
| Time: | 60min |
| Content: | An introduction to digital imaging covering hardware, software, what to do and how, without spending a fortune. |
| Title: | ALL THE GIRLS I HAVEN'T KNOWN |
| Time: | 45min |
| Content: | How to go about photographing female models and covers techniques for photographing people you don't know. |
| Title: | CREATIVE EXPERIMENTAL PHOTOGRAPHY - With or without a Darkroom |
| Time: | 75min |
| Content: | This is divided into 5 parts covering copying, montage, double exposure, bas-relief and using lith. film. A few minutes discussion after each section could be had to answer further questions etc. (Shown extensively throughout Australasia but becoming less applicable with digital taking over) |
| Title: | HONG KONG RON |
| Time: | 60min |
| Content: | A look at Asia comparing similarities and differences between cities and countries including tips on when you have little time for photography. |
| Title: | GETTING A PHOTOGRAPHIC KNIGHTHOOD |
| Time: | 40min |
| Content: | Some guidelines to getting your photographic honours (letters) and what they stand for; LPSNZ, APSNZ, FPSNZ. (Ron is a past member of the New Zealand Honours board) |
