Gulf Photo Plus, Dubai's premiere photography centre, have announced the date and program for the biggest photography day of the year: Sony Photo Friday, which will take place as part of GPP Photo Week on Friday 10th February, 2017 at Alserkal Avenue, Dubai. Organised by Gulf Photo Plus as part of GPP Photo Week, Sony PhotoFriday is an inspiring day full of all things photography-related, where photographers and photography enthusiasts will have a chance to meet and learn from renowned international photographers. The program will include 12 unique 90-minute seminars, technical and inspirational talks, and creative panels. Sony PhotoFriday will also include free camera cleaning services by the world's leading photography brands, a showcase of the latest gear, as well as exclusive special offers. The day will conclude with a special screening of acclaimed contemporary artist Hassan Hajjaj's first film, Karima: A day in the life of a Henna Girl. The film which is presented in collaboration with independent cinema platform, Cinema Akil, will be shown at The Yard in Alserkal Avenue. Visitors will also have the opportunity to visit GPP Photo Week's main exhibition, Take the Shot, as well as a showcase of the Sony World Photography Awards' winning, shortlisted and commended images and a special show by world-renowned photographer Angélica Dass titled Humanæ. The seminars and creative talks are categorised by topics relating to technique and inspiration. Details on each talk and creative panel are listed below. ‘Taking Measure | Women in Photography' Renowned photographer Maggie Steber will moderate a panel discussion with three photographers, Sara Lando, Tasneem Al Sultan andVictoria Will. The panel will discuss a range of topics concerning the role of women in creating and producing photography today as compared to the past as well as the challenges faced by women in the industry. ‘Leveraging your art to change the world' In this talk, photographer Ben Von Wong will share how he is leveraging his skills as a photographer, storyteller and social influencer to make a positive difference in the world. He will explore the genesis of the many projects he has completed and how he constantly innovates to stay current with social trends. Through his stories, he hopes to inspire others to do the same with their skills and talents, regardless of where their skills lie, because he believes that anyone can change the world. ‘Audacity of Beauty' In photojournalism, the camera is most often turned on what is wrong with the world. We are drawn to depict this suffering for history and news and while it should and must be covered, it sets an image of a place or its people that lacks the full picture. Getting at the heart of a story takes connecting with people and this is what the camera allows us to do, to inform, to hope, to create change for the better, to learn lessons for ourselves. In Audacity of Beauty, Maggie Steber, who has worked in 66 countries and has spent the last 30 years as a photojournalist, shows the beauty found in the most unexpected places. It might not be a Western sort of beauty but it is audacious of it to exist at all in a world filled with hardships and sorrows. ‘Pushing the boundaries of travel photography and post-processing' Using a combination of traditional in-camera techniques, targeted times of day, drone technology and advanced post-processing methods, photographer Elia Locardi has developed a widely recognized and highly unique style of travel and aerial photography. With each photograph, his goal is to share his vision so others can see the world as he does, full of color, texture, depth and emotion.
