Workshop Recording | Photograph Your Work With David Barber

WORKSHOP | Photograph Your Work with David Barber from 5 Foot Photography | Online  

Ready to photograph and showcase your creative work like a professional? In the lead-up to our 2025 Daily Creative Challenge we ran Photograph Your Work with photographer David Barber from 5 Foot Photography. Participants learnt all the tips and tricks for taking professional photos – from the comfort of their home – from lighting to composition, helping attendees find the best angles of their work.   


In this session we unpacked 4 key areas:  


1. Cameras you have at home   

2. Lighting is all around you   

3. Composition, shaping your image  

4. Edit and post.  

 

Missed out on the live event? Find a recording of the event below. 


EVENT RECORDING  

 

 

KEY TAKEAWAYS 

 

  1. Cameras You Have at Home 

When using your phone to take photos, there are some small changes you can make in your settings that can make a big difference to the quality of your images. 

 

iPhone: 

 

  • Turning on Apple ProRAW. In your settings, navigate your way to Camera and then ‘Formats’, and switch on Apple ProRAW. This will give you greater control when editing photos. 

  • Turning on the Grid. In your settings, navigate your way to Camera. Under the subheading ‘Composition’, turn on ‘Grid’. This will put grid lines on your camera app, assisting you in creating the composition of the image. 

  • Turning on the Level. In your settings, navigate your way to Camera. Under the subheading ‘Composition’, turn on ‘Level’. This will put a white level line on your camera app, which turns yellow when the image is straight. 

 

Android: 

  • Taking RAW photos. In your camera app, click on the settings gear. Select ‘More Settings’, ‘Advanced’ and turn on ‘RAW + JPEG control’. This will allow you to toggle between RAW and JPEG photos in the camera app, by clicking the settings gear and selecting either option. 

  • Turning on the Grid and Level. In your camera app, click on the settings gear. In Camera settings navigate to the subheading ‘Composition Guide’. Turn on ‘Grid lines and level’. This will assist you in creating the composition of the image. 

 

  1.  Lighting is all around you   

 

  • Great lighting doesn't require a studio setup. Natural light from windows and desk lamps can dramatically improve your image. 

  • Create even lighting by using DIY light bounces, buy white cardboard from Office Works or cover a flat surface in foil to create your own. Redirect light to illuminate the whole object. 

 

  1. Composition, shaping your image 

 

  • When taking photos, make sure to get close and highlight the textures, patterns and craftsmanship. This helps to make the image more visually engaging. 

  • Start with the Rule of Thirds. When it comes to composition, there are many rules that can be followed, bent and broken. Ease yourself in by starting with the rule of thirds. Splitting your image into 9 equal parts, placing key elements of the subjects on these lines or intersections helps you in creating a visually appealing and balanced photo. 

 

  1. Edit and post. 

 

  • The best place to start editing is the free options on your phone. On an iPhone find your editing tools in the photos app, click on an image and select the 3 sliders button to open a multitude of elements that you can adjust in your image. From contrast to saturation, explore how you would like to amend your images. 

  • Do you want to explore further? Look at apps such as VCSO, Snapseed or Lightroom Mobile. These have varying levels of paid features and will let you adjust even more elements of your image. 

 

 

PREPARING YOUR IMAGES FOR UPLOAD 

 

During the 2025 Craft + Design Canberra Daily Creative Challenge participants will have 2 means of uploading images, uploading each individually or linking to a downloadable folder (for example Google Drive, Dropbox). 

 

 

When uploading these images there are 3 main things to remember: 

 

  1. Images need to be a maximum of 3MB. Images can be compressed on a phone to a smaller file size using apps such as Compress Photos & Pictures. 

  1. Images must be labeled correctly. Each image must be named in the following format: Name_DayNumber (e.g. AlexSmith_1, AlexSmith_2 etc). If not uploading to a desktop or laptop, each image can be renamed by uploading it to the files app (iPhone) or to a desired sharing files platform (Google Drive, Dropbox). 

  1. Access to downloadable folders. Ensure we can access your images, either by changing the status of your sharing link to ‘Anybody with the link’ or giving access specifically to hello@craftanddesigncanberra.org. 

   

 

About the artist:  

David Barber is a professional photographer with 9 years of experience, primarily operating in Canberra.  

The business side of his work focuses on shooting events, sport, lifestyle and a mix of everything in between. Craft + Design Canberra was one of his first ever clients and he remains grateful to still be shooting for them today.  

His personal work looks for the beauty in the everyday, mundane, and often overlooked things. He loves shooting at night in the fog to isolate the subject from the busy background or finding cool suburban scenes on walks through the streets and laneways.  

Photography has allowed David to live a creative, unstructured life, where it's considered 'work' for him to meet great people, explore beautiful places and continue learning every day.  

   

Support Artists and Learn from the Best   

Craft + Design Canberra workshops provide an opportunity for audiences to learn from the unique skillsets of our members: individuals who are highly regarded in their fields as artists, designers and craftspeople.  

Craft + Design Canberra prides itself on paying fair rates of pay to our artists as recommended by NAVA (the National Association for the Visual Artists). Our artists are the best in their fields and deserve fair renumeration. Audiences attending our activities learn from the best.  

Craft + Design Canberra is a not-for-profit membership-based organisation supporting artists, craft practitioners, designers and makers at every stage of their careers. Craft + Design Canberra workshops are designed to create opportunities for our members to showcase their skills, engage with the community, and earn income.   

Find our full program here.  

   

Donations  

Support Craft + Design Canberra to create greater opportunities for our community of craftspeople and designers, and for the growing audience who admire and appreciate the beauty, skill and excellence of their work.  
  
Your generosity supports our organisation as an advocate for contemporary craft and design in Canberra and beyond. Help us to shape a handmade and creative future through exhibitions, events, residencies, professional development and commissions, as well as the biennial Craft + Design Canberra Festival.   

Craft + Design Canberra has been endorsed by the Australian Tax Office as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) and is registered as a charity (as Craft + Design Canberra) with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission ABN: 33314092587. All donations of $2 or more will be tax deductible if you live in Australia.  
  
Thank you for your generous support. Even a small amount can make a big difference to those who MAKE.  

  

Image | Person taking a photo of Work at 2023 Island Welcome Exhibition Opening | Photo by 5 Foot Photography 

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