The Shoot Experience

One of Jo's images from her Shoot Experience

Spring is here, and Shooting season is well and truly open. Creative events company The Shoot Experience are set to run another successful year of street photography events, and Jo Gifford went along to Shoot Portobello to put her pap skills to the test and see what the buzz is all about.

Brainchild of uber-creative photographer/songwriter Brett Jefferson Stott, the Shoot events have been running since 2006 and are designed promote a fusion of art, technology and the community. The aim of the game is to form a team, solve a set of given themed clues about an area interpreted through photography, and above all to empower groups of people to think creatively for a day.

If your Saturdays are usually misspent in a blur, the very act of deciding to dedicate a day to photography may feel decadent and alien. The  conscious choice to spend time in a team in – shock, horror -  Structured Activity can make the teambuilding-away-day fear strike. But in equal measure provides a smug feeling of water cooler “ did I tell you what I did at the weekend?” contentment before the lens cap is off.

So, bristling with enthusiasm I arrived at Westbourne Grove Church on a grey March morning for my first Shoot.
A sea of around 200 budding Baileys collects in the foyer, and a mixed bag of participants we are too; with a top prize of an Olympus camera up for grabs the Shoot has attracted art students, photography nerds and all ages and genres in-between. After registration when clues are issued with a goody bag and a brief introduction we are let loose on the streets of Notting Hill in search of the most innovative response to a set of 10 clues.

At this stage  my partner and I realise a map would be beneficial to the creative cause and set off to grab an A to Z.  A mocha and a map later an hour has gone and no pics taken; anxiety begins to set in and we propel towards Portobello Market to begin in earnest.
I find myself in a boutique shop photographing a rubber duck and, feeling a sudden reversion to art student days we are off, heading up towards the canal snapping away as we go. Later in the proceedings – during a beer stop -  I ask permission to take photos inside the pub and as we explain the mission I see the community link in these projects. The landlord and regulars eagerly share their knowledge of the area, an occurrence very rare in modern London when engaging with others just ain’t the done thing.

This stomp around a less familiar area of London (I am more E9 than W10) encourages a deeper look. Not only do we discover local historical information but suddenly every vista is a photo opportunity; a woman with vibrant red hair seems to represent the free-spirits of Portobello; layers of posters on a wall I would usually pass without notice become the local zeitgeist. Brett and the crew have hit on something here, and I rather like it.

As the 5 o’clock deadline looms we rush to find the last few clues before heading back to HQ for a welcome beer. A stop off at Ping Pong for a bite to eat and rest our aching feet kills the next two hours whilst judging ensues.
 We have been on the go since mid morning, and surprisingly working to solve a puzzle actually takes more brain juice than I anticipated. However, fed and watered we are back in the room at 6.45pm to view the days shots as a slide show.
Much applause, laughter and mutual appreciation makes this a great climax as we get to see how everyone has interpreted the puzzle. I quickly realise we don’t stand a chance of winning, but despite an early surge of competitive spirit see that  it really is the taking part that counts.
I feel proud to have used the left side of my brain,  tried something new and to have explored Portobello with my camera. There is a real sense of camaraderie and achievement among the shooters, and I can see how this formula is a winner for corporate team days and ice-breakers.

The Shoot Experience is going international, with past events held in Toronto, Berlin and Delhi, and future shoots planned across Europe.
Meanwhile, you can point and click at Shoot Liverpool, Tate Modern, Spitalfields and Shoreditch later this year with tickets at a mere £11,  and if you can’t make an event you can partake in an online competition.
My advice? Expect a long, but rewarding day. Don’t forget to take a map, and bring someone on your team who veers towards the “bit nuts” category, they will take the best pics by far.

www.shootexperience.com

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