Workshop & Presentation Topics
The most commonly requested workshop & training topics are included in the following lists but don't hesitate to ask if there's anything else you are interested in.
Workshops, webinars and other presentations usually focus on:
1. What I wish I'd known from the outset and aspects not covered by other presenters or found on Google.
- 'Holistic' is a term used by many participants when describing my workshops. I make an effort to link up a lot of related points - this drives thought-provoking conversations and practical outcomes.
2. Particular relevance to rural and regional residents.
- Topics are tailored to suit each specific audience. Taking into account participant distance from town and poor internet and mobile phone services, if applicable.
- Workshops are run for the general public as well as for groups with a specific interest in agriculture.
Style of these workshops, webinars and other presentations:
- Illustrated with my photographs to explain the points being made, and interspersed with relevant stories.
- Introductory workshops & training sessions run for 1-2 hours. Masterclasses on drones and/or photography workshops run for 1-2 days. This allows time for extra features in addition to theory: more detailed discussion on particular issues raised, personal assessment of participant photographs and hands-on sessions to practice drone flight or photography techniques or test projects.
- Questions throughout are actively encouraged to ensure relevance to each specific audience and enable individuals to share their own ideas. The most useful, confidence-building and memorable presentations are interactive - when learning is reciprocal. These conversations also help create a supportive network of like-minded locals.
- Topics and depth to be covered is planned well in advance but tweaked on the day, in response to the audience on-the-spot expressions of interest in specific topics.
- It is possible to successfuly include participants with a wide range of skill levels/experience in the one workshop or presentation - because such a variety is covered, and interactivity is encouraged.
Some previous workshops, training sessions and keynotes are listed in the Business Hours blog post.
Topics/subjects that can be included in workshops, webinars and other presentations:
1. RURAL DRONE ACADEMY - DRONE TRAINING & INTRODUCTORY PRESENTATIONS:
Who do these drone workshops suit?
- Suitable for all levels - from beginners to experienced drone pilots; all ages and backgrounds
- Drone presentations on offer range from one hour introductory sessions run as part of a mixed topic event schedule, to two-day drone masterclasses
What topics can be covered in these drone workshops?
- General drone operation - from what to purchase to your end purpose; ensuring the most enjoyment and least stress; plus the best ROI (return on investment - of time as well as money). Everything you need to know, plus many tips for advanced pilots.
- Specific optional topics that can be included as well:
- Practical drone use in agriculture (farms or cattle stations) - from simple uses to an introduction to sophisticated tasks such as mapping and precision spraying.
- Creating stand-out aerial images; everything a drone photographer needs to know, but which can't be found online.
- Profitable small business use (for business owners and service providers)
What makes Fiona Lake's drone workshops unique?
- Mythbusting - I tell you exactly what won't work as well as what will; what is realistic now, and what the future may hold. Objective information is rare in the drone industry.
- Professional aerial photographers with a long track record are also rare. My advice is based is based on more than 30 years of professional aerial photography experience (multi award-winning). Plus more than 30 years small business & agricultural experience, across a wide range of industries and regions.
- Invited to present on drones in 4 continents and owner of a number of drones, flown in every state in Australia.
Like more information on drone training?
- There's detailed information in the Rural Drone Academy blog post.
- Future drone training events plus some of the previous events are listed in the Next Events blog post.
- Contact Fiona Lake by email or by phone, (07) 4728 4922
2. PHOTOGRAPHY & RELATED TOPICS:
Photography workshop content reflects the fact that I work in three photography fields:
- Commercial (rural marketing - regional tourism & agribusiness)
- Photojournalism (editorial content & advocacy) and
- Art (beautiful images for walls, books, cards etc).
And regularly use 3 types of cameras:
- Drones
- Professional standard DSLRs
- Mobile phones
Mobile phone photography workshops are now popular, especially with government departments and large companies, wanting to help staff with mobile phone photography techniques. I show how to get the best photographs from any model of mobile phone. This is sometimes run as a stand-alone workshop, or mobile phone photography specifics are bolted on to a general photography workshop - with topics listed below.
- From basic scene recording and operating manual controls, to sophisticated purpose-driven image creation (aimed at changing the world - by campaigning for better rural infrastructure, encouraging ag event attendance, refuting misinformation, etc).
- Getting the best photographs in Australia's harsh lighting conditions.
- How to use manual settings to capture the best results in-camera (rather than post processing).
- Satisfying and practical travel photography.
- Which fancy photography gear is useful, and what is a waste of your hard-earned cash.
- Upgrading photography equipment (including drones) economically - how to get a reasonable price for your old camera gear, so you can buy new cameras and lenses.
- Different photography styles - figuring out what suits your purpose best.
- Refining your photography aims and how to do a better job of achieving them.
- Ethics and street photography laws.
- How to avoid creating agricultural and rural photographs at risk of misinterpretation or that encourage negative stereotypes.
- Digital storytelling, campaigning & promoting - when to use still images & when to use videos (to maximise effectiveness).
- Creating short and effective videos.
- Camera limitations - what they can't do.
- Photography myths to ignore.
- Increasing your chances of success when entering photography competitions.
- Judging photographs - your own, and others.
- Setting up and running photography competitions.
- Running successful photography exhibitions - venue considerations, timeline, finance and grant applications, publicity.
- Writing photograph captions and storytelling.
- Selling photographs and publishing in the media.
- Aerial photography (using drones, as well as from fixed wing aircraft and helicopters)
If you would like to see some more examples of my photography, there's more than 800 photographs in my books:
3. OTHER SMALL BUSINESS-RELATED TOPICS (can be incorporated into drone, photography or social media workshops):
- Selling direct to the public vs via a retailer; pros & cons. Selling B2B & B2C - the differences.
- Selling online. How do you go about it? How do you give customers confidence? Tips for running a mailorder business successfully.
- Rural marketing do's and don't's; understanding the differences between regions & industries.
- Payment method options; pros & cons.
- SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). Creating an online presence (website, blog or social media account) is one thing - how do you ensure the public finds it? And your target audience finds it? How to climb to the top of competitive search engine rankings? And how do you stay there, long-term? (Tips based on many years of experience running a niche business in a competitive market).
- Web designers - how do you choose the best for you - what are the considerations, including long-term?
- Newsletter/marketing material basic principles. Email vs conventional mail pros & cons.
- Advertising - conventional media vs online; pros & cons
- Writing effective media releases.
- Understand what aspects of digital management & marketing are best done by a small business owner themselves, and what can be more easily farmed out.
- Working through aims, developing a strategy and forming a time management plan (including - identifying what's less important).
- Tradefair and market stall tips.
- Cyber security - principles to reduce the chance of digital viruses, your accounts being hacked, identity theft.
- Backing up data and images - options, including 'cloud' storage services.
- Vital considerations when putting images online.
- Copyright protection and watermarking images.
- How to do efficiently online research - text and images.
- Book publishing: self publishing vs publishing companies; pros and cons. Marketing, finance & other vital aspects.
- Building a good (and well deserved) reputation.
The blog post 'Basic business principles - tips for online startups' explains some of the content covered in a small business workshop.
In this detailed interview with USQ's Dr Retha Weisner for the Women in Rural, Regional and Remote Enterprises (WIRE) project, I explain some of what I've learned in business over several decades.
4. SOCIAL MEDIA - EFFICIENT & EFFECTIVE USE (best practice & pitfalls to avoid):
- Why use social media? Identifying aims and discussing what is realistically possible (and what is not).
- Clarifying the differences between the most popular social media platforms (primarily Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube & LinkedIn) - so you know what you can expect to gain from each and can discern which is best suited to your goals.
- Discussion of various uses for social media messaging, for rural residents.
- Conventional media - pros & cons, compared to digital media.
- Setting up a productive social media account (with particular emphasis on the most global platforms - LinkedIn and Twitter).
- Online etiquette, social media do's & don't's, avoiding and dealing with trolls and bullies, managing your time.
- Tweaking your marketing approach to suit varied audiences - understanding the differences between regions and industries.
- Using social media for promotion (your business, events, organisations, rural issues); best practice & mistakes to avoid.
- Social media jargon demystified - from best-practice use of hashtags to pinging.
- How to find and converse with interesting residents of other countries on social media; including non-English speakers.
- In-person meeting with people you've met on social media (in particular, Twitter & LinkedIn).
- Latest social media trends and predictions.
- Developing a social media policy for your business (especially agribusinesses).
My main Twitter account is @FionaLakeAus
5. RURAL TRAVEL - ACROSS AUSTRALIA AND AROUND THE WORLD:
- Maximising value for money on the big 3 travel costs: fares, accommodation & food.
- Alternative accommodation options - pros & cons.
- Making your travel dollars go further - best credit cards to use, where to get the best exchange rate, insurance options.
- Obtaining the best value mobile phone & internet service; and digital security.
- A whole raft of time and money saving travel tips; from handy gadgets to top tips on packing and avoiding excess baggage fees.
- Taking great travel photographs - what gear to take & how to go about it.
- How to meet local farmers and others involved in agriculture when travelling.
- Attending agricultural events in other countries.
- Solo travel, and the pros & cons of independent travel vs group tours
Based on travel around every Australian state and to more than 20 other countries, mostly work related; and leading overseas farm tours.
6. THE CHANGING FACE OF LIFE IN REMOTE AUSTRALIA, OVER SEVERAL DECADES:
- When I started work on a northern cattle station, there was no prospect of a telephone service or television reception in remote Australia - let alone the internet and mobile phones. Women on cattle stations were almost exclusively involved in domestic roles. This presentation includes the evolving position of women on northern Australian cattle stations - from no women in stockcamps to female managers, in just 30 years - and what it has meant for the top half of Australia; based on my personal experience. Including, what it's like to live and run a business in remote Australia.
Please contact me by email or ring me on (07) 4728 4922 if you'd like to discuss workshop or presentation possibilities.
There's also more information on these pages: