As mentioned a few weeks ago, I’m embarking on a photography workshop tour to help spread education all over the United States (and hopefully world at some point) on lighting and photography. These workshops are designed to be an affordable alternative to formal education, and designed to give you real life techniques used by commercial and editorial photographers in the field.
However, these workshops come with a lot of hype, as they have received nothing but positive reviews from everyone who has attended them. And often, with hype, sometimes the design and purpose of the workshops get lost, so I wanted to go over exactly what is taught in these workshops, as well as the format of the photography workshops…to give everyone a very descript idea of how things work.
Schedule of Events
The outdoor lighting workshop is broken down into two large sections. These sections are designed to not only inform people, put also allows for practice of the techniques taught during the photography workshop. I’ve found that this style of teaching compliments both the technical learner, and the visual learner.
Lecture
The lecture portion of the workshop is the first half of the workshop. This portion is taught using a presentation, and encourages questions to be asked throughout the presentation, to help answer any confusion and questions the students might have. This portion of the workshop is where all the technical aspects of lighting are taught, some of the topics are –[separator]
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[color-swatch icon=”bulb” title=”Inverse Square Law” color=”orange”] [/color-swatch]The Inverse Square Law is the backbone of lighting while on location, and this workshop is designed to explain the complicated mathematical formula practically. My explanation on this topic have been proven to be easier to understand, and shown how to use these techniques both on location and in studio.[/column]
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[color-swatch icon=”flash” title=”Light Modifiers” color=”orange”] [/color-swatch]One of the biggest fears when working with off camera lighting is the explanation of the modifiers used for lighting. With softboxes, umbrellas, beauty dishes and a million other devices, the diversity is virtually endless. This photography workshop focuses on building an understanding of each lighting modifier, with pros and cons of each. This general understanding of each will teach you to know exactly what you need to use and when.
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[color-swatch icon=”camera” title=”Filters On Location” color=”orange”] [/color-swatch]Often, you’ll see photographers using filters while outdoors, with little understanding of what each filter does, and how it’s used to each person advantage while using off camera lighting. This workshop breaks down what ND filters, polarizing filters and other filters are, and explains the practical use of each.[/column][/row]
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[color-swatch icon=”graph” title=”Directional Lighting” color=”orange”] [/color-swatch]Perhaps the biggest thing that turns photographers away from off camera lighting is the idea that you’re in full control over everything. When working with natural light, you’re designed to take advantage of where the sun is in the sky, without any control of working with it’s positioning. This photography workshop teaches use exactly how to manipulate the light, and have full control over where it needs to be to get the absolute best results.[/column]
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[color-swatch icon=”comment” title=”General Q&A” color=”orange”] [/color-swatch]Arguably the most informative portion of the workshop is the open discussion. I invite each student to ask me any questions related to photography, from business and marketing skills, to retouching practices. This portion of the workshop is to build confidence and knowledge to each student at the workshop.[/column][/row][separator]
On Location
The second half of the workshop comes in the form of practical education. After a short lunch break, we meet on location with a model to practice the techniques taught in the lecture portion of the photography workshop. This allows people to learn with hands on education, as well as through trial and error. It also gives me an opportunity to work with each student individually, allowing us to find a way to incorporate the techniques for a style that works best for them.
Sponsors
Fortunately, these workshops have also generated some buzz on the business side of things as well, and have been offered some sponsorship deals as a result. To be clear, the sponsors are designed to help the students of the workshop, and each of them come with some really exceptional perks. Some of the sponsors for these workshops are –[separator]
[row][column width=”4″ xs_width=”12″]Phase One
Phase One has agreed to sponsor these workshops, as an opportunity to show off their medium format cameras. This helps the workshop, as it gives me an opportunity to explain leaf shutter lenses, as well as giving the students an opportunity to use Phase One Camera Systems. For reference, the cheapest Phase One camera is available for around $40K. So while it probably if out of the price range of the average student, it does allow you to “Test drive the Ferrari” so to speak. [/column]
[column width=”4″ xs_width=”12″]Capture Integration / Capture One
Capture Integration is also a sponsor of these workshops, and give the students some really unique things in the process. This means a certified Phase One and Capture One rep is at all the workshops, to help educate people how to use their system as well as Capture One software. This means that each attendee will also receive a discounted price of Capture One software.[/column]
[column width=”4″ xs_width=”12″]Alien Skin
While normally, I do not like presets or software designed to simplify the retouching process, I do love Exposure 6 by Alien Skin. Alien Skin in turn, has agreed to sponsors myself and these workshops, and will offer a giveaway of their Exposure 6 suite to one lucky student of the workshop. Discount codes for Alien Skin software will also be available to ALL attendees of the workshops.[/column][/row]
Examples of Images Produced Using The Techniques Taught
Certainly, the most important thing with these workshops is results. This workshop promises to increase your techniques and skills as a photographer, regardless of your niche. Here are some images I’m produced using the techniques I teach in this photography workshop.[separator]
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Availability
These workshops are designed to be tailored to each student and class, so they come with some very limited availability. At this point, these photography workshops are set to take place in three locations — Kalamazoo, MI, Albuquerque, NM and Washington D.C.
[row][column width=”4″ xs_width=”12″]Kalamazoo, MI on Sept 28th 2014
The Kalamazoo, MI workshop is set to take place on September 28th, 2014. This workshop will be accompanied by Doug, a Phase One rep, and owner of Pro Gear Rental in Chicago, IL. There are currently 2 seats still available for this workshop, and you can reserve your seat by pre-paying using PayPal by clicking here.[/column]
[column width=”4″ xs_width=”12″]Albuquerque, NM on Oct 19th 2014
Albuquerque’s workshop is set to take place on October 19th, 2014. There are still 4 seats available for this workshop, and Capture Integration will be joining this workshop for in depth education on their Capture One software. You can reserve your seat to this workshop by clicking here.[/column]
[column width=”4″ xs_width=”12″]Washington D.C. on Nov 9th 2014
Washington D.C. is expected to take place the week following PPE in New York, on Sunday November 9th 2014. This workshop will be accompanied by Digital Transitions who will be working at the Phase One and Capture One rep. You can reserve your seat to this photography workshop by clicking here.[/column][/row]
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For more information or to sign up for these photography workshops, feel free to visit my photography workshops website by clicking here.
[button icon=”camera” color=”orange” size=”l”]Photography Workshop Website[/button]
If you have any questions regarding my photography workshop tour, feel free to ask in the comments below.
