I offer photography lessons to individuals, and small groups; personally tailored to your knowledge level, experience and technical understanding, and specifically targeted to address your areas of interest.
I start with an examination of your portfolio and an in-depth discussion of your work; your approach to capturing images, including how you edit, post-process and print your images. More importantly, I want to know the areas of your photography you’d like to improve in or explore, and together we will create a plan for you to work towards your goals and objectives.
My philosophy of teaching image creation is greatly influenced by my background as a writer and a filmmaker. I am drawn to story telling by inclination and disposition and have more than thirty years of experience planning and implementing long term creative goals and objectives as a writer, filmmaker and photographer.
In this regard I can perhaps be of greatest assistance to you by helping you lay out a course of action to accomplish a long term goal such as creating a portfolio of work, creating a series for gallery exhibition, or putting together a book proposal.
If you are very new to photography (or even an advanced intermediate enthusiast), I really encourage you to consider taking a ten to twelve week introductory course at an accredited photography school.
A course at a college such as my alma mater, Langara College offers the new or beginning photographer the very best value for learning a new skill set. You will receive 30-36 Hours of instruction in a structured environment and be assured of generally excellent teachers. Additionally you will have many more hours dedicated to fulfilling class assignments. Most importantly you will receive knowledgeable feedback on your early efforts and hopefully develop a deep appreciation of the importance of critiquing your work. Most graduates of a good photography program will tell you that the single greatest thing they miss once they graduate is getting this critical feedback about their work from their instructors and peers.
If you are an intermediate or advanced amateur you probably have a pretty good overall grasp of the fundamentals but may wish to learn about particular technical aspects of photography, such as studio lighting, or perhaps you want to delve deeper into a specific genre of photography such as portraiture or nude photography.
As your instructor I can arrange a studio space or location, provide all of the equipment and lighting gear (other than your camera of course!), and book a make-up artist and/or a model for the session. These are creatives with whom I have often worked with previously and are consummate professionals.
Photographing the Nude Workshops
I offer one day and two day Workshops. The size and structure of the Workshops is reasonably flexible and I can honestly say that no two have ever been exactly the same.
My preference for nude photography is to get out of a studio setting and either shoot on location, or outdoors. Much of my work is so strongly associated with my environmental and landscape nudes that this is what most photographers are interested in learning to shoot with me.
One Day Workshop
Starts with an hour long overview, handout of written materials, our agenda for the day and an introduction to the models.
The models I work with are professional fine art figure models with extensive experience. They are superb creative collaborators and are there to ensure that you maximize the potential of the location and the shoot.
I will run a daylong workshop with as few as two photographers and one model. There will be a maximum of three photographers per model.
Workshops are capped at nine photographers, as I find that this is the maximum number I can offer meaningful guidance, assistance and instruction.
2-3 photographers – one model
4-6 photographers – two models
7-9 photographers – three models
Three hours of shooting.
One hour break for lunch.
Three hours of shooting.
Depending on the number of photographers, the workshop will rotate models between groups.
We will take a short break every hour to make sure everyone is hydrated, happy and feels that they are on track.
At the end of the shoot we will meet as a group and figure out a future date in the next two weeks that works the best for an evening of image review. I find that most people need two weeks to live with their images and work on their post production and process 8-12 images for critiquing.
And then much of the group goes for a few beverages and dinner to deconstruct the day and swap war stories. There are always war stories.
Two Day Workshop
See the One Day Workshop
The same daily schedule, but different locations on each day.
A different set of models each day, although some models work both days.
*If photographers are unavailable to attend the follow up image reviews I am happy to do so online. And video chat via Skype or WhatsApp.
Rates:
Portfolio Review – $75
Tutorials – $100 an hour, with a minimum of a two hour booking. Studio rentals (if applicable), make-up artists, and models are all possible additional costs.
One Day Workshop – $500
Two Day Workshop – $900