Studio picture by Phillip Stark
Given that this is a blog devoted to my photography, generally I’m going to feature … my photography. But today I have a good excuse. Phillip Stark, owner of 2 Stop Brighter Studios where I conduct my NYC workshops, sent over some great shots of last time. He has a great space over there, and I thank him for all his help!
I am extremely excited for the workshop on Friday and Saturday. We were full to the level I wanted, but there are a couple spaces open now due to two last-minute personal emergencies, so contact me if you’re interested! We’ll be spending a lot of time talking about advanced techniques that can pull off good shots no matter the ambient lighting you have to work with. In addition to all the great things that we did in the February workshop, it will be a bit more intimate, and I promise the weather will be warmer this time. The reviews show happy attendees despite the freezing weather.
There’s a huge hoopla going on right now in the wedding industry about which workshops are rip-offs — 95 percent of you will have never heard of this debate, and you are lucky, as it’s pretty ugly. I don’t have anything to say of consequence, since the alleged scammers are people I’ve never heard of before. But someone exclaimed I was “giving it away!” by offering workshops at $350. Maybe. But I also know how much 10-week courses at the International Center for Photography cost, and they aren’t $30,000. I simply bring the same philosophy to my workshops that I do for my weddings: Price as low as supply and demand will allow me*, and hustle like crazy to do good work. As a long-term strategy of someone who wants to stay in this business for the next 40 or 50 years, and who wants to make sure as many people as possible have great wedding photos, it’s working pretty well.
I’m not alone in this idea. I don’t know any wedding photographer who knows lighting as well as Joe McNally — I mean, really, the guy has evenly lit up coliseum-sized telescopes while standing in a crane — and you might be amazed at the low prices of his workshops. I’m not a rock star, I just know some neat tricks and like to share them. Information wants to be free, I just don’t have quite that much time.
There is also some extremely exciting news to come on the workshop and lecture front, but I can’t tell you yet.
Onto the pictures:
*I should probably point out that this only works well if, by working hard, you are continually raising demand.
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Daniel Stark - man, i am so fired up for the workshop! it’s gonna be awesome! cya friday!
Dennis Pike - Just as a little note. I’m not a HUGE fan of workshops. Not a fan of people charging as much as they do. That being said, I went to Ryan’s, it was totally worth it, and a really good time. I definitely learned some cool things.
Unfortunately for the attendees of the upcoming one, there will not be a strikingly handsome man in a fedora (much like the guy in the first two photos) but I imagine it will still be an excellent time.
Kat Braman - I really hope you have another one in the late fall sometime! Hopefully during the week ;)
Ryan Brenizer - Kat, I’ll have a very wedding focused one during the week.
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Ryan Brenizer - Kat: I am planning to have a wedding-professional-focused one mid-week sometime this year.
Michael Fletcher - I’m glad to see your workshops are well received.
Larry Chua - I wish you have one in the Midwest. The airfare and lodging/travel costs are holding me back from attending this one.