Would you want to go to a posing workshop/ class?

[HotHolly]

I was thinking about doing a posing workshop/ class. Checking overall interest and pricing...

My interns have been reporting back that the best (most helpful) part of the whole thing was the 1 on 1 time they got to shoot a bride with me there. We line up a shot, I show them where I'd frame it, and then let them do their own thing. As we go along I mention flow, comp, and other stuff, with the main emphasis on making the bride look stunning, skinny, and curvey. They also end up with kickin' images for their portfolio...

A few of them wanted to know if I could do something like that in a workshop with 3-4 people in a small group where they each get a mini session like that. (I give the interns about a 2 hour deal at the end of the internship).

If I provide the model (decked out with a bridal gown) in a ballroom, how much do you think I should charge?

Rather, how much would you pay? Focus is on posing.

I thought it may be idle college chatter, but thought it may be worth looking into. I have a few different size models I could use and a gown...so the only cost for me is time and the ballroom.

What would that 1 on 1 help be worth to you? Does that make sense?

Edit: And you can't come...This'll be for college kids only. So you can say what you think without feeling like I'm gonna spam you. :o)

[Daniel Bates]

I would definitely do it. I'm not sure on the pricing thing though... being a college student, $200 for a workshop is really hard to afford, y'know?

[HotHolly]

Ok, so Dan's vote is $200 is too much? Or $200 tops?

[Toad]

I vote $200 is too much for me as well, but I am really interested in this as I need a lot of help on posing people.
Toad

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

I would say in the $150 range for a workshop that is up to 3 hours long.

One Thing I would do is to try this first-have the bride in an apporpiate spot and then send in each student and tell them that they have exactly 2 minutes to shoot 5 shots off, (so for 4 people you can get it all done in under 12 minutes) and only them and the bride are in the room the rest of you are in a hallway-have them shoot jpg- then take their 5 shots each (total of 20 for 4 people) and put them on a laptop and see how they are looking at the scene and then go in and do your 5 shots and show them where they can improve their shots and why X works and Y doesn't etc.

I really picked up a lot in reguards to landscape work from an in the field multiday work shop that I took in Az/NM/Utah many moons ago where (we were shooting film) the lead workshop photographer would actually process our film in his lab (he bought an early version of a mini lab that could handle 35 and 120 film) and then one night we reviewed and were critiqued on our shots. He also asked that we use tripods for our shots and that he would randomly come up and look through the camera to see how we were composing shots and he would make observations on the spot about composition etc. That instant feedback, which is even better now with digital, can really be put to good use.

[HeatherLou]

So I'm confuseled.......Is this workshop for TPF people or is it for college kids in the area? I do think either way 200 is way too high, 100 would be more workable for most people. Plus if its for TPF, since this area is BFE, people would have have a VERY long drive or get hotels. Or stay with me LOL!

[Toad]

That does bring up a point. Where is "Big Country"???

[HeatherLou]

Abilene/Brownwood TX

[bondarnes]

Originally Posted by Toad

That does bring up a point. Where is "Big Country"???

You drive west from Ft. Worth for about half a day. I spent a week in Abilene one night. Actually it's only a couple of hours west of FW.

[HotHolly]

That instant feedback, which is even better now with digital, can really be put to good use.

That's what my intern said she liked about the 1 on 1 so much (instant feedback, correction, improvement), which has made me think maybe I should do this. Posing seems to be a weak spot for a lot of new shooters. And the colleges dont offer anything like this. So the only help they get is from their internship. So there is a hole in the market in this area.

So I'm confuseled.......Is this workshop for TPF people or is it for college kids in the area?

My intern mentioned it to her friends. They had asked if I would do it. So, right now its not open to TPF, but it might be in the future, depending on how things go - and the demand for this kind of help. If a bunch of TFP people are interested, PM me and we can go from there.

This is aimed at newbies or people with no art background. I have a fine art background and have found the basic principles of composition, flow, and classic portraiture to be invaluable. Those boring art history classes have been soooo helpful. My other studio peeps agree, and I do this 1 on 1 help for them periodically to help them improve their posing.

That does bring up a point. Where is "Big Country"???

I'm in Abilene and the class would be held in one of the ballrooms in town. Don, you described Abilene perfectly. When *Mike* 1st saw Abilene it was night and he thought it looked like NY - spread sideways. Its kind of flat here...and uggo.

Paul, that is a great idea about projecting the images. Right now I didnt know if I should just try and keep cost down to make it cheap, or if I should go all out and have it be kickin, but it also kicks up the price to $200 or more.

I'd have to rent the projector. The ballrooms have to be rented. I have to pay a model. And basically the more stuff I add the more it will cost. My intention is to keep it simple, digital, and give a lot of 1 one 1 critiques/ help.

Right now I was thinking I'd start around the $99 range and take 6 people max. That should cover the expense. I just wanted to see if there was interest on this kind of thing and what price tag you think it should have.

If you have any other ideas - let me know. I wont be doing this until the end of Jan when college resumes.

[DEMDeepEllumMusic]

http://sbinfocanada.about.com/cs/har...projectors.htm
Really by the 6th or so workshop it will be paid for and then you have it! So Figure that $35 of the fees should cover the projector costs that works out to 30-50 people total (depends on the projector chosen) and that you would use the projector at most for 2 hours per workshop if you get some with extended lamp life mode the depreciation on the lamp is under $1 an hour vs $2-4 an hour on the units without the extended life model, generally not as bright. If you get the right program set up you could project side by side images of up to maybe 6 pics at a time to compare and discuss.

[HotHolly]

Hey, thanks for the link!

Woot had a projector - a spankin' one - a little while back. I should have bought it. Oh well.

Any other thoughts on this topic - or things to add/ do that would make it more helpful to the students?

[dfwlens]

Wasnt there a workshop recently where a bride agreed to model TFP for several photogs for bridal shots and the host collected workshop fees rather than sitting and print fees? Are there enough brides in Abilene to support something like that? Or, perhaps, the question should be- are there enough photogenic brides to support something like that...

One possiblity to keep costs down.