Artie Morris's workshop at Bosque del Apache

[bill yeates]

I saw Artie Morris and his group at Bosque this week. I snapped a couple of shots of the group and one of Artie.
Notice that almost everyone had the big iron and most of them seemed to have an extra camera or two.

[janikphoto]

look at all the camo lenses!

[Imagebuffet]

What is the benefit of attending a workshop, as opposed to simply going out there on your own?

[bill yeates]

I don't know since I've never been on one. I suppose you get to learn some of the host's experience and techniques. Artie's workshops must be good; they are always full.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Well Richard, You get to spend your money ;-), travel, meet other like minded photographers and learn from some of the best in the industry. One of the biggest reasons as to where I'm at with my portraiture and my studio is because of the money I spend on my education. I'll be attending SYNC at the end of Jan in Flordia, my states professional photographers convention in April and then any other seminars, workshops that I can afford that might come to my area. Oh, I think I might just offer a workshop or two this coming year, interested?

[rab3rd]

I did a quick search of portrait photography workshops in Houston and didnt really turn up anything. Anyone know of any taking place in the near future. I would really like to start working on portrait shooting.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Rob, Check out your states organization, they will have a convention coming up usually at the lst of the year. Also there is a workshop called the Texas School, I've heard some great things about it. PPA puts on a Pro Mon twice a year, workshops thru out the states. Get on WPPI newsletter and Marathon Press, they send info all of the time.
Oh, WPPI has a magazine called Rangefinder and it's FREE.

www.tppa.org
www.texasschool.org

[rab3rd]

Thanks Ernst. I had heard about the Texas school but its in Dallas so I am kind of ruling that one out for now. My budget for these workshops is pretty small so I am trying to stay local to max my dollars...

Subscribed to the WPPI. Going to check out Marathon Press.

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by Ernst-Ulrich Schafer

Well Richard, You get to spend your money ;-), travel, meet other like minded photographers and learn from some of the best in the industry. One of the biggest reasons as to where I'm at with my portraiture and my studio is because of the money I spend on my education. I'll be attending SYNC at the end of Jan in Flordia, my states professional photographers convention in April and then any other seminars, workshops that I can afford that might come to my area. Oh, I think I might just offer a workshop or two this coming year, interested?

I'm like Rob; not much money.

I've attended meetings and workshops, before, for photography and other subjects. My experience is that the learning/dollar ratio is terribly low. Workshops strike me as an excuse to spend a lot of money doing group projects, and I'm anti-social.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Well Richard, You always get what you put into your homework. Lots of photographers go to these and then don't do anything with info they just learned. I enjoy the money I spend on my education, because I know I'll be carting lots more of it to the bank in the future. ;-) If your anti-social then I don't recommend being a portrait photographer.

[janikphoto]

I've never done a workshop, but I have done mini-mesters in college before. I assume the mini semester is much like a workshop, where you cram a bunch of info into a short week or weekend. I think it all boils down to how active you are in the class and how good the instructor is.

[Imagebuffet]

Originally Posted by Ernst-Ulrich Schafer

Well Richard, You always get what you put into your homework. Lots of photographers go to these and then don't do anything with info they just learned. I enjoy the money I spend on my education, because I know I'll be carting lots more of it to the bank in the future. ;-) If your anti-social then I don't recommend being a portrait photographer.

Right now, photography is a hobby for me. I wouldn't mind earning money at it, but that isn't my primary goal right now. I would like to become a better photographer, good enough to produce sale-quality work. That's why I'm occasionally picking up Photography classes at my junior college. I just signed up for Photographic Studio Management for the Spring.

Portrait work can be amusing, but I've heard several horror stories by photographers who say that opening a photo studio destroyed their love of photography. It apparently doesn't pay terribly well, either. I would like to convert my living room into a photo studio, but I don't want to depend on earning a living from it.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Richard, Always photograph what your passionate about. If you don't want to depend on earning a living from it don't. It seems like with one sentence your telling us you do want to sell quality work, but then in another sentence your not interested?

I think alot of those photographers who lost their love of photography when opening a studio didn't realize what a business/marketing person you also need to be. It's alot of hard work, but it's so easy to take pretty pictures. ;-) And you right the average portrait photographer out there isn't making a ton of money. But then you also have photographers that do make alot. My next reply is a workshop that just came up.

[Ernst-Ulrich Schafer]

Bill Sorenson of Portland, OR is giving a workshop in San Diego March 17th & 18th.
Bill is a Master Portrait Photographer and been in the business for well over 60 years.
This workshop is not about taking pictures, lighting, etc. It's all about business and
marketing and it's not cheap. $800 for the two days.

When Bill started out he decided the wanted to be High Volume and High Price. His studio brings in about $2.5 million a year. His cheap 8X10 price is only $299 (not $2.99).

If your interested PM me and I will send you a link.

Best regards, Ernst

[iCe]

I've done a few workshops and found them to be invaluable. However, Bosque is such a target rich environment that I don't see the need in attending a workshop there. It's not exactly rocket science to drive around the refuge or set up on the flight path of the feeding birds. I'll be there tomorrow and so will avid birders and a group from NatureScapes.net. Some years you can get some nice shots with a 70-200 and some you need 500 plus. Whatever you use the challenge (for me) is to get something different