My thoughts on workshops
It seems like every happening photographer is offering a workshop of some kind these days. We see an Artist that we admire, Art that inspires us and due to our insatiable need to conform we crave more. We want to submerge ourselves in everything about the Artists and secretly hope that some of "it" will rub off on us. It is therefore no surprise that when we are presented with an opportunity to "Come and spend a few days with me, (insert trending photographers name here) and let me show you how I create my Art so you can do something similar and become a success just like me", we grab it. We grab it because we see how other respond to their Art and we want that, we "need" that. We are so desperate to be recognised and to have our Art pigeon holed into one of the current fashionable "styles" that we stray off our own path.
Now before I get any rocks thrown at me I should just be clear that I am not against the idea of workshops. I am all for learning from each other and sharing ideas, in fact I think it is an integral part of the Artists journey. What I am saying is that you as an Artist should be focusing on enhancing your own unique voice instead of trying to learn how to reproduce some watered down version of somebody else's ideas and vision.
You are an Artist, a storyteller with a unique gift that needs to be shared with the world. The sooner you become aware of that gift and allow it to be heard the sooner your Art will begin to stand out from the thousands of others out there.
TweetCleopatra - Good reasoning, we must look at workshops more carefully before jumping in. Thanks for the stimulating thoughts.
Christo - Wonderfully stated....well done Mark!
Per - Very honest and well put.
I have never attended a photoworkshop. Many other workshops with great chefs on the subjects of food, baking etc, etc.
I have watched creative LIVE a few times, the ones i saw allmost all three days where Zack Arias, Jasmin star and Penny De Los Santos. But not attended a photoworkshop live.
Photographers as many other have to have a steady income. Being a photographer sometimes the steadyness is missing. So doing workshops is a way to increase the cashflow - simple buissnessmanagement. Sell to get paid.
Rockstarphotographers have the 'option' to make fewer workshops and have a higher fee to enter them.
There are heaps of average photographers here in Sweden that offer photoworkshops, and i have to say i totally understand that they do it... Cashflow.
Take the absolute top restaurants in the world. They actually do the same to have the mainrestaurant to survive.
Take just any French 3 star for instance. Most of them have a giftshop or have a "backpocket" that is cheaper, but can take more people.
How many topstar chefs don´t sell there own brand of knives, cloths, books and what not. It´s not only for the fun of it... Cashflow. It´s not a like a strole in the park to run a restaurant that have as many employes as guests in the same seating. It takes loads of money to survive. The same to be a (rockstar) photographer, i guess. The more money you have, the more money you spend. That don´t nesecarily apply to all.
I´m not saying it is same-same, but it is very similar. To do workshops is a great way to make a few more cents i guess.
The problem in what you describe (in my humble oppinion) is that we the modern human beings are trying to find shortcuts everywhere. Shortcuts to succes if you will. And when a rockstar offers a day or two to learn ALL the things he/she knows... we fall into it.
Take the modern day reality TV. I bet my triggerfinger that quite a few of the people who are in those shows see a chanse to a better future. Being a model, host a show, to become a judge on a gameshow, etc. Instead doing it the hard way (whatever that may be).
You know -”The grass is allways greener ... ” and so on. We often miss that there grass on ther other side of the fence has to be trimmed and watered down, and cared for to be green.
The human brain is a fantastic organ, it has it´s own shortcuts. Some of us are not able to work past that and use the minds shortcuts, instead of questioning. Just like you say - find your own way, but be eager to learn and qurious along the way.
Hope i´m making any sense. I just saying, i like what you wrote and made a novel of it...
admin - Agree with everything you said, particularly "we the modern human beings are trying to find shortcuts everywhere. Shortcuts to succes if you will. And when a rockstar offers a day or two to learn ALL the things he/she knows... we fall into it." We are so desperate to fit the mold/ have a style, etc and if there is a way we can do that with less effort than it might take to find our own voice we do it.
forever
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Doug - I really kick myself for not having you take my wedding photographs. They are so creative and passionfull (if that's a word). You should get an award for adding to the excitement of marriage. Just in case I ever get married again, I'm booking you from now !
Cleopatra - Fantastic warmth and creativity. Where does the imagination keep coming from ?
michele bowman - this is FABULOUS! i'm so glad i stumbled upon your work. it's very interesting and i really love how you see life. just fabulous.
Worry less about what people think of your Art
The less you worry about what the viewer will think about your Art when making a photograph the more your Art will appeal to people.
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Ruan - Wise words, inspiring conceptual work.
Do you remember your first kiss...?
Do you remember your first kiss? Close your eyes for a moment and think back...Let every minute detail slowly float to the surface once again...
The sounds drifting through the air as you nervously try to contain the pounding of your heart in your chest.
The soft breeze as it gently brushes the hair from in front of her eyes.
Every tiny crack on her perfectly softened lips as you awkwardly lean into the moment you have been playing over and over in your head.
It has probably been many years since your first kiss but everything about that moment seems to have been absorbed with such awareness that it will never fade.
As time goes on you have your second and your third kiss and before you know it you stop noticing the warmth of her breath just as your lips touch. The music that is playing suddenly fades into the background as your brain goes into a state of awareness{less} and the number of kisses you can’t remember grows into the uncountable.
Your brain tells your conscious that you have done this so many times before, there is really no need to be aware of every element of the story, it is ‘probably’ just like the thousand kisses before this one... but it’s not. No matter how similar it may seem every kiss is a unique story that needs to be remembered as if it was your first.
This can only be done by taking your mind from a state of awareness{less} into a state of awareness, to not just use the blueprint you already have stored but to create a fresh one every time.
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After all this time
Images from one of my recent weddings in Cape Town. Shot on 15 year old expired medium format film. Hand developed and scanned. No post production, SOOC.
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Mary Sylvia - Oh, love! Good on you, so fearless for working with expired film!
Risks pay off eh?
Natalie - Very, very cool! These photographs feel courageous & bold!
Anne Marie Carson - Woah... these are really neat. They have a completely other-worldly look to them.
jorina - absolutely amazing!
sam hurd - 15 years?! nice.
Avelaine Scyrup - That is crazy awesome texture!
Gavin Farrington - What a treat, Mark. That would be film that expired in... 97? 98? Love it.
Doug - FOR THE BRAVE - NOTHING IS TOO DIFFICULT !
Nick - Crazy man. I love it.
Stefano - Wow, now that is something that they will absolutely treasure. Crazy what you can get with expired film.
Kellee Walsh - Looks like stills from a super 8 film
Johanna - Feels like a blast from the past! If I didn't know better, I would assume these are really, really old photos. Gorgeous!
mike - It's like something out of a dream.
ALMA - Top shelf!!! love the expired tone!!
PJ Photos - very interesting ))
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