Welcome back! It really is hard to believe that we are entering the third month of the year already. It really seems like only yesterday that I was wrapping up 2021, and I’m almost positive that you are done reading that entry by now. In case you were still reading it and missed it, I changed gears a little with the February issue when I talked about two different types of photography and how balancing them could yield some fantastic images. This month I have decided to change gears once again and talk about something new that I’m offering when it comes to photography education. Mentorship is not a new term, or a new concept at all. I’ve just started to see it associated more and more with photography over the last couple of years. Not being one that likes to jump on the bandwagon with things, I largely dismissed mentorships and was happy to keep with my simple format of workshops and one on one instruction. I’m a simple guy and I was happy with how that was situated.
Before I get too far into this issue, I want to give a little bit of my background as it pertains to this particular topic. When I started out with photography, I was not good at all. The photographs that I was coming up with just weren’t interesting and had no real purpose. I liked them because they were pictures of things that appealed to me, but I still couldn’t see hanging them on the wall. Because I was an introvert by nature, I didn’t have many friends which meant that I didn’t have many peers in the photography world either. This prompted my style of learning which I go into with a bit more detail in this issue of Behind the Camera. One of the parts that I’m still proud of with that piece is where I talk about being “self-taught” and how that didn’t mean that I sneezed one day, and all of a sudden knew things about photography. Self-taught just meant that I had the self-discipline to come up with the questions that I had along the way and be able to find the answers through various resources. In all actuality, I self-facilitated the learning process that has slowly brought me to where I am today. That is a mouthful, which is why that is just commonly referred to as being self-taught. Why does this matter? Because I know how difficult it is to understand the right questions to ask when it comes to learning a skill like photography, and I also know how much material you have to sort through on the internet or…gasp….books. There is a lot of information out there and a good portion of it is correct, but there is a lot of bad information out there that can really confuse the issues when it comes to learning new things. Sound familiar?
As many of you might know, my Mom was a teacher for most of her professional life. Her passion was teaching various levels of handicapped students of all ages which was probably how she was so good at teaching me things growing up. That was the environment that I existed in for all of my formative years, so I became very comfortable with the dynamic of teacher/student. During my time with the Police Department, I was a training officer for a couple of years which I was very comfortable doing but hated riding in the passenger seat. It did give me a bit of an insight into my ability to really teach concepts to folks in a position to learn something foreign to them. As I was nearing the end of that career, I was kind of bullied into doing workshops by a friend of mine that has way too much faith in my abilities as a photographer. That first workshop turned into another and another after that. I found that I really liked conducting workshops for the opportunity to teach other photographers as well as seeing different perspectives from new eyes. It was that love for sharing my passion with others that brought about my One-on-One sessions which gave me the opportunity to focus the time and effort on specific issues that the participant was having rather than just go through a planned curriculum with a few detours along the way.
I’ve done a handful of these individual instructions over the last few years, and they have all gone very well from an hour long to a full day session. It really gave me the chance to tailor the material for that specific person which was a very compelling reason to push that form of instruction over the workshops where I have to divide the material among a full group of participants so that everyone gets something meaningful out of the workshop. The only part that kind of let me down with this model was the fact that it was really set up to be limited by time because it was the session that I was selling which wasn’t exactly what I wanted to be providing. I always ended up spending more time on the phone with the participant and going over the allotted time just for the sake of making sure that all questions were entertained and answered. I never charged for the extra time, and I really felt like it was the right thing to give more than I took. I tried to learn the motivations of the participant so that I could direct them in a way that would be beneficial for their style, not trying to create a clone of me. It still always felt hurried and then the participant was left thinking that when the session was over, that was the end of it.
Fast forward a couple of years down the road after doing this model successfully for a while and I found myself on the phone with a potential client talking about some questions that they had in their own photography. I don’t recall the exact questions that came up, but I remember telling her that what she was needing was a little more far reaching than what my One-on-One program was capable of providing within a reasonable amount of expense. I ended up staying on the phone with her for quite some time trying to work through some of the issues that she was having as well as talking about finding a mentorship program that would work for her. Of course, I went ahead and explained what to look for in a mentorship program which was more or less what I would put into a mentorship program since I didn’t have firsthand knowledge of how they actually worked. As I was talking to her, I was getting more and more motivated to look into this type of program as an offering alongside my workshops and One-on-One’s.
The next day, I started to do some research on mentorship programs and really find out what they were all about. The more I read about them, the more they really started to look like my existing One-on-One model with a big exception. The continued relationship was a bit more built into the program and it wasn’t just a “by the session” kind of thing. It was actually very fluid and could take many forms which made it perfect for the way that I wanted to do the One-on-One’s since the beginning. I started to formulate a model of how I wanted things to look and gradually began the process of putting together a formal product to be offered. It was late last year when I got it all put together and realized that the new Mentorship Program completely included the existing One-on-One Program, so I was able to just toss the old format for simplicity and go with the Mentorship completely.
While my Mentorship Program has been available for a couple of months now, I am finally really introducing it here. It is a combination of all of the aspects that I love about photography instruction, and it is completely customizable for the individual. The core of this program is that it will make it easier to allow the participant to go through stages as they need different things in the course of their individual learning process. Essentially, when I first talk with a client to see what their needs are, it is often simple questions like what lenses do I need, or what camera is best suited for me? These basic questions are usually quite simple to answer and is just a matter of asking them a few questions about what is important to them. I’ll gladly give up some of my time to help make those decisions and while I count it as part of my mentorship program, I just don’t feel right charging them for that time. This is all very basic information that is easy to cover, and the hope is that if I do right by the client then when it comes time to learn how to work the new gear, I’ll be given that opportunity to work with them.
One thing that a mentorship program allows me to do more of is to take a more holistic approach to teaching photography. It is very easy to teach the same process and steps that I go through, but that might not be the best way for the client to express themselves with a camera. I want to take the extra time with the client to find out their own motivations for creating imagery and some things about their background that will affect how they view the world. Everyone’s photography is specific to them, and it only makes sense that we look at how photography fits into their own lives. I want to understand how they view the world, and what things excite them. When I have a grasp on that, then we can start working on the best ways to capture those subjects. The beauty of this model is that I’m not locked down to any specifics when it comes to skills and techniques. I can work with the client to figure out how they learn, and then teach them what they need to know to arrive at the results they are after. I’m looking at the whole person and not just another photographer. Essentially, photography is just a way of sharing how you view the world so the way that I do photography will not be applicable to most. I do have the background now to think outside of my own box when it comes to creating images so I can work with many different types of photographers.
My mentorships are all based in the “give more than you take” philosophy which I think is just a good way of doing things. They start off with simple image critiques. This is something that I have done many times over for various genres of photography and I take critiques very seriously. I don’t like critiques that offer responses without explanations because there is very little purpose in those short of knowing wither or not the picture is liked. A critique goes well beyond whether the viewer likes the image or not. A proper critique doesn’t even need to factor in whether the picture is liked or not. The way that I do critiques is I find out what the photographer was wanting to convey with the image and then I will evaluate it based on the purpose of the piece. I will go through and identify parts that I think work and will then identify aspects that I think can be improved on. I’ll offer support of what was done right and what could be changed in the future to make an image stronger. In short, I will critique your work as I do my own with the idea that every image has merit as well as areas of potential improvement. I have found that over the years of doing critiques I will mention something to the photographer about what I thought that they were thinking at the time, and they confirmed that I was exactly correct with how I was reverse engineering their image. I think that is a very valuable skill in critiques and one that will help me to see the image as they did at the scene.
As part of the critique, I will go through all of these aspects either virtually online, or in a very thorough email with the hopes of starting a discussion. These critiques are learning tools and might be one of the best tools out there. For the beginner, it will identify mistakes early on before they become part of the technique. For the enthusiast, a proper critique will highlight aspects that can propel the image to the next level and identify pitfalls that might be holding them back. Even for the professional, it gives another set of eyes on the image to reinforce what you might be thinking about an image, or to identify aspects that you missed because of an emotional connection to the image. Regardless of where you are in your photographic journey, a critique of an image is nothing more than a taste of a new recipe that will let you know if the seasoning is correct or not. To be warned, I will usually spend about an hour or so for each critique that I prepare so there is a lot that goes into my thoughts on the image. The discussion of that critique can last nearly that long as well, but my goal is to make it a worthwhile exercise that benefits the photographer.
Building from the image critique is a portfolio review. This might sound intimidating, but it really isn’t. Essentially what we have here is looking at a body of work whether it is for a website, or for a specific client proposal the photographer might have. For those that are shooting more for themselves and want some feedback, I can even look through albums on social media, or a collection of pieces that the photographer feels represents their work. The purpose here is not to look at individual images, but to look at the entirety of a body of work. This is where a style will develop and can be seen. I’ll look for themes in the photography and help identify where their strengths are, and potentially where they might be missing some great opportunities for growth. For instance, I had a client during a workshop a while back that said they shot everything in horizontal orientation. If I were to look at a complete body of their work, I would have seen that they were very restricted to that landscape orientation. During that workshop there were several opportunities for me to suggest a vertical orientation to simplify the scene and give more impact to the subject. This suggestion proved to be beneficial and opened up a new way of seeing a scene and being able to compose images. There are other things that will become apparent during a portfolio review as well like the use of colors, where the compositions tend to be stronger, as well as determining favorite subject matter. It is a great way of getting into a photographer’s head and seeing where they are naturally stronger.
From here, the mentorship program is designed to move into hourly, private sessions where we work on specific aspects of a client’s photography. Of course, I don’t go into this blindly and there is a certain amount of conversation before we embark on the actual private session. I am always looking to see if a private session will benefit the client, and then confirming that I have the knowledge to be able to help them. Once I have a good idea that this is right for the client, we will set up something to address the subject at hand. This can be something virtual or in-person. The in-person sessions can be done just about anywhere in the field, in the client’s home, or at my studio depending on the material that needs to be covered. In most cases, we will work out the time needed ahead of time, so there are no surprises with the bill. In most situations, payment will be collected at the end of the session, and any additional time that is added will be agreed on prior to any final bill being issued.
This private session can actually be shared between up to three people, but I do ask that the topics covered are the same for all attendees for simplicity. Depending on the location these can be as short as an hour, or as long as a day. You will have the control over the content of what is being covered and will have the ability to discuss the aspects with me as needed through the day and beyond. My time is yours during these sessions. During the planning stages, I’ll identify any handouts that I might have in my library which would benefit the client, or I will look into building a specific handout to help with the topics. I have learned from several of my clients that having something in their hands after the time spent learning the techniques is a great reinforcement of what was learned. It also keeps the client from having to take notes along the way. I am always adding new material in handout form for workshops and classes that I teach so I will likely have information on paper that will benefit the client during these sessions.
I mentioned before that I didn’t like that when the session was over, that the client thought that our relationship had come to a close. As I will do with all of my workshops and my previous one-on-one’s, I invite the client to remain in contact with me as questions arise after the session. I know all too well that when learning something new, you will fully understand it during the learning process and be able to duplicate what is being taught. You think you have it, and all is great, only to go out the next time and not have a clue as to what you are forgetting to do. A simple call, text, or email and I can fill in those gaps that will form after the initial learning has taken place. There might also be other questions that come up related to what has been learned which I am happy to entertain after the fact as well. I understand that it is hard to learn something completely in a matter of hours, and I do know the frustration that follows when you can’t get it right after learning a skill. This is the core of the mentorship program in my mind. I want to be a mentor, and that means that a lot of what do will be simple conversations with those wanting to learn photography. I can either help somebody achieve their goals, or I can be a gate keeper and charge admission for every bit of information I share. I would always rather help out, which is where my motivation is.
This does bring us to the final phase of the mentorship program. Up until now, we have looked at dealing with some specific areas of photography that can be addressed in short order, but there are some areas of photography where there needs to be a lot more time invested in the learning process. For instance, you are just really deciding to get serious with photography and you’ve got the basics figured out, but are ready to really get into understanding composition, exposure, post processing, and even how to find compelling subjects to photograph. What is needed here is a mix of conversation, hands-on experience, multiple locations, and then time in front of the computer learning editing. There will need to be critiques along the way, along with questions that come up while you are out. This is where the Advanced Mentorship Program comes into play. This is a much more intensive program but is still very flexible around your schedule. I will commit to roughly 10-20 hours of individual instruction time in a variety of locations, but you will also have the ability to contact me as needed with questions along the way. We will tailor the time to what is needed and where we will get the best opportunity for learning. This can all take place over the course of a week or two, or a month or two. During this time, there will be a mix of in-person instruction, virtual session, phone calls, emails, and anything else that might benefit you.
Obviously, this Advanced Program is my favorite out of the bunch because it allows time for an evolution to happen. It automatically addresses that issue of forgetting an aspect of something because we will keep building on the techniques and skills, so the client gets constant reinforcement about what has been learned. With this program, the client will learn the subject matter, have time to think about it, and then use it again with guidance as needed. The results will be evaluated, and there will be plenty of discussions along the way to make sure that the skills become ingrained into the client. This is the program that I wish I had access to when I was moving from a point and shoot camera to a DSLR using RAW files for the first time. I had so many questions and I kept having to remind myself of things that I had learned in order to get to that next stage.
When you are looking through my various mentorships, you might be surprised by the prices. As of the time of this writing, my prices start at $25 for a single image critique, up to $1800 for an advanced mentorship program. I’ve thought long and hard about how to price these. I’m sure it seems like a lot of money, and it is. Signing up for an advanced mentorship program is as much as a really nice lens, but will the lens make you a better photographer? The trick has always been to master the equipment that you have and to learn the skills needed to capture the images that you want. Gear without knowing how to use it is worthless. My hope is that when you realize what is offered here, you will see greater value for the programs and realize that no matter what you sign up for, you are getting a fantastic deal. I will remind you that my goal with this whole program is to give more than I take. At the end of the day, I do need to be compensated for my time, but I will give you all that I have in that time we spend together. I want you to achieve your goals as a photographer more than anything else. I truly do get enjoyment out of seeing others succeed and am happy if I can play a part in that success. I really think that if you choose to take part in any of these mentorship programs that you will come away from it thinking you got an absolute bargain. That has been the response I’ve gotten from many clients whether they be from workshops or individual instruction sessions.
Of course, if you aren’t sure if this is the right program for you, I invite you to give me a call, or shoot me an email so we can discuss it. Since starting this program, I’ve actually answered more questions for free over the phone than I have through any billable hours (like that lawyer term?). Not everyone needs this kind of program, but don’t let a hesitation of signing up for one keep you from progressing as a photographer.
I hope that you have found this issue of Behind the Camera useful and that it has made you aware of this new product that I am able to offer. I expect that it will be slow to get started, but I really think that it will be much better than my former One-on-One program because I get the opportunity to really look at the larger picture behind the questions that are being asked. I believe that it is a way of honoring my Mother’s life and enriching an art form that I love. Be sure to join me back here April 1st for a discussion on how we see the world, and how that affects our own photography. There will be more illustrations next month, I promise.
Until next time…
