... and I'd like your help figuring out what folks are interested in. I get asked my advice quite often, at shows, here on ArtFairInsiders, and elsewhere. If you're interested in photography (and who isn't, nowadays, what with cel phone cameras & easy digital cameras), what would pique your interest?
I've got a survey going over on Survey Monkey. If you have five minutes to give me your opinion, it might help you focus your thinking about photography, as well as help me out.
And I'm going to do a drawing out of all the responses for a free workshop. If you're not local to Michigan and you win, that's okay. I'll figure out some other cool prize.
Here's the link. And thanks!
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Jim, I make more money on big workshops than big shows. The trick is finding enough people to fill multiple workshops and finding time to market workshops while marketing fine art since the customers are a totally different market. I do get some workshop clients from amateurs cruising shows to see what photographers are showing but cross selling doesn't happen. Email me if you want more info.
Based upon what you said in response HERE ON AFI IN PAT SORBINI'S "PHOTOG ADVICE NEEDED" THREAD, I'd want to know more about this stuff. I am less inclined to go on a trip with you to a location. But learning the new software and possibilities with it? Yes. All this new computer post processing is so different than darkroom. We were considerably limited in what we could do, and most of the time that was a considerable benefit to the medium for die-hard users, yet a deterrent for many photogs. I think that's how the medium got so wrapped up into letting someone else do the printing and developing and darkroom work for them.
Don't get me wrong, Barrie. I have lots and lots of images that are beautiful location shots. But the landscape has changed so dramatically, that post-production is now an integral part of what we do as photographers. It's very hard to separate the two. One way to think about it is that the field capture is to some degree, just gathering source material.
Jim, I'm forwarding your survey to a friend who has taken numerous photography trips, and who has your work hanging in her house. As she is not part of our business her comments should be helpful too.
Thanks, Connie. Any and all comments are helpful, if not necessarily actionable!
You mean this is not going to be an all expense paid trip to shoot flowers over arches in Tuscany? I'll take shooting tulips in Holland(Michigan) during the tulip festival.
Happy to do it!
Hi Jim,
I already offer workshops locally in Detroit (and yes I am one of those people trudging around the abandonment of Detroit on a regular basis), and at first I was trying to be "everything to everyone" when I first started out. Then, I decided to just limit my workshops to what I love to do and what I am passionate about. I think it can be too confusing if people don't know what you are about if you are offering workshops in landscapes, architecture, food, models, etc. I think they like to see people in a niche and go from there. I now just focus on architecture and any photography city-related - night, street, abandonment, etc. That is where I love to go and where I feel the happiest when shooting and I think that shows in the workshops you offer. I am not sure if this answers your question but thought I would offer my two cents.
As a photographer I look at workshops from a different viewpoint. There a places I would like to go to but I don't want to go alone and I don't want to spend a lot of money going without prior knowledge of the area and the best photo spots. For example I participated in a workshop to the Orlando wetlands. The leader knew the best sunrise spots and how to get there. It was a 20 minute walk which I would not have made on my own due to gators and the possibility of getting lost in the dark. When I lived in Florida I took an Everglades workshop three times. There was very little instruction, a hint here and there, but the hotel, meals, and excursions were pre-arranged thus saving an immense amount of time for someone who wasn't familiar with the area. Critique meetings after each days shooting were great too.
I feel that way about shooting urban exploration shots in Detroit. Aside from curiosity, there is safety in numbers in some circumstances.
Critique and sharing images is immensely helpful as well. Often, other people can see things that you wouldn't have seen, and that can help you improve a capture in post-production later. But you do have to take other people's opinions with a grain of salt :-)
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