workshops and seminars

I regularly present workshops and seminars. The topics usually cover flash photography, digital photography or certain aspects of wedding and portrait photography. To see reports about and feedback to seminars I’ve presented, check the archive for seminars on this blog.

I present group workshops and also individual instruction for photographers who are struggling with certain aspects of flash photography and digital photography.

The intention with a workshop, or a one-on-one tutoring session, is to help other photographers grasp whichever aspects had been elusive up until then - whether it is a technique, or bit of theory - and then have things suddenly fall into place.

My approach is to teach other photographers how to achieve what they want to do. 
And what I am trying for, are for a few “aaaah, NOW I get it!” moments.

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Fall 2008  Flash Photography  Seminar + Workshop  series

The workshops for Fall 2008 are divided into two sections. 
Attendees can register for the 4-hour morning session only (9 a.m. to 1 p.m.) for $200
or they can register for for the full day session which includes hands-on instruction,
and shooting sessions with models (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) for $500.

Each Seminar + Workshop will be limited to 20 people - but there will only be 8 people who attend the entire day, including the photo sessions in the afternoon and the evening.  The other 12 people will be those who chose to attend only the seminar presentation in the morning.  This way I can make sure of individual attention with each photographer attending the workshop section of the day.

Seminar & Presentation  (Morning Session)
Starting at 9 a.m., there is a presentation on flash photography, lighting and exposure, which is based on the articles on this website.   I will answer all questions, and thoroughly cover a variety of topics, which will include: 
    * White Balance settings
    * TTL / Auto flash .. vs .. manual flash
    * Exposure metering for ambient light
    * Implications of flash sync speed
    * Flash modes available with camera systems
    * Adding fill-flash to available light outdoors
    * Flash indoors
    * Directional bounce flash
    * Flash modifiers – uses & limitations
    * Dragging the shutter
    * Tungsten light & flash
    * Wireless TTL flash
    * Using strobes for portraits, and small studio set-ups

Practical Application (Afternoon / Evening Session)
This portion of the day is 5 hours of hands-on photography to reinforce the information presented at the Seminar & Presentation.  There will be 2 models available during the afternoon and evening photo sessions, aand each attendee will be given the opportunity to work with the models, together and individually. 

Several different lighting situations will be set up and each participant will get to practice the concepts covered in the morning’s presentation.  Pocket Wizards will be available for each attendee to use for the off-camera lighting / studio setup.  The practical exercises will include: 
    * Using flash with max sync speed.
    * Metering for ambient light and fill flash.
    * Bouncing flash into a reflector as a fill.
    * Bouncing flash into a reflector as a main light at night.
    * Using off camera flash / creating a small studio set-up.

Attendance at the Practical Application portion of the workshop is strictly limited to 8 people in order to allow everyone plenty of time to work with the models and to get personal feedback.

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Cost + Registration

Seminar Only (9 a.m. until 1 p.m.) - $200.
Payment for the Seminar Only is due in full at the time of registration.

Seminar + Practical Application (9 a.m. until 9 p.m.) - $500.
An initial fee of $300 will register you for the Seminar and reserve your space in the Practical Application section.  The balance of $200 is due 8 weeks prior to event date.  (You can choose to pay the full $500 fee in advance if you want to.)

Once the 8 spaces are full, no more registrations will be accepted for the Practical Application portion of the workshop. 

Seminar / Workshop Cancellation Policy:
Fees paid are refundable up to 30 days prior to each event.  Note that no refunds will be issued for cancellations inside 30 days from the date of a workshop.  Fees may be applied to a future event, subject to availability.

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upcoming dates : workshops on flash photography techniques
(venues will be announced about 30 days prior to event,
unless the venue is already noted here.)

Denver, CO - Aug 11, 2008 (Mon)  -  report-back
Denver, CO - Aug 12, 2008 (Tue) 

Grand Rapids, MI - Sept 16, 2008 (Tue)

Chicago, IL - Sept 17, 2008 (Wed)
full-day workshop sold out, but places still open for morning seminar session

Indianapolis - Sept 18, 2008 (Thu)

Philadelphia, PA - Oct 13, 2008 (Mon)
full-day workshop sold out, but places still open for morning seminar session

Philadelphia, PA - Oct 14, 2008 (Tue)

Washington, D.C.  - Oct 15, 2008 (Wed)

Raleigh, NC  - Oct 20, 2008 (Mon)
full-day workshop sold out, but places still open for morning seminar session

Charlotte, NC  - Oct 21, 2008 (Tue)

NYC / NJ  - Oct 27, 2008 (Mon)

New Haven, CT - Oct 28, 2008 (Tue)

Boston, MA - Oct 30, 2008 (Thu)

Miami, FL - Nov 11, 2008 (Tue)

St Petersburg / Tampa, FL - Nov 12, 2008 (Wed)

Dallas, TX - Dec 08, 2008 (Mon)

Austin, TX - Dec 09, 2008 (Tue)

Houston, TX - Dec 10, 2008 (Wed)

New Orleans, LA- Dec 12, 2008 (Fri)

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Register for a workshop.  

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If your city isn’t listed and you would like to attend a workshop, I do keep a running list (by city) of all the requests I get. As soon as I get enough inquiries for a specific city or area that I think I can meet the minimum enrollment for a workshop (10 people), I’ll put an event on the calendar.

If you think you can help generate enough interest to meet that minimum, let me know. Or if you belong to an organization or a photographers’ group that might be interested in scheduling a private workshop for a flat rate, I’d be happy to talk to you about that as well.

Please feel free to e-mail me or phone me at 973-206-9490, for more info.

thank you

Neil van Niekerk