This group was inspired by the hundreds of workshops I have given all over the US. Photographers were asking for ways to build their portfolios with high quality images and unique concepts. They were running out of ideas / did not have ideas, could not find models, locations or sets and were hitting a wall. After all a photography web-site filled with photos of your dog or your own children might not say "professional" in a way you want it to. This is what we will do here. The instructors will all be professional photographers.
I have contacted so many meetup groups about featuring these photographers only to have the organizer say "well..... I teach those classes so I don't want to let someone else teach that class to my members" REALLY? To me, as an instructor, I have taught all that I know in the three workshops that I offered. I am a self taught photographer and I learned from interning and mentor sessions with many, many photographers each teaching something different, each teaching their genre and their specialty. Through this group I hope to offer you that benefit as well. Working and learning from many, many different professional photographers - not professional workshop teachers.
Once or twice a month professional photographers will give workshops on lighting, camera functions, locations, etc. Subjects will be varied - families, children, pets, corporate headshots, weddings & engagements, high fashion, nudes, landscapes, flowers, etc. All workshops will be of the highest quality - for example the high fashion shoots will be professionally styled, professional model, professional hair and makeup. Shoots will follow the workshops and most of the meetings will last 2 - 4 hours. Everyone will have a chance to shoot and receive hands on attention from the professional photographer. Because many of the photographers will be traveling from out of state to conduct these workshops there will be a minimum number of people required before we can officially offer the workshop. So everyone get involved and stay active! It's gonna be a lot of fun!
Fee to shoot workshops will be interspersed with free meet and mingle sessions designed to give members a chance to discuss photography and have their work critiqued by professional photographers working in that genre. There are no annual fees. It is my hope that this group will provide inspiration and knowledge to photographers and a road map and tools to those who are looking to make photography a career or even to become the best hobbyist out there !