On Saturday, June 23, 2007, I attended my first workshop at your
studio. I would like to thank you for your enthusiasm and willingness
to share your knowledge and experience with your students. I found
the class to be very informative and professional. I look forward to
attending another one of your workshops.
Thank You
- Greg Allinich
Your workshop proved to be an exciting light trip to the highest
degree! Your expertise and insight as a teacher of photography demonstrates
again that everybody can learn!
- Eddie Rios
When it comes to photography, I am a definite newbie and Don's workshop
was my first. Words cannot describe how much I learned and took away
from that single day workshop. What I learned about lighting in one
day probably would have took me a couple of years to learn on my own,
reading books, etc and I probably still wouldn't have the same level
of understanding. Don is many things, but if I only had a couple of
words to describe him, it would be: easygoing, good-natured, respectful,
knowledgeable, a great teacher and most of all, generous (with only
2 registered photographers for our HOT July Phoenix workshop, Don could
have easily cancelled the workshop, but he didn't!!). What I got out
of the workshop was worth much more to me than the cost and as a poor
student, I cannot thank Don enough. The workshop itself was very hands
on, no lectures, plenty of time for questions (and answers). The models
were not only beautiful and professional, but incredibly patient with
us lighting *beginners*. I am forever grateful to Don, Michaila, and
Jazmin!
- Joe Roback
Our places/dates for the workshops are on the schedule
page.
We are seeking hosts for workshops as well as ideas for our summer
schedule.
BERMUDA WORKSHOP
BERMUDA WORKSHOP
Our Sponsors Include:
One Year Pro Account to all Attendees. This starts in April, 2009
Free 16x20 print for all attendees.
Workshops are $450 and include the Lighting Essentials DVD, the Photoshop
Essentials DVD, the LE WORKshop DVD, the LE Workshop Workbook,
a 16x20 print from Mighty Imaging and more.
Please see the Workshop Page for additionals as they become available. Don,
I just wanted to send a quick note of thanks for a wonderful
workshop this weekend. I walked away last night amazed
with what I learned and shot over the two days. I wish
I could have stayed longer last night to hear you talk
about photoshop. I also wish I had this week off from my
full-time job just so I had time to go through all the
pictures and process them. My portfolio is going to rock!
:)
I hope you have fun today wandering around DC and Maryland
- at this point, I'm sure you are up and out and wandering
around (it's 8:45am).
Safe travels back home and THANK YOU again! Your workshop
was the best money I've ever spent - you rock!
~Michele (Baltimore/Washington workshop)
A Workshop Unlike Any You Have Ever Attended
This Two Day workshop will introduce you to lighting
by learning the basics and then working with the tools of the trade to
make the images you see in your head. We start with basics and move through
the amazing world of lighting. We aren't interested in auto settings,
or sticking a flash on your camera and clicking away. We do it with manual
strobes, manual settings and attention to detail that is the mark of
a professional photographer.
I thought you would like to see some of the stuff that was happening
during the last Mexico workshop. The attendees were all shooting along
with the photographers. I cannot believe how many shots were wrangled
out of that amazing set of models. Thanks Jesse.
Hi Don
Thanks again for the fantastic workshop. I'm obsessed with light
now. Since Sunday I've been viewing my world with a sharper eye
and constantly composing shots in my head.
Before the weekend I was in a plateau, perhaps a funk, now I'm re-egenerized
to take the next step.
Carmen - Atlanta
Simple Tools: Great Light
Look, having the coolest strobes on the planet is, well, cool. But it
doesn't mean that you must have that gear to make great photos. Light
is light. If you know how to light and how to use light, you can use
a Home Depot work light and a shower curtain, or an old flash you bought
off of Ebay and a cheap umbrella, or even the sun bounced into a car
window shade for fill. I am not making that up, I do all of that and
more.
Sure, there are times when you need the big guns, and we teach you what
to do when you use them. If you know how, you can always rent some big
ol' killer strobes when you need that power. But in my workshop, we focus
on making light work for you.
Less Me, More You - Less Bluster, More Shooting
If you have ever attended a workshop where the presenter went on and
on about how cool it was being them. And who they shot when. And all
the cool people they hang out with... you are gonna be shocked at this
one. We talk about light. We do light. We make light... we make pictures...
we shoot. We light some more and we shoot some more. If you want to talk
about me, we go out afterwards and you buy me a Corona. I'll tell you
all you want to know and more... but when you are paying me to learn
to light... we're gonna learn to light!
First
of all, I don't pack the room. There are great workshops out there where
the body count is upwards from 60 - 70 - 100 or more. At Lighting Essentials
workshops I want to always keep it around 12 attendees. It is so important
that everyone get the chance to shoot, and learn, and get into the creation
of the shot. I am a doer, not a lecturer when it comes to teaching lighting.
Be prepared to get your hands dirty, so to speak.
We will explore the concepts of lighting, and the hands-on creation
of lighting. From a simple natural light headshot, to a glamour shot
with only one strobe, to a multi-strobed shot with several lights...
we will do it from the position of power. No guessing and 'chimping'
to find out what works. You know what works, now you can finesse it into
what you want. See it in your head, light it in your head and then produce
the photograph you wanted all along.
From Rebecca (Omaha Workshop)
Don-
I know you're busy and I could write FOREVER. But thank you so
much. I went through all my images today and was trying to write
down lighting setups and settings- also writing what didn't work with
the images I wanted to trash- so I kept them for learning purposes rather
than sending them to the recycle bin.
Last night (after we got back to Lincoln) I picked up the kids from my
parents and was driving home in the dark. I saw the world in a
completely new way. The patterns of the street lights ahead of
me, the light fall off from the lights in a soccer field as the players
ran in and through the beams, the central light on businesses and home
porches and the patterns that were featured in that bright light, and
on and on. I don't know another way to say it than this: before
this weekend there was light and there was dark. I now see there
are only various intensities of light and each depth shows something
different. I just have to decide how I want that shown in my photograph.
My Grandma is a painter and a sculptor. Driving with her in the
car is an amazing experience as she points out the colors, shapes, and
light all around us. Last night was the first time I was able to
see the world as she does, and for that I have no words sufficient. So
one more "thank-you" will have to do.
I have every intention of signing up for another workshop with-in 12
months. I can't wait to do it again!
