Workshops
Teaching Magic? Is it possible?
Well – I will try my best. For those who already know me – that is a good enough promise.
Showing passion – definitely is.
What do I try to teach in my workshops? Seeing light, seeing “Magic”, seeing opportunities, posing real people, real couples, real families, real brides, voluptuous women, couples where brides are taller/much smaller than their partner and how to pose photograph them. Picking the right light, the right colour for the right skin tone; communication with a client; working in a difficult weather conditions – hot sun, rain; working under pressure – and then, of course – Photoshop magic and “Before” and “After” to see the full circle from start to finish of the Magic.
I find it is the best outcome for students when we invite “real brides” for a wedding workshop instead of models so the students can learn how to pose real people (who have no idea, who needs a bit or sometimes a lot of help) instead of just simply watching a beautiful model in front of them who perfectly knows how to move already, where the light is and what to do. This happens a lot at workshops – that is my observation only. What are students left to do? What they are really doing is – fighting with each other over the best spot to take the photo that was already orchestrated for them by the tutor, his idea and the perfect model that the tutor hired – so they can get a shot for their portfolio. They don’t try to analyse why and how the image works and “what if”– they don’t have time. They need to grab a shot while they can and I can perfectly understand it – who wouldn’t want to take a shot of a beautiful, elegant girl in a perfect gown that actually suits her, standing in a gorgeous light with a veil blowing? The tutor is not a fool. He/she would pick a right girl, in a right gown and take her to a perfect location at the right time of day. Who wouldn’t want to take that shot and even fight for it? I would.
But then… students go home with “portfolio of gorgeous images” (probably sincerely thinking that that was 100% their “creations”) , they post those images on their website and facebook to attract clients and get bookings…..and clients book, assuming that what they see is what they get….so our ex-students start dealing with real people and those poor real people can’t understand why their photographer doesn’t deliver the same quality of beautiful images they show online and so it goes… Of course it is not always that black and white…But I hope it explains a bit why I am so passionate about teaching students to shoot real people, how important I think our role as teachers should be.
Kira
“Full day with Kira” or “Full two days with Kira” in our studio limited to 3-4 students
Please check what students are saying here after workshop: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Art-Photography-by-Kira/113964143376#!/note.php?note_id=10150212321785638