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Workshops : MY PHILOSOPHY ABOUT WORKSHOPS: There are some things I am NOT good at... :-P I'm not very good at giving legal, financial, or other business advice. Sorry! I hate that stuff, and I pay other people to take care of it for me. (Unless it's "your thing", you should too.) Also, (like most people) I hate public speaking. I'd rather sit around a table with just a few friends and chat... So, I won't be hosting any 50-person seminars, just real-deal, hands-on workshops. I stick with what I know: Cameras, images, and workflow. That's it. I love to help people master their camera, learn how to train their eyes to see potentially great images, and (sometimes most importantly) how to speed up their workflow and thus avoid "burnout"... Lastly, I also believe that you can't master something overnight, or in the course of a 1-day, 3 hour workshop. I didn't learn anything that way, and I don't teach that way. I believe that to truly master something, you need LOTS of practice, continual mentoring, ...basically you need to give yourself time to try new things, see what works, come up with specific questions about what doesn't work, and get answers to those questions. So with all my workshops, my main goal is to connect with YOU and try to meet your needs as a photographer. I'll feel guilty if I just stand there and lecture you for 3 hours and then send you off. I want to open a discussion, use visual aids and real-world examples, etc. Also, the students who prepare and show up with specific questions jotted down, AND also keep in touch with follow-up questions after the workshop, THESE people will get the most value. Remember- you aren't just paying for a few hours in a classroom. You're paying for direct access to someone who *loves* to answer questions about cameras and workflow! CURRENT WORKSHOPS: CAMERAS & SHOOTING:• Exposure, Metering, and Autofocus Workshop - (Next workshop January 10th, click to register!) This workshop is all about cameras, and the critical, main controls that you MUST master no matter what kind of photography you shoot. Whether you shoot fast-paced action, low-light events, or f/1.2 portraits, you've gotta know your camera like the back of your hand. Beginners, amateurs and professionals are all welcome to attend. We'll basically get to know all the buttons, dials and switches that your camera has, and then apply them to the real world so you can get consistently good results. Workshops are usually on-location around Orange County, 4-5+ hours shooting and an optional lunch / dinner chat session. • Natural Light Workshop - (Next workshop January 31st, click to register!) Being able to see (and then capture) beautiful light is surely THE most important skill that most hobbyist *and* professional photographers can have. If you shoot casual portraits with families, seniors, or models etc. then chances are you spend a lot of your time shooting in situations where you don't have the time to set up a flash, or have an assistant to hold your reflectors, etc... This workshop follows the notion that "there is no such thing as bad light", and explores how to find gorgeous light wherever you happen to be... Workshops are usually on-location around Orange County, 3-4 hours shooting plus an optional lunch / dinner chat session. • Wireless Flash Workshop - (No workshops currently scheduled) For the tech geeks out there, or the curious and brave, this workshop gets into the fun stuff- strobist-style off-camera flash, using the built-in infra-red systems (Nikon CLS) or Pocket Wizards... Personally I'm all about keeping it simple and traveling light, and that style is reflected in the workshop. If you have just ONE hotshoe flash, we can start to have fun! I shoot Nikon and use my pop-up flash as a commander, but I know how to work the wireless flash systems for Canon too. I also use Pocket Wizards if the conditions require it. Workshops are usually on-location around Orange County, 3-4 hours shooting plus an optional lunch / dinner chat session. WORKFLOW:• The "Workflowshop" - (Next workshop February 7th, click to register!) This workshop was created specifically to save people from feeling enslaved to their computers. Do you take thousands of photos each month, and then have no idea what to do with them all? Are you known as the person who takes a million years to get the family photos online? Believe it or not, It *IS* possible to shoot thousands of photos each month, get them online and delivered on time, (and still get rave comments from your friends and clients!) ...yet still have time for a social life & family! If you're feeling close to "burnout" with photography, you gotta do something about it ASAP. This workshop can save you hours each week. Subjects are comprehensive from in-camera capture, shooting philosophy, downloading, backup, sorting, editing, publishing, printing, delivering, archiving, etc. Workshops are usually held at a studio around Orange County, 4-5 hours discussion, hands-on demonstrations of shooting and editing, plus an optional lunch / dinner chat session. * The Workflowshop is an "audit for free" workshop- Attendees are highly encouraged to try and make it to any future Workflowshops, and contact me as often as they want with follow-up questions... • Photo Blogger Workshop - (Next workshop February 6th, click to register!) A basic, quck tutorial and Q&A on how to make your images look clear and crisp for display on your blog, facebook, etc. We talk about techniques that take only a few seconds per image, yet consistently make your images *pop* both online and in print. Subjects include basic color correction, (white balance) contrast, sharpening, and a few other secrets... Workshops are usually held around Orange County, 1-2 hours plus an optional lunch / dinner chat session, or a photo shoot. PRIVATE TUTORING: Do you have a specific question about photography that I could answer in just a couple minutes, about a camera, lens or flash purchase? Email me, I'd love to offer my opinion! Don't think for one minute that questions are bothersome to me; actually when I see an email that has "camera" or "lens" in the subject line, I'm *eager* and excited about replying, as soon as I have the time. Do you need to actually sit down and talk about something in person? I'm flattered to be considered for "brain picking"... Just offer to buy me lunch or dinner, and I'm an open book! Hourly or daily private tutoring can also be arranged, just email me for details. (Click here for the official photographer contact form) Take care! =Matt=

Workshops