This post will show you some important advantages that PhotoMentors has over a typical photography group workshop.
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Workshops can be fun and have good aspects.
I like the idea of a stimulating workshop.
I have nothing against traveling to exotic or picturesque locations.
I support and encourage photographers to meet, socialize, and learn together.
I like the fun of group gatherings.
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Workshops can have inherent and severe limitations and may not be the best way to learn.
I also realize that group workshops are not for everyone.
They may be fun, they may be different, and they may take you to places you have never been before.
They may not fit your schedule, your life-style, your vacation or holiday plans, your family commitments, your budget, your needs, or your best method of learning.
While they may teach you how to be “part of the masses” or show you a “cookie cutter approach” to something, they may not teach you anything about becoming more creative for yourself as a unique individual.
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A Few Inherent Disadvantages to Group Workshops
As I see it, there are several disadvantages that are inherent in a photography workshop. These may severely limit the growth of a photographer and impede their progress as a professional, as a creative person, or as an artist.
Here are a few clear disadvantages to the Workshop model of instruction:
1. Lack of personalization to your needs.
2. Lack of private and focused personal time with the instructor.
3. Emphasis on “Group Think” rather than “Individual Creativity.”
4. Generalizations that don’t fit you.
5. “Lowest Common Denominator” teaching to the level of the average student.
6. Students are generally inhibited from asking questions in a group setting.
7. Students tend to copy the instructor or one another.
8. Students leave with something that is not unique to them.
9. The pace of the workshop will probably NOT match your ability to learn, unless you are “average.”
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More on that last point shown above (#9).
Consider the following two learning scenarios. These are based on typical “group learning” situations (like workshops and formal classes).
Workshop Scenario One
Imagine you attend a workshop and you are the smartest or best or the most advanced student in the workshop. You probably hope so. Is that best?
Now imagine that the instructor has to teach the rest of the students in the workshop at the “average” level. That means they may spend time teaching the concepts in ways that are not truly stimulating or challenging to you. They may have to slow the instruction down to keep it a level of those who do not “get it” or understand as much as you do or for those that do not have your experience or knowledge.
Will you get maximum value while the instructor is having to teach at a level that is below your skill or ability or knowledge level?
Will that stimulate your creativity or creative thinking?
Will you “shut off” while in the class because it is focused on stuff you already know?
Will you get bored because the class is going too slow?
Will you feel you are being held back because of the others?
Is that good for you?
Is that the best way for you to learn?
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Workshop Scenario Two
Imagine you attend a workshop and you are NOT the smartest, NOT the best in the class, NOT the most advanced in the class, and perhaps NOT understanding all the concepts discussed because you may NOT have the knowledge level that is being taught to the others who may be more experienced than you. In a situation like this, most students are reluctant to speak up about their lack of understanding for fear of being seen by the group as “slow” or “stupid” or “ignorant.” It is human nature to feel that way and we have ALL probably felt that way at some time in our past.
Will you get maximum value while the instructor is teaching above your level?
Will you “shut off” while in the class?
Will you feel inhibited from asking questions because you assume everyone else already knows the answer?
Will you get discouraged?
Will you feel pressure because you cannot “keep up” with the others?
Will you feel anxious about possibly “not knowing enough to keep up?”
Is that good for you?
Is that the best way for you to learn?
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This is why PhotoMentors provides a distinctive alternative.
At a group workshop, there is the undeniable limitation of time and focus on you because of the GROUP focus.
At a group workshop, the instructor is focused on the group and delivers the lessons at a level that will be understood by most of the group. This often leads to the “lowest common denominator” or “average” level instruction.
At PhotoMentors, the focus is on YOU and giving you private, personal, and professional advice and help that is tailored to YOU and your goals and needs.
To get maximum personal growth, you need a personal guide or coach or mentor to work with you as an individual.
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Another Limitation of Workshops
One of the shortcomings of a short workshop is that you may be attending a workshop taught by an experienced professional, but your ability to have them look at your work and learn about you as a photographer, and your unique vision, is extremely limited.
Even in relatively small workshops that last two or three days, most workshop attendees may only get at most a few minutes alone with the instructor, if they are that lucky. In the larger group workshops, you may just be a face in the crowd.
How much private, one-to-one time with your workshop instructor will you get at a typical workshop?
Seriously, think about how much time and devotion the workshop instructor can give you personally when you are one of twenty or forty or more people in the one day, or three day workshop. The very nature of a large workshop demands that the instructor keep on a schedule and present for the entire group, not for the individual, not for you.
Sometimes there is little or no time for reviewing portfolios brought by the students or attendees at a workshop. This is because the emphasis is on what has been shot during the workshop. The time pressure of the workshop and the need for the workshop instructor to split their time over many students or attendees means less attention and less potential for you to truly grow by a thorough portfolio review.
If you want undivided attention from the instructor, and you want teaching that is truly tailored to your specific needs. Then you need to consider One-on-One study with a Tutor or Mentor via PhotoMentors.
Through One-on-One tutoring or mentoring with PhotoMentors, you can focus your time and attention on the aspects of your photography that fit YOU.
That will have the most significant positive effect on your growth and development.
Together we can look at various aspects of photography and identify what can be done to help you reach a new level or to overcome obstacles.
The PhotoMentors approach to learning is adapted to your specific and unique needs.
Our goal is to provide you with effective solutions and help you overcome the obstacles you face. Whether the obstacles you face are technical in nature, or creative, or business related. Even if you have just lost motivation or direction, or feel frustrated with your own photography, we can help you.
Flexibility for Full Time Professionals on Busy Schedules
If you are a Professional photographer (Emerging or Established), the PhotoMentors Consultant or Mentor will help you also consider how you are marketing your work. We can take a look at how you sell, price, and market your images.
We can also help you outline a marketing strategy that meets your goals. Depending upon which direction you choose to take, it may be one of the smartest investments you make in your success as a professional photographer.
Individual Attention for Amateurs and Beginners
If you are an amateur or just want to learn so you can make better photographs of the most important people in the world, your family, we can help you there too.
Workshops Can Have Hidden Expenses
Finally, there is the expense of attending a remote workshop (outside of your home town). It may be fun to be in a new location, but it can also add significantly to your expenses and may have nothing to do with your learning. In short, you may be spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on airfare, lodging, and meals that could have been applied to more personal, more meaningful learning via a Tutor or Mentor relationship through PhotoMentors.
Your Time is Our Time
At PhotoMentors, we fit your schedule. This is the true beauty of this contact between you and your Tutor or Mentor.
Imagine the possibilities!
You can contact us when:
- you are waiting at the airport,
- while you are waiting to pick up your kids after school,
- while you are between classes,
- while you are on location for business or pleasure,
- while you are on vacation,
- while you are stuck in traffic.
As long as you have access to a phone or the internet, you can connect to a live person, your PhotoMentors Tutor or Mentor.
Think about it.
Do you have the time in your busy life to travel to a workshop? Or to take off the days needed to attend? If your time for traveling is limited, or your budget is tight, or if you want to devote more of your hard-earned money for new gear or important investments in your photography business, or saving for your kids’ college fund, you should consider the alternatives, including learning via a Tutor or Mentor relationship through PhotoMentors.
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Please take three seconds now to tell others about this site. That will help us help and inspire more photographers.
Just click this share button below.
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Have you seen Steadman’s
Six Minute Solution™ yet?
You should. It could help you.
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Seven ways you can help other photographers and yourself too!
Have you heard of Karma? It is the belief that all deeds can shape the past, present, and future experiences. In the West, this is sometimes expressed by the Christian concept of “you reap what you sow.” In short, do good to others and good may come to you. I truly believe that helping others helps not only them, but also ourselves in ways we often cannot anticipate. Each action of good you do, can make the world a nicer place. Do you believe in the Golden Rule?
1. Tell others about this site. If you frequent photography forums and see a good opportunity to let people there know about this site, please do. Others who read your favorite forums or blogs may be looking for free lessons and inspiring photographs from which they can learn. Or they may be new to photography forum posting and need some guidance on how to learn more from getting critiques of their photos. Just direct them to www.photomentors.com.
This site is written to inspire photographers of all levels and help them have a better experience in photography.
We even have seven pages devoted to tips on how to have a better experience on a photography forum and those tips may help your favorite forum have better posts and more participation.
2. Please tell at least three of your friends in your community or social network about this site. If you are on Facebook for example, you could tell your friends.They could be at any level of photography. Anybody who likes photography can benefit from the free lessons or from seeing the thousands of inspiring photographs from some of the world’s best photographers. PhotoMentors has things designed to be of interest to ALL levels of photographers from Beginners to Advanced Professionals.
3. Click on one of the social bookmarking links in this page and let others know about this post or page or this new site. Tweet your friends. Tell others you DIGG this site. Tell your Facebook friends. Look in the right column of this page and almost all pages on the site for the link that says “Add This” and click on it to go a pop up list of bookmarking links. It is easy and fast. Or you can send an email to a friend through that link too. Here is another link so you can bookmark this page right now in two clicks of your mouse in two seconds.
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Please take three seconds now to tell others about this site. That will help us help and inspire more photographers.
Just click this share button below.
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4. Add a link to PhotoMentors site to your blog or site. Or write a post on your blog about what you saw on this site. Did you see a photo that inspired you when you viewed a Masters of Photography Gallery here? Did you learn something about a photographer you had not known about before? Tell others about the thousands of photos by Masters of Photography found here. Remember, our focus is on providing free access to all kinds of photographs and information that will inspire photographers of all levels.
5. Save yourself time while also helping other photographers. In the future you might come across a newbie or someone new to photography. They may be looking for inspiring examples of great photography or they may want some guidance. This site may help them have a better experience with photography too. You won’t have to type much to help them, all you have to do is simply post a link to this site and that may solve their problem with a couple of clicks of your mouse. Simply tell them to look for the section on Free Lessons and Tips. That helps them, saves you time, and helps me help other photographer learn. So, that is a Win+ Win+ Win.
6. Subscribe to the PhotoMentors mailing list for our FREE Newsletter. Why? Because the more subscribers the newsletter has will help us negotiate special offers and discounts from vendors that can then be passed on to you our readers.
It will only take a moment to add your email to the list. Simply fill in the simple Subscribe Form found on the right column of all page here on the site. Look in the lower right column. The newsletter will keep you informed when we have special offers and opportunities for our friends around the world. You will also learn about exclusive discounts and other nice things.
Don’t worry about receiving too many newsletters or emails from us. We only send out the newsletter infrequently, but when we do, there will be something of value in it for you. There will be many valuable and exclusive things coming in the future, including great opportunities for photographers, so don’t miss this easy way to hear about it first.
7. Look around this site. You might find something else that interests you or helps you. In 2010 we expect there to be hundreds of pages of content, thousands of inspiring photos, and hundreds of free educational videos.
I recommend seeing the Site Map (Table of Contents) so you can easily see the long list of articles, posts, and pages listed by topics.
If you would like to see if I can help you as a mentor, then just give me a call using the Skype button or the phone number at the bottom of each Page.
Finally, do what you can to help others post their photos and also get comments and have a good time doing so. That makes the world a nicer place and gives us all more nice photography to see on the net.
Thank you for your help.
Steadman
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Your First Introductory Call is free, but what you might learn later is priceless!™
If you have Skype, simply click on the “Call Me” button below to make a free Skype-to-Skype call. Before you do, make sure the top button says “I’m Online” and is green.
If you don’t have Skype yet, you can download the free Skype software in minutes via the link below the buttons below.
Or, if you want to call using your own land-line phone or cellular phone, simply dial our Direct Dial number:
(646) 233-1511
Our phones are generally answered during our flexible Global Operating hours of 9:00AM (0900) to 9:00PM (2100) EST (New York City Time Zone). Feel free to call anytime within that 12 hour window, 7 days a week.
Call now. It is the first step to a new way of learning and growing in photography.
You will find our service begins with a friendly hello.
If we are not on a call with another photographer, we will be happy to speak with you. If you get our voicemail it means we are on a call with another photographer. In that case, simply leave a detailed message on our voicemail with instructions on how we should contact you. Most voicemail messages receive a call back within two hours, whenever possible. All emails are answered the same day, whenever possible.
If you prefer to send an email you may do that by visiting our Contact Page. Or by using the following email address:
steadman@photomentors.com
Most voicemail messages receive a call back within two hours, whenever possible. All emails are answered the same day, whenever possible.
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