For many photographers, shooting people is where it's at, or at least where we'd like to be.  Even if we prefer nature, or landscapes or wildlife, we all need to be able to make great portraits of people, even if only our friends and family.  After all, we do have a really good camera, right?

The folks at Henry's Learning Lab have a session coming up on September 12th run by acclaimed portrait and fashion photographer Lindsay Adler.  The event is being held at the Novotel in Vaughan just north of Toronto.  As I've talked about this session with some people, general perspective has been that it's only worthwhile if you are shooting portraits for revenue or you are doing, or want to be doing, fashion.  I think that misses the real value proposition.  I have taken some Photoshop World classes with Lindsay Adler in the past.  What you learn from her is less about lighting and gear, and MOST about how to work with people.  How to interact with them, how to speak to them and how to pose them.

I've been doing this kind of work for years but I still bought a ticket and am looking forward to the class because Ms. Adler is a real expert in these areas.  I love managing light, and am sometimes called the Light Whisperer because I have spent so much time learning about light and the gear to manage it.  There's even an opening segment on lighting to get you started, but I'm not going for that.  I'm going to build skill in managing and directing PEOPLE.  If you cannot do that, your portraits may be technically brilliant but lack soul and humanity.  

Much of what you will learn from Lindsay, while it works with professional models, is applicable in daily life when photographing "real" people, your friends, family, neighbours and clients.  For the $200 ticket price this is knowledge not to be found in books or magazines, or at trade shows where the newest hottest gear is found.

So maybe now you are thinking that this would be a great training opportunity.  There's a hyperlink below that takes you to the Event Information page on Henry's website.  You can of course sign up online, but consider that if you go in to a Henry's store and get good advice from a salesperson there, you'll do them a favour by buying your ticket from them in store.  I live in Newmarket Ontario, and the local store, run by Chris Atkinson and Lindsey Johnson, does a lot to support the Newmarket Camera Club and the local photographic community, so if you live in the area, buy your ticket in the store, help out someone who helps you, and I hope to meet you at the event.

Event Information

By the way, in the spirit of full disclosure, I do teach for Henry's Learning Lab as a part time instructor.  I get no compensation or reward for making this post, I just think that the session is going to be valuable.