Learning From Mentors
/I have been a professional photographer for over 25 years and I’m still learning! One of the things I love most about this career choice is that the road to mastery is as long as you’d like it to be.
While there are many excellent online photography lessons, I love attending in-person workshops. I made it a goal some years ago to attend at least one workshop a year to continue to build my skills. This usually happens organically as I’m building up a certain part of my portfolio, I come across a photographer that I am inspired by. It’s like that Buddhist proverb;
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear”
I certainly look forward to attending photography workshops again, but until then, I’d like to introduce you to just a few of the wonderful photographers I’ve had the opportunity to learn from.
Wendy Yalom
The Art of Personal Brand Photography
Wendy Yalom is a premier Personal Brand Photographer. She photographs coaches, entrepreneurs, speakers, authors and thought leaders around the world! I was drawn to learn from her because she is delivering more than just beautiful marketing photos to her clients. She is giving them an incredibly empowering experience infused with pure joy that shows through in their photos! That, my friend, is how to us the power of photography to connect to clients.
PRO TIP: The photo with Wendy above is the moment she taught me to use the timer for phone selfies…game changer!
Wendy is so generous with her knowledge and is happy to share ‘trade secrets’.
I’m so thankful I attended Wendy’s workshop in the Fall of 2019. In true pro form, Wendy continues to provide photography education online until she can teach in person again.
Michael Alan Ross
Automotive Photography
Michael Alan Ross has been photographing automobiles for over 30 years. He’s photographed everything from Exotics to Barn Finds, and his work had been published many times over on the cover of Porsche’s Panorama Magazine. In fact, he had the massive undertaking of photographing the entire Jan 2021 issue of their first ever design issue!
The Buddhist quote of above could not have been more true when I found myself attending his workshop just north of San Fransisco a couple of years ago. I had recently convinced my camera shy, ‘car guy’ husband to let me photograph him with his ‘baby’. It worked out so well, I thought I’d better learn a thing or two about automobile photography. I scoured the stacks of car magazines around the house , then looked up the photographer of my favorite cover image. You guessed it - Michael Alan Ross. A quick google search turned up the afore mentioned workshop was happening in just two weeks time! The rest, as they say…is a second workshop a year later and an expanding portfolio and session offering called, You + Your Ride.
Michael guides students how to find the important details.
My photojournalistic roots kick in to capture the group of students learning from the master!
Sue Bryce
Contemporary Portrait Master, Educator Extraordinaire
Photo by Gerson Lopes
I came across Sue Bryce on the Creative Live online education platform in December of 2012. I’ll never forget it because of the profound impact it had on me and my determination to open my own studio. I purchased the domain name, Pinto Portrait, that dark winter night, and by March 2013 I was signing my first lease on a studio in Gilman Village. I was drawn to her courses to learn about her contemporary portrait work which is truly special. I have continued to be a member of her own online learning platform, Sue Bryce Education, because of the empowering and transformational business coaching for she delivers, along with the endless creative inspiration for posing and lighting. I was thrilled when I got to attend an in-person workshop with her in LA in 2017.
View from my seat at the 50 + Fabulous Event in 2017.
What a thrill to meet one of my personal heroes!
Sue is a rock star photographer and transformational business coach.
Not sure what I said, lol.
Me & Sue Bryce!
oh! There’s my signed copy of the catalog that sadly never made it home.