The War Between Form and Function
My studies to become a teacher were very traditional. I was to be an authority figure standing in front of a classroom armed with a lesson plan who's job it was to educate those students: Well defined and inflexible.
My early working career was spent opening, equipping, hiring and training staff in new high end restaurants all over the country. The parent corporations had clearly defined processes that would work in one location and fail in another because of their inability to change. To make things even worse, these corporations would often put design/form before function and create a beautiful building that was almost impossible to work in.
In the late 1980s I had the great pleasure of being a successful children's photographer primarily working with one to four year olds. These youngsters didn't care about my photography equipment, my education, layout of the studio, or really anything else for that matter. They were there to play and my job was to create a calm fun environment and play with them so I could get the "real" photos of them being them. I had to understand and enter their world not insist on them entering mine.
I firmly believe that putting function over form is key to successfully teaching these classes. Every student has a camera that is very complicated, a unique personality, a unique way to process information and personal goals that range from an upcoming trip to Peru or taking great photographs of their children. As with my young subjects, each student requires that same personal connection and my entering their world so that these classes work.
This is a composite of three images - one for each of the twins and the baby - all put together in Photoshop.
Masters or Introduction to Photography a/o Photoshop class
ONE HOUR “ANYTHING YOU WANT TO COVER” IN PERSON OR VIA ZOOM $100.00
LEARNING TO WORK WITH YOUR NEW CAMERA IN PERSON OR VIA ZOOM TWO HOURS $200.00
8 hour Private in person, Zoom Streaming, or Hybrid In Person/ Zoom streaming Advanced Photography or Introduction to Photography, a/o Photoshop classes $750.00
Couples / Family / Group rates can be arranged.
On teaching: PBS "Viral sensation Flossie Lewis is still a spectacular teacher at 94"
On teaching: TED Talk "Sir Kenneth Robinson - Do Schools Kill Creativity"