So apparently Jesh de Rox is offering one-day 1-on-1 photography workshops at a discounted rate of $16,500. Previously he was charging $20,000. Do a twitter search for #onedaywithjeshinstead to see the jokes people are making about it.

On a more serious note, Zack Arias is catching some heat for calling this B.S. Some folks are defending Jesh, saying that he has a right to charge whatever he wants to charge and it's his business. I happen to agree with Zack.

There's "expensive" and then there's "you can't possibly justify the value in this" and Jesh's workshops fall into the latter category. Those defending him are using car analogies, saying that a Bugatti Veyron may seem crazy expensive to some people, but to others it's a good value. I think it's a poor analogy because you can justify the value of an expensive car by citing the manufacturing costs, hand-made quality, parts costs, craftsmanship, etc. And while you could similarly justify the cost of a workshop in a similar way (the photog's experience, teaching expertise, value of the information, etc) I don't think anyone could possibly work up a one-day sum of $16k or more and say that it's a good value. There's no way anyone can put $16k of value into a 1-day session, at least not when it comes to teaching photography.

I can more easily understand a photographer charging $16k for a day of shooting. But for a workshop, you can't tell me I'd get $16k worth of knowledge, information, and improved skill from 1 day with Jesh or anyone else. It's not possible.

Zack says there's no photographer dead or alive worth $16k per day for a workshop. I'd agree.

I'd never heard of him but had a look at his website, the first thing that struck me is that people could save themselves a lot of money and just buy a $1 app for their iPhone to achieve the same look, but that's just me I hate all that 'hipstamatic' snap shot style.

I'd never heard of him but had a look at his website, the first thing that struck me is that people could save themselves a lot of money and just buy a $1 app for their iPhone to achieve the same look, but that's just me I hate all that 'hipstamatic' snap shot style.

Yeah, I'm like... "who?".

Ha!  Check out twitter: http://twitter.com/search?q=#onedaywithjeshinstead

Really?  Well, just do a twitter search: #onedaywithjeshinstead

I was going to pay off my car but I think I'll do #onedaywithjeshinstead .

  This is all part of the "bad is good" aesthetic that took over in the 90's, when everyone was shooting yellow and blue lights through coke bottles and cross processing color negative and ektachrome. It has a value if it makes you look at it. That was why it worked back then- it stood out from the crowd. In the microstock world, it probably wouldn't work, because the number of people who buy such images is not large enough to justify the low prices, but it's perfect for the high end fashion and advertising world, where an ad assignment could easily cover the costs. I say good for him if he can make it work. There's a whole world of people who make a living off of selling something to photographers that they are convinced will make them rich. Anybody remember the "hosemaster" ?

When I first started using Photoshop I was told not to overdo the filters and colour adjustments. Maybe that was bad advice, he is doing well out of it!

I've never heard of the guy or seen his stuff but I don't blame him for testing what the market will bear. It's probably good publicity anyway (we're all talking about him) and is likely to add to his reputation and therefore worth.

In the greater scheme of things $16K per day is not that much for the few individuals who are in demand. The golfer Greg Norman, even past his heyday, used to charge $100K per day + expenses for personal appearances, the target market being corporate golf days, and that was a good few years ago. I doubt if Tiger Woods would have got out of bed for much less than $1M at his peak. These guys have their diaries planned out for 2-4 years in advance.

It's hard to discuss anything over a dollar here.

He can charge whatever he likes.
The ones to worry about are those prepared to pay it.

I have a workshop one day $200,000 any takers? If it works for Jesh it might work for me.

It's hard to discuss anything over a dollar here.

LOL!