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Microstock Photography Forum - General => Microstock Services => Topic started by: photoshow on August 12, 2009, 11:07

Title: Last Chance To Enter
Post by: photoshow on August 12, 2009, 11:07
Hey Gang, today is your Last Chance to enter to Win A Spot At Weekend With The Mast… (http://www.meetup.com/vegasvisionstudios/calendar/10947703/)

Visit Weekend With The Masters II (http://www.meetup.com/vegasvisionstudios/calendar/10815276/)for complete details on this fun filled 2 day workshop in a 6,000 sq. ft. custom Loft Home in Las Vegas Nevada.

Here is a quick look at some of the action from the first Weekend With The Master Workshop
Weekend With The Masters Promo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clq0kM1-Rys#ws-lq-lq2-hq-vhq-hd)
Title: Re: Last Chance To Enter
Post by: ichiro17 on August 12, 2009, 12:00
I wonder if anyone outside of the SS forums goes to any of these?  I'm sure they are awesome fun, but the interest must be pretty low
Title: Re: Last Chance To Enter
Post by: Phil on August 12, 2009, 14:27
I am amazed that they dont fill so quick. Perhaps there is a lot more competition there, but I looked at what was on offer here in Australia and couldnt find much that really compared, most of what was around was almost double the price with 1 photog / teacher, no model releases, less models etc etc. not having done one of Bobby's I obviously couldnt say 100% but on the face of it they seem like an utter bargain.

I looked at the stock / microstock day for $99 +  model releases etc. so you spend about $250 for a days shoot (not a big deal when employing models etc) I think you'd have it back within weeks. like being given money to my thinking, how do these things not fill up?

Phil
Title: Re: Last Chance To Enter
Post by: photoshow on August 12, 2009, 15:49
I wonder if anyone outside of the SS forums goes to any of these?  I'm sure they are awesome fun, but the interest must be pretty low

Yes we get a variety of attendees from all around the world that come to our workshops. Interest from the Microstock community has waned in them since I stopped focusing all of them purely as  stock shootouts and started focusing more on PHOTOGRAPHY and LIGHTING techniques. The trade off is that we get lots of Doctors, lawyers and other professionals who are looking to make career changes instead. The weekly workshops sell out more often then not. The larger more expensive ones have been a little harder sell since the economy went south on us here but we still manage 10-12 participants at each of the weekend events which in reality is about the perfect size group from a work flow perspective.

I know a lot of people think that we are getting rich on these but the truth is they are a ton of work to organize and host and our costs are significant. After all the models, makeup artists, co-instructors, grips, assistants, MUHA's, caterers, and the locations are paid for the profit margin is quite small. I do these more because of a love of teaching then for the money, it would be nice to clear a good profit every time but the truth is we offer to much for the price and as a result the studio tends to break even on most of the events. I see the missed profit as an investment into the marketing of myself and my studio as the workshops are a very good branding tool for both and at some point the economy will turn around and we will be able to sustain profitability with these events as well.
Title: Re: Last Chance To Enter
Post by: photoshow on August 12, 2009, 16:00
I am amazed that they don't fill so quick. Perhaps there is a lot more competition there, but I looked at what was on offer here in Australia and couldn't find much that really compared, most of what was around was almost double the price with 1 photog / teacher, no model releases, less models etc etc. not having done one of Bobby's I obviously couldn't say 100% but on the face of it they seem like an utter bargain.

I looked at the stock / microstock day for $99 +  model releases etc. so you spend about $250 for a days shoot (not a big deal when employing models etc) I think you'd have it back within weeks. like being given money to my thinking, how do these things not fill up?

Phil

I agree and think that we offer an exceptional value in our workshops. Not only do we make available to our participants models and locations that would not normally be available to them but we always offer a 1:1 or 1:2 model to photographer ratio and each and every attendee receives a significant amount of 1 on 1 instruction from myself and from my co-instructor Billy Pegram. Working on your own in Las Vegas $250 a day won't rent you a studio space to work in let alone provide you with top quality professional models, certified makeup artists and hair stylists as well as all the lighting gear, props, wardrobe and instruction. Plus you get a full commercial release so all you need is a handful of quality RF Stock shots or a single sale of a decent RM shot and you recover your investment pronto. Not to mention the opportunity to develop your shooting skills and produce imagery for Fine Art and Publication at the same time. There are a great many more markets out there for our skills as photographers then just Microstock and most of them have the potential to be far more lucrative for us then MS as well. Staying narrowly focused on microstock alone puts us in a rut that can be hard to extract ourselves from and severely limits our earning potential as professionals.
Title: Re: Last Chance To Enter
Post by: Xalanx on August 12, 2009, 16:02
That's really not much money, even if there were only the models. I wish I was living closer...
Title: Re: Last Chance To Enter
Post by: photoshow on August 12, 2009, 19:37
Entries for the drawing for the Free VIP Spot in the Weekend With The Masters Workshop are now closed. A winner will be posted after tonights Photographer's Choice Lighting Workshop at Vegas Vision Studios (http://www.vegasvisionstudios.com)
Title: Re: Last Chance To Enter
Post by: photoshow on August 13, 2009, 00:09
Congratulations to Johnathan (http://www.meetup.com/vegasvisionstudios/members/9476440) for winning the VIP Spot at Weekend With The Masters II