The first round of Super Monday classes kicks-off tomorrow (we know, it's a Saturday), but it's all about the spirit of learning! In that spirit, Mary Buck, CPP, has doubled down and offered two distinctly different Super Monday sessions in Duluth, GA, to help boost the business of professional photographers by offering unique products and inspiring you to utilize the tools you already have in your arsenal.
In her first class (that would be Monday, May 13th) Mary will teach "How to Create a Fusion Video Using ProShow Producer." You already use your dSLR to create amazing photos, but why not utilize all of its functionality and create fusion videos? That's Mary's intent. She'll show you how to best utilize ProShow Producer software and help you learn all about the art of storyboarding and creating a shot list. You'll then be able to put those lessons to good use during a hands-on session with a high school model.
With a strong background in film, Mary has the patience to set up a shot right the first time. She eliminates the need for heavy editing during post-processing, which will help you produce quicker, better videos. Her favorite part of the photography process is creating the image directly in the camera. Defining herself as a classically trained photographer with strong foundational skills in composition, exposure and lighting, she attributes it all to starting her photography journey with film. It is why, she'll tell you herself, she truly believes in getting it right in the camera.
By the time you're done with the class and the hands-on session, Mary hopes you'll have "a new creative skill to add to your product lines to help you stand out from other photographers." As any photographer knows, an advantage on the competition is necessary in the current state of the photographic industry.
"The biggest challenge my business faces are from the over-saturation of photographers and the inconsistency in pricing structures within the industry," said Mary. "To overcome these challenges it is important to offer the best customer service on the planet and to provide something different that other photographers are not offering." In her class, you will get plenty of tips and strategies to accomplish just that.
If it tickles your fancy to learn more about the portrait side of the business, Mary's second class might be more your speed - "The ABCs (Art, Business & Charm) of a Portrait Photography Business" will take place on Wednesday, May 15th.
frustrated artist who can't draw a stick figure to save his life," explains Jim. "But by using photos I shoot for the purpose, I can create the artwork that I could only see in myself before. Being a digital artist has given me a chance to put what I have in my head onto a medium that others can see."
"I'm hoping to get the creative juices going, to challenge people to step outside their comfort zone and let their imagination run free," he explains. "How would an image look with a fog rolling in, or wind-blown hair perfectly outlining a face? Does billowing fabric while standing on a cliff overlooking a sunset on the ocean make for a perfect romantic shot?"
out that I could actually do it as a profession, I knew what I was meant to do." And do it he did. By the time he was 18, Trull was photographing weddings for friends and family, and his business only grew from there. 
"We will be using different shooting techniques and posing styles to try and open the students up to a new way of thinking," says Trull about his class. "It's too easy in this industry to get comfortable in the day-to-day and use the same poses, same lighting and same locations...and lose the love for photography in the process!"
