Joshua Mahar Photography » Wedding and Portrait Website

As promised here is my second installment. This post is dedicated to the one couple I spent the most time with on Day 3. Make sure to check out the Film Is Not Dead Website if you are interested in attending! 

Late July I had the privilege of attending the second week of the Seattle Film Is Not Dead Workshop, taught by Jonathan Canlas. It was dope. Pretty much if you are reaching for a one word descriptor that would be it.

Let’s understand this one thing before I go on to describe the workshop…I had been waiting for this workshop since December. Since I heard about it last year I wanted to do it, but I thought, no way, out of my budget and did I really want to rock it film? Naw man, that was for serious craft photographers, not me, a busy wedding shooter.

And then I got into Polaroid. And then I got a 35mm film camera. And then I got a medium format film camera. Ah, the snowball effect. Needless to say, by the time I figured out there was a Seattle edition, I decided that I would have to do it.

What I didn’t know, is that once you sign up, you are invited into the FIND community. This was pretty much the game changer for me with film, because I finally had access to a group of people who were a) crazy, b) passionate about photography, c) working at film and their voice, and d) who I could ask stupid questions of and actually get an answer. My start up with film would have taken much much longer had I not had this community to glean information from. Even now the community is a constant source of information and inspiration.

Because of the community, I felt like I already knew folks when we pulled up the first day for the pre-workshop film handout and orientation. We were driving down the street and I was like…dude, there’s Joe, a guy I see all the time in pictures online, but now he’s here in the flesh. Same with everyone who was helping out with the workshop: it was so cool to meet folks that I had only interacted with online (or heard compromising stories about etc).

The makeup of the workshop

Day 1 is all things film for the first part of the day and working with “engagement” couples the latter part. What was really amazing right up front was being able to see how other photographers pose other folks. I am sure everyone else was as nervous as I was! But, I took the workshop to learn and to see how people approached the job of moving and directing people, and where they took them, what backgrounds they chose. And, of course we watched Jon do this too. Honestly, it was really helpful. I think everyone in an artistic field is working at their craft, and if you ever arrive, you will know you are finally irrelevant. It was great to be around people who were all trying to better themselves.

Day 2 is families: ideas on how to shoot them, and then actual work with families later that day. We got to learn how Jon approaches his family shooting and why. So much great information that I have already started putting to use! Amazing.

Day 3 is business. We covered tons of ways to be successful photographers in today’s world. The latter part of the day was spent shooting “married” couples. I really felt like day three was where I really started getting into my own groove, and being willing to just do what I do, but in the context of trying on new poses and new ideas. Dug it.

Now, I didn’t cover all the fun we had outside of the actual workshop, and half of the awesome-factor is just having a blast with the other attendees.  Hanging out with folks who are fairly different from you, except that they are all crazy about film, and interested in those same things you are is always so so fun.

The bottom line is that I would really recommend this workshop to anyone who a) wants to geek out about film and cameras n stuff for three days, b) who want to learn more about posing, c) who want to learn about how to rock family portraits, d) who want to grow their photography business, and e) who want to learn the ninja ways of Karaoke singing from the master himself (it was quite a party).

Be sure to check out the Film Is Not Dead Website for more information.

***Also, stay tuned for part 2 tomorrow. I had a lot of images from the third day, so the post tomorrow is dedicated to the couple the I spent the most time with that day!***