[JHfwp]

If you could take a workshop with any photographer alive and teaching today who would you choose?

I'm not concerned about exotic locations, tour groups, or social gatherings, which there is no shortage of. What I want to know is, who do you feel you could learn the most from?

I'll kick it off with a street photographer that came to my attention by way of some Youtube videos. His name is John Free. He's high on my short list. Who is on yours?

[pcrichmond]

Great thread idea!
I'll mention one I've taken a couple of different 1-2 day lighting workshops from at photo symposiums.
He is very knowledgeable but even more, he's so much fun to learn from. Wish I had the time to take one of his longer excursions.
Tom Bol - Tom Bol Photography, LLC ? Colorado Adventure and Editorial Photographer

[ChipB]

I've done quite a few workshops/excursions with quite a few different leaders - one of the best has been Larry Ditto here in TX. Very patient, actually listens to folks and provides not only answers, but examples where possible!

[grog85361]

Derrick Story of "The Digital Story" podcast. He hosts a number of interesting workshops. He seems like a really nice, but knowledgeable guy.

[KiloHotelphoto]

Ron Magill, this guy is great. If you have never seen any of his presentations I highly recommend them. He is a zoologist and wildlife photographer and did two great talks at B&H 2018 Optics seminar this year, look them up on YouTube and enjoy.

[bigdavephoto]

If you could take a workshop with any photographer alive and teaching today who would you choose?

I'm not concerned about exotic locations, tour groups, or social gatherings, which there is no shortage of. What I want to know is, who do you feel you could learn the most from?

I'll kick it off with a street photographer that came to my attention by way of some Youtube videos. His name is John Free. He's high on my short list. Who is on yours?

I don't really know of any photographer that gives workshops that I would take. I have watched Thomas Heaton on YouTube and he might be one I would choose. From the videos I have seen, he has gone to some interesting places.

If you don't mind JHfwp, this thread has inspired me to start my own thread about workshops in general.

[AggieDad]

I've done quite a few workshops/excursions with quite a few different leaders - one of the best has been Larry Ditto here in TX. Very patient, actually listens to folks and provides not only answers, but examples where possible!

I have shot with Larry at the Galveston Feather Fest where he led some bird photography excursions. But these were not teaching workshops. He also gave some 1 hour classroom workshops. He was always enjoyable. Perhaps I will look into specific learning workshops with him.

[clackers]

I'd love to go on a workshop run by Joe McNally or Roberto Valenzuela.

[JHfwp]

I was hoping to get photographers from different genres and you guys haven't disappointed. Some great ones, most of which I hadn't heard of.

I just finished watching a Ron Magill video, KiloHotelphoto. It was very inspirational.

Thank you all for contributing.

Feel free to start your own thread, bigdavephoto. I look forward to checking it out too.

[TaoMaas]

Never underestimate the power of a great workshop. Many years ago, I was saving up my money to take the Color Photography workshop with Ernst Haas at the Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport. Unfortunately, Mr. Haas died the year before I had enough money to attend. So I was left with a decision as to whose workshop to take. I poured over the brochures and picked several prominent photographers for consideration. In the end, even though I wasn't familiar with him at the time, I decided to go with the guy who took over Haas' Color Photography time slot. It was a guy named Sam Abell who had been a National Geographic photographer for over 20 years at that point. I thought, "The workshop leaders have access to some of the best photographers in the world. If they picked this guy to start leading the Color Photography classes, who am I to argue with that?" It turned out to be a life-changing decision because the things that came out of that workshop led to a change in careers for me and allowed me to combine my hobby with what I did for a living. Years later at the opening of an exhibit of his work, I was talking to a photographer who had changed courses in his career. He had made a very nice living as a golf course photographer for many years, but decided to start marketing his more personal work. I had known him from his golf course photography days so I asked why he changed. He said it was the result of a photography workshop he'd taken in Santa Fe. The workshop was about taking the next step in your photographic life and he decided this new path was his next step. I said, "OMG....a workshop is what made me change my career, too! Whose class did you take?" Sure enough, we'd both taken classes with Sam Abell. So if I could only take one more workshop, I think I'd like to take another class from Sam and hopefully discover what my next step might be.

[ChipB]

Never underestimate the power of a great workshop. Many years ago, I was saving up my money to take the Color Photography workshop with Ernst Haas at the Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport. Unfortunately, Mr. Haas died the year before I had enough money to attend. So I was left with a decision as to whose workshop to take. I poured over the brochures and picked several prominent photographers for consideration. In the end, even though I wasn't familiar with him at the time, I decided to go with the guy who took over Haas' Color Photography time slot. It was a guy named Sam Abell who had been a National Geographic photographer for over 20 years at that point. I thought, "The workshop leaders have access to some of the best photographers in the world. If they picked this guy to start leading the Color Photography classes, who am I to argue with that?" It turned out to be a life-changing decision because the things that came out of that workshop led to a change in careers for me and allowed me to combine my hobby with what I did for a living. Years later at the opening of an exhibit of his work, I was talking to a photographer who had changed courses in his career. He had made a very nice living as a golf course photographer for many years, but decided to start marketing his more personal work. I had known him from his golf course photography days so I asked why he changed. He said it was the result of a photography workshop he'd taken in Santa Fe. The workshop was about taking the next step in your photographic life and he decided this new path was his next step. I said, "OMG....a workshop is what made me change my career, too! Whose class did you take?" Sure enough, we'd both taken classes with Sam Abell. So if I could only take one more workshop, I think I'd like to take another class from Sam and hopefully discover what my next step might be.

Neat story and shows how important - and life changing - picking the right workshop can be!

[pxt]

Probably best teacher from living person will be Ken Rockwell, but I am from Europe and is too expensive for me. From other hand best workshop is painting book and something like poetry to improve taste and make people more sensitive on world around. If you looking around and you are tired watching world in near place why you can get good photo?

[JHfwp]

Never underestimate the power of a great workshop. Many years ago, I was saving up my money to take the Color Photography workshop with Ernst Haas at the Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport. Unfortunately, Mr. Haas died the year before I had enough money to attend. So I was left with a decision as to whose workshop to take. I poured over the brochures and picked several prominent photographers for consideration. In the end, even though I wasn't familiar with him at the time, I decided to go with the guy who took over Haas' Color Photography time slot. It was a guy named Sam Abell who had been a National Geographic photographer for over 20 years at that point. I thought, "The workshop leaders have access to some of the best photographers in the world. If they picked this guy to start leading the Color Photography classes, who am I to argue with that?" It turned out to be a life-changing decision because the things that came out of that workshop led to a change in careers for me and allowed me to combine my hobby with what I did for a living. Years later at the opening of an exhibit of his work, I was talking to a photographer who had changed courses in his career. He had made a very nice living as a golf course photographer for many years, but decided to start marketing his more personal work. I had known him from his golf course photography days so I asked why he changed. He said it was the result of a photography workshop he'd taken in Santa Fe. The workshop was about taking the next step in your photographic life and he decided this new path was his next step. I said, "OMG....a workshop is what made me change my career, too! Whose class did you take?" Sure enough, we'd both taken classes with Sam Abell. So if I could only take one more workshop, I think I'd like to take another class from Sam and hopefully discover what my next step might be.

Mr Haas is one of my favorite photographers. That would have been an absolute dream come true for me as well. And some of Sam Abell's images are, to sum it up briefly and rather ineloquently, simply beyond words. Great to know that things worked out for you!

I'm putting Sam Abell on my short list. Thank you for sharing your story.