The Weekend, Phoenix, and More

It’s been busy around here lately. This past week was pretty awesome – a good number of new people signed up for our photography newsletter through our mention on Scoutmob!, and we’ve been working with the interns a good bit.

We’ve also received a good number of emails asking for photography/light classes – and it’s always a big compliment when someone wants to learn from you – and believe me, we’re really flattered by the idea. So yeah. One day, when we’re ready, we’ll offer actual photography classes. Until then, we’re just going to focus on working with our interns and polishing up our delivery – because teaching is a totally different skill and just because you do something well, doesn’t mean you can effectively convey that knowledge to others. We respect good teachers and we don’t want to be bad ones. So we’re practicing.

In two week’s we’re actually going to be holding a Photography Business Marketing class for all of our interns. We don’t really know what’s taught at other ‘photography marketing’ classes but what we do is outline what we’ve done over the past year since we started last August, and then some of the principles we follow. I’ve said this before so none of it’s new, but our three main principles are:

1. Be different

2. Do things that matter

3. Show everyone

To give you an idea of how we go about things – this book is actually one of our recommendations for all of our interns. Fundamentals don’t change. Creative advertising that doesn’t sell product is still failed advertising.

I’ve been working with the interns lately and going on some of their photoshoots with them. I’ll usually help out with lighting and some shot ideas – but they’re leading the shoot. They have to find subjects, the location and basically make it happen. I just show up, help out, answer questions, make up ideas, and we’ll work on different shot setups.

Sometimes people just need a little push to do more. Sometimes we need a big shove. In order to attend our marketing class, interns are required to schedule a photoshoot on their own so that I can come along and work with them. Sure they work with me on my shoots, but it’s something different when it’s your own clients. There is also a quota of deliverables and effort. Just because our internship is free, doesn’t mean that everyone finishes. Sometimes life gets in the way of plans, sometimes it’s just not a good fit – but no matter what, the set deliverables are required (kind of like when you have clients!) and basically everyone has to work hard or they won’t be an intern anymore – and I do mean that in the nicest way possible 🙂

This weekend is the halfway point for our 3 month internship. That means six weeks have gone by, photos have been made and blog posts have been written. Check them out here.

I’ll be in Phoenix for a bit of time in November and I’m booking portrait sessions, but I’m also looking for a few assistants to work with me out there. If you know anyone interested in a portrait session, or helping out – let me know. That would be awesome. Just email us at email@LeahAndMark.com or hey, you can drop a line at my facebook page.

Oh yeah, and I suppose I could also mention that we do portrait sessions here in Atlanta too. All the time. Just ask for one 🙂

This weekend, me and the Intern Army are going to be at Anime Weekend Atlanta (anime convention!). We’ve acquired some staff badges so we have better access and hopefully we’ll make photos that are completely different from your average ‘con’ photo.

These are the test shots we did at Dragon*Con – oh and these too.

Now we’re going to really start shooting. Along with our staff badges we’ll have these super bright orange LeahAndMark Intern Badges. Because you know – we don’t want to be confused with any Counterfeit Interns.

Oh – we’re also going to be competing with each other. We’ll be in teams of two and we’ll be covering the convention however we see fit. The main requirement is that we do not make standard convention photos. Basically – we’re going to be working in a way you couldn’t work if you were shooting alone. Off-camera flash and human light stands.

And then we’ll all get together and photograph the Lolita Fashion show.

I photographed it last year and made these photos. It was really exciting because all of the other photographers never showed up – so I had free reign (and lots of time) to do whatever I wanted. Sure I was naive and I didn’t really know what the heck I was doing (remember, at that point I had only been shooting for about a month). Still – this year I’m going to try some brand new things because why would we try the same old stuff?

Check back on Monday. All of the interns are required to have some new posts up – or they’re cut. Yeah, we’re going all out now.

Atlanta. Photographer. Interns. Internship. Phoenix. Portraits.