Sandy Puc Tours

Hi,

I'm always looking to brush up on my technique or come up with new ideas. Most of that comes through reading or websites (especially here!). I've been looking up wedding workshops in my area and came across the Sandy Puc Tour.
http://powerofpassion.​sandypuctours.com/inde​x.html

Has anyone attended one of these? Is it useful? It's $100 to sign up which isn't a boat load of money but I"m just curious if anyone has any experience with it.

Thanks
Brian

I attended one last week. I think it's well worth the $100 just to hear Jerry G. speak.

Great, glad to hear.
Large crowd? Is it a hands on workshop or just lecturing?

Thanks

Bpesca wrote in post #12024004
Great, glad to hear.
Large crowd? Is it a hands on workshop or just lecturing?

Thanks

Just lecturing but Jerry does some hands on demonstrations. There were about 80 people at the one I was at.

Sandy Puc, Kevin Kobota, Tim and Beverly Walden, Lori Nordstrom,, they are all great photographers who are part of the PPA teaching programs. Their classes are crowded, expect 250-400 people in attendance. They give you a lot of basic information that is easily found here at POTN. Not worth it in my opinion.

The thing that frustrates me about these big names is that they give out some basic info and seem more interested in selling their products than anything else. They give just enough and suggest just enough to get the lines to form at the dvd tables that are selling thier actions and training tutorials.

They make more money now from speaking and touring than they do from being a photographer. Yo can be very sure they are not excited about forums like POTN where the information they provide is readily available. They are there for the newer people getting into photography. I Attended one of sandy pucs seminars when she first started teaching and went back 3 years later. Totally different girl. Corporate PPA program all the way. Too bad really. She is a very nice lady.

I think you are better served getting into a smaller class with someone like a Don Gianatti at lighting essentials, with a smaller group of 10-15 people. You can really pick up some valuable information v/s the big tour route that the PPA is promoting.

Think of these tours as attenting a college lecture by a professor with 400 people in the class. You have to listen to what he is saying and buy his books and class material and study it real hard to get anything out of it. They are pretty much the same approach except the training DVD's run about 150.00 each.

^^Interesting. That was exactly what I was afraid of; more of a product show.

I'm basically trying to decide whether to go to the Sandy Puc Tour ($100) or this workshop
http://www.louisemicha​ud.com/workshop-weddings.php ($540!!!) for some more insight/ideas on how to further my work.

Part of me says the actual workshop is better, but $540 is a bit pricey! That's what makes the Sandy Puc tour enticing (plus hearing from JerryG)

Bpesca wrote in post #12024949
^^Interesting. That was exactly what I was afraid of; more of a product show.

I'm basically trying to decide whether to go to the Sandy Puc Tour ($100) or this workshop
http://www.louisemicha​ud.com/workshop-weddings.php ($540!!!) for some more insight/ideas on how to further my work.

Part of me says the actual workshop is better, but $540 is a bit pricey! That's what makes the Sandy Puc tour enticing (plus hearing from JerryG)

Depending on the class size, and i would ask him what the size would be, you are 10 times better off, better spent money with a chance to get one on one instruction from someone that knows what they are doing. These PPa seminars, you sit and watch, they are all scripted nothing specific other than general knowledge found here on POTN. No hands on the camera. You just watch and listen. In a small class setting, you have got a camera in hand most of the time. So if there is something you dont understand, raise your hand and the instructor will show you until you get it. Unless it is a total Rookie class.

Someone like Gianatti, you have to understand photography or you will get lost in his class. He tells you what you better know before you go to his class. Its not a total rookie class. For people that are a little newer, don pairs up with more experienced photogs in his class and they really benefit. Find out what this guy is going to offer and who the class is geared for. Always ask before you give him the expiration date

umphotography wrote in post #12024284
The thing that frustrates me about these big names is that they give out some basic info and seem more interested in selling their products than anything else. They give just enough and suggest just enough to get the lines to form at the dvd tables that are selling thier actions and training tutorials.

This is my view as well. I've never done one of Puc's, but I did a Ziser session last year. There were some worthwhile tidbits, but that's exactly what the were. It always seemed to be more of a commercial, though, for the things that would be sold in the back of the room during break. But again, for $100 . . .

The thing that really cracks me up about sandy is that 6 yrs ago she was boasting in her seminars telling everyone how she hates weddings, would never do them, her passion was bellies and babies. 6 yrs later she marketing wedding seminars. These big names will tell you anything you want them to say--- for 100.00 bucks. And the PPA has class after class and seminar after seminar,,for a price. Usually a webinar will cost you 39.00

Now all the studios are doing it. I have never even heard of 1/2 of these guys but they are marketed as the one to get you over the top so you can make a ton of money. There is nothing they teach that cant be found on YOUTUBE, linda's, or POTN. You want to learn about lighting, read the threads on POTN. All the PPA instructors will tell you is a basic lighting pattern and that they set it at f/8 @ 1/60. But buy my video everthing you need to know is here, plus you get or marketing plan for 2011.

Mcnally, Eddie Tapp,,they are all in on the game. BUT, Zack Arias is a guy i would probably pay 100.00 to go see. He knows his krap and he is funny. But hes a regular joe schmuck like the rest of us--- FOR NoW. I started the high school senior thread because i was sick and tired of all the BS being taught to everyone. We have a bunch of talented photogs on that thread that are putting out as much info as you would ever find through the PPA or one of these training seminars you are going to take. It has turned aout to be one of the better threads on POTN. Everyone helps out and gives great advise.

here it is,,lots of good stuff in this thread

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=914406

jcolman wrote in post #12021575
I attended one last week. I think it's well worth the $100 just to hear Jerry G. speak.

Saw the show this past thursday. It was worth it to hear Jerry speak.
Twice the person sitting behind me said out loud, "God he is good".
I was thinking the same thing.

There are many discounts of $20 out there to bring the cost down to $79.

I have attended two of the Sandy Puc lectures. The first was the “family tour” and more recently Creative Edge Kids Photography.

While the first was interesting, the second was little more than a rehash of the same concepts as the first. It kind of left me with a “ once you have seen Sandy once, you have seen all there is.

I felt that 90% of the second seminar was the same thing she said at the first. The only major difference was the live model shoot ( about 20 min out of over 5 hours) was of a baby and young child.

I will say that Sandy is a excellent speaker, seems to be a great person, and has great marketing ideas. The second seminar however was disappointing due to the rehash of the majority of the material.

Teaching drives of people how to run a wedding photography business = big business.
Running a wedding photography business != big business.

To me, it's seems like the most logical thing to do is if you want to run a business, you learn about running a business. If you want to learn photography, you learn how to actually take a decent photo. These workshops are pretty much shortcuts into the industry. I personally see lots of wedding photographers who absolutely suck at photography other than shooting weddings. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that, but that's not the way I did things.

These guys know there's a big demand for workshops, and the money is just too good to pass up, since they usually sell out their workshops.

It is what it is...I agree. I would rather take a multi-day workshop with 10-15 people in the class. You are probably going to learn far more than these tour type workshops.