Photography Mentoring; Worth it or not?

I know this is a totally subjective topic to discuss, as most are, but I'm trying to gather a majority census here...I have an opportunity to pay for a mentoring session with my absolute favorite local photographer, which feels like paying for a day with your favorite celebrity and learning their tricks of trade.

Anyway, its rather expensive, $1500, for mentoring and a mini session...but I think I'd learn a lot from it and it could/should be worth the price of admission, but then I think maybe I can just keep learning on my own. This might give me a "kick start" so to speak but would it be worth the price of a new 35L? etc...

The mini session just might be worth it, the tag team or the self session, would be worth the photos alone, but $1500, I'm on the fence...

pffffffffffffft! i'd attend if the photog taught how to get $1500 out of a person to teach them that stuff! hahaha

$1500 sounds steep, that's $215 an hour, but ya never know, they could change your life. Tough call.

No, not at all.

From the sound of your post you have already made up your mind it is worth it. You are just wondering if the rest of us think so.

It is pretty easy to spend that much on a seminar where you share with other photographers. This is one-on-one time which is going to be more expensive. The price you quoted is essentially a day rate for many pros. If you are tying up his day then that is what he should be compensated.

For me it would largely depend on who the photographer was.

If for example it was someone like Becker then I think it would be worth every penny. He has been a top wedding photographer for a long time now and also crucially he is a great businessman and teacher ....... in this sort of situation those last two attributes are even more important than being an awesome photographer.

Not everyone who "can do" can necessarily pass that knowledge on to others in a structured and helpful way so choosing a photographer you admire because of their photography shouldn't be the only reason you choose them, hopefully the person your considering is a good business person and teacher.

bigVinnie wrote in post #10565786
From the sound of your post you have already made up your mind it is worth it. You are just wondering if the rest of us think so.

It is pretty easy to spend that much on a seminar where you share with other photographers. This is one-on-one time which is going to be more expensive. The price you quoted is essentially a day rate for many pros. If you are tying up his day then that is what he should be compensated.

Well, I'm still kind of torn on if its actually worth it for me personally, however I do agree with you on him getting paid for his time etc...I understand all that.

Part of me feels that its steep and part of me doesn't. I guess if I'm going to take up 6hrs that would be booked for other shoots, I can see the reason for the price tag.

But then I'd almost rather just tag along and watch him work on sessions and post processing, while making that money, and just observer and maybe ask questions about why/when/where etc...along the way, and would hope that would be a little less in payment? This sounds like one on one training and teaching with my priority areas and a mini session which would be the hands on part. I like the idea, and dont doubt I could learn a lot and maybe change my life and my photography, but part of me doubts it too.

So again, I definitely understand the cost reasoning from the business side of it for him.
But for me, the cost does matter...thats a new lens, or body etc...and then I get thoughts creeping into my mind about like say him, did he get a $1500 mentor? Or did he just learn on his own, or become friendly with a favorite photographer who just mentored him for no fees, etc...and why couldn't I do that?

So for his livelyhood and business I get the cost, but does it mesh with me and my goals?
I'm trying to figure that out...

jonwhite wrote in post #10565902
For me it would largely depend on who the photographer was.

If for example it was someone like Becker then I think it would be worth every penny. He has been a top wedding photographer for a long time now and also crucially he is a great businessman and teacher ....... in this sort of situation those last two attributes are even more important than being an awesome photographer.

Not everyone who "can do" can necessarily pass that knowledge on to others in a structured and helpful way so choosing a photographer you admire because of their photography shouldn't be the only reason you choose them, hopefully the person your considering is a good business person and teacher.

Well thats what I don't know, right now it is based only on his "ART" I love his photos, which to me are art...and I have a business degree but know nothing about the business of photography, where he's been doing it a while and seems to be doing well, and has that experience. But maybe its just a matter of experience and perception, maybe I'm perceiving it all wrong? Maybe I can be where he's at with experience?

I don't know how to tell if he's a good teacher, besides maybe asking someone who's been taught by him? Not sure how to find that out without asking him...etc..?

Oh and if you all are curious to who this photographer is, his name is Carl Zoch.

http://www.carlzochpho​tography.com

I'm loving his style, his use of TS lenses, and poses blow me away personally.

You can get a several day training program for that price.

I would pass and not look back. Find a book on the topic you want to learn, read it, go shoot. If the book covers a wide range of information, read it in chapters and then go shoot. There is no way you will learn what you need to learn in just 6 hours, IMO. Also, IMO, there is no better teacher than getting out there and taking shots. Post them in the C&C and learn from your piers. Most of the people on here will give you honest feedback and not expect a dime for it. There is something to be said for those that help others without any personal gain. I can only imagine this class going over things like exposure, composition, ISO, shutter speed, aperture, etc. Most of these things you can learn on your own.

I'd first get a book on Exposure and learn how to properly expose and go practice. Then, get a book on the subject matter you want to shoot and apply what you learned from the book on exposure. For $60 worth of books you get a referecne source you can go back to over and over again. Not to mention, you can take the book with you if you want to.

you don't need to spend huge amounts of money on photography to become good at it. a lot of it is self exploration and discovery, go out and use your camera. play around with your friends, take it on trips, go places...want to know why photographers do workshops? 99% - to make money for themselves. google it, "how to start photography workshops"..

i know a lot of photographers that do nothing but teach photography and make 10s of thousands of dollars doing it, if not more.

scott kelby is a famous workshop artist. its just how they brand themselves. I'm leery of anyone who claims to be a "master" in anything, because IMO it's impossible to master this art..ongoing continuous journey, never an end to it. impossible infinite possibilities. anyone who claims to know it all and can teach it to me in a 200 page glossy book for $49.99....uh huh.

If weddings is what you are after, Jasmine Star is going to do a live cast with Creative Live next month. If you watch it live it is free. She is very talented and worth spending the time watching.

The link is http://creativelive.co​m/courses/jasmine_star​/ to sign up. Considering the cost, even if you spend $100 to buy it I think it is time/money well spent.

I would certainly do that before shelling out $1500.

If you read around on here you'll likely find the answers, 100 times over done 100 times by different, successful photographers - to those questions. and then some, probably get through it all in a day if you knew what to look for.

Why don't you just attend a workshop? Like Jon said Becker is amazing!!! I've been to his workshop and we paid $100 (one hundred!) for a day! Mind you it's not a one-on-one but there was plenty of opportunities to pick his brain if people wanted. I would not pay $1500 for a day even if it was my most favourite photog. Dane Sanders charged close to $400 for 2 days and he was out of this world great!! You learn tons at these workshops plus don't forget yo uget to meet all your peers and share ideas with each other. Just my 0.02.

Hmm, I'd look at other options unless you just have to learn from him. I didn't see anything in his portfolio that stood out as amazingly different from other good photographers, including yourself.

$1500 is a bit high, to me... but eh.. it's all in the beholder, right?

I think most of his "stuff" comes from shooting large aperture and post-processing. Both of those things can be learned on your own and with the largest learning vessel out there: the internet.