Official Mentors Bio list

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Mentoring:
This is a member run system allowing members to act as mentors to other members (students). It is set up to allow for a greater interaction between members of this site with an aim to improving the quality of peoples (students) shooting and photographic work. This system is open to any for being students and is in no way limited to those who intend to become professional paid photographers - amateurs and hobbyists are fully welcome and encouraged to take part in this program.

Rules:
1) This system is totally voluntary and as such I ask both students and mentors to remember that fact. Mentors are taking their free time to help students and as such there may be times that your mentor cannot be around to advise - in these cases I urge both mentors and students to keep good contact between each other.

2) It is up to mentors and students to sort out how and what each will be offering and contributing to each other. We cannot set in stone what will and won't be offered due to the nature of this set-up; so good communication is key

3) If a student wishes to be mentored please read the mentor info below and send the prospective mentor a pm. Thus pm should contain all the info you can, background to yourself and your works, your kit, skills and examples of your work. After that it is up to the mentor to decide if you will be their student.

4) Once a mentor has as many students as they feel that they are comfortable supporting please drop me a pm and I will remove your details from the list below. This should stop you being pmed by more prospective students.

5) All mentors should send me a pm once they accept a new student with the name of that student. This is to keep track of students and mentors


Requests:

1) As this is a forum and a community first and foremost I would like it if mentors and students could keep as much contact forum side as possible; rather than going into pms. If you have photos you want commenting on post them up - questions ask them out. This way we can keep the flow of advice and information in the forum going = helping out others as well.

2) Its a given, but students and mentors should keep good contact between each other. Informing each other of upcoming limitations and possible problems - such as holidays or work overload.

3) Please both students and mentors show respect to each other in your dealings. Getting harsh crits of your work and be disheartening, but please remember this program is set in place to help you develop into a better photographer

Problems

If any student or mentor has a problem with their mentor/student I ask that they do the following

a) Send me a pm detailing the problem in full. After that I will review and see what can be done to try and solve the problem

b) If after review I consider it serious enough I will contact the mods to help resolve the issue

Further, if anyone has a problem with another person being a prospective mentor to other photographers then I ask them to do the following

a) Not to contact the prospective mentor in question

b) To send me a pm outlining the reasons why the person should not be allowed to be a mentor (with examples)
Any pms sent to me with comments like "I don't like this person" "I don't like their work" or any other such comments I will simply ignore. I won't let this turn into an elitist or bashing match

After that its a review of the person in question.
I would also urge people looking to this to take into account what the mentor states that they are offering to a student. A long complaint about a persons inability to take a shot is not cutting any ice when they are only offering post processing advice.


Prospective mentors
If you wish to be a mentor please send me a pm with the following information:
A basic history of the hows and whys you are a photographer - a little background to yourself
Your kit list - specifically traditional or digital kit that you are familiar with using
Links to samples of your work - websites, photobuckets etc...
What you are able to offer to a student - what you can teach.
What you are not able to offer - eg you might not know anything about using traditional cameras
Any requirements you have of a student
The number of students you are able to support (you can change this to suit your needs and situation at any time)

I would also ask people wishing to be mentors to read and take note the following site
http://www.apesma.asn.au/mentorsonline/participate/mentor_tutorial.asp

There is also a good screen sharing program which allows both mentor and student to view the same photo whilst editing in photoshop = something useful for showing others how to edit
Mentoring: Adobe ConnectNow

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

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Alpha
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/member.php?u=4154
Bio/History
Style
I consider photography to be a sort of metaphysical taxidermy. I shoot anything and everything but have a preference for people. I learned most of what I know about portraits from a North Carolina photographer named Caroline Vaughan, of which I am one of her multi-year subjects. She studied under Imogen Cunningham and Minor White. I move carelessly between portraits, abstracts, landscape, beauty and fashion. I have a general distaste for campy bull****: senior portraits at odd angles, boring family portraits in the local park, faux editorial fashion shots of the latest internet model wearing a jean skirt in your nearest alley. I am a law maker and a law breaker. I loathe the cliche: old barns, cars, and picket fences, back-yard flowers, sunsets and sunrises, arbitrary homeless people. I care about the making and the made. Like Cummings, I am fond of that precision which creates movement. I care about people when they are at most themselves. I care about narratives and slices of time; about binding them to acid-free matte and museum glass. I care about beautiful people in Valentino dresses and Canali suits. Naked people are beautiful. Gibran wrote that modesty is a shield against the eyes of the unclean.

Biography/Status
22 years old. Self-taught. Member of PPA's worthless Student Photographic Society. I am now also a published retoucher!

Equipment/Workflow
I shoot any and all film in 35mm, 645, 6x9, and 4x5. I've shot a little digital MF. I do not own a dSLR. I shoot in the studio with Broncolor strobes and on location with Sunpak gun flashes. I've taught digital editing at my university. I can post-process with the best.


What I Can Help With
Shooting technique and theory. Darkroom developing and printing. Digital post-processing and printing. Real-Time online Photoshop processing walk-throughs. Lighting. Sweeping women off their feet. Cooking. Wine.

What I Can't Help With
Technical details of your dSLR. Multiple personalities. Terminal illnesses.

Student I'm Looking For
Anyone who cares about their art and their craft. Someone who aims for perfection. Someone who cares more about the print than the image on the screen. I have no preference for digital versus film shooters. I am also not interseted in those that routinely shoot "wildlife" photos in zoos.

Examples of my work
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/470/alphacontactsheetvc3.jpg

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

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kellylindseyphotography
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/member.php?u=29079

Style
Candids, people, children. Natural light techniques.

Here are a few of my posts that contain some of my work, and also some of my critiquing skills.

My work:
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=124574
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showt...11#post1247711
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123336
And also, my website is in my siggy.

Some work I've critiqued and/or helped with post processing:
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showt...85#post1250285
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showt...69#post1246869

Biography/Status
25 years old, single mom, ambitious aspiring side job photographer. I work through local connections, usually once a week as a photographer. My "real" job is being a full time college student, full time single mom, and I work 24 hrs a week for 2 different companies in a group home for MR individiduals.

Equipment/Workflow
I used to shoot b&w film, but now I just shoot digital. I have a Canon Rebel XT. I know next to nothing about len's and brands and equipment.

What I Can Help With
composition, post processing, colour management, techniques in CS3 or other photoshop programs.

What I Can't Help With
technical lighting questions for indoor/studio work. the kind of camera you should buy. flash.

Student I'm Looking For
someone that does a lot of candids/people photography.. anyone that uses natural light... 6', brown eyes, brown hair.. ahem. I mean, someone with a desire to learn.

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

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tirediron
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/members/5212.html

I’ll throw my name in the ring, with the codicil that while I’m deployed (I return home in November) I have limited bandwidth and many image-hosting ) sites (Flickr, some Photobucket servers, and others are blocked, however, I am willing to work via e-mail. All of that aside, bio:

I’ve been an amateur photographer since the early 80s, starting off with 35mm SLR, (though I have done a small amount of medium and large format work) and moving about six years ago to digital, as well as a lot of time in a black and white darkroom. I have taken some formal training (many years ago) but am primarily self-taught. I live and mainly photograph on the west coast of British Columbia, but have traveled much of the world in twenty plus years in the Canadian navy.

My areas of experience (I hesitate to use the word ‘expertise’) are in nature/ landscape, and travel photography. My kit is Nikon based, and centered around the D300. A general sampling of my work can be seen in the galleries on my website: http://www.johnsphotography.ca.

My focus as a photographer, and what I can offer students is in the area of capturing the image as they want to see it in it’s final form, with the absolute minimum of post-processing. I concentrate on exposure, and white-balance techniques, composition, and use of filters and other tools to record the image I want. I also do a great deal of work with panoramic images.
Thanks,

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

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epatsellis
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/members/29660.html

I have considered myself a photographer since I was 11, when my uncle hesitantly loaned me his Rolleiflex.
34 years later and I'm still shooting. I previously owned a design firm/commercial photography studio in the mid 80's, shooting every type of product and catalog work known to man, in house lab, I had several assistants, and a 15,000 sq. ft. studio "play area" After a few years, I go out of the photography end of it, as I lost several key employees to other studios, work was slowing down and made the choice to bow out gracefully, rather than go down in a ball of flames. I sold off what would bring good money, packed the rest away and went about the business of being a graphic artist. 10 years later, the bug started to bite and the Nikons started coming out more and more, were joined by MF and LF cameras, and as my wife puts it, my "obsession" began. I presently work a full time job and help a friend run his portrait studio, as well as do all his commercial shooting. So 20 years later, and I've come nearly full circle. I have an old school approach to my shooting, getting it right in-camera is of primary importance to me, as I detest spending hours in photoshop to fix what would be a 5 min job pre shooting. About 90% of my work is film based, in all formats from 35m to 20x24, I process everything but 35m C41 myself and can scan to 16x20 (in 2 passes).

I would prefer to mentor 2-3 people that have a strong interest in

Lighting and composition
Film processing / Scanning
Alternative processes


My strengths are:

Product/Creative Lighting
Still Life
Landscape
Camera Building/Repair

I'm not really a portrait kind of person, in fact they're probably the least liked thing for me, but I can offer help with the lighting aspects.

My Gear List:

35mm/Digital:
Bodies: Nikon F, FM/MD12, (2) F3/MD4, F4, Fuji S2, various classic cameras.
Lenses: Tokina 17mm 3.5, Nikkor 24mm 2.8, Vivitar 28mm 2.0, Nikkor-O 35mm f2.0, Nikkor 50mm 1.4 AIS, Nikkor S-C 50mm f1.4, Nikkor-E 50mm 1.8, Nikkor S-C 55 1.2, Nikkor 85mm f2.0, Nikkor 135mm f2.0, Nikkor 180 2.8, Nikkor 200mm F4, Nikkor-H 300 f4.5, Nikkor AF-EDIF 300mm f4.0, Tamron 500 f8 Reflex, Samyang 18-28 Zoom, Nikon AF 28-80, Nikon AF 70-210, Sigma Apo 50-200. Various Extension tubes, etc.

Medium Format: (2) Mamiya RB67, 50mm, 65mm, 90mm, 127mm, 150 Soft Focus, 180mm, 250mm, 360mm, Kenko MC-6 2x converter, extension tubes, prisms, shades, etc.
Hasselblad 500EL, 150 C Planar, extension tubes, etc.

Large Format: Toyo 45F, Sinar 4x5 F, Sinar 4x5/8x10 P outfit, Calumet C1 8x10, Self built 8x10 Field Camera, Self Built 16x20/20x24 Camera, Phase One Scanback
Lenses: (2) Schneider 90mm f8 Super Angulon, 135mm 5.6 Fujinon-W, Schneider 135mm 5.6 Componon, Hexanon GRII 150mm, Schneider 180mm 5.6 Symmar-S MC, Schneider 210mm 5.6 Symmar-S MC, Schneider 210 6.8 Angulon, Hexanon GRII 260mm, Caltar-S II 300mm 5.6, Schneider 360 6.3 Symmar-S MC, Schneider 360mm 5.6 Componon, Goerz 16 1/2" ApoArtar, Goerz 19" ApoArtar, 21 1/2" Ektar, Sinar Auto Shutter, Packard Shutters, shades, etc.

Tripods: Original Marchioni Tiltall, Quickset Master, (2) D&S Prolift w/Majestic Tiltheads, Bogen 3051/3047, Gitzo Studex w/Rationelle 3 head, Gitzo TeleStudex with 1570M head, Bogen Studio Stand, Graf Superball Head, Gitzo Off Center 4 series Ballhead

Lighting: 1600 w/s Novatron Pack, 1000 w/s Novatron Pack, Numerous Novatron Heads, Numerous Photogenic 1250 Monolights, Numerous Softboxes, Numerous Tungsten lighting, Scrims, Stands, Booms, Gels, etc.

Misc.:Gossen Lunapro Meter, Gossen AscorII Flashmeter, Gossen Sixticolor Color Temperature Meter, Gossen Multipro Meter, Minolta Autometer IVF, Sekonic 508 Meter, Various filters, Shades, etc.

Some examples of my work, both personal and otherwise are:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/83969690@N00/
http://s144.photobucket.com/albums/r181/epatsellis/
and of course my website: http://www.eriepatsellis.com

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

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astrostu
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/members/33628.html

Background:

I've been interested in astronomy longer than I've been interested in photography. I started to get into photography with my dad's old film Nikon SLR but I never really took it too far. My first astrophotos were through a 4.5" Meade Newtonian reflector with the film camera hooked up to the telescope (so basically a nice big lens). I used it to photograph the moon and to photograph a lunar eclipse back in the mid-1990s. Even then, I was anal enough to keep notes on exposure settings. I got back into photography in Summer 2002 when I bought a Canon P&S S30. I still have that li'l camera and I've taken probably 10s of thousands of photos with it. At that point, I was going into my sophomore year of college and had already declared my major in astronomy. I continued to photograph as a hobby and I really pushed the limits of the S30 with attempts to do astrophotography. I also started to learn how to make "pretty pictures" with astronomical CCD images taken through world-class telescopes. This got a big boon when I was at Kitt Peak, observing during a summer internship, at the same time a woman who works on Hubble Space Telescope (HST) images was currently observing. She spent a few hours with me one night and taught me all her Photoshop tricks for how she transforms HST data into the pretty pictures that are released to the media.

Since then, I've used her techniques, developed a few of my own, and written two guides to astrophotography (one general and one for the moon and lunar eclipses). I upgraded to my Canon 350D in August 2005 and have used it to take A LOT of astrophotos, and I upgraded again in late 2009 to a Canon 7D. I've also used professional-level detectors on professional telescopes and know how to process that data (as well as other types of data, including radio, and spectral); I've also written software programs to properly process the data from astronomical CCDs and from a regular camera. I have also gotten my B.S. in astronomy (Spring 2005), M.S. in astrophysics/geophysics (Spring 2008), and am a doctoral candidate working on my Ph.D. in geophysics through an astrophysics program. Somehow I still manage to take photographs.


Gear List, Personal:

Canon S30
Canon Digital Rebel XT (350D)
Canon 7D
Canon 35 mm f/1.4L
Canon 24-70 mm f/2.8L
Canon 70-200 mm f/2.8L
Canon 430EX Speedlight
Canon 580EX II Speedlight
Gitzo 2541 6x Carbon Fiber Tripod
Gitzo GH1780QR Ball Head
Manfroto 8080RC4 3-Way Pan/Tilt Head
AstroTrac TT320X Clock-Drive

Dinky Li'l Tripod
Canon 18-55 mm f/3.5-4.5
Quantaray 70-300 mm f/4.5-5.4 with "macro"
Quantaray 600-1000 mm f/9.6-16
Various filters, including a solar filter

Gear List, Have Access To:

4060 mm f/12 Cassegrain telescope
6860 mm f/16 Cassegrain telescope
2000 mm f/10 Cassegrain telescope with SBIG tri-color CCD camera attached
Polar-aligned tracking mount and ability to piggy-back on the telescopes


Photo Website: Stuart's Photography & Astrophotography


What I Can Offer:

I can mainly offer specialized help with astrophotography. How to photograph the moon, star trails, meteor showers, wide-field constellations, deep-sky objects (requires specialized equipment), etc. I can also teach you how to process your images, though my techniques MAY require you to purchase extra software ... though if you have Photoshop CS3 you can do pretty much everything I suggest. Photoshop CS2 can do almost everything.

My help will be geared almost entirely towards astrophotography, but many of the techniques can be used in general photography, too. I can also help teach you the basic physics of what's going on and why things are done a certain way. Like why there's noise in your images. Or why taking a 10-minute photograph is NOT the same as taking 2 5-minute photographs and adding them together. Or why the best location for taking astrophotos is on top of a mountain (no, it's not because you're closer to the object).

One of my goals will be to get you to think about photographs as just that - 3-D graphs of photons, or light. Think about them in a digital sense - each pixel contains an intensity of recorded light of a certain color. Once you start to think of it like that, processing techniques for astrophotography start to make a lot more sense.

If you're really interested, I can get into the process of combining tri-filtered images, color-combining and colorizing them, and adjusting them with Levels and Curves. I can also get into the "real" way to process astronomical images, including how to correct for camera noise and uneven illumination through the lens (like vignetting).

If, on the other hand, you're looking for something relatively simple, like how to get a photograph of the moon without it looking like a giant ball of white, then I can also help you, though that may consist of initially sending you an excerpt of a guide that I have written on the subject (since the question gets asked A LOT).


What I Probably Can't Offer:

If you're using film, you're out of luck in terms of any kind of processing that I can teach you.

If you have a non-DSLR camera, I can help you with some astrophotography, but you need to realize ahead of time that there honestly is not much you can do without a DSLR. Lunar photography, star trails, and meteor showers are about it.

How to operate your camera.


Requirements:

An open mind. To be perfectly honest, I have trouble working with people who have a mental block against certain things like math. You don't need to know calculus, but if algebra scares you and you're not willing to get past that, then I am not the right person for you to work with. Astrophotography requires knowing some basic math. That said, I have successfully taught people as young as high schoolers how to do this, so again, you don't need a doctorate in theoretical nor applied mathematics, just be willing to learn.


Number of Students:

One at a time for the moment.


Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

[Overread]

JC1220
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/members/5962.html

Intro:
I have been working in photography since the 80’s and by 1994 exclusively use large format view cameras, specifically 8x10 and 12x20. I work in the classical craft of straight photography, in a traditional wet darkroom, making my own print and negative developers from raw chemicals. I have been teaching students of all formats, for the past 5 years, privately, and through a series of fine art photography classes with Portland Adult Education.

Website: http://www.jameschristianconrad.com/.../slideshow.php

Students: I would be most interested in helping those with aspirations as an artist, working with B&W traditional silver based methods. Format does not matter to me, whether you are enlarging 35mm or contact printing. I can assist you with most anything from printing, chemistry, technical mattes, mounting prints, or seeing photographically. My personal darkroom will be up and running in our new home shortly, and I have access to some very nice darkroom space in the meantime, obviously this is only helpful if you live in Maine. As a student, you should have a basic understanding of exposure control, printing, and the zone system.

I would be willing to take up to 3 students.

*Please know I will not provide Online critiques of your work. This is something that needs to be done with the work in hand and ample time to comment in a way that is useful.

Items of a technical nature can be discussed online.

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

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IgsEMT
The Photo Forum - Photography Discussion Forum - View Profile: IgsEMT

Bio
I got into wedding photography in late 1990s assisting a wedding photographer. From him I learned classical/traditional lighting, posing, composition technique. Years later, I got an opportunity to work with number of other photographers and further hone my skill; nonetheless, my mentor was in my life guiding and directing me in both photography and life till his last breath.
Although I began as a traditional photographer, I later incorporated more contemporary approach into my style to become well rounded.

B/c 99% of the time I freelance for studios, majority of the work belongs to studios I work for but on occasion I book my own shooting. Here's a link to my new site www.pictureperfectny.com It is very basic, simple and straight to the point.

Equipment/Workflow
Back in the good old days, shot medium format mostly and a bit of 35mm. But as digital age crawled upon us went complete digital.

What I can help.
I'm a big proponent of lighting. It was the second thing I learned in photography (first being rolling the film) and regardless whether I'm shooting formal, wedding, kids, lighting is my key to a great image. Composition, exposure, processing (film/digital) are also extremely important and I'm not forgetting these

What can't I help with
If asked about how to shoot cars or products, they aren't really my things. I'm not a big expert on landscapes but fairly familiar with them.

Student I'm looking for
Based on my experience I'm looking for a two-way interaction. I'm looking for a person who is willing to learn photography and at same time can challenge me to help me further improve as well . Today, it is very easy to buy a high-end digital camera, with a 2.8 zoom lens or 1.4 prime, read up forums, books and call self professional photographer. However, there's more to photo-training then just reading information, that is why there are people who are willing to mentor...


Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here: Mentoring system suggestion

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The_Traveler
The Photo Forum - Photography Discussion Forum - View Profile: The_Traveler

Bio/History
Style
I am a deeply involved photographer and have been, on and off, for a great many years. I started shooting with a TLR, then went to Nikkormat FT, Nikon F series, Rolleiflex and other medium formats. I couldn’t tolerate the long hours in the darkroom and gave it up for many years until my interest was rekindled with the advent of digital equipment. My interest is in street shooting, the most difficult of the photo niches because it requires both speed of hand and eye and an ability to see the situation developing. I do also like informal portraiture and absolutely loathe studio or other canned people shots. I think every successful picture must have an intellectual, artistic or emotional impact and should lead the viewer to think beyond the frame. I don’t think that technical perfection is the ideal goal.

Biography/Status
Self-taught. Member of several B&M photography groups and I am a Moderator at one of the prenier Nikon sites on the web.

Equipment/Workflow
I shoot digital Nikons, currently the D700 with a D200 and a D70 in reserve. I use a variety of Nikon and other lenses and rarely use artificial light. I can post-process well enough to get my point across.

What I Can Help With
Creating a spontaneous shot. Understanding composition.Shooting technique. Digital post-processing to reflect your vision.

What I Can't Help With
Film processing and printing. Studio lighting. Baby pictures.

Student I'm Looking For
Someone who cares about pictures that ‘say’ something. I am also not interested in those people who shoot record shots of their family or who ‘mess’ around with pictures. I encourage anyone considering me as a mentor to read my C&Cs and see if my appreciation matches their own.


Examples of my work
www.lewlortonphoto.com

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here: Mentoring system suggestion

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Christopher walrath
The Photo Forum - Photography Discussion Forum - View Profile: christopher walrath

BIO

Christopher Walrath is my name and film photography is my game. I have been a photographer for over 20 years. Not long by historical standards but long enough to have learned a few tricks and be more than willing to pass them along to the next generation of photographers. I began my photographic road with old film box cameras purchased by my grandmother at a yard sale and used on such awesome subjects as my cat on the street and my grandmother and brother standing arm in arm in our front yard on the side of the Ohio Valley. When we moved to Delaware in the mid eighties, I moved up to my mother's X700 for senior yearbook. About twenty years ago I got my first film camera, a Minolta XG-M. And I have never turned back. I shoot film. First due to, well, that's what I was given and there weren't too many -whatevers in the mid eighties to choose from. Later it was because I could not afford a digital jump. Too much money. Now, it is because I have used film for so many years that I cannot imagine using anything else for regular work. I do have some digital in my workflow but the vast majority of my work is analog and black and white in nature. I have worked in wedding photography (2001-2003). I am primarily self taught. Some basic instruction form my mother when I was young, a few of the NYIP courses until I got bored with it and a lot of reading (mostly books by Ansel Adams, which I will refer to often).

MY GEAR

I have used Minolta X and sr MD mount cameras for over 20 years and have in the past few years picked up a few new nasty habits; 4x5 film photography, film processing (B&W) and negative enlarging of 135 and 120 film, contact printing for 4x5 negs. I still have the Minoltas but I seldom use them unless I just one day, grab the bag from the closet floor and run out the door so my B&J press camera won't see me. I use contrast controlling filters regularly, even with my 4x5. I have no way to attach them presently, I have always handheld them with the LF.

WEBSITE

My website is Photography
This is the home of Christopher A. Walrath Photography. There is not much imagery there to view at this time. I have been busy over the last two years with Creative Image Maker Magazine and have only recently been working on new prints to scan and add. The website is my own, no templates, just a lot of time and love using an outdated version of MS Frontpage.


I AM STRONG IN THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF FILM PHOTOGRAPHY

Use of Equipment and Suggestions of Needed Gear (I am a minimalist so you won't get any laundry lists from me)
Use of a handheld light meter to calculate exposure
Composition/ Seeing as your camera sees to improve your subject matter
Exposure using the Zone System
Processing Black and White Film
Enlarging Negatives onto Black and White Photographic Paper and Paper processing
Landscape Photography
Pinhole Photography
Natural Light Photography
Flash Photography and Guide Number usage

I cannot assist in any facet of digital photography. More than likely you would be able to teach ME a thing or twenty. I do not mix my own chemistry but I have a lot of recipes and literature. I do not use any alternative processes as yet. This is always subject to change, though it would be a very long time before I could mentor in this arena.

PERSPECTIVE STUDENTS

Of perspective students I have only three requests.
First. Have an open mind. There is an untapped world that you are about to enter and if you are willing and able to see differently then I can show some of it to you.
Second. Question everything I teach you. By doing this with true concerns and real questions you can learn even more. Don't just take what I tell you verbatim, blindly without question.
Third. PM me first. Let me know what you are looking for. Be in dpeth. I will let you know if I think I can help. Are you looking for a teacher? Someone to bounce ideas from? Do you need to know how to remove the lens from the camera body? Do you need fine tuning on your use of the Zone System.


I can take on up to two photographers at a time. As to particulars of how information can be exchanged or what form instruction or suggestions might come, we'll play it by ear. It does not matter if you are a beginner or a long time user like me. I welcome the exchange of ideas in any form. And I hope to learn a thing or two from you as well. That is how we grow.

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

[Overread]

bennielou
bennielou
Started out as just a hobbiest photographer. Due to diligent mentoring from several sources, became a photojournalist for Zuma and SIPA for about a year. I realized however that I could make more money shooting weddings, and went that route. Our wedding coverage is considered to be heavy on the Photojournalism side, but we also shoot traditional portraiture. These may in some instances also be heavily photoshopped.

I am familiar with the Canon 20, 30, 40Ds as well as the 5Ds and the 5DIIs. I use Elinchrome Rangers, 580 exs for lighting. I use both pocket wizards and radio poppers but can slave if need arises. I use a variety of Canon lenses, and believe I have most between the 14mm fish all the way through the the 70-200 mm 1.4 IS.

My works: Visions In White Photography in Dallas, Fort Worth, DFW Metroplex Dallas Wedding Photographer

What I am able to offer to a student - My strong points are weddings. I am also pretty decent in photoshop (powercropping, body morphing, removing unwanted items from a photo, general retouching, compositing, etc), and composition skills.

What I am not able to offer - I don't know the first thing about film cameras.

Requirements for students - I would need to see some shots you have taken so that I know what point you are at in your journey. I may ask you to do some minor homework from time to time.

Number of students I can support : 1 at this time

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

[Overread]

MLeeK
View Profile: MLeeK - Photography Forum & Digital Photography Forum

How and why: I am an artist in so many ways. I had the opportunity to go to an art school years ago but many of my fellow artist friends who had been there done that said don't-it's not a good career choice. So... off to Psych and Criminal Justice I went. And graduated. And hated it. Why? because I am an artist!
I've had a camera in my hand since I was LITTLE. I can remember having a TLR somewhere under the age of 10. I sure wish I had that camera now. I have shot both film and digital and I am solely digital now. I think I SHOULD own a film camera, however it's not a priority to me these days.
I've shot weddings, portraits and sports professionally. I have cut back considerably in the recent years on weddings and events and mainly shoot high end portraits and sports. I'll gladly shoot anything!

My kits: Canon 1D mark III, Canon 5D mark II, Canon 7D, Canon 50D and a few odd Rebels for teaching students with. Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 OS; Tamron 28-75 f/2.8, Tamron 17-50 f/2.8, Tamron 70-200 f/2.8, Canon 28mm f/1.8, (2) Canon 50mm f/1.8. I have other things in the closet I just plain don't use. A bunch of flashy things to go with the cameras both on and off camera. Strobes that I USE regularly: 2 WL 10000, WL 5000, Flashpoint 620, flashpoint 320 strobes. Modifiers, backdrops, stands...

Work http://www.thephotoforum.com/photos/...6745&protype=1

What am I offering: Photoshop workflow using CS3, CS4 or CS5; Adobe Camera Raw; Marketing and business start up; Photography in general


What do I require from a student:
You get out of it what you put into it. I can't do it for you and there really are no short cuts. If you want to learn I will help you to learn anything I possibly can!
You need to have a GOOD understanding of what CC is. I TRY to be thorough and to explain everything, but it is criticism. I am not here to tell you that you are perfect, wonderful and great. I'm here to help you grow and learn. Look for my CC posts and understand how I work. Be sure you can work with my style.
If that's good? I have a TON of resources and help to give!

Depending on the needs of a student I can take anywhere from 1 to 3.

Please refrain from posting in this thread
If you have any questions please either contact me or post them here:
Mentoring system suggestion

[Overread]

Village Idiot
View Profile: Village Idiot - Photography Forum & Digital Photography Forum

How & Why - Started with my interest in photography 1999 during my junior year of high school. I shot a ton of film with a 35mm Minolta but never did any developing of my own due to lack of space and access to dark room resources. I fell out of photography after high school when I started college for an IT profession and when everything went digital and DSLR prices were through the roof I realized I couldn’t afford a new Digital DSLR. Around 2004, I inherited a Canon Rebel 300D and got back into photography as a hobby. I soon upgraded to a 30D and started getting really serious about photography only to learn I didn’t know anything but the basics. After a session shooting a friend that offered more than embarrassing results I started digging around and looking for lighting information. After a suggestion from a local photographer, I checked out the Strobist website (I’ve seen David Hobby in business and that’s not via seminar or DVD. Suck it bitches!) the rest is history. I started to learn about light and then kept moving through other important subjects and learning more and more. I now have a business and I’m focusing on breaking into the commercial and editorial market around the DC/Baltimore/Northern Virginia area with a focus on non-traditional style portraiture and music photography.

Over the course of my short photography career I’ve collected a good bit of junk. It’s listed below.

Kit –
Canon 5D MKII
Canon 17-40 f/4L
Canon 24-70 f/2.8L
Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS
Canon 85 f/1.8
Canon 15 f/2.8 Fish Eye
Olympus PEN E-P3 w/ kit lens
Canon 580EX II
Canon 430EX II x 2
Speedotron Blackline 1205 pack
Speedotron Blackline 405 pack
Speedotron Blackline 202VF head x 5
Pocket Wizards x 5
Adobe CS4
Other odds and ends

Work – http://www.digitalroomstudios.com

To offer – Information on everything ranging from basic settings and controls to advanced techniques like panning , lighting, tying your shoes, and fine tuning your shots to get the pictures you envision. I also know a good bit about the Strobist style of lighting and on location lighting in general since that is 99% of my work. I also have connections with various photographers and groups around the capitol area and can introduce new photographers to other experienced photographers that may be willing to teach styles of photography I don't specialize in or am not familiar with. I can offer good criticism of a person’s work. It can usually seem harsh to people who are often sensitive, but as a photographer, I’ve learned to step away from seeing my work as my own and am able to judge fairly enough on whether it’s good or not. I’m usually harsh on my own work and usually don’t even bother posting to the forums unless I have something I think is decent. Don’t expect prattling and the “good job” syndrome from me.

Not Offered – Film experience. Extensive professional experience. I’m very opinionated, sometimes arrogant, and have a weird sense of humor. If you’re looking for someone to praise you as the next coming of Ansel Adams and to dote over your work, that’s not me.

Requirements – Must have a DSLR. Must be interested in taking their photography skills further. Must have to money to support their habits. Please don’t apply if you’re planning on shooting with an entry level body and kit lens for the rest of your life. Must be willing to learn

Number of students – a couple? Not too many. I’ll let you know when that’s too many. If possible, people in the DC/Baltimore/ Metro area would be cool. That way it would be possible for us to meet on an occasion and they could attend meet ups of the local photography groups.

[Overread]

InnatelyKait
View Profile: InnatelyKait - Photography Forum & Digital Photography Forum

A little background
I am trained in black and white film developing and digital photography. I have been pursing photography as a hobby for about 15 years and I considered myself a pro when I started my business in 2006. I am no longer a photographer by trade (I'm in veterinary medicine now) but I still have a passion and and lot to give back to this great group of photographers out there.

My normal genre is nature, wildlife, domesticated animals, landscapes, and waterscapes. I shoot what inspires me. I shoot to remember the little things in life.

Kit list
I shoot film with a Nikon N2020 and Tri-X 400 speed film. My digital includes Canon Rebel XT and T1i. I use Tamron lenses primarily. I do macro, wide angle, and some telephoto.

Examples of my work
Flickr: Innately Kait's Photostream
There is not a ton here at the moment but I feel it gives an accurate variety of the work that I shoot.

What I am able to offer to a student
I am very good with composition, photoshop, lightroom, natural lighting, and equiptment.

What I am not able to offer
I am not great with portraiture or artificial lighting.

Requirements for student(s)
I am a full time student in a veterinary medicine program. I also have a part time job. I might be a day or two behind on the response. Bear with me!

The number of students I am able to support
Preferably One. Two at the most.

[Overread]

480sparky
http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/members/89707.html

Why: The desire to learn how to create good images should not be hindered by lack of instruction. All too often, a newbie gets frustrated, being overwhelmed by all the ins and outs of today’s digital imaging world. Towards this end, I am offering my limited knowledge to someone who wants to get more out of photography, move past the ‘snapshot’ stage and take control of their imaging.


My background: I first picked up a camera in the 60’s….. long before digital imaging was available to the commoner. I was self-taught, as the internet was still years in the future. Right out of high school, I opened my own studio. I photographed weddings, seniors, families, babies, the whole nine yards. Even had my own color darkroom. After eight years, I got burned out and quit the craft. I sold all my medium format, darkroom and studio gear, keeping the 35mm stuff for personal use. But even that gear fell into disuse, boxed up and stored away. I reinvented myself as an electrician. For about 6 years, I never even touched a camera. I ended up selling my 35mm gear on ebay.

Then, in 2004, I purchased a low-end Sony point & shoot, solely to document job sites, working conditions and progress. I found a new life in taking the photos I wanted, the way I wanted them to look. I eventually upgraded to a better P&S, but I quickly outgrew it, finding it did not give me the ability to create what I wanted. Next up was a Nikon D60 (which I still have), then a D7000 in the spring of 2011.

Without the burden of having to produce creativity on demand and per schedule, I began to immerse myself in the joy of the craft. The old knowledge resurfaced, the basics were still in the Gray Matter Hard Drive between my ears, and I used those old habits towards learning what I could about the digital world. I stumbled onto a niche market, selling my work on a website, which for the past 3 years has funded my Nikon Acquisition Syndrome.


What I’m in to: Landscapes and macros. If it doesn’t move, that’s the way I like it. I much prefer to take my time, methodically making sure each step required to generate the ultimate image is done correctly. From ‘seeing the scene’, to creating the final Jpeg a week later in post, I feel ‘art’ photography is far more than just looking into a metal & plastic box and pushing a button.


What I can’t help with: Despite my early years shooting as a full-time pro, very little of the lighting, posing, etc. will be of much use these days. Since the world has changed tremendously since the 70’s and 80’s, none of my business skills from those days will be of much use, either. I also do not have PhotoShop, along with its appendages Aperture, Lightrooom, etc. Outside of Nikon gear, my equipment knowledge will be limited.


What I can help with: The basics. The various functions of the camera, exposure triangle, histograms, shooting raw, high-dynamic range imaging, post-processing….. the technical side of things.


Students I’m looking for: Noobs, really. Someone who wants to learn the basics as listed above. Must have a digital camera, preferably a DSLR. Make is not relevant as the basics apply to the craft, not a specific manufacturer. If you have a point & shoot / compact camera, it must have Manual mode in order to have complete control of shutter, aperture, ISO, white balance, etc.

Also, student should be able to take constructive criticism. I’m not going to coddle you. If something is wrong, I’ll say so. Please understand it’s not personal.


Students I’m not looking for: Anyone who thinks it will be a cakewalk to learn the basics. True, there are some people who can pick them up easily. But for the rest of us, it just takes time to get our heads wrapped around even the simplest of concepts. There are no short-cuts. Nodding your head and saying “Uh-huh” ain’t gonna cut it. If this is you, please move on.


My philosophy: Use what tools that are available to you to create the image you want. “Purists” may say you must ‘get it right in the camera’, but hey, the camera is but one tool. If you can do it in post, I’m all for it. The craft has exploded with wonderful tools in the past decade, and I say use ‘em! HDR and Focus Stacking are but two prime examples.

I’m cheap, too. I use free software (not pirated….. perfectly legal freeware!) like GIMP and Luminance. My thinking is, if it’s a choice of spending a dollar on gear or spending a dollar on software…. gear wins hands down. Why? With better gear, you can generate a better image today. You don’t need top-of-the-line software today….. that can come later. Your files will still be there. I’m still scrounging my archives, finding images from years ago and applying new-found editing techniques to them. Spend the money on software instead, and I feel you’re crippling yourself where it counts the most…. in the field.


Number of students: It this time, I can’t put a hard number down. Maybe one, maybe two. Depends on the time I must spend with them.


My toys: Nikon D60 and gripped D7000. Nikkor 10.5 fisheye, Nikkor 10-24, Nikkor 18-105, Nikkor 70-300, Tokina 500mm, Sigma 600mm, SB-600 speedlight, auto extension tubes, Manfrotto tripod & monopod, Gossen Starlite light meter, a pair of 300ws strobes, umbrellas, soft box, light stands, background stands, reflectors….. and enough accessories to simultaneously sink a small ship and send me to the poor house. If I really want to impress the girls, I’ll stick a camera onto my Celestron 2000mm.


My website: Imagination Images of Iowa


Please be aware: I am a full-time, self-employed electrician. There will be times I will simply not be available. I try to limit myself to working Monday-Friday, 7 to 4. But I work to live, not live to work. The world does not bow to my self-induced schedule…. emergencies will arise and I will need to go take care of the problem. I also have a personal life. My profile may say I’m online, but that means my computer is here, not necessarily me as well.

Please also be aware…. I am not claiming to be the master at the top of the mountain. I do not ‘know it all’. In fact, you may teach me something!