Mentoring - here and elsewhere

The_Traveler · Jan 25, 2012

Has it worked for you?

Here or other places on the web - the formal system here hasn't been very successful from my standpoint - although perhaps the other mentors have been busier. I've had perhaps three people contact me but after one or two interactions, the contact just tailed off.

In person, I have mentored 4 people in the last two years and two are ongoing, the other two still send me pictures but they are pretty much on their own.

PhotoTish · Jan 25, 2012

Hi Traveler. Can't answer your question as I do not have the knowledge to mentor anyone but I have always thought it very generous of photographers to donate their time and expertise to beginners. :thumbup:

kundalini · Jan 26, 2012

Soooo, are you saying there is an opening?

tirediron · Jan 26, 2012

I think the system here works as well as it can, given the vagaries of an Internet forum. I've worked with probably 14 or 15 people since the program began. Most have stuck with it for only a short time, as one would expect, a few have worked long enough to significantly improve their skills, and one or two are actually now making money. I think that speaks of a reasonable degree of success...

IgsEMT · Jan 26, 2012

I've been contacted by few people. Most, as you said, have fallen off very quick. Few stock around longer and relationships progressed... (keep in touch w/ few via emails, phones, fb) but majority - 1,2 interaction and that was it.

baturn · Jan 26, 2012

I'm one of the users of the mentoring program on TPF. I contacted tirediron 3or 4 years ago and he accepted me. So for a couple of years when I had specific questions or a photo to critique I e-mailed John and he gave me in depth info or told me how to fix or avoid the photographic errors I was guilty of. I didn't stop sending stuff to John because I now know everything but because I have not advanced far enough that I can't critique my own images.

I never intended to become a pro or to even display my photos publicly, so my only reason to want to improve was entirely selfish. I'm not satisfied with my skills and wish to continue to improve but at my own pace.

I hope John will continue to help me when I feel i need it, and I take this opportunity to thank TPF for its mentoring program and John for being patient, knowledgable and a great teacher.

bazooka · Jan 26, 2012

I vaguely recall a sign-up sheet about 6 months ago... is that what you are referring to? I believe I volunteered for that. Unofficially I've worked with a handful of people but I think they came to me because of critique I left on their public CC posts. Two have kept in touch and have made dramatic improvements, not necessarily because of me, but just because they're still interacting on the forums and taking everyone's advice. Several seemed very interested in one-on-one help which I took a lot of time to give them and to build a relationship in the initial few contacts, but they usually disappear completely within a week.

paigew · Jan 26, 2012

I would love a mentor! What exactly does a mentor do? C&c your pics instead of starting a thread?

Overread · Jan 26, 2012

*gives a plug for the mentoring scheme*
Here it is: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/beyond-basics/125099-official-mentors-bio-list.html

PixelRabbit · Feb 21, 2012

I think I'm with Paige and I would love to have a mentor to work with 1 on 1. I have had a mentor in the past for other interests and with my learning style it seems to work well once I find the person I click/communicate well with.

Bazooka took a lot of time to C&C my work when I first started (thank you again and again and again!) and that helped me get over the initial shock of my HUGE learning curve way faster than if I had muddled through it all alone. He is very good at communicating his thoughts with a good balance of what is good and what isn't so good about the shots. I always look forward to his input

I've gone through the mentor's thread more than once looking for someone as a mentor specifically for wildlife but nobody lists that

. I wouldn't want to limit myself by being too specific... but at the same time if I want to focus on wildlife I'm not sure someone who is mainly portrait/landscape/urban etc ... would ever be the right fit. I've debated approaching some of the people who post in the Nature and Wildlife but that feels a little too forward. So that leaves me where I am now... thinking I would like to have a mentor and keeping my eyes and ears open.

Billhyco · Feb 21, 2012

The_Traveler said:
Has it worked for you?

Here or other places on the web - the formal system here hasn't been very successful from my standpoint - although perhaps the other mentors have been busier. I've had perhaps three people contact me but after one or two interactions, the contact just tailed off.

In person, I have mentored 4 people in the last two years and two are ongoing, the other two still send me pictures but they are pretty much on their own.

I noticed you were on the mentor list back in 08 when it was first started. Not a lot of interest it seems by your post here. Would you consider helping me out? I feel like I have progressed just slightly beyond beginner and would like to really continue to grow. I have decent gear, decent software, and a huge amount of eagerness to learn. I haven't a clue how to begin other then simply asking and moving forward from there.

MLeeK · Feb 21, 2012

I am on the mentor list here and I do mentoring in person.
I have a few who are long past my skills at this point that I am still in touch with. I have a couple that I am working with right now. There are a few who have come and gone and didn't really care to learn much or lost interest, but most of them I am still in contact with and from time to time I'll get a question or note from them. I follow their blogs/websites/facebooks. It's an awesome feeling to watch someone grow from your help regardless of whether it's a paid mentorship or free!!

Overread · Feb 22, 2012

Wildlife mentors are rather like their subjects - darned hard to find if you don't know where to look or where to start looking (with the key difference that they might be found down the pub some evenings

).

PixelRabbit said:
I've debated approaching some of the people who post in the Nature and Wildlife but that feels a little too forward. So that leaves me where I am now... thinking I would like to have a mentor and keeping my eyes and ears open.

If they've got more than 30-40 posts to their name give them a poke (I say that only as a fair few with low post counts tend to either be very new or the flyby posters that don't engage as much community wise). Worst they can say is no, and to be honest most are quite happy to talk about things (though be prepared to butter them up some - wildlife shooters appear to be the sort who think they don't know half as much as they actually do - this is as opposed to macro shooters who can blast your brains out half the time - at least with the technical side of what they are doing

)

jake337 · Feb 22, 2012

I would ask for a mentor but I would, most likely, drop off quick. Not that I wouldn't appreciate the help but I'm just more of an "in person", "hands on", student. I would feel bad to ask here then waste their time.