Saving Your Photographic Career*
*or how I learned to stop worrying and re-invent my business

November 12 - 15, 2009
at Mark's Los Angeles, California studio

Thursday, 9am-10pm, Friday 9am-10pm, Saturday 9am-10pm and Sunday 9am-3pm.

Please call to discuss the cost of the workshop.

This workshop is open to only one or two participants in any particular geographic area, and admission is by telephone interview only.

Class size is limited to nine participants.

"I thought my husband was out of his mind when he started this business, but it ended up being the best possible thing we could have done."
Jennifer Halper

This workshop will show you how Mark has built a new photography business by addressing the consumer market, and how he's prepared it to soar when the recession is over. There are no magic bullets, but a change of market, a change of mind set, and hard work is enough to keep you in business not just taking photos, but creating images that you love while having your clients profusely thank you for your work.

In this information filled four day workshop, Mark will tell you everything you need to know to build a new and profitable business for yourself over the coming year. Mark will help you re-define yourself, and continue working at the same level you were at when times were good, and keep you from making the same mistakes he made in the beginning of his business. Mark has taken seminars and workshops with some very experienced and talented people, and has had input from countless others that have helped him create a business plan that actually works. As an "outsider", Mark also has a different perspective on the consumer market that very few other people share, which is part of what has enabled him to build a successful business from scratch in the worst recession in 75 years.

This seminar will uniquely address the specific needs of commercial photographers looking to enter the consumer market, and show you how to take advantage of the high level of skill most commercial photographers have that is otherwise uncommon in the consumer market. Since this workshop is geared for commercial photographers, much of what you will learn about approaching this market simply isn't addressed anywhere else. At the same time, we will take advantage of the vast level of knowledge already out there and learn how even mediocre photographers have built hugely profitable businesses and developed outstanding customer loyalty. With enough creativity and skill, there are no limits to what is possible.

Topics include:
- On overview of the way the consumer market business model functions
- Translating your photography to the consumer market
- Branding your business
- How to identify and market to your new clients
- Developing and pricing your products
- Sales techniques to maximizing your client's investment in your work
- Procedures and policies to avoid common problems
- What to buy, what you need, and how to keep your costs down as much as possible
- Proven and dependable resources for printing, framing, promotion, and many other aspects of your new business

"I built this workshop to be the class I would have wanted to take a year or two ago. If had known how the business worked, and been able to avoid some of the mistakes I made early on, I would be tens of thousands of dollars ahead right now."
Mark Robert Halper

The Exceptional Portrait
from Concept to Execution

Saturday, May 2, 2009
Los Angeles, California Area Location

9:00am - 6:00pm

Tuition is only $225, which includes lunch.

APA, ASMP, PPA, WPPI, Students, Photo Assistants, Lightsource Listeners, Halper Alumni, and other members of professional associations are eligible for a discounted price of $195.

This group is limited to 45 participants.
Still a few spots left!

For another perspective on this workshop, you can visit this blog to read about one participant's experience the last time this class was offered.

For this one day workshop, Mark will open up his process for getting to know and understand his subjects, share his thought processes, and conceptualize and execute a photo session while taking you through it all on a step by step basis.

We begin the morning by examining the process of intent - a specific and teachable process of making images based on both client needs and your personal vision. This is not an esoteric concept, but one at the heart of creating a great photograph.

As we progress, you'll get to see Mark actually problem solve the shoot from arrival to finished portrait. Mark will interview his subject and you'll get to see how he gets into their head to understand who they are. Mark will do demonstrations using a range of techniques and styles. You'll also participate in an exercise designed to guide you towards talking with your subjects to get a deeper understanding of who they are, and learn to apply that understanding to your portraits.

The emphasis is on understanding, and using that insight to realize your vision. This isn't a few "tips and tricks" that are good for a few weeks until you tire of them, but a way of understanding and working with photography that you can build on in virtually any direction you want to go.

This is an excellent companion workshop to "The Professional Portrait".

No matter what level you shoot at, you'll find that there's plenty here for you to learn. In our experience, most working professionals often find great value in re-evaluating their approach based on this new perspective.

There are no requirements to register for this class, but a working knowledge of photography is highly suggested to get the full benefit of the experience.

REGISTER FOR MAY (Regular Price):

Professional Mentoring Program
Via Web Conference Technology, by Telephone, and/or In Person

Choose the times that work for you, in 45 or 60 minute sessions.

This workshop takes advantage of easy to use Adobe web conferencing technology that not only allows us to share our computer screens, but more importantly uses webcams to facilitate a visual connection. All you need is a webcam and a high speed connection. Meetings can also be done on the phone, and a minimum of three sessions can be put together and done in person at Mark's studio.

Options range from six to twenty-four meetings, over a three to twelve month period. The cost is favorable when compared with similar programs offered by companies that specialize in photographic workshops with multiple instructors.
Ask about our introductory specials.

What do you want to work on? With two decades of expertise, and experience in a wide range of photography, Mark Robert Halper brings his no-nonsense approach to photographic mentoring. You can choose to work on any area of photography that you like, from business and branding to developing outstanding photographic skills.

Just imagine what can we do together to improve your photography and grow your business.

The Exceptional Portrait
Two Day Extreme on the Road

This workshop is currently available to organizations and groups on an "on request" basis on location, as are variations of the workshops described above.

Mark has created a new workshop to take on the road. Planned as an intense two day weekend, we've stuffed it with more than two days worth of material and still left time for hands-on shooting. We've taken the one day Exceptional Portrait Workshop and expanded it to include much of what we cover in The Professional Portrait to provide you with an unforgettable experience.

You won't need expensive strobe equipment, or even an on camera flash, you'll be able to do an amazing amount with a simple continuous light source (think $15 home depot work light). Strobes and other professional equipment are welcome, but not at all necessary - great light isn't about the cost of the equipment and in this workshop we'll really focus on expending brain power instead of money on our images.

Day One Highlights

After a quick introductions, we'll jump right into the process of intent - a step-by-step approach to making an image that based in your personal vision that reflects what you find beautiful, interesting, and/or compelling about the subject of your photograph. The Process of Intent empowers you to consistently create outstanding images, without having to rely on chance and luck.

Following that will be a lighting demonstration designed to bring you back to the heart of working with light. All good light has some consistent qualities, which we will discuss, and then we'll move into thinking about light as a function of direction, distance and size (not a function of soft boxes and other accessories you really don't need and often don't even want to own). We'll also look at the use of a fill light, and how to do a surprisingly simple beauty light with just a white surface. The presentation will culminate with Mark doing a professional level shoot of our model, putting to practical use the process of intent within the confines of actual client needs.

Now it's your turn to shoot! Bring your camera and anything else you like, but you'll find you don't need much to do an outstanding tight portrait when you take the time to think about why you are creating the photo, who your client is, and know something about your subject.

You'll probably want dinner about now, so we'll bring it in for you. During that time, Mark will make the rounds to give you feedback on what you've done.

You aren't finished yet! This is where we get that extra bit in, and the feedback you get during dinner is what you'll need to make the jump we want you to make by tomorrow. It's time for the evening shoot.

Day Two Highlights

Coffee and Breakfast. Ready to go? Good!

Now is when you really get to see intent at work. Working with a new subject, Mark will go through his intensive and deeply personal interview process in front of the class.

Taking what he learns from it, he will conceive and execute from scratch two to three different portraits using different lighting techniques, and he'll do it all using only what's at hand. We can't tell you what to expect, because there's no way to tell where the interview will go, and that's the point.

That's right, it's your turn again. You do your interview. You plan your image. You take your photo, and Mark's right there to help you through it.

At the end of the day we'll wrap up with some of Mark's thoughts on photography and running a successful business as a creative professional.

In the course of the class we'll also cover some of the basics of digital photography, including using your histogram for exposure, we'll talk about background choices, we'll look at bounced light, we'll talk about and demonstrate both professional strobe and tungsten lighting, and we'll keep the general focus on working with a single light source.

(Breakfast and lunch will be served both days, and dinner will be served on the first day. Vegetarian options will be available, and we always work to only serve you food that we'd also like to eat. Please plan on an additional $80-$100 for catering costs. As you might have guessed, we'll be shooting each other to keep costs down and make it practical to hold the class. What you may not realize is that you can learn just as much from being on the other side of the camera, even if you find it less comfortable than looking through the viewfinder. Most of your subjects will feel the same way and the insight is very valuable.)

You don't need to submit work to register for this class, but you are responsible for knowing how to use you digital camera in manual mode and for understanding the basics of photography, such as f-stop and shutter speed. You will need a DLSR, a tripod (even if you don't normally use them), and a laptop is very highly suggested.

Notes: Professional photographer Mark Robert Halper is available to lead professional photography workshops throughout the United States, including his home areas of Orange County and Los Angeles, California. Topics can also include lighting, as well as a myriad of other subjects having to do with people and portrait photography.