Scamper Over to Something Different

This week I taught an all-day photography class sponsored by the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) as part of their nation-wide Super Monday educational series.  My class was entitled, "The MacGyver Method: Big Budget Photography with Low Budget Equipment".  One woman drove all the way from Massachusetts to Rochester to attend the class and learn how to create really interesting portraits with simple, inexpensive equipment that they may already have.  Hopefully the gas money that she spent getting here will be made up by the not having to purchase any new equipment for awhile.

Part of the thrill I get from teaching and sharing my photographic techniques is watching those "a-ha" moments appear, when the light bulb suddenly flashes above their heads.  My intent is not to teach people how to photograph like me...it's to get them to start thinking of things a little differently, and start the creative juices flowing.  I want them to realize that the most interesting path from A to D may not necessarily be through B and C.

The LukeSphere Light Modifier

The best inspiration comes from desperation and exasperation.  I was exasperated to see that photographers were paying $60 or more to buy a piece of Tupperware from a nationally-known photographer that they could put over their flashes to modify and soften their camera-mounted hot shoe flashes.  I know that real Tupperware cost a lot less than that, and I knew that there was an even better alternative that would do exactly the same thing for a lot less Andrew Jacksons donated from my wallet.