The New Orleans "THE BIG EASY" workshop was a one of a kind experience for all....as a matter of fact, I think I can be bold enough to say that it was actually LIFE CHANGING for all who attended, including myself!!! I wanted to write up a recap of all of the amazing memories, but it would eat up my whole blog... I think the best thing to do would be to post some of the words of feedback I received from a few of the attendees as well as post some images. Before I do that though, I wanted to say a HUGE "THANK YOU" to all who attended. Christine Han, Gorete Ferreira, Christine Willet, Jenny McCann, Sheli Kerowski, Jessica Rozof, Maria Hibbs, Mary Shay- You guys touched my heart and will remain with me forever! Here's our group trying to be sexy after a yummy welcome dinner "New Orleans Style!"
I also wanted to say "THANK YOU a million times over" to our two assistant attendees for the week, {Andrew Hsu} & {Jill Johnson}.... you two went above and beyond and you know exactly what I mean.... I love you both so much and could not have pulled that together without you both!!!!! Here's Andrew, Jill & I being dorky on the front stoop.
"Words will not do the T&T experience justice. I recommend
wholeheartedly that you go and experience it yourself. Tanja and Tia
are God's warriors. I say that not because I'm a religious person (I'm
not), but because to me, they embody love the way it was truly intended.
They give with the entirety of their hearts because they want to spread
this love around and help others become the best they can be. They
lead by example, bearing their souls so that you might be encouraged to
be vulnerable too, because vulnerability is key to unlocking your
personal story, which in turn, is key to discovering who you are as an
artist. They force you to practice this vulnerability in front of
people, which is totally scary and uncomfortable but also totally
necessary for growth, and guess what? After you have all "jumped into
the river naked together" (quote from a fellow attendee, Gorete
Fereira), you find yourself with a pretty fantastic set of new friends.
And in case it's unclear, let me say that T&T do not sit on a high
horse while all this goes on. They dive in right along with you, as
naked as everyone else.
You might be wondering if the entire workshop is
touchy-feely. It's not. I started by telling you about that part
because I had no idea that I would walk away valuing it the most. But,
Tanja does you a solid on things like exposure, composition, metering,
light, and directing. She has a way of breaking concepts down
systematically so that you can actually understand them. For the first
time ever in my life, I get the zone system. I don't know how many
times I've tried to teach it to myself or read about it, but hallelujah I
finally understand it. Also, I used to walk around seeing pretty light
and bad light and kind of being able to explain it, but Tanja's
reductive approach to demonstrating all the different kinds of natural
light was incredible. She concretized the concepts so that you can put
them in your toolbox to pull out as needed. She did the same thing
with The Art of Directing. I can't even begin to tell you what an
amazing lesson that was! The touchy-feely stuff is absolutely connected
to The Art of Directing, and in that lesson you begin to see why it is
so important to be able to access that part of yourself.
Of course, I didn't walk away from the workshop having
become an expert at any of this. On the contrary, I was overwhelmed by
how much I had to learn and how far I had to go (which is a good thing,
not a bad thing). But I left with a solid foundation to work from,
having learned more in a few days than in entire semesters. I also left
with more inspiration than I could have hoped for, to practice practice
practice and become the best photographer and human being I can be. It
was an incredible experience. Do not miss out on this workshop if you
have the opportunity to go."
-Christine Han
The beautiful photography team known as {Laura & Jeromy Reaux} volunteered to come out & model for our workshop. They were the PERFECT duo for our "Art Of Directing" Shoot day and even though they are not used to being in front of the camera, you would have never guessed it by looking at the images below! ....THANK YOU both for being such amazing spirits & troopers!!! Here are some of my favorite images I took of these two cuties that day!
Attendee, {Jenny McCann} had this to say after the workshop:
"I was so excited when I saw Tanja and Tia announce they were holding a
workshop in New Orleans, Louisiana. I obsessively checked their blog
every few days waiting for registration to open. Since starting my
business in 2007, I have only attended one other workshop as the
investment is usually out of my reach, but I knew I HAD to make this
workshop happen. Why? Because from the first time I laid eyes on
Tanja's work, (naked/chicken suit engagement), I was blown away.
Beautiful imagery, yes. But more importantly, How on Earth did she
talk that couple into doing that? I watched her and Tia's ridiculous
videos and laughed my ass off. Who are these nuts? And she shoots
film? Photographers still shoot film? Mind you, this was several years
ago before film made a comeback. Which brings me to the second reason
why I knew I HAD to take their workshop. The fact that Tanja started
with film over a decade ago and never switched to digital in itself
spoke volumes to me. It says, this photographer is a leader, does not
follow the trends and is resolute in what works for her. Tanja is more
interested in creating the highest quality imagery possible, despite
the inherent cost of film or cataclysmic changes that digital brought
to the industry. Let that last sentence sink. This is a rare and
admirable quality to have in an industry where trends catch on like
wildfire. So, when registration opened I immediately signed up, albeit
a little nervously. I'm not gonna lie. I was intimidated by their rock
star status. But my anxiety was all for naught as the experience has
truly been a turning point for me. Yes, Tanja and Tia are crazy but
it's not just all fun and games for them. The passion they have for
their craft is intense! Palpable, even. These two are special. They
have amazing (dork) energy and desperately want to share it with you.
Nothing in their bag of tricks is sacred or off limits. They are real,
down to earth, passionate, artists who also don't mind sharing their
flaws.
It is difficult for me to put into words what I gained out of this amazing week long workshop. Here I sit a month later and I still feel like I'm on a high. Actually, I have coined it in my house as "post-workshop reflection". This workshop was intense and eye-opening. I laughed. I cried. I wanted to give up. I came out, not just a better photographer, but a better person. I am aware of the "cheese" factor in what I just wrote but trust me, there is no pretense. I speak the truth. This is not a soft and fluffy workshop where you remain in your comfort zone. Think of it as Photography Boot camp. It's going to be hard and uncomfortable at times and Tanja will break you like a good Drill Sergeant does but you will learn so much about yourself and grow immensely in the process. You will leave with a new outlook on life and a thousand new "ah-ha" moments to implement into your photography business. Not to mention the friendships that inevitably form with your fellow "comrades" after such an intense week. If you're thinking about taking this workshop all I have to say is "Do it now or forever wish you had!" You won't regret it.
Tanja and Tia, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the wealth of knowledge you shared with us. Your passion for photography, enthusiastic teaching style and kind hearts far exceeded my expectations. I feel so blessed to have met you both and the rest of our NOLA family. I am rejuvenated and excited to take that next step in my photography business and have you to thank for it."
-Jenny McCann
The day we had our models come went by so fast, we ran out of time for me to shoot the beautiful, New Orleans Saints, Cheerleader {Brooke Ashley} who had also volunteered to model for us (although the attendees got some gorgeous images of Brooke, the day had passed before I even got to take ONE picture!!! So, Tia and I asked Brooke to come back a few days after the workshop, so we could spend some time shooting these gorgeous images on her. THANK YOU BROOKE for what is one of my FAVORITE boodie wah shoots ever!!!
Attendee, {Sheli Kurowski} had this to say:
“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher
explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.” William Arthur Ward
“Tania
and Tia are exactly what William Ward was talking about. They weren’t ever satisfied
with just telling me, they wanted to demonstrate everything they know in the
hopes of inspiring me. There was nothing held back or kept hidden because they want
me to succeed as much as I want to succeed. T&T Workshops go way beyond
just photography and delved into parts of my psyche that I didn’t even know
needing delving into! With their hearts wide open they welcomed me into their
photography family and I left feeling like I had made two more friends.“ ~
Sheli Kurowski
Attendee, {Christine Willet} had this to say:
"I am still processing everything I learned from you at the T&T
Dynomite "Up Your Game" workshop in New Orleans. Pieces keep coming
together...
You gave me the tools and helped me find the confidence I need to
be comfortable saying "yes" - no matter the lighting, the environment,
my previous experience (what? a nature photographer?), or the equipment I
have available. You showed us that connecting with the people we
photograph is imperative to helping them find the best they have within
them. This begins with finding the best within ourselves because it is
our own energy that will determine the success of any shoot. You and Tia
also illustrated that paying attention to detail and taking the
necessary steps toward doing everything right up front is critical to
creating amazing images but also for making the most efficient
workflow. Being involved in every decision ensures the best possible
results. It was inspiring to see how you place hard work, relationships,
fun, and kindness above all else. You and Tia have a chemistry and
a methodology that works and
results in breathtaking photographs and beautiful memories. You took a
concept, a styled shoot, that I honestly thought was a luxury and
something that "someone like me" would not likely take part in and made
me see it as a necessity and something that I can do. And...You
teach the zone system better than most (seriously)! Finally, I
really gained an understanding of the importance of previsualization
when developing a photo story - there is so much more I could have done
with my project that I didn't think of at the time but will think of
next time. I left the workshop feeling like I can call myself a
photographer when before I would just tell people I enjoy photography -
whether I stay with nature photography or branch out to portraits or
events; I feel like I can be successful at it. I can't thank you enough
for the gift you gave me."
-Christine Willet
I have realized over the past couple of years that I have an intense passion for teaching & helping other photographers reach their higher creative potential. It's something that I get very excited about and feel blessed to get to do. If you are interested in attending one of our workshops or mentor sessions, please check out the Workshop link above for up and coming workshops and dates.
