Susan Stripling Workshop

Last week, I had the opportunity to go to Susan Stripling’s workshop in Madison, Florida.  It’s seems like everybody under the sun is doing workshops and mentoring sessions these days.  However, there are few that I’d pay to attend.  Susan’s is the exception.  The big exception.  When I found out she was coming to Florida, I knew that I had to sign up for it and as soon as registration was open, I made sure I’d be there.  Susan’s work inspires me to no end and the two days that our group spent with her were packed full of so much valuable information.

There was no fluff at this workshop and I like that about it.  No particular product is pushed, there are no coupon codes or giveaways, no goody bags and no around the room introductions.  This was bare bones photography and how to make spectacular images in different lighting situations and less than desirable environments, if need be.

She’s very candid about what she does and how she gets her images.  No questions were off limits.  In fact, I found it quite refreshing that she seems to go against the grain with a lot of the typical photography advice that’s being peddled these days.  Within the first 5 hours of the first day, I felt like I had my money’s worth but lucky for me, I had another day and a half.  It’s not at all that I felt like I was doing anything wrong with how I’m currently shooting but how I can do it better, more efficient and how to work with any given situation and make it look amazing.

We didn’t have the sunshine that all of had hoped for but the rain cleared enough for us to have some hands on shooting time with the models.  Our models were great.  I love that she arranged for regular people to be our models.  No overdone makeup or over the top hair at this workshop.  They were real people and several who were past clients.  It’s really easy to take a model who’s had professional styling, makeup and hair in a gorgeous hotel and make them look good.  However, it’s another thing to take regular people in regular wedding attire in a simple environment and make them look amazing.  This was one of my favorite things about the workshop.  Wedding days are not always in our control and you have to be able to work with what you’re given.  All clients want to look amazing on their wedding day and it’s our job to take what we’re given, and make them look awesome.  Susan does just that.

Here are a few of my favorite images from the day: