Announcing: Shoot! The Day, New York Lighting Seminar and Strobist Stone Soup

Lotta stuff in this one, but it is all tied together. You'll especially wanna make the jump if you live near NYC. But there is also lots for the other folks, as well.
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Shoot! The Day and School of Stock

The PhotoShelter guys have been whipping up something really cool, and I am very happy to be involved with it.

Basically, they have spent the last several months researching what, exactly, photo buyers are looking for right now. Then they have distilled this info (and much more) down into an online resource called School of Stock.

If you are even remotely interested in shooting for stock (RF, RM or micro) this is fantastic stuff. There are tutorials both from the perspectives of buyers and successful shooters. I read through them all last night, and it's really good info.

Having identified under-served areas in the stock libraries ('cause, you know, that's where the money is) and created a how-to-shoot-better-stock school, they are orchestrating a mass, one-day shooting event. It's called Shoot! The Day, and it is happening on July 20th.

In S!TD, people from around the world will be shooting in teams to create exactly the types and genres of photos that thousands of buyers are looking for. No one has ever done anything like this before on such a scale. And for those of you looking to get into shooting stock there could not be a better opportunity.

Groups are forming up based in various cities around the world. All you have to do is register for the PhotoShelter Collection (free) and the Ning-powered forums (fora? - also free) where the groups are organizing. There will already be geographically-based groups signed up. If you see one form your area, join up. If not, start one.

There are prizes involved for the really kickin' groups, too. And I would suspect you guys will be well-represented.

If you are local to NYC, there are some cool events happening there, too. I will be teaching, along with several other photogs. You have to apply to be selected (by portfolio) to participate in one of the free classes, which are structured around various themes. I am teaching a still life class, likely because Grover has seen my craptastic follow-focusing skilz.


New York Strobist Lighting Seminar: Sat, July 19th

Seeing as I will be in NYC for the S!TD, time for another lighting seminar.

We'll be at ShootDigital on Saturday July 19th. It will be a similar format as the previous seminars (although hopefully not as hot as in Dubai).

Registration will open on this site at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) on Sunday, June 22nd. Please do not call Shoot Digital for more info - it will all be right here. This one will probably sell out pretty quickly, so I'd be on it ASAP if you want to attend. Dress is ridiculously casual.


School of Rock: Strobist Stone Soup

I am almost mad at myself that I did not think of this idea sooner. I am heading up to NYC on the 17th, in advance of the seminar and S!TD. Therefore, I have one free day in NYC. (Don't tell Missus Strobist, please...)

Stone Soup is a play on the old folk tale, wherein someone comes to town and facilitates something of value happening by cobbling together something from nothing.

I am looking to shoot something while in NYC on Friday, July 18th. And reading this post, I presume, are some people with some cool connections in NYC.

Hmm... what could we do?

Here is what I offer: A one-on-one shoot in which you assist, and we make some cool photos in an environment in which you have access. I provide the shoot, you provide the idea/access, and your contact/connection/etc., provides the subject matter.

Are you a firefighter? Are you in an acting troupe? Is your roommate a mime? Or have a pet albino tiger? I dunno -- you tell me.

Let see what comes in, and I will choose a shoot for Friday, July 18th - time is variable. Figure a couple of hours at the most appropriate time for all involved. We get to shoot and learn, and the subject gets use of the hi-res photos for whatever means they wish, except for third party commercial use.

Use it for the wall? Fine. Publicity? No prob. Website? Cool. Annual report? Yep. Give to Nike for an ad campaign? Um, have them call me on that one.

Who knows - we might get something interesting. Only way to tell is to try. And I hope that this will be a model for others doing this kind of thing, ad hoc, as a way to bring photographers and subjects together.

If it works, I will be doing a write-up on it and putting days aside for repeating this idea on future trips. If not, we'll just pretend it never happened. If you have an idea to throw out, do it here.

Let's see what comes in.

And please, don't stick the stone soup suggestions in the comments of this post. Using Flickr makes it open, and gives me a way to contact you. It is fast (and free) to sign up.