I'm still trying to figure out what the $16,500 gets me for a day... isn't that upwards of what Sasha Grey charged her clients in The Girlfriend Experience?
I read about it because I came across pics boxes full of dried plant material accompanied by gushing fanatical text and couldn't understand why people spent hundreds on these things.
The idea seems to be around making e-sessions an emotional journey/experience with the pictures as a by-product of that. I'm not sure there is anything revolutionary or that you need a box of cards costing hundreds of dollars to do this.
ishkabibl wrote:
At the end of the day, if you are a wedding/couples photographer, and you are NOT trying to learn how to work with different personalities, manage people's expectations, make them comfortable, tap into their emotions and moods, and parlay all of this into quality photographs, then what are you doing?
Targeting my marketing so I attract a specific personality type that is compatible with, and supports my own hyper-inflated ego. :-)
Okay, I've never heard of this guy. But after Evan made a comment to me I looked him up. Just getting into his SITE was freaky! I had to be a surreal bird! Weird!
Interesting reading everyone's comments. I had heard Jesh's name mentioned before but had never felt motivated to look him up (similar to Jose Villa and "The Becker", who I am aware of but haven't really researched either).
I connected to the web session because Jeremy Cowart had mentioned it in a Tweet and I thought that maybe it was something like Jeremy's "Help Portrait" program (BIG difference turns out).
Since starting the thread this morning, I have read the comments here and also spent a little time on Jesh's site (and I think Jesh is on to me. The site greeted me as a "Confused, cold-hearted dog-turd" ). My feelings so far are as follows:
- The pics on his site are good but I have seen better in this forum. That is pretty much the bottom-line for me. My interest is in improving my photography, not being the next Dr. Phil/Anthony Robbins/Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. A funny related side-note: In the web broadcast last night, Jesh took a moment to say that the "Experiential Techniques" help you avoid the "Say Cheese!" expression and he made a grimacing smile-face to the camera to demonstrate. When I visited his site today, the first pic that came up was of a groom with EXACTLY that face.
- If I DID feel a calling to be the next Dr. Phil/Anthony Robbins/Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, I would probably study with someone other than a photographer.
- As others have mentioned here, the idea of being "authentic", helping your clients feel comfortable and be themselves in front of the camera, etc. seem like good things. If that is the message someone wants to transmit, however, I'm not sure why it's necessary to do that in (what seems to me to be) an in-authentic way (with P.T Barnum marketing tricks and crocodile tears).
Also, there are two things I just can't get out of my mind from the webcast:
- his use of the term "Beloved Collective". All I could think of was the Borg from Star Trek and now I have an image stuck in my mind of a Borg with a tear in the non-cyborg eye.
- The web video viewer had the live Twitter feed along the side. The comments from his followers were amazing and scary. A typical "re-tweet" was along the lines of "ZOMG!!!!! Jesh says we need to be AUTHENTIC!!!!! This is GOLD!!!!!". I didn't see any "hallelujah"s but I saw at least two "amen"s (not joking).
I can see where Jesh could be a little much for some people, but I am intrigued by the webinar series he is offering. Keep in mind he is not the only photographer doing it (there are four others- totalling 5 lectures). Maybe I'm naive, and I certainly expect some of you to judge me, but I plan to sit in on these. I am definitely at a place where I would love to attend a workshop, which isn't easy in Oklahoma, and I rather like some of the other photogs on the lineup. As for Jesh, I really doubt he shared what he thought to be the "bread and butter" of his stuff last night. Haha maybe that's my largest assumption of the whole deal, but usually you have to pay to get the good stuff. I will report back what I find.
Whether you like him or hate him, he was getting paid $18000 a wedding. Let me repeat that: eighteen thousand dollars per wedding... The bottom line is as a business man, he has figured out how to make a lot of money off of our craft. I am excited to see what the 5 of them can do collectively for my business. If it's shit, I'll let you all know. In fact, I'll probably rant about it on a new thread
What is this whole "Beloved" thing? Facilitate an environment of trust, truth, and appreciation for both the photographer and the couple. Only then, can the photographer capture photographs of two people in love.
ClareinME wrote:
I agree I don't know much about this, except for what was in my Twitter feed this morning~ would I ever pay $16,000 for a one on one workshop with any photog, no way! Do I care if anyone else does, nope!
I looked him up a while back and to be honest, I didn't see much difference in some of his images to hundreds/thousands of others on other wedding photographer websites. To be honest, at first I thought his 'experiential photography' was about photoshop and actions: from his website-"experiential post-processing style" as a lot of his images have textures etc.
I don't know exactly what the whole beloved thing is, but from reading on here, I don't think it is anything new or revolutionary - ie connecting with clients, no cheesy moments, capturing emotion/expression/moments, building trust/friendship with clients - I think he's found a way to sell ice to eskimos if it's working, then good on him, but 'experiential post processing style' ? what the heck is that ...
davidkbrown wrote:
I'm still trying to figure out what the $16,500 gets me for a day... isn't that upwards of what Sasha Grey charged her clients in The Girlfriend Experience?
BKphotography wrote:
Gimmie £10 and I will make you cry... bleeding is of no extra charge too!
El-oh-els... You kids crack me up! Although for $30k, you can have Bree Olson (or some other hottie, can't recall). At least that's what Charlie Sheen paid her for...
VPell wrote:
furey won this thread.
ahhhh VPELL
I was just going to FB you and say that FM needed some good ol' Vpell hahaha
Furey did win this thread.
In short these so called "New age Rockstar" togs with a polished buzz word and BS BrANDING are now using predatory marketing techniques on the very photographers who are most vulnerable and are genuinely digging desperately to get themselves out of a financial rut.
If you were paying me $2500 to attend a seminar or $16,500 for a one on one i would have no problem calling you friend -pebble-loverboy-lovertoy-macdaddy or anything else your heart desired....Nothing is free peoples WAKE UP...!
Cant belive how gullible people are.
