Toronto Photography Meetup Group

So I was browsing through the distillery today and checked out a local photo gallery and a Photographer had a gallery setup and was offering composition 5 week course .. Just curious if anyone had attended any comments his stuff is pretty good and I was interested in it just checking to see if anyone had dfone it and their thoughts .. His name is Jacob Grinberg.... www.jgphotographs.com

Thanks!

Tyler

I wouldn't pay him to teach me composition for couple of reasons:

1) don't think his photographs are all that good

2) despite that he could be a great teacher, however there are so many free articles on composition (photography and painting) that unless the instructor is someone I really look up to I wouldn't spend the money on it. I am also not sure if the composition can be tought, apart from few rules you either see it or you don't, I think to a certain degree it's a talent you are born with.

ps, I don't have any experience with his classes.

I am pretty sure I was talking to this guy one day. He's in the building across the brewery? Anyway, his own photos didn't impress me much, however he exhibits other's works, so you can drop by with a sample if you need to show or sell your art there

Hummm, I just looked at his portfolio on his site. I think he needs to be more critical of which work he uses to showcase his talent. He's got a few nice shots but a lot of "Okay" and "WTF?" pics in there.

As others have mentioned, if the person's portfolio doesn't impress me, chances are very slim that I'd take a workshop with them.

I think some people have an artistic eye and shoot what comes naturally to them. Others I think can develop this by learning basic fundamentals on what makes a good shot, the basic rules and techniques and how to break them and then lots of trial and error and critiquing by folks other than friends.

It's wierd you know .. I went into the gallery yesterday and his pictures looked really good printed out.. Like much better .. and then I get home post this and look at his site and I was not at all impressed by his work .. Even same of the same pictures printed out looked much better on the wall then on the site .. Wierdd... Yeah he seemed like a nice guys .. hes the one in the far corner studio... Does anyone know of workshops for semi advanced photographers who know the basics but want to get more in depth knowledge? Anywhere you have had good experiences with? \\

Thanks

Tyler

don't entirely agree with the comment that composition is either something you see or don't see and that it is an inherent talent which can't be taught

but I do agree that you won't learn it by just sitting in a classroom listening to someone talk

my experience is that if you can find a one week workshop with a photographer you respect then you will likely learn something

the typical workshop approach is
-abit of theory
-go out and shoot
-come back and hear the instructor's critique of the images which you shot

repeat the next day..

the learning comes from seeing how others shot the same material you were exposed to and hearing how the theory is applied to the images which you shot by means of critique

another approach is to join a camera club
enter some competitions
and listen to the remarks the judges make on your images and those of others

umm ya. like this one?

His street photography is a tad creepy.