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A Report from the 2nd Annual Team Steve Senior Workshop

NoBs was a proud sponsor of this year's 2nd Annual Team Steve Senior Workshop which took place in Park City, Utah from June 12 until June 14. The event highlighted photographing seniors in a studio setting as well as on location in scenic Park City, which once hosted the Olympics. NoBS members and hosts Steve and Shelley shared their ideas on posing and lighting seniors in unique settings and rounded out their workshop by also discussing senior marketing and sales.

The lucky attendees not only got a sneak preview of the new "Inspired by" backgrounds from Silverlake, but they also got the chance to be the first to photograph on them.

The three-day event also taught attendees how to quickly adapt in changing lighting conditions and inclement weather thanks to an unexpected torrential downpour. The changing lighting conditions proved difficult even for the seasoned pros. Although unexpected, it was a great lesson in learning how to deal with the cards dealt and how to turn a not-so-ideal situation into a gold mine of great images. The group even learned how to avoid being struck by a lightning bolt!

Another highlight of the workshop was provided thanks to SPA (Senior Portrait Artists). Arguably, the foremost organization for senior photographers, SPA's members include some of the United States' leading senior photographers. For the Team Steve Senior workshop SPA generously donated a one-year membership for a lucky Team Steve workshop attendee. Steve and Shelley, with the help of Travis and Paula from Silverlake, watched the attendees during the week and viewed images taken to decide who would benefit most from the membership. This year was hard. It came down to two attendees, and in the end it was NoBS member Joshua 'Hoopty' Carter who became a newly crowned SPA member.

Steve and Shelley want to thank the sponsors for this year's event. Of course NoBs! Without James, Rob, and the entire forum's support, this event would only be a pipe dream. Silverlake, Craig's Actions, design|house, Flash Palette, Larsen, SPA, Triple Scoop Music, Bay Photo, Mama Shan, On One Software, PhotoDuds,and JLee Albums all provided prizes. In fact, there were more prizes than attendees, so everyone went home with something, many making it all worth the trip!

In the end, the workshop was a great success. In addition to the endless learning, attendees also left with awesome images and were hungry to return to the next Team Steve Senior Workshop.

Here's what the attendees had to say:

I did want to thank you both - and Travis and Paula as well - for a most incredible weekend. Not only was I excited to drive to Park City (such a beautiful - breathtakingly stunning drive), but I was additionally rewarded with an action packed weekend - the incredible generosity of both time and information from Steve, Shelley, and well, everyone involved - the ability to view, first hand, a top senior photography team at work...both during a session and the processing following the session - experience the energy...the creativity...the thought processes....and the solutions of a top team on the job. You just can't beat that. My mind is still trying to digest all that went on, and how to incorporate what I viewed/experienced into my own system/workflow. I had two sessions this afternoon, and I've already begun to implement some of my new found information. It's always sooo much fun to learn something that can make us perform at a higher level - be more efficient - and think more creatively than we were before. Thank you both, so much, for being so generous with your time/knowledge. Thank you, too, for providing such wonderful models. The girls were beautiful - friendly - and so willing to put up with all of us. I still don't know how they were able to do that all day long - my face was tired at the end of the day, and I wasn't the one in front of the camera!! It was also great to have Garrett - males are always somewhat of a challenge.

Terri Gordon

Your Team Steve Senior Workshop is AMAZING! I had spent many wasted hours trying to learn about the senior market and, after your workshop, feel like I've jumped light years ahead. You both are wonderful people, giving tirelessly of your knowledge and experience. The posing techniques I learned will save me a great deal of time during shoots and the lighting experience I've gained is priceless! We can't thank you enough. If anyone is serious about working in the senior market, they absolutely need to attend your workshop!

William Banish

Attending the Team Steve Workshop was an amazing opportunity for me. They covered things from studio lighting to posing, how to use a reflector outside, marketing, selling, just about anything and everything one needs to know to run a successful senior business. This was my second time I have attended this workshop and I was able to really refine and hone in on the areas I needed most help in. Whether you are a seasoned pro or just starting out I would highly recommend that you invest in this opportunity as you can't go wrong! Thanks Steve and Shelley for the wonderful time.

Julie Kalar

Steve and Shelley,

Wow, what an experience! Your workshop was so informative, inspiring, and fun. I will definitely be back next year. You both have motivated me to do so many things since I have been home that I was just "thinking" about before I left. (Plus more.) I really feel I have an edge over my local competition because of your workshop. Plus, I now have some awesome images for marketing the style I want to portray to my clients. This workshop was just what I needed to grow my business!

Thank you so much for taking the time away from your clients to share your knowledge. I appreciate it more than you know. I am so amazed in what the two of you have done with your business in such a short time. It is so inspiring. This was an amazing experience for me that I will not soon forget. I guess I need to join NoBs so I can attend the Inferno in November.

Thank you, thank you, thank you,

Michelle Garthe

Just wanted to tell you both how much I enjoyed meeting both of you and how much I got out of the class. A friend asked me if it was worth it and my answer was "for the cost of the workshop - definitely, for the cost of the workshop, overpriced flight, hotel, 2.5 days of vacation from my other job and almost getting struck by lightning - absolutely". There is probably a Mastercard commercial in there somewhere, but I am still too tired to figure that out. Speaking of the models, all I can say is great job on the selections. They and their parents were all super great and the kids really worked hard which made it easy on us. I thought they each did a great job of making sure each of us got shots with them looking our way. A couple of times I was amazed when there were 20 cameras firing and they all would always look my way and hold so that I could get a couple of shots before they moved on to the next camera. I'm not sure how they picked out the different lenses to look at, but it was very impressive. I don't think I ever had to ask them to look my way to get a shot.

Thanks for everything and I look forward to seeing you at future events/workshops and hope to see you in November at Inferno and/or for you pre-conference workshop.

Barry

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