Thursday, August 23, 2012

31 Gamechangers for Photographers Workshop

Earlier this month I had the a-mah-zing opportunity to attend a two day photography workshop lead by Trevor Dayley of Trevor Dayley Photography.

I have to confess that prior to attending his workshop, I had never heard of Trevor.  I'm relatively new to Phoenix and I don't photograph weddings so I had somehow managed to miss out on the awesomeness that is Trevor Dayley prior to a few weeks ago.  Now I'd have to say that I've been converted into one of his biggest fans!

I heard about his workshop when a fellow local photographer, Ryan Nicole Photography (who is also amazing btw), suggested I attend.  After checking out the workshop itinerary, I decided that it sounded right up my alley and signed up.

Words really cannot describe how wonderful the experience was to learn from Trevor.  For two straight days he poured himself into sharing every detail of his business philosophy and his shooting and editing strategies.  He answered all of our questions with the patience of a saint, and somehow managed to do it all without losing an ounce of his energy or enthusiasm.

The amount of material that Trevor shared with us (and continues to share) seems never ending, and here I am weeks later barely scratching the surface of the notes I took during the workshop.  I feel like I learned more in those 2 days with Trevor than in the past 2 years from all other sources combined.

All of that would be pretty freaking awesome all by itself, but the most incredible thing about the experience was that spending 16+ hours with Trevor Dayley quite literally has restored my faith in humanity.

I. am. so. not. kidding.

Trevor is an incredible photographer, but he is an even more incredible person.  He is one of those rare people who would go out of his way to help anyone in need. Kindness and compassion emanate from him, and it is impossible to be in his presence and not be impacted by it.  Not only did his workshop make me a better photographer, it has made me a better person.  Watching Trevor give so much of himself to us during the workshop, and continue to do so weeks later, has inspired me to try to do the same in my interactions with those around me.

OK.  I'll stop gushing now and share a few photos that I took of the models that posed for us during the workshop.

The stunning Kimberly....



And the gorgeous Tarah...



I am absolutely in love with how the flash shows off the fabulous colors in Tarah's hair...


I wish I had a photo of Trevor and the other wonderful people I met at the workshop, but sadly, I don't. Eight photographers, and not a single one of us thought to take a photo of the group!

If you are a photographer and ever have the chance to learn from Trevor, grab onto the opportunity with both hands and don't let go. Seriously, you absolutely will not regret it.

Michele Whitacre is a portrait photographer serving Phoenix, Arizona and the surrounding area. Visit Michele's website at michelewhitacrephotography.com. Become a fan of Michele's work on Facebook. Follow Michele's updates on Twitter.

4 comments:

  1. I am attending his workshop in NY I am so excited! Your pictures are amazing thank you for sharing your story

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  2. Michele. I know how you feel. I actually got my start because of Trevor. Over a year and a half ago I took his basic 1 day class but since he had extra time, I went with him and another photographer and did night shooting. Everything that I learned got me to be bit by the photo bug. Since then, I bought my camera and after this summer I am actually in the game doing engagements and just did a wedding (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Trey-Mortensen-Photography/195187557220272). It's cool to have someone that is always there.

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  3. I was lucky enough to cross paths with Trevor earlier this year in Australia for a 2 day workshop also and completely agree with everything you have said. He is a very rare 'breed' and an inspiration to all. He still maintains contact with all the attendees from the 4 cities he visited and we continue to learn from him.if you get the opportunity to attend one of his workshops- jump in - you will not be disappointed.



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  4. These are amazing!! You are so talented.

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