Thanks for 34 participants we had so far within this month (4 more than our initial plan). It’s never easy to register for something that you don’t know much about. Let’s just say it’s not easy to have faith without seeing. I personally thank every one of you. We promise you, some time in April, you will see clearly why this event is so fantastic to attend. You have my words.
In this opportunity, we would also welcome and open further 10 more spaces before the early bird is completed (by March 31st). As people said, the more the merrier right?
Talking about “the more the merrier”, I thought I’d love to share what’s my thought is in this past weeks.
I heard a few people come to me telling how workshop by this and that photographers ended up disappointing because of different expectations set. The material is not worth of money because it’s more for people who just started the business but not for professionals. Workshop by wedding photographers nowadays become business trends for wedding photographers.
As mentioned in my past post, it’s darn hard to find to have someone who can teach experienced peers because you need to be a successful photography business, and also a great teacher. So in the end, workshop for wedding photography merely targets for people who just started or planning to shoot weddings. The right information is extremely important for those people.
I often asked others “How do you wish WSP to help in building a better future in wedding photography industry?”. Most people responses’ were asking for a better system for people to think twice to call themselves professional before they are really ready. So I guess people who are matured in the industry are concerned about the quality of work of people who are not yet ready for the market and sell at bargain-priced for their service. The impact is poor client education to the couples or others about good wedding photography and certainly the market price is not healthy. Once again, people who just started their wedding photography business are always the target for everything. I feel sorry for them. They are confused, lack of direction in what to do and whom they can listen to.
There was a recent article that shocked the world of professional wedding photography last week. The article was written by one of the respected person in the world of wedding photography industry. The article offers a quick 10 steps in starting a wedding photography business (I assume photography business = professional). What was shocking was one of the steps to encourage photographers to “Spray and Pray”. It shocked me personally because I thought the word “Professional” should be accompanied by the professional knowledge, skills, tools and experiences before calling themselves one. “Spray and Pray” is the common term used among digital photographers to shoot lots and pray that some of them turns to be good or make the couple happy. I am against any idea that encourages photographers to do that. Photographers must believe that photo speaks for a thousand words. By spraying without thinking, how can words can be spoken in one frame if the photographer does not know what to shoot. For me, this type of photographers can only build a career that is waiting to fall in the future. Yes you can start your business easily by having 2-3 happy clients from your friends hoping to get some experiences but they don’t have many expectations (because they could be on the budget, they are willing to compromise). But when you are selling to complete strangers, professionals must have consistency or some works that he/she can be held responsible with.
Once again, people who wish to have a better wedding photography business is confused whom they can listen to. I am not naive that I would love to teach more to people who plans to enter photography business. But what one “I” can do, I need more “I” in the team. Thus, the Bali event could be the first workshop in Asia-Pacific designed for professional wedding photographers, not for hobbyist. The idea is to inspire the experienced ones so they can be a great foundation for teaching other people who start shooting weddings later on.
I hope to build WSP to be the place for people from different cultures, background and skills where we all can learn together. The experienced ones share to the inexperienced ones and vice versa. It’s networking at its best. Building the place where people believe that only by doing the great works, you can get hired. I’d like to share Jeremy Cowart‘s quote “The more you know technically, the more you can achieve creatively.”
Being a wedding photographer is one of the best decisions I ever made. I am living my life to the fullest. I love others to taste the same. I still believe the more the merrier. That’s what I hope WSP is built for, to accommodate and provide good quality teaching.
Anyway, I am so excited to have this event going. It’s what I have been dreaming for, having someone like Sergio who has inspired and taught so many photographers out there to be a better photographers.
Sergio just booked his flight last week. His participation in this event involves 40 hours+ flight to be in Bali during his busy period of shooting weddings. I can’t thank him enough to believe in my vision. Don’t miss out to learn from the best. One of his sessions which I think could be useful for everyone is how he openly share his thoughts about your works (Critique session). I heard a lot of good feedback from his past session. So from now on, the participants can start collecting works to be critiqued during the seminar session. It will be full on and helpful, I promise.
Also, let’s networking at its best. We can’t make a better place by only having one person in the group. We need more people to come together to change the course of wedding photography to be appreciated better.
Remember guys, One week to go! We’d love to see that you too, can share to others www.bali2012.wikischoolpedia.com
It’s been exactly one week since the registration line is open as last week we announced it in our facebook page for this upcoming August Bali event. It’s an honor that people see this event in the positive way. We have had a lot of inquiries from different countries. So this event is definitely the one that people are looking for this year by Asia-Pacific wedding photographers.
It should be.
That’s why we need all the helps out there to share this news. Please don’t hesitate to share this event to your community or facebook page. Click here for the facebook share or tweet it.
. We totally understand that it’s never easy for people to come especially most of the attendee will not be from Bali. But we believe that’s the one big step to realize that education has a pricePlease visit our registration page. The early bird stage ends by end of March. Limited space!
We had sold almost ½ of the early bird tickets in one week. So please be sure you don’t miss out. Limited places only before the early bird stage is over. It will not be extended.
There are three questions we received a lot in this past week that we thought we should share with you.
1. What is the requirement to attend this event? Who will be attending this event?
This event is designed for professionals especially in Asia Pacific region. This event is not only about learning from others’ success stories but it’s also about networking to the max. We hope it can be a good media for motivating each other to build a better future for wedding photography industry in their respective countries. Let’s build it together. In WSP, we believe we have the responsibilities to build the good standard together so couples can appreciate good wedding photos.
So it’s not a surprise that WSP can convince the best possible speakers because all of them are passionate to make the impacts to the industry. It’s never about money for them.
We warmly welcome people who are passionate in learning, and to be better photographer.
2. What classes to be taught in this event? Will it have a photo editing class?
At this stage, we have not set the classes for the workshop day 1 and day 2. But what we can tell you of we know now so far, there will be a live critique by Sergio and Sergio will show how he shoots the wedding in badass style using his mind, eyes and heart.
We are scheduled to announce the classes early April when the early bird promotion finishes. We apologise for any inconvenience.
3. Who is Sergio?
Since some of you are not familiar with the awesomeness of Sergio, please click here to see what I wrote on my previous post of who he is and his achievements.
Now, let’s hear what other photographers think about Sergio.
“It’s hard to imagine a world without Sergio. His heart is too big. His photos are too powerful. His passion is too present. We are all better photographers because Sergio quit his normal job and picked up that Nikon following his brother’s wedding a few years ago. He is an inspiration to us all.” – Ben Chrisman
“Sergio entertains you, and yet, when you leave you will have so much important information about being a better photographer. He is Fearless. He is a Leader. He is Sergio.” – David Murray
“Sergio is an amazing speaker. He has a way of teaching and inspiring photographers while keeping them entertained with his well-crafted delivery. He’s also a great photographer whose style is unapologetic and very bold. But even more, he’s a great person and I’m proud to call him a friend. Your audience is very lucky to have him.” – Ray Soemarsono
So what are you waiting for? It’s what every professional wedding photographers in Asia are waiting for. Don’t miss out!
My goal in Wiki School Pedia (WSP) is at least that I am making the impact to the society. Well, it may sound naive but if I haven’t tried, I will regret it in the future.
So finding the good contents is the key for everything in WSP. It’s all about the quality teachings. However, do you know how hard it is to find the right combination of having a great photography career and also a great educator? Believe me, it’s rare to find the combination.
But when I talked to our next speaker via skype, I know straight away he is not only a great photographer who dares to be a bad ass photographer, tries to be different, and definitely know how to shoot from the heart, but also he is so passionate in teaching, in making the impact to whoever he gives the knowledge to.
We had several photographers to consider to fill the job as our marquee educator in WSP first ever international workshop for wedding photography in Asia. We must brand ourselves right that we care to make the change. So we need the man who has the courage to do so. He definitely has everything what we need for.Please make sure to save the date 13-15 August 2012 for the 3 days Bali workshop + seminar to see Sergio’s inspiring teaching to be a badass photographer.
His name is Sergio, a fearless photographer based in Tucson, Arizona, US. He’ll be our last or 4th speaker who will join with three Asian speakers (Kelvin Koh, Oly Ruiz and Yu Hsin Seah)
I, first time, saw his works on Fearless Photographers site (He is in top 10 list for 2011). They blew me away. His composition was bold and daring. His style was unique. I personally thought he was truly a modern wedding photographer.
I honestly didn’t think many Asian knows who Sergio is. But I dare you to forget about the current trends or mainstream styles and start looking at his works below. If you don’t like what you see, you may need to stop looking at Wiki School Pedia site. Even it is not about your liking, but you must agree how good his photography is.
He is also a regular contributor of Foundation Workshop, the true wedding photojournalism workshop working alongside with my personal idols Huy Nguyen, Erwin + Ray of Apertura and Ben Chrisman. The workshop historically has produced a countless super awesome photographers. He was also recently one of the speakers from the Mystic Seminar in 2011. He definitely has a long list of experience in producing good photographers in his resume.The early bird registration is open on March 1st.
So you can start thinking how Sergio can contribute to our photography community. Make sure you are inside the crowds in Bali WSP workshop 2012. Be the person who will hear from this man who traveled from the longest distance to be there.
I know personally I love being in the first row to listen what he said. I know it will definitely change the way I see the world of photography.
The booking line for the early birders will be open for public starting from March 1st. Don’t miss out as it’s only available for limited early bird spaces (the first 30 spaces).
If you haven’t seen the news of Jeremy Lin, you must be out of this world. I started watching NBA games again since hearing his story (I think the last time I watched prior to that when Michael Jordan retired). It’s a touching and proud Asian story from Zero to Hero. He was the undrafted player from Harvard University where the uncommon place to birth a NBA star. Everybody ditched him, everybody had no interest with him. Until the day when New York Knick had a dilemma with the injury, then the ‘Linsanity’ came to rescue. He was definitely a raw talent that nobody was able to appreciate it.
I found Wiki School Pedia with the vision to help others to see what I see in wedding photography. I see myself as untalented artist. But I see myself as a living proof that if I can do well in this industry so can a lot of other people. My dream is always to discover talents among crowds. My dream is always to discover ‘Jeremy Lin’ in wedding storytellers which he/she may not realise the talent.
That’s why I encourage people to attend the workshop to see others’ successful stories, to network with peers that may motivate us to compete and to do better and of course to learn a new skill and knowledge to implement to your business or your shooting style.
I never stop to emphasize the importance of networking and learning. That’s the reason I need your support by attending the upcoming international event in Bali 13-15 August 2012 to be such an annual event for other Asian wedding storytellers to meet and greet, to share and to inspire, and to realise that we never stop learning as a professional.
Like what one of our WSP educators, Tito Rikardo of THEUPPERMOST, says it’ll be a crime if you miss this event.
This could be the first event of where you see more than two successful Asian wedding photographers from different countries to come together and to commit to share their story to others. Just in case you miss out, Oly Ruiz of Metro photo (from the Philippine), Yu Shin Seah of tinydot Photography and Kelvin Koh of Lighted Pixels Photographyare the three speakers (out of the total four main speakers from this event).Please spread the news for others to save the date 13-15 August 2012 in Bali, Indonesia
This blog post is the intermezzo before I resume the announcement of our last (4rd) speaker next week before we open the registration line on March 1st.
During my trip to pick out the best team for our educator line up last year, I went to several countries in South East Asia to meet and ask several wedding photographers “who is the Asian wedding photographer you most want to listen the talk”. I heard a lot of names but one name I heard the most is Lightedpixels photography. Kelvin Koh is the founder and the photographer. He is definitely a popular figure among other wedding photographers especially in pre-wedding photography.
It’s also a no brainer that a lot of brides dream to be a Lightedpixels’ bride. Their pre-wedding photos are simply irresistible because everything looks so romantic and the couples always look very much in love. He has a way of capturing their emotions and feelings and you can’t help but be moved by it.
Last year, I was fortunate to meet Kelvin in person. It was then that I totally understood why his creations are so romantic and beautiful. He is a people person and has genuine interest in the people he is shooting for. While most people would associate decisive moments with journalistic wedding day images, Kelvin has been exploring that with pre-wedding sessions. I am sure this moment capture skills will be an eye opener that all the attendees to the seminar can look forward to!
Even though he is from Singapore, he has been hired to shoot in more than 20 different cities across the world.
This Bali event will be his first international workshop and he is really excited about it.
Without further ado, here is Kelvin Koh – Lighted Pixels Photography
Not only are his works loved by brides, He is also a media magnet whose name is constantly mentioned in various medias. Singapore Tatler also have Lightedpixels in their Best of Singapore list for 6 years in a row now. His works have also appeared in numerous local magazines and internationally featured in Spain, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and America.
Please check out some of his favorite photos
In Wiki School Pedia (WSP), we love to be known with quality teachings. I personally think those three Asian photographers (Kelvin Koh, Oly Ruiz and Yu Hsin Seah) are the best of my picks which each of them has a distinct unique and successful story to share and to inspire other peers in the industry.
The early bird price is scheduled on March 1st. Tomorrow will be the announcement for our fourth/last speaker, non Asian wedding photographer.