Carol J Lee wrote:
I have been teaching retouching and various other aspects of graphics arts via photoshop for a couple of years, but I tend to only get maybe one student every 6 months. Are there photographers out there who are willing to pay for one on one photoshop tutoring customized for their needs or can online tutorials and exploration take care of that? If so, what are you usually willing to pay?

Theres resources on many different website (expert village, youtube, etc) that have 2-11 minute clips on how to start, or make, or do photoshop techniques.  In today's economy everyone wants free.  However, I would love to learn something new, but due to the economy I have no major income to PAY for your services as a teacher, so I  too must use weblinks to see the Do It Yourself techniques.

Carol J Lee wrote:
I have been teaching retouching and various other aspects of graphics arts via photoshop for a couple of years, but I tend to only get maybe one student every 6 months. Are there photographers out there who are willing to pay for one on one photoshop tutoring customized for their needs or can online tutorials and exploration take care of that? If so, what are you usually willing to pay?

With everything being FREE on the Web, I think the only way to compete on a level that will help you bring more students would be to offer something of more value than just tutoring one-to-one. That's well acheived when a person watches a video tutorial.

I suggest you do workshops that offer a combination of results, not just retouching.  It would be a much more attractive situation for people to attend a workshop that could teach them lighting, composition, photography and then retouch.

The value would increase if these workshops had a small number of attendees allowed, but a strong focus on the entire process involved in acheiving a great image.  My idea would be to put something together that helps people learn all the facets of getting a good photo onto film/card, so when they end up at the retouch stage, the final result will be more successful and easier to obtain.

Workshops give a sense of not only getting more value for the dollar, but also the chance to network. I believe photographers that attend workshops like the idea of not only getting to shoot with models that are picked for the experience and photogenic qualities, but also having the chance to see how other photographers do things - or just compare notes.

I bought a guitar years ago in a small, mom and pop instrument shop. The owner was loudly complaining to a customer about how the Internet has killed his business.  His main source of income had dropped down to furnishing rooms for teachers to do one-on-one instrument lessons to students.

Knowing at the time the Internet was becoming more than just a great place for people to buy musicial instruments, I predicted this little instrument shop would soon close due to the fact software and Youtube videos (as well as online subscriptions) involving instrument tutorials, would be more attractive to people.

And when you consider a home-making mother already has her day full, the idea of her son logging on to a tutorial at home, rather than driving him to lessons every week, really goes to the core of your issue.

People have learned they can get more for less with the Internet.  So, I suggest you create more for the one-to-one, in person situation to give people a reason to get away from their monitors and get that hands-on education that really can't be found on the Internet alone.

I would caution you, though. If you consider doing workshops, tailor them to be very unique in all facets. There are too many "shootout" situations that people see as some kind of get-together workshop. But the quality of models and the lack of any true pro being in charge of the event and giving lessons, is not worth the money of those that want to learn - as apposed to those that just want the networking and fun of a shootout.

I'd open up to the idea of adding in another photographer. Possibly you could set up a situation where 4 people are in one room learning photography/lighting techniques, while you have 4 others learning retouching from you.

Just brand yourself as being a true one-stop solution to more than only retouching at the point of the monitor. Even if someone is more interested in the retouching aspects of an in-person event, adding in other elements that will show them extra value in getting great retouching results, will win you more clients in the long run.

[ Oh, yeah. That instrument store closed in less than a year. They had been there over 20 years. ]

:>)

- Tripp wrote:

With everything being FREE on the Web, I think the only way to compete on a level that will help you bring more students would be to offer something of more value than just tutoring one-to-one. That's well acheived when a person watches a video tutorial.

I suggest you do workshops that offer a combination of results, not just retouching.  It would be a much more attractive situation for people to attend a workshop that could teach them lighting, composition, photography and then retouch.

The value would increase if these workshops had a small number of attendees allowed, but a strong focus on the entire process involved in acheiving a great image.  My idea would be to put something together that helps people learn all the facets of getting a good photo onto film/card, so when they end up at the retouch stage, the final result will be more successful and easier to obtain.

Workshops give a sense of not only getting more value for the dollar, but also the chance to network. I believe photographers that attend workshops like the idea of not only getting to shoot with models that are picked for the experience and photogenic qualities, but also having the chance to see how other photographers do things - or just compare notes.

I bought a guitar years ago in a small, mom and pop instrument shop. The owner was loudly complaining to a customer about how the Internet has killed his business.  His main source of income had dropped down to furnishing rooms for teachers to do one-on-one instrument lessons to students.

Knowing at the time the Internet was becoming more than just a great place for people to buy musicial instruments, I predicted this little instrument shop would soon close due to the fact software and Youtube videos (as well as online subscriptions) involving instrument tutorials, would be more attractive to people.

And when you consider a home-making mother already has her day full, the idea of her son logging on to a tutorial at home, rather than driving him to lessons every week, really goes to the core of your issue.

People have learned they can get more for less with the Internet.  So, I suggest you create more for the one-to-one, in person situation to give people a reason to get away from their monitors and get that hands-on education that really can't be found on the Internet alone.

I would caution you, though. If you consider doing workshops, tailor them to be very unique in all facets. There are too many "shootout" situations that people see as some kind of get-together workshop. But the quality of models and the lack of any true pro being in charge of the event and giving lessons, is not worth the money of those that want to learn - as apposed to those that just want the networking and fun of a shootout.

I'd open up to the idea of adding in another photographer. Possibly you could set up a situation where 4 people are in one room learning photography/lighting techniques, while you have 4 others learning retouching from you.

Just brand yourself as being a true one-stop solution to more than only retouching at the point of the monitor. Even if someone is more interested in the retouching aspects of an in-person event, adding in other elements that will show them extra value in getting great retouching results, will win you more clients in the long run.

[ Oh, yeah. That instrument store closed in less than a year. They had been there over 20 years. ]

:>)

Thanks for your input!