Last week I attended my second After Dark Education experience. This time it was in the wonderful, warm city of Miami, FL. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency right in the center of the downtown area. I arrived Sunday evening after a layover in Atlanta. (I heard that even when you die, everyone has to stop for a layover in Atlanta on your way to Heaven... A little travel humor, I guess... That was my first time having to stop there so it must be more common that I realize... Anyway, I digress.) The first night was a reunion of past attendees and a welcoming of new members to the After Dark family. The introduction was complete with money being thrown into the crowd and full day schedules being unanimously voted to be flip-flopped due to weather conditions. A celebration of chaos, as the founders would have it. I was introduced to a new found friend, who I would be a roommate to while there. David Meyer, a 20-year veteran photographer from Michigan. A great guy I learned a lot from in a matter of a few days. The remainder of the first night was filled with a business class with three generations of the most successful business people in the industry: Bill Sorenson, Rachel Marten and Travis Gugelman.
The second day, Monday in real life, but Tuesday in the world of After Dark, was a little rainy outside. This kept the group indoors for the most part. We found locations within the hotel to work on many techniques. I personally worked with Brian Killian and Mike Ridinger on ambient lighting and reflectors and then saw Lou Freeman, world-renowned fashion photographer, in action. After grabbing some dinner at a nearby cafe, it was time to do some work in the studio bays with lighting master, Don Chick, Dan Davis and Chuck Arlund. Finally then after the sun went down, we did some off-camera flash outdoors with Jordan Chan. Last part of the night was spent assisting in a workshop with Kay Eskridge. After all the activities were done, I went back to my room to review the days captures and finally got to bed around 2:30 AM. Hey, it's called After Dark for a reason.
The next morning, the alarms went off too early, but it was time to load up on the bus and head to South Beach. We spent the day out in the Miami sun shooting models in alleys, gardens and on the beach using all different types of lighting scenarios. Kevin Jaira used full-power studio strobes with a beauty dish in the ocean and Fuzzy Duenkel and Jen Hillenga used a piece of aluminum-faced insulation as a reflector in a back alley... All levels of equipment were used. A great hands-on educational experience. After about seven hours, we loaded up the buses and headed back. I then realized that the tube of sunscreen would have been worth any price. I'm not sure if my nose had second or third degree burns on it... :( When we got back to the hotel Miller's lab hosted a pizza party for everyone. Quite a treat. Then I spent the night going though the business/marketing pods listening to presentations from Jeff Lubin, Angela Carson and a rousing 3-hour marathon by Bill Sorenson. The night was capped off by a tell-all meeting with Kevin and Dixie Jordan that, like Bill's presentation, went well past the planned finish time, but was entirely worth every minute. Lots of epiphanies throughout the night that will help shape my young business.
The final day was spent reflecting on what I had learned and developing a plan of action to set deadlines on changes needed, make a grocery list of worthwhile equipment missing from my tool bag and begin new strategies and beliefs toward the way I will conduct myself and the business. It was then time to say goodbye to everyone there and head back to Atlanta on my way home. It wound't be a tough goodbye though. They're all headed up to Minneapolis in May, and I can't wait to do it all over again!
Huge thanks goes out to Dave Junion and Kevin Jordan and all the After Dark mentors, assistants and attendees! This is a great opportunity for myself and many people in the industry to better themselves and better the industry overall.
(For a sampling of images from the trip, check out my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/npdesignphotography ) While you're there, become a Fan so I know you're out there and you can get updates to the happenings of the business. Thanks! -NP
