Portrait workshop coming right up

One time I was doing a portrait session at my studio and there was a little girl who was so sad and scared and just did not want to be here.

I told my assistant to go into the office and get a candy sucker that I had sitting on my desk. She was in the office for minutes. Finally, she came back but didn’t have the sucker and didn’t say anything. I said, "Did you get it?" She said, "I couldn’t find it."

So I went in, thinking it was just right there. She followed me into the office and whispered, "Um….the reason I couldn’t find the sucker is because I ate it." We both laughed.

I’ve had this on my desk for 16 years

When her time at my office was over and she finished working for me, she gave me a jar of suckers as a parting gift. Clever and thoughtful. That was in 2010, but I’ve kept refilling and using it ever since.

Now listen, I’m not suggesting using candy is a great technique for getting kids to cooperate. Most of the time it doesn't even work and the kids just get all sticky.

So why keep refilling that jar? I keep it because it's a great reminder that I haven't been able to do this job solely on my own. After 25 years behind the camera, I’ve realized that the best way to honor the people who mentored and helped me get where I am is to do the same for others.

On April 11th, I’m hosting the Authentic Portrait Workshop at my studio in Provo. This is our fifth year running this, and the goal is simple: I want to help you tap into your own voice, not mine. We dive into more than just lighting and technical stuff; we talk about the connection that makes a portrait actually matter.

I’ve spent a long time developing the tools that add meaning to portraits, the kinds of images that come together between the poses, and I’d love to share them with you.

Read all about it here