We meet new people every year at WPPI…People who motivate & inspire us and that’s never gonna end. Our list isn’t “The Complete List” by any stretch of the imagination. Check out a few of our friends and people we know who are leading Photo Walks along with us and run get yourself signed up!
WPPI PhotoWalks
My first 3 suggestions aren’t even people we know personally, but I know their work and it’s outstanding.
Chuck Arlund – We’ve followed Chuck for years and recommended his class to our students to sign-up for the year after we spoke at MARS. He’s got a great way of using flash and coming up with creative, off-the-wall ideas. Who knows what he’s going to have planned and up his sleeve and it’s that mystery that would make me so intrigued to join in and find out!
Jennifer Rozenbaum – Boudoir extraordinaire – when her images come across my path, from Facebook to Instagram whatever – I’m stopping down to look and admire. It’s not just the beauty she shoots; it’s the beautiful way she does it!
Mike Allebach – He’s got this reputation for tattooed brides but we think what is great at relating with the people he shoots, and he’s not limited in the ways he can approach it. The guy gives everything he seems to focus on his full attention and delivers the results. We know if you were to attend his walk you’d be in for a genuinely excellent experience!
The next three we know a bit better, we’ve at least shared a meal wiht them.
Craig Minielly – Incredible photographer from Vancouver, just spent some time with him at the ASP (American Society of Photographers) banquet in Nashville. If you’ve ever wondered how to make things work when you are on location, and there is an outstanding job to do, he’s your man. He is a master photographer who has been doing it long enough that “he can help you get unstuck” because he’s solved that and many more problems before. What we’d say about this guy is that he had a huge range of directions he could take his Walk and whichever way he chooses to put it together…from off-camera flash to street scenes he’s got the skills and skins to prove it!
Peter Ellis – A true living legend that continues to inspire. When we first started attending WPPI’s 16×20 print competition, we would love to sit in the room and hear Peter’s comments. His insight and clarity are always spot on! There is a tangible feeling of believability to his imagery and anyone who grabs a spot on his walk is sure to be in for a treat!
Mike Fulton – Being from Texas and being a photographer, means you’ve heard of Mike Fulton and the massive operation he is riding herd. When he’s not out shooting, he’s busy being getting ready for his new twins or serving on the board of PPA or teaching yet another class on Off-Camera Flash. We’ve taught together at Texas School in the past and consistently year after year people who didn’t know how to use their flash to make dramatic portraits walk away feeling that they finally had their “Lightbulb” moment!
Dallas Professional Photographers PhotoWalks
These are our “hometown hero’s.” The photographer peeps who at some point called Dallas home.
Kevin Jairaj – Is he a portrait photographer? Wedding Photographer? Sports Photographer? Or all of the above. This photo hero is the guy you find shooting the Olympics one week and then jetting off to do a shoot in a desert only to come home and make some bride’s day perfect. Just being around KJ is like a bowl of happiness and he’s going to make some lucky group of people better photographers for the time they spend with him!
JVS – The Master of Off-Camera Lighting in whatever form he wants to do it. Still motion movies? Yep, that too. Creativity off the charts? You know it! One of my favorite workshops to date was the day we spent with him. Throw in a background steeped in newspaper photojournalism and a legacy as one of the most revered wedding photojournalists out there. So he moved to Washington DC – we still claim him as one of ours. You want to be challenged to see differently – go on his walk!
Tony Corbell – Most living legends are either old or irrelevant & out of touch. Not this guy. UN Photographic Award, MAC Group Sultan of Light, more PPA, WPPI and other worldwide honors to shake a stick at, he forgets more about lighting that most of us will ever learn and yet you won’t find a kinder, warmer and more patient educator out there. Tony makes all of us a better person!
This next group are all people who have touched us in some way. Personally, or through their influence via inspiration and their passion for photography and creativity. Many of them are friends, and some are photographers we follow and admire.
Great Photographers To Learn From
Dennis Orchard – The legendary Englishman, Dennis is sure to inspire both with how he looks at light and works with people, but also with his perpetual whit and pithy commentary. Fresh off an exciting year in his life, my guess is that he is primed to be more passionate than ever to pouring himself out into the “next generation” and continuing to make a difference in people’s lives.
Kelly Brown – There must be something in that water in Australia right? Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves to feel better. But it’s not the water; it’s a tight-knit community of dedicated photographers who pursue excellence on a regular basis. This lady is pushing her arena into new and fresh areas and every time we see one of her images, we think to ourselves “Brilliant!”
Sam Sciarrino – The Canadian sensation. A master photographer in umpteen photography organizations and thirteen solar systems, it stands to reason he’s accomplished it all. But this guy keeps his head down, churning out the work, pushing the industry and inspiring so many fellow photographers when he stops down and puts on his “Educator” hat. You want to learn how to see different and think different? Grab a seat on Sam’s walk!
David Beckstead – So David has a saying…50/50. Anyone who has ever spent time with him knows his wife thinks he might be doing more like 60/40. What’s the 50%? It’s how he balances shooting for his clients’ needs and experimenting, pushing his boundaries and trying new things for himself! We’ve been a part of David’s classes at Mentors in Miami and when he lead some of our Thirst Relief Night Shoots. Founder of Abstract Canvas FB group and author of loads of books on Composition and wedding photography – a Walk with Beckstead is sure to delight!
Justine Ungaro – Such a classy lass! We love the time we get to spend with Justine, and it’s never enough! We’ve heard rumors that she might be bringing out her MF camera for her walk so ANYONE who has ever wanted to get into the medium format game should look no further. When she’s not walking the red carpet, you can find us stopping down on our FB feed just to see the latest gorgeous, elegant and effortless (looking) photos you are ever going to see!
Joe Cogliandro – Everything IS bigger in TEXAS including the legendary work of our brother from down in Houston. Running a crazy business of big fat Indian weddings, landscape gallery work, incredible portraiture and capturing phenomenal elegant affairs, we’ve run out of superlatives to describe this guy. The biggest thing about him? His heart. When David was sick, Joe stepped in along with Roberto Valenzuela to help us out. This guy is the real deal, and you won’t regret tagging along for his shoot!
Danny Dong – Oh my! Again the time suck of Facebook. Everytime Danny posts another of his excellent shots from the previous weekend’s wedding; it’s a must view. He’s got this whole photography thing down. How to light. How to pose. How to create something different and unique. Danny’s photos are some of the one’s we most look forward. Top it off with the fact that he’s a great guy, and you’ve got the winning combination!
Note: This post was updated on July 21st, 2016.