We visited Bristol this week as we pass the half way point in this years ‘Inspired 2010′ series of business seminars across the UK being given by UK commercial advertising and car photographer Tim Wallace. These special events that Tim has being giving across the UK since the tour started back in central London 2 months ago have been our most successful yet and are very much focused on the business aspect of commercial photography and how to approach the market and clients in this very competitive and aggressive field of the industry.
The Tour this year takes on eight major cities throughout the UK from London to Edinburgh.
Tim -”I always love coming down to Bristol I have very fond memories of the city from my my early twenties when I trained for the Royal Marines not far from here in Lympstone, North Devon. Bristol has grown quite a lot since then as a city and along side this growth in exciting businesses and retail outlets comes the inevitable growth in young commercial photographers trying to get a foot hold on the ladder in their careers.”
“This year the discussion is very much centered on business, what it actually takes in my view to become a professional and business viable commercial photographer and also those ‘little details’ that in my view make all the difference when you are trying to get your business off the ground and make those first tentative steps. My business model so to speak my well not be what people expect but as a working professional myself these days the only main concern I have is trying to ensure I allow myself some time off now and again as my own business AmbientLife publicly pushes forward in these difficult commercial times. The event went very well indeed and and had a good mix of both established professional photographers and assistants wanting to take those first steps themselves. Next stop is Birmingham next week and I’m looking forward to the meeting more great people and hopefully offering not only some sound advice but also some inspiration.”
Feedback from Mr Marc Atkin -”I absolutely loved you’re seminar today, it was extremely inspiring and cracking up at you’re jokes… but you have a fantastically droll wit, I described you to my Wife as “like Noel Gallagher, only without the 60′s hair do and a bit further North”.!
I’ve spent over 20 years in music touring and theatre and the best bit is the late night wise cracking on the bus, and you would have fit right in. I really want now to do one of you’re hands on ‘Live shoot’ days like the one you talked about that others have attended.
God luck with you’re future work, I really admire the ” I will do it and nothing will stop me attitude” and I will always see trying to get through the receptionist front line to potential new clients as a “tactical assault”…genius!
I hope our paths cross again soon. You’re seminar convinced me to do my own thing so maybe I’ll just keep the Ridley Scott fixation and make it part of my style….”
Tour Dates
Central London – Sat 4th September
Glasgow – Wed 8th September
Manchester – Sat 2nd October
Nottingham – Fri 8th Oct
Bristol – Fri 22nd Oct
Birmingham – Fri 5th Nov
Edinburgh – Sat 13th Nov
Liverpool – Wed 17th Nov
The 2010 UK Tour will be discussing the important issues in regard to making your first moves towards starting out in Commercial Photography and this year Tim is covering such topics as;
*Building an efficient Workflow
*Buying equipment
*Making a business plan
*Tax and VAT
*Building a portfolio
*What it ‘really’ takes to be a commercial photographer
*Marketing yourself
*Presenting work
*Pricing work and quotes
The Inspired Tour
Each year Tim delivers a UK tour of venues around the UK from London to Scotland and talks in depth about subjects such as workflow, commercial photography, business development, and how to improve your technique. The tour events are very soundly based on commercial photography in general and also take an in depth look at many aspects of the photography business. These tours are very popular and please note that availability is to restricted numbers.
These talks take a rare insight into the world of commercial photography through the eyes of a professional working in this environment both nationally and internationally, and offer people the chance to gain further knowledge in what it takes to become a success in a career that is notorious for its high failure rate.
Tim discusses many aspects of photography including work-flow and how he approaches it for maximum efficiency, equipment in respect of DSLR Vs Medium format as well as lighting and just how he feels that shooting styles have changed over the last 10 years. He also openly speaks about the industry and personally talks through some of his own work, explaining his thought process and how he approaches a shoot and well as his own experiences of how to first approached the commercial market as a new comer. Finally we look at digital as a whole, some techniques Tim uses in Photoshop that he designed as well as looking at the importance of a fluid professional work-flow, discussing if it is still a ‘pure’ medium and how to regain that ‘shooting on film’ feeling that many professionals feel has been lost.
If you wish to book a place on any of the events mentioned on this page please contact the marketing department of Calumet UK who organise our placements on these seminars or visit the dedicated Calumet Events pages.
