Photography Mentoring
with Kevin LJ
Photography Mentoring with Kevin LJ
We all love to take great photographs. But many camera owners don’t progress beyond taking snapshots where the camera is controlling most of what happens. Are you struggling to capture the style of photos you want to? Photography mentoring will assist you in bringing your image-making to the next level.
My mentorship program is an ideal way to learn. If you are a beginner or intermediate level you’ll benefit from the mentoring sessions I offer. My guidance will help you continue to develop your photography skills and passion. As you progress through the mentorship you’ll learn to master your camera settings and become a confident photographer.
I can also teach you about composition, lighting, (both natural and studio,) black and white, film photography, and much more. My photography mentoring programs are completely customizable to best suit your needs and the direction you want to take.
Picking a Photography Mentor
Have you hit a wall with your photography? Whether you’ve recently purchased your first camera or been enjoying photography for a while, many people do. This is usually because they expect the camera equipment to do most of the work for them. The secret is, (well, it’s no secret actually,) that the more familiar you are with your camera, the better photographer you will be. By finding a mentor you’ll develop your camera skills more quickly than you can working at it on your own.
The more confident you are in controlling your camera settings the more creative your photography can be. Without first learning to understand and manage your camera, you will maintain a certain level of disappointment. Through my photography mentoring sessions you will a great improvement and become a better photographer.
I am an experienced professional photographer and photography teacher. My wife and I teach in-person workshops. I also provide photography in-person mentoring sessions as well as photography mentoring online. We also produce photography courses for online students. I love to share my experience as a photographer because I know how challenging it is to learn on your own.
Customer Review
While choosing to work as an amateur can be a kind of liberation from the capital influences and external market pressures that steer the work of most commercial artists, that choice can also leave them with a dearth of meaningful feedback, criticism, and considerate provocation. My own pursuit of total agency left me with unanswered questions about my intentions and functionally disoriented. Fortunately, I found Kevin. And favorably, he agreed to mentor me.
Kevin brought to our regular conversations a trove of professional expertise, genuine curiosity about my person, my work and my process, and a knack for spotting, then describing the quality of my photography. During the mentorship, he inspired me to take alternative approaches to both my subjects and my craft, he helped me identify and deconstruct practical shooting habits and idiosyncrasies unique to my art, and he promoted a fidelity to long-term engagement in broader subject matter. By asking a lot of innocuous, straightforward questions about my pictures and my choices, and by solving an exiguous connection to other photographers, he supported a remodeling of practice and a crystallizing of vision.
His guidance has been instrumental to the successful charting of my own creative path. Without bearing in the wilderness, Kevin became my compass.
~ Ted, South Carolina
Online Photography Mentorship
Learning online with a course is a great way to start, but you may still find you want personal guidance to help you develop as a photographer. This is where my photography mentor program comes in. The greatest benefit is the connection and relationship we build. This provides greater opportunities for you to grow your photography in the direction you want to take it.
When you engage with my mentoring program I will encourage, tutor, and challenge you. It will be a positive and growing experience. Your understanding and camera skill will improve, as will your creative expression. Following the teaching and assignments I provide will shape you to be a more confident photographer. This all happens at a level of relationship that you can not get with an online photography course.
The Photography Mentoring Program:
- Gives guidance in all areas of your photography
- Teaches photography and camera skills
- Provides structured Photography Assignments
- Uncovers and/or refines your artistic direction
- Assists in goal setting and implementation
- Reviews of your current and past photographs
- Develops your vision-plan based on your intended direction
- Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly video call meetings
My photography mentoring is personalized and customized. When you sign up for this mentorship program we commit together to your growth as a photographer. What you gain will be proportional to the amount of time and effort you commit.
I offer three different mentoring programs. You can choose which one best fits with the amount of time you want to commit and your budget. Completing assignments and extra study will take a little more time. I will commit beyond the video calls because proper photography mentoring requires it. I will set assignments, critique photos you submit, and continue to tailor the program for you as your skills develop.
Customer Review
As someone who was fairly new to using a DSLR camera, I had the good fortune to take one of Kevin’s photography workshops in Chiang Mai. During the several hours we spent together at the morning market and at a hill tribe village, he was able to teach me how to use my camera on manual settings. His explanations were clear and concise, and by the end of the day I was comfortable with my camera set on manual and had some beautiful shots. He was very patient as I asked questions and gave me feedback on how I was shooting. If you’re ever in Northern Thailand, I strongly recommend one of Kevin’s workshops. But even if you’re sitting at home far away, you can benefit from his extensive depth of knowledge and skills as a teacher through his Mentoring Program.
Once I returned home, I realized that I still had a lot to learn. Kevin’s on-line Mentoring Program was the perfect way to continue to improve my skills. I have been working with him for almost two years. Based on feedback from me, and a review of the photos I’ve recently taken, we decide together what skills I will work on. Kevin’s feedback is always detailed and he gives very workable suggestions and exercises to practice. The percentage of shots that are “keepers” has increased greatly since I’ve been working with him. My confidence has improved as I learn more about my camera and how to set it to capture the world around me. If you would like to improve your photography skills in a relaxed and effective way, I highly recommend Kevin’s Mentoring program.
~ JoAnn, Oregon
Photography is a Lifestyle
Photography is more than learning to use your camera and taking pictures. It’s a lifestyle where the more you put into it the more you will receive in return. Being willing to be honest with me as your photography mentor and follow my teaching will bring you the most benefit. Every photographer wants to take better photos and I can guide you to produce great photos of the topics you love the most.
Like every artistic skill, you must practice to become accomplished. I frequently teach and encourage people to use their camera every day. You will learn most quickly if you are familiar with your camera. The only way to achieve this is to use it each and every day.
Knowing your camera intimately will allow you to use it more intuitively. As you study and practice the basics of camera control and adjustment will enter your subconscious. Soon you will operate your camera without consciously thinking of each change you make. You will be in more creative control. This may sound like a lot, but with my photography mentoring program it’s not a difficult process. I will teach you how to take the guess work out making great photos.
I will guide you to new levels of competency. Reaching them takes work, but as you do you will find new freedom in your creative expression. I will show you how to look beyond using your camera to becoming a creative photographer.
The Secret of a Successful Photography Mentoring Program
Photography mentorship done well is a life-changing experience. Committing to our photography mentoring and tutoring program requires commitment, honesty, and humility. Most importantly it requires mutual respect.
Please don’t seek to sign up for our mentorship program if you don’t like the way I teach or the style of my photography. If it’s clearly different from your preferences and style, find another photographer to mentor you. Picking a photo mentor requires some time and research.
We must be compatible and able to communicate easily and honestly. I am an encouraging person by nature. It is not difficult for me to find the good in your photos. I will also pull you up and point out where you can improve. With a positive receptive attitude this will help you grow.
Photography and any art form is very subjective and open to interpretation. Having strongly fixed ideas is not conducive to creative growth. My feedback is always positive and my motivation in providing it is to teach you to be a better photographer. Your best interests are central to the photography mentor relationship.
To see which level suits you best
Customer Review
Kevin was my mentor back in 2019 for just under a year, I had previously met him 2 years before that when I attended a workshop he led in Thailand, I was on holiday there and had just started on my photographic journey. Kevin is friendly, easy to talk to, and approachable, our mentoring session was like a friend’s catch-up most of the time with Kevin talking about his vast experience as a photojournalist back in the day. His stories are always interesting and his knowledge of photography is immense, I always had a burst of creativity after each session.
~ Sinty, Manchester. (now running her own professional photography business and studio.)
Why I can Be Your Photography Mentor
Picking a photography mentor can be difficult. You need to know that the person who will mentor you has the right background and experience. I have over 40 years photography experience and would love to share this with you.
My experience is mainly in editorial, documentary, and commercial professional photography. I have a passion for capturing ‘real life’ in my photographs.
My professional photography career began in the late 1980′s working on one of New Zealand’s leading daily papers. Later I moved on becoming the sole photographer for two bi-weekly newspapers. During these years I gained vast photography experience. I photographed everything fromPrime Ministers, British royalty, international celebrities, sporting events, and much more.
This was my training ground and the experience I base much of my photography teaching on. It taught me that photography is a whole lot more than just about lighting, composition and camera settings. Having the pressure to always produce photos for publication was a fabulous learning experience. I knew if I messed up I would not stay in the job long, as there was always young enthusiast photographers looking for employment. It also helped me build up a diverse portfolio of images.
Moving On
Moving on from the newspapers I worked for a time at a small commercial photography studio. This is where I learned to work with medium format cameras (Hasselblads) and studio photography equipment. This was a good grounding for stepping out to run my own freelance photography business a year later.
In my freelance photography business I covered a wide range and served a mixture of clients. I worked on industrial, commercial, corporate and editorial clients. Naturally I also photographed weddings and portraits. My second year in business I was awarded the honor of being judged the best new business in the city.
Since moving to Thailand I have continued to pursue my career in photography and also documentary film making. I have produced many videos for non-profit organizations. Most of these videos are for sharing how donors investments and financial gifts are put to use amongst the rural poor. This experience of giving my creative skills to help those who have so little has been extremely rewarding.
My images have been run in many national and international publications including Time Magazine. My award winning work is also represented by Getty Images, iStock, Alamy and other major stock photo and video agencies. I am on the advisory board of TIPS (Thailand International Photography Society.) I also contribute to:
- Digital Photography School,
- PhotographyCourse.Net,
- write my own blog,
- and produce videos for my Youtube channel.
Teaching is something I am passionate about. My wife and I started Chiang Mai Photo Workshops because of our passion for photography and our love for Chiang Mai and northern Thailand. We want to share these things we enjoy so much.
To see which level suits you best
Your photography mentoring will include:
- Guidance in all areas of your photography
- Creative renewal and discovery
- Uncovering and/or refining your artistic direction
- Review and critique of past work
- Ongoing review of your artistic development
- Review and critique of work-in-progress
- Weekly, bi-weekly or monthly meetings
- Goal setting and developing an action plan for implementing goals*
- Development of a vision-plan based on your intended direction*
(*these items are not included in all levels of our photography mentoring program. Check below for details.)
Your photography mentoring can also include:
- Specialized photography mentoring on subjects such as natural light portraiture, photo montages etc.
- Portfolio building or review, photo critique and analysis
- Custom photo assignments and exercises, on location
- Review and analysis of tools used; camera, computer, software, printer
- Image review and critique of assignments, based upon your personal goals
- Analysis of your technical process: exposure, development, etc.
- Image editing and corrections using Lightroom, Photoshop
- More effective use of natural light
- On-camera, off-camera strobe, and studio lighting set up and use
- Technical advice and training
- Fine-tuning and refining your B&W photography skills
What You’ll Need
- Digital Camera
- Computer
- Internet connection and Dropbox/Google Drive or similar
- Skype, Zoom, or similar app
The aim of online photography mentoring is to help you refine your own sense of visual storytelling. Photography mentoring online and tutoring via video calls are a very convenient way to improve your photography. I will give regular assignments by email. They will be designed to fit your goals and photography style. They will also be designed to push you outside your comfort zone, because this is where real growth can occur and magic happens.
The video calls are aimed at addressing any questions you might have and turning any weaknesses into strengths.
Photography Mentorship Program Levels
We have designed our photography mentorship and tutoring program with three different levels. There are also three additional levels if you are interested in having your photographs critiqued by me.
All of my photography mentoring and critiques are managed through my By Me A Coffee page so you can be sure that all payments are easy and secure. Please check out my By Me A Coffee page to view all the options and benefits available there.
Level f/1.4
– Two, one hour, one on one video call each month.
– Free Online Photography Course: Master Your Camera – Master Your Creativity
– Comprehensive written critique of five of your photos per month.
– Access to all premium articles and videos
Level f/2
– A one hour, one on one video call each month.
– Free Online Photography Course: Master Your Camera – Master Your Creativity
– Comprehensive written critique of five of your photos per month.
– Access to all premium articles and videos
Level f/2.8
– One half hour, one on one video call per month.
– Free Online Photography Course: Master Your Camera – Master Your Creativity
– Comprehensive written critique of three of your photos per month.
– Access to all premium articles and videos
Photography Mentor Gift Vouchers
Please contact us if you would like to make a gift of our photography mentoring program to a family member or a friend.
When can I start My Photography Mentoring Sessions?
Once you have decided on which level best suits you, or even before then, we need to schedule a complimentary first video call. We will use this call to become a little acquainted and help us decide on how best to move forward.
After the call, once you have chosen a level that best suits you in our photography mentoring program you need to make a payment. We use TransferWise or our Thai bank account for payments.
Please fill in the form, checking carefully you have entered your email address and video call details correctly. You will receive an email shortly after to arrange a time for a call.
Limited Availability
I am only able to commit to so many people at one time, so contact me today.