I was one of those that scoffed at the idea of learning old-school lighting and posing. But guess what? I was wrong. Learning the fundamentals is so crucial to our success that when the Monte Zucker Lighting and Education bundle was being offered through PhotoDough.com, I had to jump in and get it.
Who was Monte Zucker? He was a master as lighting and posing. He was a teacher. At one of the first WPPI's I attended, I recall a room full of nearly a 1000 people sitting there watching this man teach his techniques. The minute the seminar ended, the crowd surged on towards the stage to badger him with more questions. I had absolutely no chance of getting close to him. I felt like I was at a rock concert. People like Bambi Cantrell still talk about him and what he taught her.
“Based on classical tradition, Monte’s portraiture has never strayed far from his original intent – to capture a moment in people’s lives and memorialize it for posterity.”
After battling cancer, Monte Zucker passed away in 2007. I know it was a huge blow to the industry he cared so much about.
Here is what Bay Area photographer Michael Corsentino says about Monte Zucker:
“Sad that some people don't know but at least they're asking. He was a great person and a passionate educator, definitely missed.”
Thankfully, his teaching lives on.
You can learn more about Monte Zucker's products here. But if you are quick, you can grab a good chunk of what the store offers and save $131 now through PhotoDough.com.
For $49 you receive a downloadable set of 4 CD-ROMS, including 6 slideshows with over 500 photographic examples with text descriptions. Also included are PDFs that you can tote around on your iPad and refer to often. As I said, I bought this bundle and I am looking forward to getting back to basics. Frankly, there are too many “teachers” out in the world now who are just winging it. If you want to learn from the best, this is your chance.
Get to know Monte Zucker and learn from him at your own pace. The PhotoDough.com deal is only on for a limited time.
Oh, one more thing – it's tempting to learn from a master and just copy what she or he says. That would defeat the purpose of photography for me. I intend to learn from Monte Zucker, but plan on adapting it to the way I work with my clients. Making that experience unique is key to everyone's success. Good luck!
Latest posts by Seshu | Editor & Publisher (see all)
- 10 Steps To Stay Positive In Times Of Great Stress - July 13, 2022
- Why You Need To Read “Personal Branding For Photographers” Now - April 28, 2021
- How To Master Your Website Content Step By Step? - December 16, 2020
Monte was a consummate gentleman and always open with his knowledge. If you took the time to contact him, he’d take the time to reply: phone, letter, postcard or trip to his studio. But .. you did have to ‘beat the competition’ ! He was quite popular. When Monte died, his era ended. Even those who ‘learned at his knee’ were only vestiges of Monte. You’re right in not trying to ‘copy’ Monte .. it’s far too obvious when that happens: really with any good artist. Take what you learn from him and adapt it to your own abilities and create your own style. That _IS_ the Monte Zucker way!
Thank you for your comment. Les, were you one of those lucky enough to learn from him directly? How has your portraiture changed? Feel free to drop a link in your followup comment so that we may see your work firsthand.