If you take a moment to think about it, Mario Masitti is right. Lighting, posing, editing, sales, and marketing are all topics that are critical for portrait photographers.

Over the last five years, Mario has taught photographers the in's and out's of portrait photography – both the craft and the business.

Five Courses In One

After making multiple individual courses available, Mario recently bundled them all up for you, the portrait photographer.

The Modern Portraits Master Course by Mario Masitti is a bit of a monopoly. You get Mario's take on Lighting, Posing, Marketing, Editing and Sales.

Go ahead and click the links above to explore each of the options. You'll notice that they are each marked at $94.99. But you can score the entire course – all five “modules” – for only $394.99 (and if you are quick, you can get 25% off that price when you use the code: NEWYEAR25.

Variety & Depth

I haven't seen anyone offer so much under one banner course. And, if there are such an options out in the interwebs, I suspect it costs twice or thrice as much.

Poking into some of the course material, I can tell you that the master course has a ton of visual examples; photographs from actual photo shoots with clients and links to videos, where Mario talks you through situations that you will encounter. Each module has its PDF ebook to go with it, so you never feel left out in the cold.

The Modern Lighting course, for example, includes a 56-pae PDF ebook, a 25-minute supplmental lighting video and two special bonuses.

Mario's Crazy Guarantee

This straight from Mario's website: “Every Sessions With Mario product is backed by a 100% Money Back Guarantee. If you don’t absolutely love the course, it’s on me!”

Feel more comfortable now buying Mario's The Modern Portraits Master Course

Mario's promise:

This Master Course was designed for portrait photographers looking to take their portraits AND their business to the next level – to shoot better images, edit faster, market smarter, and sell bigger. With no-frill videos, beautiful PDFs, and awesome challenges, the Master Course equips you with what you need to grow into a 6-figure portrait photography business and rock your next seasons in 2017!

Interviewing Mario

It was a pleasure to connect with Mario, especially to discuss this new venture called The Modern Portraits Master Course. Check out our chat below:

More Than A Fujifilm Fan Boy

As a lifelong Nikon photographer, a few weeks ago, I sat down to talk with Damien Lovegrove about creating portraits using the Fujifilm X system.

You see, I'm in transit right now; from primarily using my Nikon D750 DSLR to using a mirrorless camera system. My choice without any doubt is the Fujifilm X system. After owning their X100T for a couple of years, I now feel ready to get the Fujifilm XT-2 … BUT … which lenses should I buy? Or, will my off-camera flashes sync with the new system?

Lots of questions were swimming in my head and I couldn't think of a better resource to tap to answer those questions than Damien Lovegrove. So, that's how my brief interview with him came to be.

Introducing Damien Lovegrove

Sure, Damien's a photographer. But he is so much more. He is a teacher (be sure to subscribe to his YouTube channel) and an author (his new books are truly remarkable). And he is also a Fuji X Ambassador.

If you look at his photography, you'll notice his phenomenally disciplined sense of lighting and creating a delicate mood. If you listen to my conversation with him, you'll hear of the origins of his approach. It's all quite intriguing. So, give it a listen!

The Interview

The Portraits Book

If you are a portrait photographer and a Fujifilm mirrorless camera system user at that, then Damien's new book, Portraits, is a must-have. I was astounded by the depth and breadth of Damien's explanations. He is a tireless teacher, stopping and explaining details when most other photographers gloss over that minutiae.

“Everything I know about portrait photography is in this book. I hope it helps you to achieve a lifetime of enjoyment from your photography,” says Damien.

Here's what you can expect from Damien's Portraits book:

• 356 richly illustrated pages

• 384 high res photographs with all the exposure and lighting details used to create them

• Over 50,000 words of creative vision that took me over two years to write

• Everything you need to know in one place

• An expert design with a layout that delivers the best reader experience for you

• Two resolutions of output (high or standard definition) to suit your broadband speed and device capacity. (Choose after making your purchase)

• A print edition may become available in 2017. If you purchase the e-book, the amount you pay will be credited against the printed version

The Fujifilm X System Guide

The Fujifilm X System Guide book is one that I will treasure. As I say in the interview above, I am in the process of moving to a Fujifilm X System and this guide book is perfect in the way it highlights the distinctive features of both cameras and lenses that one would consider buying.

Here's what you can expect in this book:

• 92 richly illustrated pages

• Details of the cameras and lenses that are currently available

• Explanations about the camera settings that Damien uses

• The benefits of individual cameras and lenses

• Recommendations for ideal lens sets

• High res photographs with all the exposure and lighting details used to create them

• Two resolutions of output (high or standard definition) to suit your broadband speed and device capacity. (Choose after making your purchase)

Learn More About Damien's Books

You get 20% off of Damien's books when you use the code – tiffin – This is available only for a limited time, so do not wait. If you haven't bought Christmas presents for yourself or for your favorite photographer, this bundle is perfect!

Want to learn more about Damien's books on creating portraits using the Fujifilm X system? Check out these other blog posts that sing their praises too:

Fujilove, Piet van Den Eynde and Matt Brandon

Stay In Touch With Damien Lovegrove

Catch up with Damien on his blog or on his dedicated portrait website.

The secret of making consistently good photographs is to stay inspired and be passionate about photography. Inspiration fuels the learning of new techniques, and passion generates the motivation needed to continually practice. – Damien Lovegroe

A Sample Of Damien's Stunning Portfolio

Support This Site

If you are shopping for camera bodies or lenses, consider buying them through the affiliate links sprinkled on blog posts like this one. Thank you for supporting Tiffinbox!

For your benefit here are the links to the cameras mentioned above:

Fujifilm XT-2
Fujifilm X100T
Nikon D750

For a limited time you can buy Rico Pfirstinger's book, The Fujifilm X-T2: 120 X-Pert Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Camera for 40% off! Use code: RNXT2

Transform: it's a single word, with deep implications.

Read on if you want to make a difference, and subsequently have that change you for the better and potentially, richer.

“Do you transform people's lives through your photography business?” When I first heard Steve Saporito pose the question, I didn't know what he was talking about. I admit, it felt a little woo-woo. After a week-long workshop with him, the light bulbs started going on.

I realized that most photographers wait to discover their clients at the photo session or at the wedding. In fact, I confess doing just that.

I would excitedly send out a questionnaire the second someone came knocking on my website for a family portrait session or wedding. As soon as I had hit “send”, I figured my job was done and all I needed to do was to just wait for their responses.

All I got back in return were … crickets. Frankly, the replies came but often only minutes before a session or not fully completed. It left me feeling helpless and slightly frustrated because I did not know my clients at all. We were completely out of sync from the get-go. Can you imagine the quality of their photographs? They were emotionally flat, almost absent. And that was my doing, not theirs.

I foolishly figured my branding, website and messaging had to change. Or, was it my portfolio? Or, did I have to up my social media game?

No, in all honestly, none of that mattered more than the experience I was providing my clients. And it was poor. Something had to give and that's when I approached Steve Saporito at his New Haven, Connecticut workshop. My photography business was in a critical condition. I had to make changes and fast.

Thanks to Steve, I experienced a mind-shift. What would happen, I wondered, if I took the time to get to know my clients in a meaningful way that helped them be seen, heard and loved by the people in their lives right now? Ahead of their session, our clients would have an opportunity to reconnect with their family in a way that makes the entire process of being photographed together a joyous event. That's where and when the transformation takes place. And the transformation isn't limited to just your clients. Indeed, you as their photographer experience it as well.

Ultimately, clients reward you for giving them this beautiful experience before their session and for the artwork that become a permanent anchor to their heightened emotions. The

Really, there is a lot more to this than a blog post can cover. If you get a chance to listen to Steve speak (podcasts or at conferences), don't miss out. A couple of weeks after attending his workshops again (yes, again) in New Jersey, I invited Steve to a Skype call that I figured wouldn't last more than 10 or 15 minutes. But here we are chatting about all of this for about 45 minutes. It's a good long listen, but I assure totally worth your time:

As a business coach out of Melbourne, Australia, Steve Saporito teaches photographers through his Empower & Effortless Premières workshops and education platform called Intuition To Succeed.

I want to thank my friends Jasen Arias and Mike Allebach for persuading me to attend Steve's workshop in New Jersey. Like a lot of you, I hummed and hawed about going. I conjured up all kinds of excuses. In the end though, my goal to know how to be fully present for my portrait clients, trumped all attempts to bow out.

Without hyperbole, let me tell you that Steve's workshops ARE the best business workshops I've ever attended. And, I will go back for more in the future.

If you are spinning your wheels and have no clue how to resuscitate your photography business, ping me and I'll let you know more about my experience at the Empower & Effortless Premières workshops. The next one in North America is going to be in Toronto, Canada, from October 5th through October 11th.

To quote Jasen and Mike, “Just put it on the credit card and go dude. You'll pay it off in no time.” So true!

In The Beginning

Some six years ago, when I began playing with the idea of recognizing a photographer every year who was also a naturally gifted teacher, I had my doubts about how long I could keep it going.

While on the one hand it gives me an opportunity to highlight my birthday (yes I was born on August 23rd), it was infinitely more important to pay homage to those who consistently and generously give their time and skill as mentors to budding photographers.

Why? Well because things change. The industry definitely changes. Sometimes for the better and sometimes things can go south.

But people who at their core are committed to both photography and teaching do not. At least, that's been my experience. They truly love what they do and do both extremely well.

Tiffinbox Award Winner

This year's awardee is Megan DiPiero. She is based in Fort Myers, Florida. The first inklings of choosing her to receive The Annual Tiffinbox Award came to me several months ago as I was poring through her Facebook forum called Rise To The Top!

You see, her heart and mind are into photography, teaching, writing and workshops. At one point, I had to ask her if she was planning to write a book because her Facebook posts were so long and packed with useful, actionable information.

What I love the most about her posts is that her advice is the result of things she has tried for her own business first. There aren't any “maybe this will work” scenarios. Her confidence drills through, and her writing style is evocative. It's easy to sit up and take notice of her work as a mentor to so many photographers.

When it comes to marketing, sales or pricing, I tip my hat to Megan DiPiero. Her research is solid and so is her delivery in a workshop setting. I can say that because I was one of her students. If you ever get an opportunity to learn from her, don't miss it!

A Couple Of Questions For Megan

1) What are the major topics that have resonated with your audience?

Megan: I’m obsessed with teaching photographers how to succeed as world-class micro-enterprise business owners. Luxury pricing and sales, high-touch marketing, networking, and rave-worthy customer service are just a few of the hot topics we cover in our workshops and Facebook group posts. I love how we are connecting professional photographers across the globe– building community and support as we dream big and achieve big together.

2) Can you tell us in a few sentences about WHY it is so important for you to teach?

Megan: I can’t help but teach. I just adore it! On my days off, I’ll often wake up before the sun and flesh out a detailed mentor post to share what I’ve learned and what’s been successful for my business. The more I give, the more that comes back to me. Being a role model for others, pushes me to bring my best self to all I do. I love seeing other people put my practices into action and see their business grow as a result.

Megan DiPiero's Portfolio

Take a moment to look at her portrait work. Stunning right? Megan is finely tuned to her craft and is highly regarded in her field for the quality work she produces for her clients.

Megan's Mission

This quote from Megan sums up nicely what she truly stands for:

I want photographers to know their worth. I want to show photographers how to charge big so that they can live their dream of being successful, profitable artists. I want to share what I know that has made me successful. I want to encourage people to try new things and decide what works for them. I want clients to understand that they are beautiful, fabulous, and loved! I want professional photographers of all genres (particularly portrait and wedding pros) to see that they too can offer luxury and incredible service AND be rewarded for sharing these gifts!

Megan, congratulations … but more than that, thank you for what you do.

Learning From Megan

Help me applaud Megan DiPiero's work in our photography industry. Step up and comment below. Or, better yet, sign up to be a part of her Facebook group, Rise To The Top! with Megan DiPiero, if you are a professional photographer or emerging pro.

“Boutique Sales Success,” is a workshop that Megan will be launching in the very near future. Interested students can request info by emailing her here – info@megandipiero.com. Be sure to join the Facebook group for ongoing free education and workshop specials.

Past Tiffinbox Award Winners

Here are the links to the past winners of The Annual Tiffinbox Award:

David DuChemin

Spencer Lum

Jamie Swanson

Jenika McDavitt

Neil van Neikerk

Who will it be next year?

Vineet Vohra is a street photographer based in New Delhi. In 2015, he was among “top 20 most influential street photographers“.

Born in Delhi, India Vineet Vohra did a master’s in fine arts from the prestigious College of Arts. He is a self-taught photographer, and street photography is a passion that he live like a discipline. Although he started shooting as a wild life photographer for two years, Vineet switched on to street in 2001 and instantly became his passion and first nature.

In 2011, Vohra formed APF (artphotofeature.com) along with brother, Rohit Vohra, who is also a street photographer, to provide a platform for emerging photographers, artists and designers to showcase their works.

I spoke with Vineet a few weeks back because I was intrigued by his approach and his disciplined practice of street photography (scroll down below to see some of his work).

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/278331784″ params=”auto_play=false&hide_related=false&show_comments=true&show_user=true&show_reposts=false&visual=true” width=”100%” height=”450″ iframe=”true” /]

Street Photographer's Canvas

Here's a small sample of Vineet Vohra's street photography work:

Want To Learn To Be A Street Photographer?

For the longest time I mistakenly felt workshops in street photography were a waste of time. I figured all you needed was a small quiet camera, probably with a 28mm lens and a good pair of shoes. There is definitely more to just aimlessly roaming the streets looking for photographs.

As you heard above, Vineet, has a ritual that he follows and if he is in town, he doesn't skip it or comes up with excuses. Then there are things like being acutely aware of light. Lastly and perhaps most importantly, Vineet will teach you about how to blend in and approach strangers without freaking out!

There are two opportunities coming up where you can learn from Vineet Vohra:

August 19-21, Singapore

September 23-25, New York City

Sign up now. Vineet's workshops are popular and fill up fast!

Catching Up With Vineet

Vineet's work can also be seen on 500px. Along with his brother, Rohit Vohra (also an amazing street photographer), Vineet started Art Photo Feature magazine. Lastly, you can find Vineet's work as a part of The Street Collective.