PODAS: Who Are Phase's Main Clients?

[JoeKitchen]

So I have been following the PODAS scene hoping that another architectural workshop will be offered here in the U.S., maybe with the same players as the Chicago one a few years ago?  But it seems like PODAS is very concentrated on landscape photography.  And as I look though the workshops from past years, the dominant theme is landscape, with some architecture mixed in here and there.  Nothing else seems to be offered, no food workshops, no product workshops, no fashion workshops, etc, which is kind of odd since many of the best commercial photographers in all genres shoot Phase.  So I must ask, why is Phase catering so much to landscape photographers with these workshops?  

Nothing against the landscape photographers, but I would assume many of those who attend these are not professionals, in that they do not make there sole living from selling landscape photography.  (I may be wrong here, but my assumption is that it would be much harder making a living off of landscape photography than other genres.)  

I feel offering other types of classes could be beneficial to Phase, and would provide more buzz amongst the younger aspiring commercial photographers.  

[torger]

Do professional photographers need or want these type of workshops? Maybe the format is more suitable for amateurs? As far as I understand landscape amateurs is an increasingly important group for phase one, perhaps even more so than professionals that do architecture?

[Kevin Raber]

As the originator of the PODAS workshops, our focus was always on the Landscape Photographer.  Phase One has a strong professional dealer network and these dealers do a very good job offering workshops on topics relevant to the pro market.  The serious enthusiast did not have for the most part a dealer network they were working with or a place they could turn to learn about medium format photography.  Thus PODAS was born and was and is quite successful at helping the enthusiast who primarily focus on fine art landscapes, learn more about medium format digital.  The Architectual Workshop held about a year ago in Chicago was very successful and we were extremely lucky to have good weather and excellent instructors. 

Now that I am here at LuLa I have been considering holding another Architectual Workshop but this time it wouldn't be hardware specific.  Most likely we would do it again in Chicago as this is an incredible city to shoot architecture.  So, let me have your feedback is their interest?

Kevin Raber

[JoeKitchen]

Totally makes sense now.  I guess very well done workshops would be hard to come by as an enthusiast. 

I would love to go to an architectural workshop held by Phase, especially if Christ Barrett was instructing the class again. 

[fotagf8]

As the originator of the PODAS workshops, our focus was always on the Landscape Photographer.  Phase One has a strong professional dealer network and these dealers do a very good job offering workshops on topics relevant to the pro market.  The serious enthusiast did not have for the most part a dealer network they were working with or a place they could turn to learn about medium format photography.  Thus PODAS was born and was and is quite successful at helping the enthusiast who primarily focus on fine art landscapes, learn more about medium format digital.  The Architectual Workshop held about a year ago in Chicago was very successful and we were extremely lucky to have good weather and excellent instructors. 

Now that I am here at LuLa I have been considering holding another Architectual Workshop but this time it wouldn't be hardware specific.  Most likely we would do it again in Chicago as this is an incredible city to shoot architecture.  So, let me have your feedback is their interest?

Kevin Raber

I live in Chicago and would attend in a second.  The reason I got interested in medium format/technical cameras is because I live in one of the best cities in the world for architectural photography. 

If you do come back to Chicago, you should contact the Architectural Foundation for assistance.  However, be careful.  That group, which is an excellent and very visible one, sponsored a one-day seminar with a photographer from Hedrich Blessing as the instructor.  Problem:  I think the session cost around $75 and the group included a lot of point and shoot camera photographers.  Nothing wrong with those cameras or those people, but I was not interested in hearing about the rule of thirds and why I should shoot RAW for the hundredth time. 

[Joe Towner]

Having less than a year experience here on LuLa I can't talk to what has happened before, but there seems to be a constant 'why DMF' or 'convince me' threads that tend to go down hill.  The easy answer is that until you shoot one and look at the images.  I would like to know how the Sal Cincotta workshop with CI went.  The market for DMF is going to get interesting with the CMOS based units shipping from multiple vendors.  I believe that wedding shooters or anyone looking to differentiate their work or justify their price will be looking to add DMF.  For these types of clients, it's a mid-week dead season type of event with models, strobes, etc with them bringing their existing kit to compare.

As for the PODAS to the Palouse, I find it interesting that Art Wolfe will be leading his own workshop just before the PODAS one.  When you look at the costs and what you get out of it, the Phase One gear is a great trump card.  If I were to build a PODAS adventure, I'd target some events where photographers are going to be already.  Albuquerque Balloon festival is high on my list, but I'm not too sure I'd be able to function at 4:30am.

PODAS needs a twin, PODEx (digitial experience) where it's subject matter specific.  Architecture, studio, product, portrait, wedding, all topics that can be focused on for 2-3 days, with intentional breaks to separate fun shoots from work shoots.  Offer a pre-workshop 1 day intro to CaptureOne & 645DF+ so everyone starts shooting on day 1.

To expand it a bit more, with LuLa taking on the host role, would there be more interest in PODAS-type experience if it was expanded to be more vendor neutral?  Bring in the Hasselblad, Leica and Pentax MF shooters who have their own gear, and still offer up the Phase gear as a tease.

[andyptak]

Sign me up for an architecture workshop Kevin.

[Chris Barrett]

I'd say that about a third of the Arch PODAS attendees were working Pros.  Kevin would know better than I.  I've also attended the Monument Valley PODAS which was mostly "non-Pros."  I'm not gonna call them "amateurs" because those guys' images actually blew me away.

I enjoyed both teaching and attending the seminars and can totally recommend them.  Even if you're not interested in buying into Medium Format, the level of image-makers drawn to the PODAS series makes it educational and enjoyable.

CB

[torger]

Amateur is something positive, as an amateur you can follow your creative vision without worrying about pleasing an audience, at least that is how I like to see it. And indeed there are any amateurs out there that produce stunning work.

Being able to test various MF gear and meet with other serious amateurs and professionals is indeed an attractive package... unfortunately there's little like this available in Europe. Oh well, there are many fine workshops, but MF oriented landscape I haven't seen, when it's MF here it's all about fashion type of photography.